Embedded AND native

Forum: DSL Embedded
Topic: Embedded AND native
started by: GDorn

Posted by GDorn on May 13 2005,18:26

I'm looking for help setting this up - I want to install this on a 1gig pen drive, with both embedded and native DSL, so that I can either boot from it or run it in windows as needed.

I don't have a linux box to start with, so I need to do the setup either in windows, or from DSL in qemu...

Is there any documentation on doing things this way? The 5-way script seems to assume that you're starting with a linux install.

Posted by meo on May 16 2005,18:47

Hi GDorn!

It's very easy! Just format the drive with fat32 and unzip dsl-embedded on it. Then you can boot it directly from the usb if your bios supports that (my doesn't so I boot it with a cd issuing the following command: dsl fromhd=/dev/sda1 qemu frugal xsetup and that works fine). How to boot it embedded you will find in the readme-file on the usb-drive.

Hope it works and have fun,
meo

Posted by preXder on April 01 2006,03:06

Quote (meo @ May 16 2005,14:47)

ok, that's cool. but...

isn't there a way to set up the pendrive so that it will run natively without the boot options command: "dsl fromhd=/dev/sda qemu frugal"

i thought the "5-way" script was suppose to set up this type of configuration - capable of running natively or embedded.

i've been working at this for 3 days now and i can get as far as running the 'apps>tools>install to usb pendrive' successfully (i can boot off the pendrive).

from what i've been able to research, i need to copy the contents of the dsl-2.3-embedded.zip file to the usb pendrive and then apply syslinux to the pendrive with the command: "syslinux -s /dev/sda".

i haven't been able to do either of the above yet. when i try to unzip the zip file i get "no such file or directory". when i try and apply the syslinux command, i receive "this doesn't look like a FAT filesystem" and "sector sizes other than 512 not supported".

i'm confused because obviously the zip file exists (i can see it in the directory i downloaded it to) and wouldn't the pendrive be correctly formatted already if the usbhdd install in dsl was successful?

eventually, i returned to windows to try unzipping and copying the files from the 'embedded' download to the pendrive. i overwrote any of the duplicate files on the pendrive from the usbhdd installation. in windows, i was able to run dsl now, but when i tried to boot natively, obviously, it wasn't able to correctly (the desktop appeared frozen). i presume now, that if i tried entering the line in the above post, i'd probably get dsl working alright. however, i thought this '5-way' install was a workaround for this.

yes, i'm a quite new to linux, so don't worry about offending me with any questions/comments. just want to get this thing going if at all possible. i want to have the pendrive to ease myself into linux a bit, before i build a dedicated box or try a dual-boot setup.

i'd appreciate any and all suggestions/thoughts.

Posted by cbagger01 on April 01 2006,06:35

You don't need to apply "syslinux" to your pendrive if you have already done a USBHDD install.

However, you do need to make sure that you unzip the files correctly into your USB drive. For example, you need to maintain the zipped directory structure. For example, there is a subdirectory called "qemu" and the files need to appear in a subdirectory called "qemu" on the thumbdrive. If ALL of the files are unzipped into the top level directory on the thumbdrive, it will not work correctly.

As for boot commands, you can edit the syslinux.cfg text file and add any boot parameters to your DEFAULT append line.

Posted by preXder on April 01 2006,06:52

ok, i'll be happy to give that suggestion a go. just a couple of things...

i assume it'll be alright to unzip and copy the dsl-2.3-embedded.zip files from windows as i still haven't found a way to unzip in dsl yet.

also, is it safe to assume i can just overwrite the duplicate files from the usbhdd install with the files from the zip file?

finally, what precisely would i enter in the DEFAULT Append line? looking at the syslinux.cfg file, i already see qemu and frugal, so would i just need "dsl fromhd=/dev/sda"? or, do i even need the "dsl" part? i suppose i can just figure it out by trial and error.

i'll post again to report on any progress.

thanks

Posted by Sp3ktral on April 01 2006,19:49

yeah i kinda tried your theory and it seems to work for me.

I first installed on my pendrive from a live CD. then took the zip file of embedded and copied it to my pendrive, over writing all duplicate files.

i can boot in windows and i can boot to DSL when starting up. i've been able to save preferences for both and not have a problem.

Posted by cbagger01 on April 01 2006,21:22

Yes, you can unzip it in windows.

You don't need to add the word "dsl" to your DEFAULT append statement.

Posted by preXder on April 01 2006,21:45

thanks you both.

yes, i was finally able to get my pendrive to do boot natively and within windows. i haven't done a lot with it yet to see if there are any other bugs, but i'm thrilled i've gotten this far.

i did exactly what you guys said. i just added the "fromhd=/dev/sda1" to the DEFAULT Append line and overwrote the files when i copied over from the embedded zip.

probably won't be long before i'm posting for more help, but until then, thanks again.