Author Archives: adrian15

• Super Grub2 Disk (Floppy, CD & USB in one) 2.00b5 (ISO) (MD5)[Mirror #1]

This is the changelog:

• Added x86_64-efi support so that EFI files are detected and can be booted

If you want to translate into your language please check TRANSLATION file at source code to learn how to translate into your language.
This is a beta release so please comment any issue you find at the forum.

Expect a new froze in SG2D development because the last days development was very unusual .

Thanks to Niall Walsh for the EFI implementation and testing.
(adrian15 speaking)

• Super Grub2 Disk (Floppy, CD & USB in one) 2.00b4 (ISO) (MD5)(SHA1SUM)(SHA256SUM)[Mirror #1]
• Super Grub2 Disk (Floppy, CD & USB in one) 2.00b4 (ISO) (MD5)[Mirror #2]

This is the changelog:

• (Devel) searchindevice function was improved by using brackets and making code more clear
• Make sure to remove console output when using gfxterm output. This should solve some strange problems when selecting various menus options from SG2D.
• Loopback detection now also detects: /bootisos, /boot/booisos, /BOOTISOS and /BOOTISOS directories so that FAT file name compatibility is assured
• (Devel) Changed ~ to – in version filename so that filenames can be uploaded ok to forges

If you want to translate into your language please check TRANSLATION file at source code to learn how to translate into your language.
This is a beta release so please comment any issue you find at the forum.

Thanks to the #grub guys we have managed to improve the code on searching device to make it clearer and some Grub2 code will be eventually fixed so that complex tests are done ok (precedence of -a over -o wasn’t ok it seems). And we also managed thanks to them to avoid two graphical modes at the same time. This way you won’t see strange phenomena when highlighting options.

Actually I haven’t been able to test that last fix in an actual machine where I know it happens, but this is a BETA, you’re supposed to test it as an user too . So feedback is welcome as always.
(adrian15 speaking)

• Super Grub2 Disk (Floppy, CD & USB in one) 2.00b1 (ISO) (MD5)[Mirror #1]
• Super Grub2 Disk (Floppy, CD & USB in one) 2.00b1 (ISO) (MD5)[Mirror #2]

This is the changelog:

• Removed innecessary floppy seek
• Fixed berlios #18907 bug. Now both /boot-isos and /boot/boot-isos directories should work

If you want to translate into your language please check TRANSLATION file at source code to learn how to translate into your language.
This is a beta release so please comment any issue you find at the forum.

Well, I wanted to release version an special secret version of Super Grub2 Disk and in the meanwhile I did find some innecesary floppy seeks when using it in an actual machine and I did want to fix that. Fix is not complete but it improves SG2D usage. I also fixed that /boot-isos and /boot/boot-isos error (where only the first directory was searched) for those of you that try to use SG2D for booting loop-boot capable distributions. I’m not providing GZ or ZIP files because I think I will release another SG2D beta soon. I’ve become quite addicted to develop SG2D. I don’t like SG2D myself because I see that the future is Rescatux but… when you get into developing it… knowing the Grub2 scripting stuff and its insights it’s fun and addictive!

More than this I want to release an stable version of SG2D soon because it’s too long with the beta versions hanging around. And, of course, the special secret version needs an stable SG2D version so that I don’t have to release it twice.
(adrian15 speaking)

Although I’m not going to release it as an ISO (till I have additional useful options) I’ve just uploaded to GIT the updated Rescatux 0.31 beta 2.

Here’s the changelog:

User changes

• Razor-qt replaces LXDE as the new Rescatux default desktop
• Added Qtfm (File manager)
• Network-manager-gnome was replaced by Wicd.
• Default Razor-qt desktop configuration was updated to mimic previous Rescatux desktop
•  Added Juffed (Text editor)
• Added Qasmixer (Audio mixer)

Devel changes

• (Devel) Reusable live-build directory added for faster builds
• (Devel) Ignore Rescatux binary files from Git
•  (Devel) Distribution is now testing based instead of wheezy based so that sid packages can be pinned ok
• (Devel) Add Openbox icon to Rescapp desktop file. Razorqt by default shows no icon for desktop files without icons. Or maybe we are not providing the default icon razorqt uses.
• (Devel) Added siduction repository to be able to use qtfm
• (Devel) Added razorqt-power package to be able to stop PC in a fancy manner.

