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Viaggiatore

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Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« on: June 17, 2010, 12:49:11 PM »
In order to use alternate Boot.plist, I read that:

Additional useful command-line options:
config=<file> Use an alternate Boot.plist file.

It seems to me I didn't understand how to make it work... i.e. I'm trying to load a Boot.plist called "lcd.plist" in /Extra/, how can I use it instead of the standard /Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist?

At boot tome I tried to write:
config=lcd.plist
config=/Extra/lcd.plist

but it seems to me it doesn't work?! /Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist is always used.

What am I doing wrong?
Thanks a lot in advance!

GR


Azimutz

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2010, 06:06:05 PM »
@Viaggiatore,

you're not doing anything wrong; as it is, "config=" doesn't work for "us"! This key is on the original boot-132 code so, it's Apple stuff for Mac's; a function to make it work on PC's was never implemented. This will be corrected in the future, i'm sure ;)
How did it got to BootHelp file, i don't know!?
The booter can load a "override" Boot.plist from the partition we selected to boot from (if it's present);
but that doesn't work when the partition we selected to boot from is the same were the booter is installed, that's the most common install method. If that's the case, if you have the booter installed on the system partition, i suggest you try using a ramdisk (like the ones used on pre-boot) to load the alternate Boot.plist, like this:

- open Disk Utility and create a New Image.
- on "Partitions:" select "Single partition - GUID partition map" and give it the smallest size possible, 10.5MB (not mandatory but, the smallest the better).
- save the image on the System Extra folder as "Preboot.dmg"; this will be the ramdisk. (any name will do but, Preboot.dmg will load automaticaly; if you use another name, you have to load the image your self).
- open the saved image (ramdisk), create a Extra folder inside the mounted image and place the Boot.plist you want to try inside; reboot...
- you will see the booter load the ramdisk; if you proceed to boot, the Boot.plist on the ramdisk will override the default one, on System's Extra folder.
- if something goes wrong with the override Boot.plist, on the next boot unmount the ramdisk and there will be no Boot.plist to override the Default one. To unmount the ramdisk, at boot prompt type:
Code: [Select]
?rd u and press Enter.

To check all the commands available to deal with ramdisks, type just:
Code: [Select]
?rd and you'll get a "Usage:" list.

Try it, if any problems just ask, i'm monitoring the topic :)

Stay safe
« Last Edit: June 19, 2010, 12:47:23 AM by Azimutz »
 System & Patches: http://goo.gl/i961
 Chameleon:
- trunk builds: http://goo.gl/9G1Hq
- pref pane: http://goo.gl/OL2UT

Viaggiatore

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2010, 09:46:12 AM »
Ahhhh oooookkkkk, this was driving me crazy! Thanks a lot for your answer! I'll try to avoid the need of using two different Boot.plist, otherwise I'll follow your advice.

Grazie!
GR
« Last Edit: June 18, 2010, 09:47:53 AM by Viaggiatore »

Viaggiatore

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2010, 09:42:12 PM »
Uhm, I did what you said but it didn't work.

I tried to type "?rd" at boot prompt but chameleon just booted without showing any help.
I'm using RC4

Thanks a lot

Azimutz

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2010, 10:44:36 PM »
Ok.. let me check RC4...
It's working as i explained!
Code: [Select]
?rd prints the "Usage:" menu and all commands work fine.
Going to check my instructions, to see if i can make them more informative... Did you understand them?
And followed them to the letter? :)

Well, did a little edit but nothing much.. let me explain a bit more how this "Boot.plist override" stuff works;
when the booter starts, before it gets to the boot prompt, the default Boot.plist file gets loaded from one of these paths:
Code: [Select]
"/Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist"                                                     <-- user selected partition
"bt(0,0)/Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist"                                              <-- booter partition
"/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist"                   <-- default path on Mac's
"/com.apple.boot.P/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist"  <-- raid, i think
"/com.apple.boot.R/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist"
"/com.apple.boot.S/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist" 
and sets the default values.
After you select a partition and press Enter, the booter will override the default values using another plist in one of these paths, if any is present:
Code: [Select]
"rd(0,0)/Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist"                                              <-- ramdisk
"/Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist"                                                     <-- user selected partition
"/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist"
"/com.apple.boot.P/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist"
"/com.apple.boot.R/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist"
"/com.apple.boot.S/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist"
any different or new value on one of these plist, will be used instead of the one in the default plist, with the exception of these two:
Code: [Select]
    <key>Kernel</key>
    <string>mach_kernel</string>
    <key>Kernel Flags</key>
    <string></string>
default kernel name and empty value on Kernel Flags.
This is the default Chameleon behavior and it's performed every single boot; the first file found is the one that gets loaded on both times. By the way, this was adapted from this post using RC4 paths.
Works flawless! And also can play some nice tricks on you if you don't know that it exists or how it works... i know it did to me ;)
« Last Edit: June 19, 2010, 02:15:05 AM by Azimutz »
 System & Patches: http://goo.gl/i961
 Chameleon:
- trunk builds: http://goo.gl/9G1Hq
- pref pane: http://goo.gl/OL2UT

Viaggiatore

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2010, 11:22:35 PM »
Ok.. let me check RC4...
It's working as i explained!
Code: [Select]
?rd prints the "Usage:" menu and all commands work fine.
Going to check my instructions, to see if i can make them more informative... Did you understand them?
And followed them to the letter? :)

any different or new value on one of these plist, will be used instead of the one in the default plist...

