save-config - save configuration ; restore-config - restore configuration; mkpersistenthome - create persistent home directory; more options available via bootoptions (see following documentation)
save-config - please take a look at save-config -h ; restore-config - please take a look at restore-config -h, mkpersistenthome (no options available)
By using the config-framework it is possible to save the configuration of a running grml system and restore it later. save-config is a script to store your running configuration inside a bzip2 compressed tar archive (from now on known as the configuration file). restore-config is a script to restore a configuration using the stored configuration file. Several bootoptions provide additional features. If you do not know where to start just take a look at the available options and read the section usage scenarios.
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The generated configuration archives are plain bzip2 compressed tar archives. All the files are generated starting from the root-directory / so it is easy to handle. You can generate configuration archives manually as well, save-config is just a frontend which should make it easier to use. |
By default the booting process tries to mount a device labeled GRMLCFG. This provides the possibility to restore a configuration (named config.tbz) and execute a script (named grml.sh) without the need to specify any bootparams. If you want to disable this feature please take a look at the noautoconfig bootparam.
As you probably know you can adjust boot parameters on the bootprompt. You want to set some boot options permanently? That's possible via adding a directory named bootparams to the grml-ISO which has to be located at /cdrom/bootparams/ afterwards. Place a textfile inside the directory containing the bootoptions which should be appended to default ones (this corresponds to booting without any special options). If you want to be able to boot from your grml-CD you have to create a multisession CD. See the usage scenarios for more details how to use it.
This script generates a plain bzip2 compressed tar archive containing the specified files. The following options are supported for specifying which parts should be saved in the configuration file:
-home store hidden files from $HOME ($HOME/.*) -grmlhome store hidden files from \$HOME (\$HOME/.*) of user grml [use as user root] -etc store modified files from /etc -configdir store $HOME/config -all store all configuration files (:= -home, -configdir and -etc)
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It is also possible to use environment variables for specifying which parts should be saved. Just set the corresponding variable: $SAVE_HOME, $SAVE_ETC, $SAVE_CONFIGDIR and $SAVE_ALL |
The default filename of the generated configuration file is config.tbz. The following options are supported for specifying another destination of the configuration file:
-ssh user@host:/path/to/file copy configuration via ssh/scp to remote host -mail <recipient> send configuration via mail -file foo_bar_config.tbz save configuration in specified file
Usage examples:
save-config -all => store all configuration files in config.tbz in current dir save-config -home -mail devnull@grml.org => store $HOME/.* in config.tbz and send it via mail save-config -etc -ssh devnull@grml.org:/path/ => store /etc in config.tbz and scp it to specified host save-config -all -file foo.tbz => store all configuration files in foo.tbz SAVE_ALL=yes save-config -file /path/foo.tbz => store all configuration files in /path/foo.tbz
You can restore a configuration using the bootoptions or by a script file named restore-config. Specify the filename of the configuration archive which should be used as a parameter. The following options are available to specify which parts of the archive should be extracted.
-home extract hidden files from $HOME ($HOME/.*) -grmlhome store hidden files from \$HOME (\$HOME/.*) of user grml [use as user root] -etc extract modified files from /etc -configdir extract $HOME/config
The default is to extract (restore) all files found in the archive.
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It is also possible to use environment variables for specifying which part should be restored. Just set the corresponding variable: $RESTORE_HOME, $RESTORE_ETC, $RESTORE_CONFIGDIR and $RESTORE_ALL |
Usage examples:
restore-config -home foo_bar_config.tbz => restore configuration from file foo_bar_config.tbz restore-config config.tbz => restore configuration from file config.tbz
You have a local partition you would like to use as your home-directory? Just use the interactive script called mkpersistenthome. It will either create a file named grml.img on the specified partition or create a partition using the ext2 filesystem (you can specify the option in a dialog inside the program). grml.img is a loopback device which size you can specify manually. It is possible to scan through the partitions to identify the appropriate partition. To use a home-directory located on your hard-drive use the appropriate bootoption on bootprompt:
home=/dev/hda3 => use /dev/hda3 as the homepartition home=scan => scan through the available partitions and search for file grml.img
The following bootoptions are supported. Use them at the (isolinux) bootprompt as documented here.
This option is for restoring configuration using the file config.tbz on the specified device. Usage examples:
myconfig=/dev/sda1 => use file config.tbz from usb-device myconfig=/dev/fd0 => use file config.tbz from floppy-disk myconfig=/dev/sda1 file=config_foobar.tbz => use file config_foobar.tbz from usb-device
This option is for setting a specific partition as home directory. Usage examples:
home=/dev/hda3 => use /dev/hda3 as the homepartition
home=scan => scan through the available partitions and search
for file grml.img
This option mounts the specified device in read-only mode and tries to copy all files specified in /etc/grml/partconf to the grml system. This provides the possibility to use the configuration of a harddisk installation. For example using the network configuration (which is specified in /etc/network) is possible using this bootoption. Usage example:
partconf=/dev/hda2 => try to mount /dev/hda2 and copy files specified
in /etc/grml/partconf to the booted grml system
Use this option to restore configuration using wget to download a configuration file from specified destination. Usage example:
netconfig=server.tld/path/to/config.tbz => restore configuration using wget to download file config.tbz
Extract specific directories from configuration archive. Notice: This bootparam is useful only with bootparams which are able to extract configuration archives.