Miscelanea changes

•     .packages file is now built in final release

Distro facts

• Razor-qt replaces LXDE as the new Rescatux default desktop
• (Devel) Distribution is now testing based instead of wheezy based so that sid packages can be pinned ok
• (Devel) Added siduction repository to be able to use qtfm

Finally people at razor-qt irc channel say that this version is quite old and that will be soon be replaced by 0.5 version. I’ll wait for that but I’m not afraid of having to rebuild its config. It would seem that 0.5 version breaks 0.4 version.

Rescatux 0.31 beta 1 has been released.

Changelog:

• System updated to next Debian Stable Wheezy
• Gparted was updated to 0.12.1 version which includes new option: Attempt data rescue…
• Gpart package was added so that Gparted attempt data rescue option works ok. It can also be used by expert users.

Downloads:

• Rescatux 0.31 beta 1 Cdrom or USB ISO for x86 or amd64 (Berlios)
• (MD5)

Rescatux 0.31b1 size is about 396 Megabytes.

Distro facts:

• Distribution origin is Spanish and not French.
• Packages versions for this release can be found at Rescatux 0.31b1 packages.
• Now it’s based on Debian (Testing) and not Debian (Stable). Rescatux 0.31 stable will probably be based on Debian (Stable) as Wheezy will be stable itself.
• The beta download link is: http://www.supergrubdisk.org/category/download/rescatuxdownloads/rescatux-beta/
• Bug tracker is found at: Cenatic Forge Rescatux Issue Tracker

Multi-distro makers warning:

You probably need to update your script to reflect that default kernel is vmlinuz1 instead of old vmlinuz.

Feedback welcome:
I’ve tried myself the distro in my dev environment all the current options and they seem to work ok. Please test the ISO and report back if something that worked on previous stable versions no longer works in this beta version.

Don’t forget that you can use:

• Super Grub(2) Mailing list
• Rescatux Forum
• Chat

Thank you and happy download!

Hi,

Last 18 February 2013 the 495th DistroWatch Weekly issue announced the inclusion of Rescatux on distrowatch.

Rescatux’s page on distrowatch

I applied for it 2 or 3 months ago and finally it went out. Rescatux is not very high in the distrowatch stats but that’s not a problem. I prefer having actual improvements in the distro that being at the Distrowatch’s top. That’s the main reason why I check Distrowatch from time to time, to learn about new features found in innovating distributions.

I was supposed to announced this around 20th February but I was quite busy at work. Anyways I wanted to say that apart from being busy the Rescatux development is quite of stalled because I’m waiting for the next stable release of Debian.

It seems that there’s only 100 bugs left to release it. Probably three months maximum and they will release it. Although you never know with Debian.

Around the things that I want to improve in the next Rescatux development there are:

• I18N (Internalisation). Not complete but somewhat functional.
• Regenerate Sudoers. Need to force root:root owner and 700 permissions.
• Crack Windows password (by brute-force) because it seems that some Windows personal folder are encrypted and the reset password option wouldn’t recover those files

So, that’s it from the DEV front. Please forgive me if I cannot reply in the forum as often as I would like to.

Rescatux 0.30.2 has been released.
A major bug concerning the Kernel selection on boot (64bit or 32bit) has been fixed in this release. If you have Rescatux 0.30 or Rescatux 0.30rc1 please check Rescatux 0.30 64bit kernel not being select ok Bug for a way of workarounding the bug without having to download again the iso.

Downloads:

• Rescatux 0.30.2 Cdrom or USB ISO for x86 or amd64 (Berlios)
• (Sourceforge) (Mirror #2)
• (Google Drive) (Mirror #3)
• WEB (Mirror #4)
• (MD5)
• (MD5) (Google Drive)
• (TORRENT)

Rescatux 0.30.2 size is about 372 Megabytes.