I don't understand why if I type
Code: [Select]
?rd boot sequence just goes on :(

So i think I understood that what happens is a sort of "or" between the 2 Boot.plist (the one in the /Extra/ and the other one being in the ramdisk). I mean, this is what it seems I achieved and needed  ;)
BUT, I don't know why
Code: [Select]
?rd u doesn't unmont Preboot.dmg.
So I tried to manually mount my ramdisk when needed (i called it lcd.dmg) but doing
Code: [Select]
?rd m /Extra/lcd.dmg does not mount my image, boot sequence just goes on.
It seems to me I'm able to mount a ramdisk only if the image is called "Preboot.dmg"....
I'm pretty confused  :(

Thanks a lot for your help
GR

Azimutz

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2010, 01:33:36 AM »
That's indeed a strange behavior... Well, at this point i'm curious about what kind of install do you have? partition scheme, were System and booter are installed, etc...
But first, can you try with RC5? I don't know what kind of knowledge do you have so, if you need a pre-compiled package i provide it here for test purposes. There are no major problems with RC5; just replace the boot file and give it a try... don't forget to backup. If it does the same with RC5, it's probably something on your install/config...??
 System & Patches: http://goo.gl/i961
 Chameleon:
- trunk builds: http://goo.gl/9G1Hq
- pref pane: http://goo.gl/OL2UT

Viaggiatore

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2010, 11:43:22 PM »
Very well, I think I found the solution! Maybe I'm going to say an obvious thing, but after I tried RC5 beta (which I guess is no GUI ATM) I saw that everything was working as expected... so I tried with RC4 but this time disabling the GUI and ?rd and related commands are now doing their job!  ;D

I don't know if this is a bug or working as design, but for now I disabled Chameleon GUI and I'm happy with ramdisk use!

So thanks a lot for your help!
GR

Azimutz

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2010, 04:19:22 AM »
Hum.. i think i know what's going on... do this:
- open Terminal and type
Code: [Select]
diskutil list copy the output and paste here on a code tag.
Mention the partition were you have the booter installed and also the system, or if they are the same.
Also, try the boot file on the other package on the link i gave you, the one that says "themembedded"... that
should give you GUI. Don't assume the problem is the GUI; if it's what i think it's not his fault ;) it's just another victim.
Check this topic...
 System & Patches: http://goo.gl/i961
 Chameleon:
- trunk builds: http://goo.gl/9G1Hq
- pref pane: http://goo.gl/OL2UT

Viaggiatore

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2010, 10:13:12 PM »
I'm sorry I'm really busy working in these days  :(
Here:

Code: [Select]
/dev/disk0
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *100.0 GB   disk0
   1:                        EFI                         209.7 MB   disk0s1
   2:                  Apple_HFS Leopard                 67.6 GB    disk0s2
   3:       Microsoft Basic Data Swap                   32.1 GB    disk0s3
/dev/disk1
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:     FDisk_partition_scheme                        *320.1 GB   disk1
   1:               Windows_NTFS WinXP                  278.2 GB   disk1s1
   2:                      Linux                         40.1 GB    disk1s5
   3:                 Linux_Swap                         1.8 GB     disk1s6


By the way, even though I cannot boot with GUI everything is fine now  :)

Thanks a lot
GR

Azimutz

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2010, 09:37:22 PM »
No problem, i'm busy too and as you can boot i've been delaying posting.
Also you didn't mentioned were do you have the booter installed or if you did tried the booter with embedded theme?!
When you have time to provide those, i'll come back ;) without those i'll be only speculating...

p.s.: well, thinking a bit...
if you have Chameleon installed on disk0s2 and you have a Themes folder (with themes) on Extra on that same partition, then
either disk0s3 it's letting Chameleon confused in some way!? Same for Chameleon installed on EFI partition and Themes folder on it. This is using the RC5 without embedded theme.
What type of file system do you have on that Microsoft Basic Data partition?
I have the same type of install as you; GPT HD, Chameleon RC5 installed after EFI partition with boot0+boot1h;
checking with GParted, EFI partition shows as Active; Themes folder, no theme embedded and i have none of the problems you mentioned.
But, foreign partitions are banned from my GPT HD  ;D they break all the nice things that can be done with hfs+ ones; only
do them on GPT for testing purposes!
The bottom line is, the booter only checks for themes on the partition were is installed so, if you use the no theme embedded RC5 "boot" file, a Themes folder on the the booter partition and you get no Gui, the booter is looking for themes else were.
Anyway, i need confirmations, otherwise i'm just speculating.

p.p.s: It seems i've been saying some bs! I went deeper on the booter code and it does check selected volume for themes.
I also found support for Microsoft Basic Data partitions. Still, weird stuff is happening with some partition configurations/layouts.
Sorry about the bs :P
« Last Edit: July 19, 2010, 06:14:30 AM by Azimutz »
 System & Patches: http://goo.gl/i961
 Chameleon:
- trunk builds: http://goo.gl/9G1Hq
- pref pane: http://goo.gl/OL2UT

Viaggiatore

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #11 on: June 28, 2010, 08:01:46 PM »
Hi, I have the booter installed in disk0s2 (Leopard) partition. I saw the only "Themes" (empty-never-used) folder was in Windows partition, I moved it in /Extra/.

Very weird I'm now only able to boot with "-f -v" otherwise I have KP... using RC4 NO GUI... maybe I played too much with it  :lol:

Maybe I should re-install chameleon and see what happens (boot,boot0 etc).

Thanks a lot!
GR

Azimutz

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Re: Help in using alternate Boot.plist
« Reply #12 on: June 28, 2010, 10:13:53 PM »
Weird is the Themes folder on the windows partition??  :o And empty will not help you with getting Gui.
Check the info i gave you so far, before you go reinstalling the booter.. i can't think of anything else for now.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2010, 06:21:26 AM by Azimutz »
 System & Patches: http://goo.gl/i961
 Chameleon:
- trunk builds: http://goo.gl/9G1Hq
- pref pane: http://goo.gl/OL2UT