Simplified USB key bootable installation for full MEPIS from LiveCD

Submitted by skecherkid on Sun, 08/27/2006 - 20:05. HowTos
Posts: 3

I am brand new at Linux. My need was to have a full version that is bootable from a USB flash drive that I can use with my work laptop. I tried Ubuntu first (its getting a lot of good press) but after a few days trying to get my wireless working I tried MEPIS. MEPIS from the LiveCD had my wireless working great right off the bat, and I also liked the K desktop.

Anyway I then began searching these forums for install instructions to a USB flash drive. I found lots of information but in the end here is what I did which was a very minimal from the out-of-box LiveCD installation process.

1. I booted up with the LiveCD with my USB flash drive attached.
2. I started the installation from the desktop icon.
3. Using Qparted resized the existing FAT partition on the flashdrive to the minimum 512mb (just to leave the existing software that came with the drive there in case I wanted it later). (My flash drive is 4gb btw so space was not an issue). I partitioned the second partition as ext2 and made it the active partition.
4. I started the MEPIS install using the custom option, and installed to /dev/sda2 (i.e. the 2nd partition of the flash drive)
5. When the installation got to the GRUB options I opted for use of "initrd" = since the kernel does not have USB support built in and doing that myself is WAAAAY beyond me.

5. Now, once done, I had to edit two files. Since when I boot the laptop from my CDROM the flashdrive ext2 partition is hd(1,1) that's how the installation created menu.lst for GRUB, and also the device.map file. However when I use the USB flash drive to boot, my system recognizes my boot partition as hd(0,1) instead.

6. I rebooted and selected my USB flash drive as the boot option. Voila!! Booted up right away, seems stable (I'm working right now Smiling ).

Hope this helps some other newbie out there!

Pen Drive + Linux

Submitted by Jimmy Johnson on Sun, 08/27/2006 - 20:32.
Posts: 516

I know a lot of people want to put Linux on a Pen Drive these days, but I don't know why. Is it just to do it or is there a better reason?

regards,
Jimmy

INTEL P-IV/HT 3.0GHz - 2X256 DDR3200 - Debian, Etch Beta-3
KDE 3.5.4 - kernel 2.6.16-2-686-smp - My iMAC runs Debian, Sarge

My reason was simply that

Submitted by skecherkid on Mon, 08/28/2006 - 00:46.
Posts: 3

My reason was simply that "my" laptop actually belongs to my company. They have strict rules about employees not installing anything. With this solution I can use the laptop for my iPod and other stuff at night when traveling on business.

belongs to my company.

Submitted by Jimmy Johnson on Mon, 08/28/2006 - 01:23.
Posts: 516

Thank you, I have never used a computer that did not belong to me and now see the value in booting from a Pen Drive and I'm sure it runs better from USB Pen Drive than a Live CD. Way to go!!!

regards,
Jimmy

INTEL P-IV/HT 3.0GHz - 2X256 DDR3200 - Debian, Etch Beta-3
KDE 3.5.4 - kernel 2.6.16-2-686-smp - My iMAC runs Debian, Sarge

Ok.. NEWBIE here. Trying to

Submitted by bigjohn_s on Wed, 02/21/2007 - 13:43.
Posts: 15

Ok.. NEWBIE here.
Trying to replicate this proces. Apparently I'm not doing something right in the Qpart-D process.

I create the partition, make it active, and yet install says "none" when I'm to choose the root / swap partitions. It DOES have a partition visible for the home part.

I'm doing this on a 1gb flash drive - is that why? not enough space?

John

1. How do you try to install

Submitted by AdrianTM on Wed, 02/21/2007 - 14:35.
Posts: 4077

1. How do you try to install it? It has to be from msystem -> MEPIS USB Key tab, not from regular install.
2. USB key has to be unmounted.
--
Check out MEPIS Wiki: www.mepis.org/docs

usb drive boot?

Submitted by bigjohn_s on Thu, 02/22/2007 - 00:38.
Posts: 15

AdrianTM wrote:

1. How do you try to install it? It has to be from msystem -> MEPIS USB Key tab, not from regular install.
2. USB key has to be unmounted.
--
Check out MEPIS Wiki: www.mepis.org/docs

I follow the steps in the first post. Don't see anything about unmount. Where is mephis USBkey tab?

John

bigjohn_s you must use

Submitted by johnboy68 on Thu, 02/22/2007 - 07:12.
Posts: 53

bigjohn_s

you must use SimplyMEPIS32/64 beta 5 and up to get the USBKey tab. You will find it under "MEPIS System Assistant".

I'm using SM6.5After using

Submitted by Gortok on Sun, 04/15/2007 - 10:44.
Posts: 3

I'm using SM6.5-32
After using the System Assistant to make usb drive bootable, after restart, the system doesn't recognize the drive.
It's like the bootsector was never written.
I have a 2Gig stick, I'd think it'd be plenty big enough. The system was writing to the drive for quite some time.

