Mounting a disk image using the loop device

quoted

http://bochs.sourceforge.net/doc/docbook/user/loop-device-usage.html

 

This section was contributed by Volker Ruppert.

Today I have made some tests with the loop device, because I want to exchange
files with the bochs disk images.  This is what I found out:

1.  Using Floppy images is easy, because there is no partition table:

    losetup /dev/loop0 /usr/local/bochs/dlxlinux/floppya.img

    Now you can use the image like a real floppy:

    - format           : mkfs.minix /dev/loop0
    - filesystem check : fsck.minix /dev/loop0
    - mount            : mount /dev/loop0 -o loop /mnt/floppy

    Before you want to restart bochs you must do this:

    losetup -d /dev/loop0

    Don't forget to umount before.

2.  If you want access to a hard disk image, you have to calculate the size of
    the first cylinder. This value is the offset argument for losetup.

    offset = bytes per sector * sectors per cylinder

    The command for dlxlinux image looks like this:

    losetup /dev/loop0 /usr/local/bochs/dlxlinux/hd10meg.img -o 8704

    For images created by bximage you must use the value 32256.

3.  The hard disk image access doesn't work if the image contains more than
    one partition.

4.  I have made this tests with Linux and I don't know how
    this could be done with other operating systems.