The bug

If you select Rescatux autodetect at boot it tries to load 32bit kernel when you have a 64bit one and viceversa. More than this there’s another bug that makes unusable the manual Rescatux 32 bit and Rescatux 64 bit options. It just shows you a kernel panic error.

How to workaround it

You don’t need to download or wait for 0.30.2. You can use 0.30 version and workaround the bug with:

• Select Rescatux autodetect and press ‘e’ key.
• Replace vmlinuz to vmlinuz2.
• Replace vmlinuz2 into vmlinuz.
• Replace initrd.img into initrd2.img.
• Replace initrd2.img into initrd.img.
• Press F10 key or ctrl+x

Now Rescatux should boot with 64bit kernel if possible.

Rescatux 0.30.2 around the corner

I’m preparing 0.30.2 which only will be fixing this bug and it will ready soon.

Why this bug?

The original change was made so that isolinux iso file was generated with amd64 by default. This way tools such as Yumi (usb creators) would default to amd64 and not 32bit.

If you boot into amd64 and your pc isn’t prepared you can easily switch to 32bit. If you boot into 32bit you might think that Rescatux isn’t doing its job while in the background a Exec format error appears because of chrooting to a 64bit system from a 32bit one.

Options affected

All the options that imply a chroot command:

• Restore Grub
• Update Grub

Rescatux versions affected

• Both Rescatux 0.30 and Rescatux 0.30 RC1 versions are affected.
• Rescatux 0.30.2 and newer version should NOT be affected.

This is a video from Goonzza95 youtube user that demonstrates how you can use YUMI on Windows systems to put Rescatux into a USB. It’s not the official method but it works.

I’ve recently sent a message to YUMI developer so that it improves the generated syslinux menu.

Enjoy!

Rescatux Tour

I made a Rescatux tour which might be interesting to be in the first place.

Each of one of the Rescatux options in this article will have a link to their video so please check them too.

About Rescatux and Super Grub(2) Disk

Super Grub Disk was a tool for fixing GRUB1 (version 0.9X) or booting into your  system and it’s deprecated. You can still find its downloads although they are a bit hidden in Super Grub Disk page.

Super Grub2 Disk, contrary to Super Grub Disk, is not able to fix neither GRUB1 (version 0.9X) or GRUB2 (version 1.XX or 2.XX). However you can use it to boot into many systems including Windows, GRUB1 and GRUB2 based ones.

Rescatux is a Debian based live cd that lets you fix your GRUB1 and GRUB2 installations (as per Super Grub2 Disk lacks) but does much more. Here the are some of its features that will be explained in detail in the rest of the article:

• Check and fix filesystems
• Blank Windows passwords
• Change Gnu/Linux password
• Regenerate sudoers file

Finally there’s the Super Grub Disk’s Halloween edition which it was not a Super Grub Disk formally but a Super Grub2 Disk with some scary messages about your computer being erased. What it’s funny is that as today a major Spanish downloads site offers the 0.9800 version for download. If you think it more carefully you will see that it’s kind of a benevolent trojan so that Super Grub Disk newcomers find that Super Grub2 Disk is the right choice (even if they are scared a bit;)).

A new stable release

More than a year since the latest Rescatux stable release (Rescatux 0.29 at 11 Jul 2011 according to Freecode (former freshmeat).

Rescatux 0.30 has been released as many beta versions that fixed minor problems, updated documentation to the current options and also tried to workaround some usability issues.

 Helping newbies

The different approach of Rescatux is found in its main program: Rescapp. Rescapp is a nice wizard that will guide you through your rescue tasks.

At the first glance Rescapp seems to be just a launcher for Rescue tools:

. However it has some Support features that make it unique:

• Chat: Open the chat for asking help directly in Rescatux channel.
• Share log: After running an option you can share its log (the action registry that it has done) so that in the chat they can help you better. O better, even, you can help debug and fix Rescatux bugs on the fly.
• Share log on forum: Prepares a forum post alike text so that you can just copy and paste it in your favourite forum. Logs are nicely inserted into it with [CODE] symbols.
• Boot Info Script: Run Boot Info Script option to share your computer configuration (specially boot one).