What should I try next?

The only reason I want to do this is to make a completely SILENT system.

TIA

Way to Go but..

Submitted by ArthX on Mon, 04/16/2007 - 21:00.
Posts: 5

I want to run LiveCD from an Enclosure HDD 12GB, how do I mount the ISO image into this Hard Drive? DO I have to Install it?

By the Way I'm a totally lamer. Just fo i.e. I was trying to install kmplayer to my Madrake 10.1 Community distribution. Put the ./configure then make the make install then the sound died, Kaffeine crashed, Amarok Crashed, etc... totally lame. Jawdropping!

Live CD Doesn't Use Hard Drive

Submitted by Jon Du Quesne on Tue, 04/17/2007 - 11:29.
Posts: 5513

ArthX, running the Live CD does not use any hard drive. You don't install it anywhere. You put the CD into the drive and reboot your computer, booting from the CD. No bits will be harmed in the process Smiling

Should you like the experience, and your hardware works ok with the Live CD, then you can consider installing it via the Install icon on the desktop.

Jon

No computer is magic, no operating system is magic, no website is magic. They all require human interaction, thought, and responsibility to work.

Thanks

Submitted by ArthX on Tue, 04/17/2007 - 20:13.
Posts: 5

Thanks Jon Du.
Seems like I tripped with that...

And it appears that your signature was written for educational purposes. Especially for me... ROFL Laughing out loud

Regards.

You Are Welcome

Submitted by Jon Du Quesne on Wed, 04/18/2007 - 11:37.
Posts: 5513

You are welcome ArthX. We are all allowed WTF? moments. Just don't let it happen again! Smiling

So is your system working now?

Jon

No computer is magic, no operating system is magic, no website is magic. They all require human interaction, thought, and responsibility to work.

Hmmm... is this possible?

Submitted by skotjs on Wed, 06/20/2007 - 08:58.
Posts: 1

Hi,

I've heard installing Mepis on a usb flash drive (apart from the live-cd version via the Mepis usb tab in Mepis System Assistant) is not possible! Here's a discussion on mepislovers:

http://www.mepislovers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7849&page=2

Skot

g'day skecherkid,Thanks for

Submitted by fpd on Mon, 07/02/2007 - 05:20.
Posts: 2

g'day skecherkid,

Thanks for posting this. I have the same issue: Must use company computer, but want Linux versus Windows, BIOS will not boot from USB. However; I can not get this to work. I followed through the installation, but I can not point LiveCD to boot of the USB.

Here is some info. Please, let me know where I have gone astray...

- I read this link concerning "can not do it" but it drifted to no particular subject soon:
http://www.mepislovers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7849&page=2

- I had a little trouble with Gparted, so I used this link to prep my USB:

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2007/02/26/put-pclinuxos-on-a-flash-drive-via-linux/

- I set the "type" to FAT16 and ext2, and followed through the "MEPIS install" link twice, trying both file system types.

- I also went back and tried Gparted again, and it worked after I mounted/unmounted the USB - which it was, I do not remember.

- I did not know where to put grub, so I tried /dev/sda MBR, which failed, then I tried /dev/sda "/root" and the installation succeeded.

- I read the responses to your post (this thread) touting "Mepis USBkey" install, which seemed to prepare the USBkey, and installed the Mepis ISO in a 675.5MB file.

In the end, each attempt boiled down to not being able to point the LiveCD to boot off the USB.

I booted single-user (runlevel 1) and tried "grub >> root (TAB-TAB" but only "hd" is shown as a valid device. I hand-poked "sd" and "/dev/sd" but grub said that it does is invalid. I tried to use "hd-TAB" to see if my USB was another hd(x,y) value, but only my two HDDs showed - hd(0,0) and hd(1,0).

For now, I stil run LiveCD on a 1.4GHz laptop. It works good enough if I want to just do one app at a time. Still hope to make your post come true.

Thanks for the help.

[my edit]

Should I look at Smartbootmanagers?
http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/about.html

What to do with LARGE USB drives?

Submitted by rbrander on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 14:02.
Posts: 42

I'm contemplating a splurge on a new 16GB USB drive. I had been thinking of putting MEPIS on a separate pen drive, but I noted the bit about separate partitions.

The primary purpose of the large drive would be to be recognized by Windows & friends as a memory key for data files.

So what's the recommended way to go, I'm assuming:

sda1: 14GB of FAT32 so Windows is happy
sda2: 2GB for MEPIS (that's what the CD expands to, no?)
...which Windows won't even see because it's EXT2.

...and then some GRUB magic that makes it boot from the second partition if the drive is in at boot time?

Hi there, Just to inform you

Submitted by carlops on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 15:21.
Posts: 2299

Hi there,

Just to inform you that these forums will be closed as of Nov. 1st and merged with the forums at www.mepislovers.org. That way, we have one entry point for all users.

Post your question over there, you're very likely to get a swift answer.

Cheers

Newbie or not Newbie, there's always a question

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