mkrescue

Collection of scripts to generate a bootable USB stick with multiple boot choices.

The main purpose is to install bootable ISO files, currently supporting systems based on ISOLINUX or Windows installation disks.

Quick How-To

To install one of the pre-configured choices, just run the desired script with the USB device as argument. Most of the included targets automatically download the required images.

To create a generic USB stick with rescue and Linux systems:

$ ./create-generic-usb-stick /dev/sdX

To create an RNL-specific USB stick, including Labs bootstrap and Windows install ISO entries:

$ ./create-rnl-usb-stick /dev/sdX

Warning: The Windows ISO is not distributed here, nor is it automatically downloaded. You must manually acquire it through your available legal channel.

To create other combinations just run mkrescue with the desired scripts, for example:

$ ./mkrescue /dev/sdX targets/05_sysrescd.sh targets/06_ubcd.sh 90_data.sh

How to add new targets

The core functionality is abstracted from the actual details of each boot entry. Each entry and/or partition is created by one of the scripts in the targets directory.

A standard ISOLINUX/Windows ISO can be installed using the following script:

NAME="Boot menu title"

PART_NAME="filesystem_name"

DOWNLOAD_URL="generic ISO download URL"
# or
ISO_FILE="${DATA_DIR}/some_file.iso"

By only defining these variables, the type of ISO (ISOLINUX or Windows) is automatically detected and the default procedures for each are executed.

Certain functions can also be defined in the script, overriding the default behaviour of the pre-defined functions.

Required variables

Optional variables

Functions that may be overridden

Available functions for use

Accessory functions for use