Other Help Topics :: Remastering using hda1-based loopfile and mkisofs

Yes, this thread is another remastering question. I've really tried self-help methods trying to find something that works, maybe I'm missing something...

I started trying to remaster DSL using meo's posts in the "big" DSL remastering thread, using the most current instructions for the version of DSL I'm using (1.1).

Since I have only 128 MB RAM (OK, technically 112 MB since my onboard video steals some), 1 FAT32-formatted HD, no USB pendrives or DSL HD installs, I'm using a loopfile on my hda1, created using info in henk.1955's post here.

I'm able to copy over all the files, add the new files I want to the /mnt/test/source directory, and create the KNOPPIX file system file using mkisofs, except when I try to create the ISO file itself, mkisofs refuses, giving some sort of error each time:

Code Sample

root@ttyp0[dsl]# mkisofs -no-pad -l -r -J -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -b mnt/test/newcd/boot/isolinux/isolinux.bin -c mnt/test/newcd/boot/isolinux/boot.cat -hide-rr-moved -o mydsl /mnt/test
mkisofs: Uh oh, I cant find the boot catalog directory 'mnt/test/newcd/boot/isolinux'!
root@ttyp0[dsl]# mkisofs -no-pad -l -r -J -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -b /mnt/test/newcd/boot/isolinux/isolinux.bin -c /mnt/test/newcd/boot/isolinux/boot.cat -hide-rr-moved -o mydsl.iso /mnt/test
call to search_tree_file with an absolute path, stripping
initial path separator. Hope this was intended...
mkisofs: Uh oh, I cant find the boot catalog directory '/mnt/test/newcd/boot/isolinux'!

I've done some web and DSL forum searches for info on mkisofs, come up with info on the command here and here, the latter thanks to clivesay's post here, so I feel I now know a little about what I'm doing with all these command switches. Also used "mkisofs -help" in bash to find out the version of mkisofs included in DSL is this one, unfortunatley the website seems to only have the source code. I also discovered a few syntax errors with how I was trying to use mkisofs in Can't remaster dsl 0.8.2, which the poster there used largely the same syntax I was using to create the ISO.

With this information, I tried again, twice, unfortunatley with similar results:

Code Sample

root@ttyp0[dsl]# mount /mnt/hda1/loopfile/disk.img /mnt/test -o loop
root@ttyp0[dsl]# mkisofs -no-pad -l -r -J -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -b boot/isolinux/isolinux.bin -c boot/isolinux/boot.cat -hide-rr-moved -o mnt/hda1/dsl.iso mnt/test/newcd
mkisofs: No such file or directory. Invalid node - mnt/test/newcd
root@ttyp0[dsl]# mkisofs -no-pad -l -r -J -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -b boot/isolinux/isolinux.bin -c boot/isolinux/boot.cat -hide-rr-moved -o mnt/hda1/dsl.iso /mnt/test/newcd
mkisofs: No such file or directory. Unable to open disc image file

I looked up the "unable to open disc image file" error on a web search, but didn't come up with anything of any help.

The really strange thing: when I issued the mkisofs command to make an ISO that didn't work because the files were on my FAT32-formatted hda1, it created the ISO, no problem, however, as discussed in the loopfile creation thread above, its not going to boot.

In short:
Used search option on DSL forum to try to find answer: check
Used search option on DSL documentation to try to find answer: check
Used web search to try to find answer/more information: check

I really hope I've done enough on my part in research to *not* sound like another 'I use windows, please give me a personalized answer on a silver platter' user that only posts when they can't get something to work, and that I now know (thanks mostly to everyone who posts here) enough about what what I'm doing to understand the answer. However, if I need to keep digging somewhere, please let me know.

Oops, almost forgot a few important things:

Program I'm trying to add isn't available as a MyDSL extension.

Only boottime option I use when starting up DSL when I'm trying to remaster is "dsl vga=normal," to maximize the amount of RAM available for other things.

Also, since I do have a valid KNOPPIX file, is it possible to burn just that to a CD and use a bootdisk as a temporary workaround? This is a secondary question and if anyone knows what I'm doing wrong with mkisofs that'll make this question not as important.

Well, everyone, it looks like, only after looking at the copy of the mkisofs command I posted here, I figured out my own problem... the last time I used the command, I left out the first forwardslash of the "-o" statement, that put the completed ISO on the main directory of my HD.

I redid it, it worked, and I am now posting this message using Mozilla 1.7.8, running off a DSL 1.1 CD-RW.

It's times like these I'm really glad forums exist, if nothing else than so we can look at our mistakes and go "duh, I shoulda checked my syntax!"

And, if I haven't said so already, thanks to everyone else here that contributes to the forum, espically those with info in the posts I referenced above.

original here.