I have just started using Devuan, downloading (wget) the alpha4 qcow2 image and running that in kvm under Debian 8.3. Works well, have installed xfce and diverse tools. Running that image, last Sunday I was able to create a new squashfs image, using ozitraveller's DIY method

(https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=710)


It took 3 tries, though: First aborted on download failure about midways. Second aborted with CPU (i7-3630QM CPU @ 2.40GHz) getting too hot during squashfs compression (under kvm!) with immediate shutdown. With a bit better cooling and lower load, third attempt went OK, and I can run the ISO in kvm, or dump it on a usb stick and boot from there.

I think this is very good for an alpha release!

What I have so far not been succesful at, is the attempt at running it the same way I run Debian (and Knoppix) live images: Booting the squashfs/cloop image with legacy grub + initrd/vmlinuz. (In Knoppix the files are called minirt.gz and linux(64)) Can anybody give me some hints on this, or do I have to find out on my own? I would be very happy if I could be of any help with such matters, but I am not going to give up my tried and true booting method, which has so far worked for everything else Linux, just to have an ordinary install of Devuan alpha. So I need to get this small (?) booting issue sorted out.


There are several initrd versions in the ISO image, but everyone seems to be tailored to one specific function. The bootup error is in fact a bit strange, after mounting and checking file systems, init gives up pretending to not find the filesystem.squashfs image anywehere. So probably there is some patching of the initrd init process needed.


Trond