grml-autoconfig(1)

The DCS directory defaults to the root directory of the GRML live image (Note: the directory is known as /run/live/medium/ on a running Grml system then!). If a file system labeled GRMLCFG is found, the DCS directory is the root directory of that file system. Alternatively, the myconfig boot parameter can be used to directly specify a device which is then taken as DCS directory (myconfig=/dev/sda1, for example). If your device is labeled different to GRMLCFG the proper label can be set via the autoconfig boot parameter (autoconfig=SOMELABEL, for example).

Without any additional boot parameters, the GCA at DCSDIR/config.tbz is automatically unpacked and DCSDIR/scripts/grml.sh is automatically executed on system startup. The noautoconfig boot parameter disables this automatic behavior.

The following boot parameters are supported. Use them at the (isolinux) bootprompt as documented here.

As you probably know you can adjust boot parameters on the bootprompt. You want to set some boot parameters permanently? That’s possible via adding a directory named bootparams to the Grml ISO which has to be located at the root-directory /bootparams/ (Note: the directory is known as /run/live/medium/bootparams/ on a_running_Grml system then!). Place a textfile inside the directory containing the boot parameters which should be appended to default ones (this corresponds to booting without any special parameters).

Then burn a multisession CD where directory bootparams is located in the root directory of the CD.

You are a fan of the editor vim? Great. You probably have your own _{/.vimrc and want to use it on the Grml system. You also don’t like the default zsh configuration and want to use your own} /.zshrc? How to proceed? Copy your .vimrc and .zshrc to $HOME of user grml. Place additional files in $HOME/config. Now create a configuration for your files running:

Now you should have a file named config.tbz containing your configuration files. You can copy the archive to a webserver and restore it via downloading during reboot using the following commandline on bootprompt:

You don’t have network access but own a USB device? Copy the file to a USB device and boot with something like:

You need a specific network setup and want to use your own /etc/network/interfaces by default? Generate the configuration archive running the following command as user root:

Now you should have a file named config.tbz containing your configuration files. If you want to use it with a USB device copy the file to it and boot via using the following command on boot prompt:

You do have an existing harddisk installation and want to use its configuration? Let’s say the Debian system is located in /dev/sda2. You want to use the directory /etc/network. This directory is activated by default in /etc/grml/partconf so we don’t have to do any further work. We just need to activate it via using the following commandline on bootprompt:

You have a specified debian package named foobar.deb and want to use it with (therefore: install it on) Grml by default? Notice: this feature is useful especially for grml-small (a ~100 MB ISO). If you want to use it with the large version of Grml you might have to overburn the ISO.

Let’s assume you have burned the Grml iso to a CD-RW using a commandline like:

Now create a directory named debs and place foobar.deb in it:

Notice: This directory will be located in /run/live/medium after burning the second session.

Now create the second session containing this directory:

Finally append the second session to the cd using:

Now boot from your new personalized Grml CD using the debs parameter:

You know that booting with grml services=foobar executes /etc/init.d/foobar when booting Grml. But you want to setup a more complex network configuration, adjust some other stuff and so on, on your own? Just write a script named grml.sh which does the job and use one of the mentioned boot parameters. Let’s say you have placed grml.sh on your usb device (usb stick) then use the following commandline on bootprompt:

Or even better: create a device with label GRMLCFG running (adjust /dev/sdX1 according to your needs):

Now place your configuration archive (see save-config and the other usage scenarios) and the script grml.sh on the device. Now you can boot your system without specifying any boot parameters on bootprompt because devices labeled with GRMLCFG are mounted readonly and used by default. If you did not label your device you can use the device anyway using grml myconfig=/dev/sdX (adjust /dev/sdX) on the bootprompt.

You are responsible for a customer’s system in her data center. The system has failed and you need to debug from remote, and the remote hands available in the data center do not have enough knowledge to get Grml booted and configure the network without external help?

If the hard disk of the system is still available, you hopefully have saved a configuration file with IP address, netmask and default gateway somewhere on that hard disk. Grml can use the information found on a partition. Take a look at the partconf boot parameter. Usage example: grml partconf=/dev/sda2 copies files defined in /etc/grml/partconf from /dev/sda2 to the Grml system. As /etc/network is predefined in /etc/grml/partconf the configuration from /dev/sda2 will be taken.

Or you use a standard Grml medium and have grml read IP address, netmask and default gateway from another medium like a USB stick. Take a look at the script saveconfig and the boot parameter myconfig.

Or you put a grml.iso file on your hard disk (maybe in /boot/grml) or on an USB stick, use grub to boot from there and place debs, configuration scripts or Grml configuration archives alongside the .iso.