SOLVED (by Rich) - Grandma owes you a beer buddy
I used your second option like this:
# timeout=30
# default=0
# title DAMN FAST LINUX 8X UPGRADE OFFICE
# find --set-root /tce8x/vmlinuz
# kernel /tce8x/vmlinuz tce=UUID="1CCC-6F5A"/tce8x quiet waitusb=10 norestore xvesa=1024x768x32
# initrd /tce8x/core.gz
# title DAMN FAST LINUX 3X OFFICE
# find --set-root /tce/bzImage
# kernel /tce/bzImage tce=UUID=1CCC-6F5A quiet waitusb=10 norestore xvesa=1024x768x32
# initrd /tce/tinycore.gz
# title DAMN FAST LINUX 3X SAFE MODE
# find --set-root /tce/ver3x/bzImage
# kernel /tce/ver3x/bzImage quiet waitusb=10 norestore xvesa=1024x768x32
# initrd /tce/ver3x/tinycore.gz
The key is the:
# tce=UUID="1CCC-6F5A"/tce8x
specifically adding QUOTES to the UUID= surrounding the device blkid and adding the path to the alternative TCE folder where vmlinuz and core.gz reside and a normal optional folder exist.
I did NOT try your first suggestion of packing it all into one /tce folder since that would require FLIPPING onboot.lst for each boot and I like isolating the kernel/boot file versions anyway.
Smooth. Thank you.
Now I have to go through a bunch of my scripts to tell them to expect a new guest at the table based on the kernel version:
# /tce8x instead of always /tce
EZ enuf.
This also makes it very easy to allow users to have 8,9,10,11,12 etc. as
# /tce8x
# /tce9x
# /tce10x
# /tce11x
# /tce12x
etc.
I may also test
# /tce4x
# /tce5x
# /tce6x
# /tce7x
...to see if
# tce=UUID="1CCC-6F5A"/tce??x
works, but since Firefox plays a key role in the "look and feel" of this system and the Firefox-ESR (Mozilla's fickle nature) prior to 8x was a disaster I am only inclined to go from 8x forward. On that note, given Firefox has continued to "degrade" their browser with more and more NAG screens I am not really inclined to go much further than 8x, perhaps 9x as Juanito suggested due to some GNUMERIC and FILEZILLA issues in 8x which were "cured" in 9x.
I did see your post on fixing the Firefox PROFILE to NEVER UPDATE, but other problems have come up in configuring it after Firefox 68 via user.js - another subject.
Basically, if I can:
a) keep Firefox from nagging the crap out of people
b) control the home page via user.js
c) control other aspects - like never save passwords, autoplay music and videos, allow popups unless a User wants them disabled.
...then Firefox works well. When I can't control these or a User can't get into about:config or the Firefox setup it becomes a Mozilla "bug"; desireable features someone at Mozilla should have remembered and seem to have forgotten.
As for YOUR fix it solves a long standing issue that forced me to do a lot of SWAP FOLDERS/REBOOT etc. when a version was detected and onboot.lst was incorrect, or optional was for a different version etc. and now with isolated /tce folders everyone gets their own apartment, their own galley and bunk and my onboot overhead and rather funky "hacks" went way way down.
Thank you very very very much.