System Management Tools & Documentation ISO - Boot from USB?

Question

Hi All,

I've setup a USB key that contains my favourite ISO images (MemTest86, Darik's Boot & Nuke etc.) and by using Grub4DOS I can boot my PowerEdge's from the USB key and select which ISO I wish to load. Very handy, instructions how to do this can be found here: http://www.themudcrab.com/acronis_grub4dos.php#tagIntroduction

I would now like to add the Dell SMTD DVD ISO to this USB key.

I've copied over the ISO file to the /boot folder of my key and added the following to Grub4DOS's menu.lst file;

title Dell Systems Management Tools & Documentation 6.2.0 A00
find --set-root /boot/dsmt&d_6.2.0_a00.iso
map /boot/dsmt&d_6.2.0_a00.iso (hd32)
map --hook
root (hd32)
chainloader (hd32)

This successfully allows me to boot into the SMTD ISO and I can choose to load the "Dell Systems Build and Update Utility" from the blue menu. It's after this point that things fall apart with a 'Having problems mounting Server Assistant meda' message and a continual 'Retrying Mount......' message.

I'm kinda guessing this is a problem with either the way the ISO is booted through Grub4DOS or if the SMTD DVD does it's own special multi-boot process using ISOLINUX.

Has anyone else tried to accomplish this with this method and able to shed any light on the subject? I'd really like to get this working this way with G4D as it would mean the USB key can be updated with a newer version of the SMTD DVD just by copying over the new ISO and modifing the menu.lst file. It's also my intention of eventually having a custom SUU repository on the key making server updates really easy.

BTW - I've googled for documentation from Dell for any official way to put the SMTD image onto a bootable USB key but haven't found any.

Many thanks in advance,

Cheers,

Zinc

dethredic · Answer

I was trying the EXACT same thing, and ran into the same problem. Just wondering if you have figured out a solution.

Zinc666 · Answer

I'm afraid not Dethredic. To be honest I haven't looked at it again since my first post, but I'm going to try again and see if I can sort it out (I've literally had to create new DVD's for a new server install this morning... I can never find ones I'd created previously!).

I'll be honest though I'm not that familiar with ISOLINUX so will have to have a through read-up but I wouldn't be surprised if a certain switch in the key's boot menu file is needed.

I'm actually shocked that no one else has tried to put the SMTD stuff on a bootable USB key... surely loads of admins would have tried to do this. Also, an offical stance from Dell would be nice.

Cheers.

dethredic · Answer

I talked to a dell support guy on the online chat thing and he said that it was not designed to be booted from a USB drive, and that it isn't supported.

theflash1932 · Answer

You might hit up reybeast1 for some pointers:http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/servers/f/177/t/19340733.aspx

dethredic · Answer

Thanks for the link. I am looking at the shell script that does the work. Here are the main parts (most of the rest is just error checking):

#partition

parted $usb_device mkpartfs primary fat32 0% 100% > /dev/null #makes the partition (fat32 is used)

parted "$usb_device" set 1 boot on > /dev/null #makes it bootable

# Sets up the usb to copy files there

temp_dir=$(mktemp -dp /tmp) #to mount usb

mount "$usb_device"1 $temp_dir

# Started Copying files

cp -r "$sbuu_dvd"/* $temp_dir

sync

mv -f "$temp_dir"/isolinux/SA.1 $temp_dir/isolinux/sa.1 2>/dev/null

mv -f "$temp_dir"/isolinux/SA.2 $temp_dir/isolinux/sa.2 2>/dev/null

mkdir -p $temp_dir/boot/grub

cp -rf /boot/grub/* $temp_dir/boot/grub/ #copys your linux's grub folder to the USB

echo "(hd0) $usb_device" > $temp_dir/boot/grub/device.map

grub-install --root-directory=$temp_dir $usb_device #installs grub on the usb drive

cp $temp_dir/syslinux/syslinux.cfg $temp_dir/boot/grub/

# Making GRUB.conf File (actually it makes the syslinux.cfg file)

perl -p -i -e "s|default CDU|default=0|g" $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg

perl -p -i -e "s|prompt 10||g" $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg

perl -p -i -e "s|timeout 100|timeout=10|g" $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg

perl -i -ne "print unless /say/" $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg

perl -p -i -e "s|label|title|g" $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg

perl -p -i -e "s|dtk|DTK|g" $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg

perl -p -i -e "s|kernel /isolinux/SA.1||g" $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg

perl -p -i -e "s|append initrd=/isolinux/SA.2|kernel /isolinux/sa.1 |g" $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg

perl -ni -le 'print; print " initrd /isolinux/sa.2" if /kernel/' $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg

# Moves the syslinux.cfg to both grub.conf and menul.st

cp -f $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg $temp_dir/boot/grub/grub.conf

mv -f $temp_dir/boot/grub/syslinux.cfg $temp_dir/boot/grub/menu.lst

It looks like this can be re done on windows without too much trouble (using grub4dos). I am much more fluent in Linux than I am in Windows (why I could understand the instructions). I don't know how to change all the instructions to windows form although I will give it a go.

dethredic · Answer

Okay, I figured this out. Thanks to theflash1932 for the link.

Here is how to do it:

1) Format the USB key to FAT32

2) Install GRUB4DOS using the link in the OP

3) Edit the menu.lst file on your usb drive (or make it if it isn't there)

Here are the two key sections to add:

title System Build And Update Utility

kernel /isolinux/sa.1 ramdisk_size=71662 ramdisk_blocksize=4096 Stage3_type=usb_storage_media DEBUG=0 dsa_replication=0 quiet ide=force_255_heads cdu_no_auto_unmount=1 BUILD=277

initrd /isolinux/sa.2

title Dell Deployment Tool Kit

kernel /isolinux/sa.1 ramdisk_size=71662 ramdisk_blocksize=4096 Stage3_type=usb_storage_media DEBUG=0 dsa_replication=0 quiet ide=force_255_heads BUILD=277 DTKCLI=1 share_type=usb_storage_media

initrd /isolinux/sa.2

4) Copy everything from the CD to the USB

5) Once the file copy is done go to your usb drive then go into the isolinux folder. rename SA.1 to sa.1 and SA.2 to sa.2

6) Boot from the USB and pick System Build And Update Utility. It may seem like it isn't working, but if you wait (remember it takes a while off the DVD to load), then it will load after 30 seconds to a min or two.

7) just built a box with it to confirm it is working.

EDIT: make sure that the kernel.....dsa_... is all one line for both entries.

Zinc666 · Answer

Awesome dethredic, it never occured to me to ignore the complete ISO and boot directly to the boot images contained within it... good work. Thanks very much indeed and to you theflash1932 for the earlier link.

I wonder though if there still is a way to chain boot the initial ISO and the individual images within using GRUB4DOS... one to revisit on a rainy day me thinks.

Regards,

Zinc

locolyric · Answer

doesn't work in poweredge t110. Do we have alternative solution other than burn into dvd?

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System Management Tools & Documentation ISO - Boot from USB?

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