extract=/home/grml => extract only /home/grml from archive extract=/etc => extract only /etc from archive extract=/home/grml/config => extract only $HOME/config from archive
This option can start a script located in /cdrom/scripts/. Usage examples:
scripts => run script /cdrom/scripts/grml.sh scripts=foobar.sh => run script foobar.sh in /cdrom/scripts/
Use this option to restore a configuration using directory /cdrom/config (located in root-directory on a usb-device). Usage examples:
config => restore configuration using file config.tbz from directory /cdrom/config/ config=config_foobar.tbz => restore configuration using file config_foobar.tbz from directory /cdrom/config/
This options allows automatic installation of deb packages while booting. The debian packages have to be located in directory /cdrom/debs/. Usage examples:
debs => install all debian packages (suffix .deb) from directory /cdrom/debs/ debs=01 => install all debian packages (suffix .deb) starting with 01 in the filename from directory /cdrom/debs/
Deactivate automounting. By default the command mount tries to mount a device with label GRMLCFG. If you specify the noautoconfig bootparam the automounting will be deactivated.
noautoconfig => disables auto mounting of label 'GRMLCFG'
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 procede? Copy your .vimrc and .zshrc to $HOME of user grml. Place additional files in $HOME/config. Now create a configuration for your files running:
save-config -home -configdir
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:
grml netconfig=server.tld/path/to/config.tbz
You don't have network access but own a floppy drive? Copy the file to a floppy disk and boot with:
grml myconfig=/dev/fd0
Floppy is to small or to slow? Ok, let's use a usb device:
grml myconfig=/dev/sda1
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:
save-config -etc
Now you should have a file named config.tbz containing your configuration files. If you want to use it with a floppy disk copy the file to a floppy and boot via using the following command on bootprompt:
grml myconfig=/dev/fd0
Floppy is to small or to slow? Ok, let's use a usb device:
grml myconfig=/dev/sda1
You do have an existing harddisk installation and want to use its configuration? Let's say the debian system is located in /dev/hda2. 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:
grml partconf=/dev/hda2
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 50 MB ISO). If you want to use it with the 700MB version of grml you have to overburn the ISO.
Let's assume you have burned the grml iso to a CD-RW using a commandline like:
cdrecord dev=/dev/hdc -v -multi -tao grml_0.5.iso
Now create a directory named debs and place foobar.deb in it:
mkdir debs/ && cp foobar.deb debs/
Notice: This directory will be located in /cdrom after burning the second session.
Now create the second session containing this directory:
mkisofs -M grml_0.5.iso -C `cdrecord -msinfo dev=/dev/hdc` -R -o 2nd_session.iso debs
Finally append the second session to the cd using:
cdrecord dev=/dev/hdc -v -multi -tao 2nd_session.iso
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the application k3b (not available on the live-CD but available through the Debian repositories) provides an easy to use interface for doing the multisession task. |
Now boot from your new personalized grml cd using the debs option:
grml debs
You know that booting with grml service=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 own of the mentioned bootparams. Let's say you have placed grml.sh on your usb device (usb stick) then use the following commandline on bootprompt:
grml myconfig=/dev/sda1
Or even better: create a floppy disk with label GRMLCFG running:
fdformat /dev/fd0 # format the floppy disk if not done already mkfs.ext2 -L GRMLCFG /dev/fd0 # now create ext2 filesystem with label GRMLCFG on it:
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several filesystems provide the possibility to provide a label. For example FAT provides this through: mkfs.vfat -n GRMLCFG /dev/sda1 (attention: this will destroy data on /dev/sda1 of course!). Take a look at the documentation/manpage of the filesystem you want to use. |
Now place your configuration archive (see save-config and the other usage scenarios) and the script grml.sh on the floppy disk. Now you can boot your system without specifying any bootparameters 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/ice 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/hda2 copies files defined in /etc/grml/partconf from /dev/hda2 to the grml system. As /etc/network is predefined in /etc/grml/partconf the configuration from /dev/hda2 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 floppy or an USB stick. Take a look at the script saveconfig and the boot parameter myconfig.
You want to set some boot options permanently? Just add a directory named bootparams to the CD-ROM so it is located at /cdrom/bootparams/ and contains a textfile with the bootparams you would like to use.
mkdir bootparams echo lang=de > bootparams/my_bootparams
Now burn a multisession CD where directory bootparams is located in the root directory of the CD.
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Tip
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the application k3b (not available on the live-CD but available through the Debian repositories) provides an easy to use interface for doing the multisession task. |
You want to use a persistent home directory which includes all the files located in $HOME. Use the script mkpersistenthome to create such a persistent home directory. You have the options to either use a specific partition as your home directory or add a loopback file named grml.img on the specified partition (the default).
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/dev/external in the partition selection of mkpersistenthome is an usb device without partitions. /dev/external1 corresponds to the first partition on an usb device (usually an usb stick). |
After running the script mkpersistenthome you can use the boot parameter home to activate the home directory. If you are using the option with the loopback file (grml.img) you can boot via:
grml home=scan
which will scan through the partitions and if a file grml.img is found it will be mounted as your $HOME-directory. If you want to use a partition as your home directory specify the device as an option. If you want to use /dev/hda2 as your $HOME boot via:
grml home=/dev/hda2
Notice: the files located in /etc/skel will be copied to the partition (but will not overwrite any files).
Please report feedback, bugreports and wishes to us!
(c) 2005, Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org>