USB flash drive boots but no RW?

Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: USB flash drive boots but no RW?
started by: bprize

Posted by bprize on Oct. 13 2004,04:19

I am able to finally boot from a usb pen drive (by floppy), but when I try to backup my settings back to /dev/sda1 it just sits there and does nothing. I tried to make a few changes to the USB drive, but I think its in read only mode. I'm sure this has been answered before, but I can't find it...can someone help me out?

Thanks! :cool:

Posted by ke4nt1 on Oct. 13 2004,04:51

If you are using the floppy disk to boot up the filesystem on sda1 , you'll need to
make an sda2 partition for backups..
The "syslinux" used to bootup on the floppy disk does not offer all of the
items and features you get when using the "isolinux" from the CD to bootup.

Only with the isolinux can you backup/restore to the same partition you booted from.

73
ke4nt

Posted by doom4 on Oct. 13 2004,06:19

perhaps his problem is like mine in the beginning that i tryed to backup with the backup tool and typed in /dev/sda1 but it is enough to write sda1

perhaps that helps too

Posted by bprize on Oct. 13 2004,17:18

OK...so if I want to backup I need to create sda2. Now this may seem like a stupid question, but should I repartition the flash/pen drive or should I just remount it? If I do need to add a partition to it, how much space is usually needed for a backup? I'm just getting back into linux after about 3 years away and I figured DSL was a good place to start. Thanks for all the help everybody!

Posted by ke4nt1 on Oct. 13 2004,18:18

May be some challenges with remounting a partition your running from.. perhaps if you run toram... I haven't tried that..

The suggestion was to add another partition..then backup to that..

73
ke4nt

Posted by bprize on Oct. 14 2004,00:15

I think thats probably my best option. I have a 256 MB Flash drive, so I have enough space to make one about 230 and the remaning 20 or so for backup. Think that will be enough? I've been looking around at some of the other distros out there and they don't seem to have as much functionality of DSL...so I'm gonna get this to work! Thanks for all your help so far.

Posted by roberts on Oct. 14 2004,21:44

If you are using 0.8.2 or better then even using the special usb boot floppy you are able to backup to the single partition of a pendrive.
When prompted simply use sda1
or appropriate. Do not use /dev/sda1. See I saved you 5 keystrokes and the making of a another partition. One thing nice about pendrive is it is so easy to "upgrade" just copy the knoppix/knoppix file and you are good to go with the latest version of DSL.