Simple GRUB2 Tutorial for making Rescue Media

 

GRUB2 is full featured multipurpose boot loader that can be booted from virtually any storage media and even from network ( PXE ).

Required:

Any Linux distribution with GRUB2 & Gparted package installed ( I am using Ubuntu 14.04 ) or you can download grub2 & Gparted source from Internet & build it on your Linux distribution.

Steps to Install GRUB2 on Pen Drive :-

1. Make backup of all data on pen drive
2. start Gparted as root ( or from Terminal as “ sudo gparted “ )
3. Select Disk & then Delete all partitions on Pen drive ( usually there is only one ). Click on Green Checked button to Start.
   
4.  Now create first partition for your general use. Leave some space in according to your rescue Linux distribution size ( e.g. I want to use Porteus on second drive so its size is around 150MB so I am leaving 200MB free Space to create another partition from that space ) .

Choose File system according to user operating system. E.g. Windows : NTFS or FAT32   Linux: EXT2,3 or 4 or BTRFS, ZFS… 

Create Partition as Primary Partition ( Default ). (Don’t create second partition first as Windows will only detect & show First partition on Removable storage e.g. Pen drive )

5. Now create second partition as EXT4 . It must be Primary Partition.
6. Now our Partition setup is Done. Structure looks like this.
7. Now note device node string in Partition Column for second partition. Its here /dev/sdb2 or if you done these steps already & don't know device node string then type in Terminal “ sudo fdisk –l” & note down second entry of device
8. Lets install Grub2 by typing this command on Terminal. “sudo grub-install <Disk node> –-boot-directory=<mount point of second partition>/boot”. In my case its   “ sudo grub-install /dev/sdb –boot-directory=/media/ankush/System/boot ”.

   Here Disk Node is what you see in fdisk output:  Disk /dev/sdx : some size in MB’s or GB’s, Byte Count & its not /dev/sdxY ( means we want only device node not the partition node as GRUB2 gets installed in MBR not in VBR).

   Now Mount Point is /mnt/sdxY or /media/<username>/<Volume Name> or <UUID> ( in Ubuntu ). If you don't know mount point then Google it for your Linux distribution.

9. Now run “ sudo grub-mkconfig –o <mount point of second partition>/boot/grub/grub.cfg “ .  This will create grub.cfg which is Grub2 configuration / menu file here –> boot/grub/grub2.cfg
10. Now we need to edit this grub.cfg file to add out Rescue Linux entries.

    Now we can specify partition in grub menu entry as (hdx,y) (here x is hard disk or storage device no. e.g.. if 2 hard disk attached then hd0 will be first & hd1 will be second & y is partition number.) e.g. (hd1,1) which is fine but if partition ordering changes entries will not boot as partition number has changed. ( Number will change if you delete partition or create new partition or even by BIOS ordering of devices which is different on different platforms)

    We can specify partition by searching its UUID ( for NTFS & FAT its serial number ) which is best way because even if partition ordering changes they are still bootable but UUID changes every time we format that drive. ( So change UUID in menu entry after you format drive)

    We can specify partition by its Name but if two partition having same name then first one will be chosen.

    We are using UUID searching here.

    Now to search UUID of our partition type “ sudo blkid –o full ” to know UUID.

    