More than this the non-support features such as:

• Check and fix filesystems
• Blank Windows passwords
• Change Gnu/Linux password
• Regenerate sudoers file
• Restore Grub
• Update Grub Configuration
• Restore Windows MBR (BETA)

are being driven with nice wizards :

.

 Features explained

Check and fix filesystems

When a filesystem has some errors in it some bad things might happen. Maybe GRUB1 or GRUB2 cannot find its own files (Grub errors) or the kernels (cannot find file error). Maybe the kernel can be loaded but its initrd stage isn’t able to find the final device root filesystem (Kernel panic – not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs. (initramfs))

This option tries to fix this filesystem errors even if the filesystem seems to be clean and ok.

Blank Windows passwords

The old chntpasswd program has been hacked so that you can use it from a GUI. You can just select your Windows drive and the user you want its password to be reset.

Change Gnu/Linux password

Have you ever forgotten your Gnu/Linux password? Now you can change it from this nice wizard. As always you’re prompted to choose your Gnu/Linux installation and then the user which you want to change its password.

Regenerate sudoers file

Have you ever tried to run an special program as a normal user… but by doing it you have somehow borked your /etc/sudoers file? Don’t panic! Now after baking up your previous sudoers file a new one is generated on the fly. You just have to select which it’s your user.

Restore Grub

Not sure what’s the current situation with Windows 8 and Windows 7 but in previous versions once you reinstalled Windows (because of a virus or whatever reason) you lost your Grub menu. That meant that you couldn’t boot anymore into your Gnu/Linux system. The truth is that you can download the light-weight Super Grub2 Disk and boot into your system in a temporal way.

But how to fix it permanently? If you’re not good at the Gnu/Linux command line you can just use Rescatux’s Restore Grub option.

Update Grub Configuration

Sometimes the Grub configuration is no longer valid. Either your hard disks order at boot have changed (It should only affect to GRUB1) or you have added a new Windows installation and it’s not detected.

Update Grub option let’s you rebuild your Grub configuration files. This option will only work in Debian based distros like Ubuntu.

Restore Windows MBR (BETA)

This option tries to restore Windows MBR but it’s kind of buggy because some users report that it’s not working for them. It probably works with no problem on Windows XP (without dynamic disks) and previous Windows versions. This is the reason why it’s a BETA option.

Super Grub2 Disk

You shouldn’t forget that Super Grub2 Disk is also included in Rescatux.

Architecture detection

Either you have an old 32bit system or a new 64bit system Grub2 integrated into Rescatux will detect it and load the corresponding kernel.

About Rescatux future

There’s so many things to be enhaced in Rescatux that it’s hard to categorize them.

•  I18N for options (Documentation is already translated)
• Document Resclib API
• Open development of new options to new developers
• Drop zenity menues and focus on pyqt ones
• Add extra tools like Parted Magic or System Rescue cd programs even if they don’t have a nice wizard option in Rescapp.
• Make Rescapp a Debian Package
• Add loopback.cfg file to Rescatux (and any Debian live cd)
• Improve option: Restore Grub: Being able to restore non-distribution based GRUB1 installations.
• Improve option: Update Grub: Being able to use it in non-Debian based systems. Probably using grub-mkconfig from the live cd.
• Fix known bug: Filesystem Check does not prompt Failure when it fails.
• Add more translations
• Partition assistant for new Gnu/Linux installations where you have to shrink Windows partition
• Try to force the installation of packages when an apt-get upgrade or similar has failed
• Wipe a filesystem, partition or disk
• Recover lost files
• Save your non accesible files from Windows even if you cannot boot into it driven by Rescapp wizard.

Where to Download

Just check the Rescatux Download stable section.

How to burn it into a cdrom or put it in a USB

Please check the Rescatux wiki for USB instructions. For the cdrom you can just burn it like any other live cd. Imgburn for Windows and Brasero for Gnu/Linux should help you. Make sure you burn it as an image not as a file.