Bug #11129

Document how to override default kernel selection in boot menu

Added by hybridwipe 2016-02-16 00:44:06 . Updated 2017-06-25 21:34:15 .

Status:
Rejected
Priority:
Low
Assignee:
Category:
Hardware support
Target version:
Start date:
2016-02-16
Due date:
% Done:

0%

Feature Branch:
Type of work:
End-user documentation
Blueprint:

Starter:
1
Affected tool:
Deliverable for:

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.