USB booting :: HP Utility + DSL image does not work on USB

As detailed in a previous thread, I have used the HP Boot Key Utility, with all of the default settings for an HDD Install, and dragged the Knoppix image from DSL-Embedded into the "components" folder. I moved nothing else.

When I boot, however, I get past the hardware detection, but not even the "startx" command will take me our of Bash and into the XWindow Manager. It just says "command not found."

For some reason I could not get the regular, full DSL-embedded installer to work, and the Wiki entry is too simplistic and does not give a walkthrough, just a bullet-point list of instructions.

Additionally, I only have a DVD burner, so I would like to avoid making a Live CD.

I have figured that one of two things have gone wrong:

a) I have not put the right components from DSL onto my USB key.
b) I have not typed the right thing into bash.

I think it is a).

Any suggestions?

DVD burners can usually burn to CD with no problem.

I'm not sure what you mean by "components folder". If you are going to use your USB-HDD to boot directly (rather than use embedded), you only need to copy the following files/folders from the embedded zip file:

boot.msg, f2, f3, german.kbd, linux24, logo.16, minirt24.gz & syslinux.cfg
KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX

Then, after using syslinux to create the ldlinux.sys file, you should be able to boot and run DSL from your USB stick (BIOS permitting).

I gave up and used a livecd. works fine.

original here.