
BYLD: Build Your Linux Disk
Version: BYLD 1.0.1 
License: GPL2 (see LICENSE)

(C) 1999-2000, Erich Roncarolo <erich@roncarolo.eu.org>


*** Please, read README first! ***


--- INSTALL ---
In this file is described how build your own BYLD Linux floppy disk.
For details and customization see BYLDING. For copying see LICENSE.


--- How to use BYLD ---
BYLD should be use to build your own distribution on a single floppy disk.
In this file I'll explain you how to do this.


--- Start from here ---
First unpack the archive:
# tar -xzvf byld-X_Y_Z.tgz
and change into the byld dir,
# cd byld-X.Y.Z

YOU NEED TO BE ROOT TO DO THE REST OF THE DISK CREATION!

First of all you *must* compile a kernel and copy (or hard-link) it as vmlinuz.
Note that BYLD kernel *needs* RAM disk support!
The default kernel .config-x.y.z has been included.


--- Make your BYLD Linux kernel ---
Edit Environment file and change what you want. Following instructions are
with default parameters, so keep in your mind if you changed something in
Environment.

Probably it's a good idea make a new kernel to use.
I suggest you to copy all kernel sources in ./linux/ directory, so you can
build this kernel without touch your original one:

# (cd /usr/src/linux && tar cf - . ) | (cd ./linux && tar xvfp - )
# cd linux

Now you can make the kernel.

--First you should config:
# cp ../.config-x.y.z .config
(if you want start from BYLD default configuration)
# make menuconfig
(or you favorite configurator. Remember that BYLD *needs* RAM disk support)

--Then clean and make:
# make dep ; make clean
# make bzImage
(Use bzImage because kernel will be much compressed than zImage.)
# make modules

Read Kernel-HOWTO for more detailed instructions.

Now you should link the new kernel (or copy it) in vmlinuz:

# cd ..
# ln -f linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage vmlinuz
--or--
# cp linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage vmlinuz

You should put kernel image in ./vmlinuz (see also RD_KERNEL in Environment
file). Modules should be present in ./linux/modules (see also RD_MODULES in
Environment file).


--- Create your root directory ---
Make sure you have the loop module loaded or compiled in your running kernel
(not in which one you have compiled for BYLD!):
# modprobe loop (as root, if module)
You need also minix fs support.

Now you should generate a root tree:
# ./BuildRoot SingleFloppy
(SingleFloppy is a file contained in ./conf/ directory.
 See BYLDING for details about creation of configuration files)


--- Make an image ---
Now you should create a Root image:

# ./MakeImage

This create a file (Image.gz - see RD_IMAGE in Environment file) that is a
compressed image of ./root/

I suggest you to specify the ROOT_TEST option:

# ./MakeImage ROOT_TEST=true

If you specify test option, before make image you can have a tour in your
distribution with chroot. It's not a very good test because you are running
your kernel, but can be useful to test binaries.


--- Write a diskette ---
Insert a 1.44 floppy in the drive /dev/fd0 (if you want to use another one
change DEST_DEV in Environment) then type:

# ./WriteDisk

This create an image of a floppy disk (byld.img - see DEST_IMG in Environment)
that you can put on a diskette with cat or dd (or directly with WriteDisk).
If WriteDisk complains about "fdformat" then maybe you can set FORMAT_UTIL
to "superformat".
If LILO complains about boot.b, you must change LILO_BOOT in Environment.


--- Too big for a single floppy ---
This is a problem: since version 1.0, BYLD doesn't support two floppies
system any more (as you can remember, I don't like it).
OK, don't worry. You can create bigger disks simply setting DEST_DEV and
MAXSIZE to other values in Environment (this is an experimental feature).
Thanks to Marek Nazarko <mnazarko@computerland.pl> because he explained me
how to do this.


--- The end ---
Now BYLD floppy disk is created and you can reboot your system with it!


Have a lot of fun!

Erich Roncarolo
<erich@roncarolo.eu.org>