11. Now to make grub directory editable type “ sudo chmod –R 755 <path to boot folder>/* “. Now open grub.cfg by Text Editor program e.g.. vi or nano or Gedit or KEdit. To change grub2 background image search for background_image string & copy your jpg or png image to grub directory on pen drive & specify its path. Now if its jpeg then add insmod jpeg, if png then insmod png as shown in screenshot
12. Now extract your Rescue Linux files to pen drive. & add its entry to grub.cfg. there is grub2 helper program to convert from syslinux/extlinux menu to grub menu entries or Google it. Now to set root variable add line “ search -–no-floppy –-fs-uuid –-set <UUID that you got from step 10> “ to set root drive variable.
13. Now if everything ok then you have your bootable pen drive ready. As second partition is not gets mounted on Windows, malware cant affect it directly, different filesytem  keeps it away from harm.
14. Optionally you can protect grub entries by password. Add –-users “allowed username” in menu entry's first line before {
15. To make grub2 bootable disk create folder on desktop & run “ grub-mkrescue <folder path> –o bootable.iso“. Add grub.cfg in grub folder specify root as set root=(cd) & remove search lines if any & also add rescue Linux files to folder BEFORE RUNNING COMMAND ( grub-mkrescue takes folder content & outputs bootable iso without grub.cfg so folder structure must have grub.cfg in boot/grub/grub.cfg to make it work )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is your Computer running Hot and Slow?

 

If your Computer running hot, there may be one or many causes, you must identify which.

Causes:

1. There may be too much start-up Programs in your computer, each program consumes some CPU time & ram, so you must stop auto start of unimportant programs.

To do so press key with windows flag + r, this will bring Run prompt & type “msconfig” & press enter.

2. In System Configuration windows you can enable/disable may things like Services, programs, enabling/disabling services requires deeper understanding of system & computer usage so we will stick to start-up programs only.

Click on “startup” tab & uncheck program’s you don't want to Auto start, this will make system faster to start next time.

2. Your computer may have malware, first Update your Antivirus & then start scanning.

Keep windows updated.

Now below are some Hardware causes, before opening laptop first make sure that your body is earthed, static charge of body can easily damage chips inside laptop ( you can sit on floor to discharge your body & then open laptop )

3. If you can’t hear or feel your Computer or laptop’s fan then there may be problem in fan, it may be chocked by dust, try to clean open & clean fan.

If your Laptop fan is throwing too much hot air then get it clean or if you want to do yourself then open laptop ( google your laptop name & try to find video or see how other laptops are opened ) & clean mesh near fan ( this mesh filter’s air so catches dirt causing block in airflow )

4. Processor has Thermal Paste applied on it, it may become dry causing disturbance in heat flow, try to remove heat sink above processor & buy good thermal paste from store & gently apply it ( DONT APPLY TOO MUCH PASTE, DONT APPLY IT TO OTHER IC’S or CHIPS )

5. If you use high end programs that use 3D graphics try to install/upgrade Graphics Card & Processor, if you see high RAM usage in Task Manager then try to upgrade your RAM.

Umm still problem not solved, visit Computer Shoppe.

Using Backups to Save Time

 

Its always tedious job to Format Computer, Install OS, install software's & then configure them takes 2-3 hours but you can easily save this time by backing up clean system drive & then restoring it whenever there’s problem. Restoring backup will hardly takes some minutes. ( depending on backup size. Vanilla Windows 8 installation can be restored in 8-10minuts )

So Advantages of Backup are:

1. No need to waste 2-3 hours

2. No need to install & configure system that you already done in backup

3. No need to pay attention to restore process, once started do your work.

In this tutorial I am using Clonezilla as backup & restore software, its free & open source, you can read more on Wikipedia & its website.

 

What's Needed?

1. Clonezilla ISO file

2. Unetbootin

3. Pen drive

 

Steps:

1. Start Unetbootin & select Clonezilla ISO file, select your pen drive letter & click OK

2. Now Unetbootin will start installing clonezilla on Pen Drive

3. You can click on reboot once installing gets done.

4. Now start clonezilla

5. Select Device image if you want to make drive or whole disk backup or restore on same disk ( backup/restore from same disk –> on same disk )

6. Select local dev to save clonezilla image on local hard disk.

7.  Now Select drive where to save backup or from where to restore backup

8. Select folder where to save backup or restore.

9. Select Beginner mode if you don't want to select verbose options like backup program, compression scheme.. ( Defaults are used in this mode )

10. If you want to backup partition (e.g. system partition C drive ) select saveparts else if you want to backup whole disk including all partitions then select savedisk.

