Bug #11129
Document how to override default kernel selection in boot menu
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Description
I was tinkering with Virtualbox and ran into something similar to https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/11037 (in this case, it’s the host kernel modules). I wanted to test on a completely 32-bit system, but had trouble finding out how to force a 32-bit kernel in the boot menu.
With a bit of trial and error, I found it. In the boot menu, hit ESC, to get a blank boot line, then TAB TAB to see menu_amd64 / menu_486. Typing in menu_486 will reload the menu, and then booting from there gives a 32-bit kernel.
This should be documented, some users may want to use a 32-bit kernel for some reason. And I’d like to be able to look it up instead of having to figure it out each time I need it :). I think adding it to the FAQ, here: https://tails.boum.org/support/faq/index.en.html#index6h2 (Does Tails work with 64-bit processors?) would be the most appropriate place.
Cheers.
Subtasks
History
#1 Updated by sajolida 2016-02-17 12:32:38
- QA Check set to Info Needed
For VirtualBox, can’t you configure your virtual machine to emulate a 32-bit processor? I used VB in the past and I think this was possible.
And the instructions you’re giving: are there from the sysling boot menu (the one with the logo) or the GRUB boot menu (the one with only a grey background)? Prior to 2.0 the boot menu was different on UEFI and I’m supposing that it’s still the same (but I don’t have UEFI).
#2 Updated by hybridwipe 2016-02-17 15:11:15
sajolida wrote:
> For VirtualBox, can’t you configure your virtual machine to emulate a 32-bit processor? I used VB in the past and I think this was possible.
I’m running on physical hardware, sorry for the confusion. My goal was to test running Virtualbox as a host on Tails, not Tails inside Virtualbox as a guest.
> And the instructions you’re giving: are there from the sysling boot menu (the one with the logo) or the GRUB boot menu (the one with only a grey background)? Prior to 2.0 the boot menu was different on UEFI and I’m supposing that it’s still the same (but I don’t have UEFI).
Grub, grey background. Options displayed are ‘Live’ and ‘Live (failsafe)’ pressing ESC there then typing ‘menu_486’ will reload the previous menu. Then booting Live will load a 32-bit kernel (confirmed with uname -a).
#3 Updated by intrigeri 2016-02-18 10:50:08
> With a bit of trial and error, I found it.
IIRC, editing the default kernel command line, and replacing s/vmlinuz2/vmlinuz1/ and s/initrd1\.img/initrd2.img/ (or similar) there, should do the job.
#4 Updated by intrigeri 2016-02-18 10:52:22
> Grub, grey background. Options displayed are ‘Live’ and ‘Live (failsafe)’ pressing ESC there then typing ‘menu_486’ will reload the previous menu.
I’m surprised that these instructions work for GRUB. They seem more like syslinux stuff to me.
#5 Updated by sajolida 2016-02-21 10:34:11
- Status changed from New to Confirmed
- Assignee set to hybridwipe
- Priority changed from Normal to Low
- QA Check deleted (
Info Needed)
I would be happy with a patch to /support/faq/index.en.html#index6h2 mentioning this. I would prefer a modification to the command line that sounds more independent from the boot loader.
hybridwipe: do you want to work on this? otherwise deassign this from you :)
#6 Updated by hybridwipe 2016-02-22 06:21:32
- Assignee deleted (
hybridwipe)
sajolida wrote:
> I would be happy with a patch to /support/faq/index.en.html#index6h2 mentioning this. I would prefer a modification to the command line that sounds more independent from the boot loader.
>
> hybridwipe: do you want to work on this? otherwise deassign this from you :)
No thanks, got enough on my plate :)
#7 Updated by xin 2017-06-25 21:34:15
- Status changed from Confirmed to Rejected
Tails doesn’t have two kernels since 3.0.