bootcdwrite(1)

📦
version 6.11.2 · 6 versions
, in ubuntu stonking

💖 bootcdwrite — the girlies are building bootable ISOs tonight 💖

okay so bestie, we're deep in the bootcd utils today, and the star of the show is bootcdwrite from the bootcdwrite(1) manual. it's giving main character energy for anyone who's ever wanted to turn a whole running Linux system into a shiny bootable ISO. no cap. let's get into it.

✨ NAME ✨

bootcdwrite — build a bootable iso image from a running system 🌸

that's it. that's the vibe. one job, done fabulously.

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

bootcdwrite [-i|-s|-m] [-d debug_runtime_config] -- [-h|--help]
       [-c|--conf CONF] [--only_floppy] [-y|--yes] [--mokcrtder
       MOKCRTDER] [--variable_from_bootcdwrite.conf(5) value]
       [--function_from_bootcdwrite.conf(5) definition]

she's got OPTIONS, she's got flags, she's got that little -- moment in the middle. iconique behavior honestly. 💅

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

okay so the whole point of bootcdwrite is that it writes a Linux Installation to an iso image. yes, literally. it can even copy a system that's mounted per NFS onto a local iso. and then you just... copy that iso to a CD or a DVD with standard tools. done. slay. ✨

here's the part where you have to pay attention, bestie, because it actually matters:

it's important that the kernel can access the cdrom on the system where you want to boot from the CD, without having to load any modules. because to load modules from CD, the kernel must have access to CD before. (yes, it's a whole chicken-and-egg situation, we know 😭) if this is not the case, you have first to create a new kernel with CD-support built in.

lowkey that's the entire ballgame right there. kernel needs CD access built in, fr fr.

now, if something goes wrong with bootcdwrite, the user will be given the chance to correct the problem. 🫶 and listen, bootcdwrite starts many commands. so many. if a command exits with an exit code != 0, or if a command produces unknown output on stdout or stderr, the command and the output will be shown to the user. and then he gets the option to:

  • exit
  • retry the failed command
  • ignore the failed command

three choices, zero panic. you got this. 💜

🌈 OPTIONS 🌈

okay here comes the full menu, no skips, no skipsies, we are listing every single one:

  • -i|-s|-m — run bootcdwrite in interactive, silent or minimal control mode. see shellia(1) for this standard shellia options. pick your vibe: chatty, quiet, or bare essentials. 🎀
  • -d debug_runtime_config — run bootcdwrite in debug mode. see shellia(1) for this standard shellia options. for when you need to see everything. 🙈
  • -c|--conf CONF — use the bootcdwrite config options from file CONF. the default is:
CONF=/etc/bootcd/bootcdwrite.conf

that's the home base config right there. 💖

  • -h|--help — print help and exit. the classic. she shows you the way and then dips. 👑
  • --only_floppy — only a bootfloppy (to boot an existing bootcd) has to be created. tiny floppy moment, no full CD required. 🍓
  • -y|--yes — answer always yes. yes bestie, we're saying yes to everything, no more prompts. 💅
  • --mokcrtder MOKCRTDER — if an own Machine Owner Key (MOK) is needed to boot the created bootcd, with secure boot enabled, this option can install the public MOK Certificate in DER format (MOKCRTDER) to the EFI partition of the bootcd, to be loaded manually in BIOS. see https://wiki.debian.org/SecureBoot.
and if secure boot is not used, or if a standard Debian signed Kernel is used on a system with the standard Microsoft Platform Key (PK) installed in BIOS, this option is not needed. so don't stress about it unless you actually need it, okay? 🌸
  • --variable_from_bootcdwrite.conf(5) value — variables or functions listed in bootcdwrite.conf(5) can be overwritten from command line. for example a variable called VARIABLE will get the value VALUE with the option: --VARIABLE VALUE. yes, you can just... yell over the config file from the command line. 💜
  • --function_from_bootcd2disk.conf(5) definition — functions listed in bootcdwrite.conf(5) can be overwritten from command line. for example a function fun() { echo "hello world"; } could be defined with the option:
--fun 'fun() { echo "hello world"; }'

custom function injected straight from the shell. chef's kiss. 😭🔥

💀 SEE ALSO 💀

go read these next, bestie, they're all in the family:

the whole bootcd cinematic universe right there. iykyk. 🌈

👑 AUTHOR 👑

bernd@bschu.de

License: GNU General Public License, version 3

Bernd Schumacher <bernd@bschu.de> (2007-2020)

aaaand that's the whole page! 🫶 this one's bootcdwrite(1), version 0.1, dated 2020-08-07, straight out of the bootcd utils crew. now go build that iso, bestie — you're literally the main character of this boot process. periodt. 💖✨🎀🦋

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