11. Enter name for backup or use default

12. Now select drive to backup ( use space to select ) & click OK

13. You can skip checking of drive that is going to backup.

14. You can also skip checking saved image ( If you sure there are no hard disk problems like bad sectors are there )

15. Backup is started now.

Now you successfully backup your drive. ( Be careful while choosing correct system drive, From Windows Vista (i think) there is 100MB partition which boots first so if you want complete backup of system drive you must backup this partition & system partition ( normally c drive), although backing up only system partition ( e.g. c drive ) alone is sufficient )

 

Restoration Process:

Situations:

1. System is not booting at-all :

In this case if you have Linux cd, start system from it, connect to internet & download & use Unetbootin from it.

or

Go to Friend & get pen drive bootable from him or write clonezilla cd.

2. System is booting but something is wrong :

Try to make pen drive bootable as Linux binaries are completely different from Windows malware most likely can’t affect Clonezilla files OR try to boot in Safe mode by pressing F8 at the start or system & make pen drive bootable or write cd.

3. There is beep sound at start up :

In this case clonezilla cant do anything, this is hardware problem, count beeps & Google this count to get meaning or consult hardware shop.

 

Steps:

1. Select partition where clonezilla backup files are stored.

2. Select folder of backup files if you given different folder while backup else leave it default ( backup folder is situated outside in drive )

3. Select mode Beginner is you don't want to see verbose options

4. Select “restoreparts” if you want to restore only specific partition not whole disk.

5. Select backup image to restore.

6. Select Target partition which will get formatted & restored from backup ( if backup is System partition then carefully select correct system partition )

7. Now press y two times to start restoration process..

Once restoration complete you can now reboot.

Installing Windows 8 by Pen drive

 

What is Needed?

1. Windows 7 USB Download Tool

2. Windows 8 ISO

3. Pen drive at least 8 GB

 

Steps:

1. Install & start Windows 7 USB Download Tool

2. Connect Pen drive & Select ISO in tool

3. Select USB device & Click Begin Copying.

4. Caution : This tool formats pen drive so make backup of data.

Now tool will prepare pen drive.

5. Now Restart computer & Go to your BIOS settings ( BY Pressing F2 or Delete or other button, you will see Button name at very start of your Computer System ) & change First Boot Device to something like USB HDD or USB or Removable Device or USB Mass Storage Device

Your computer may detect Pen drive as Hard Disk if so you need to change Hard Disk Priority & make your Pen drive as First Boot Priority.

6. Select Language,Keyboard Layout & Click Next

 

7. Select your Windows Version & Arch type eg. 32bit (x86) 64bit (x64)

8. Now if you need install fresh setup, removing previous version select Custom

9. Now this step is optional & only required if you are installing on you New Hard Disk. Select unallocated disk & click on New, set drive size in MB. 1024MB = 1GB & click on Apply. You can create multiple drives here.

10. Select drive to install Windows 8, agree EULA & start Installlation.

Now After copying files system will restart, now quickly remove pen drive else installation will start again from beginning. Once you see windows logo reconnect pen drive.

11. Now Give name to PC & Finish

12. Now you can add Microsoft Account where all your Windows settings,calendar events,bookmarks will get sync automatically. If you are not currently connected to Internet you can skip this but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CREATE A MICROSOFT ACCOUNT, it is so useful.

13. Now add new User & set password ( password can be left blank )

Now if you want to install Windows 8 on Virtual Machine then download VMware Player & follow steps.

1. Click on Create new Virtual Machine & Insert Windows 8 cd or Select ISO file,click on Next

2. Enter Windows 8 serial key,username password.

3. Select Folder where to make Virtual Machine or leave it default.

4. Now select Virtual Machine hard disk size & select radio button “ Split virtual disk into multiple files “ so that you can easily store it on backup storage.

After you click Finish, Virtual machine will start & use steps above to install Windows 8.