from iso to usb install script

Forum: DSL Ideas and Suggestions
Topic: from iso to usb install script
started by: ypx

Posted by ypx on Sep. 30 2004,12:31

i was thinking about installing DSL on an USB stick to avoid burning a CD when a new release comes out...
then i realised that it won't help to do this,
as i must boot from a newly burnt CD to install the new release on the stick.
that's why i ask :
is a script allowing an installation from .iso file to usb when booting toram something that can be done ?
as it would allow USB stick users to update without needing a cd-burner...

Posted by ke4nt1 on Sep. 30 2004,15:23

You can use this..
mount -t iso9660 -o loop dsl-0.8.2.iso /mnt/wherever

Then copy over the /KNOPPIX directory and the /boot directory
to your USBkey ..
( I copy over the /boot directory so I can do HDInstalls from USBkey )

Your key is now upgraded to the latest DSL version

( assuming the boot method has not changed )
( this works great for most minor version upgrades )

Otherwise, you'll need to use the frugal-usb.sh script and the bootusb-0.X.X.img as your sources ..
I think the script allows you to use both LIVECD or FILE as your source for the compressed "knoppix"..

73
ke4nt

Posted by ypx on Sep. 30 2004,16:06

well, after a quick look inside frugal-usb.sh it seems that it's designed to find /KNOPPIX inside /cdrom so it won't help without a twist... because even if usb key is recognised as /cdrom, the /KNOPPIX dir will then be the old one.
i'll try the mount thing when i'll have the usb key.
i didn't know that mount allowed to read iso contents...
does it allow to actually write inside the .iso file ?

Posted by ypx on Oct. 01 2004,13:43

i just tried mounting an iso file. it worked greatly. :cool:

by the way, is it possible to mount an iso so that it's content can be edited ? as for now, i can't save any modification, and it keeps telling me that filesystem is read-only when i try chmod.

i'll now try to edit frugal-usb.sh so that it will ask for an installation source.
i'll keep you informed about progress...

Posted by ke4nt1 on Oct. 01 2004,15:21

I'm guessing I am confused here..
Perhaps it's the HDInstall that asks for a SOURCE
L iveCD F ile N etwork ..

If the HDInstall script has these options, perhaps you can
wiggle a few lines out of it, and place them inside the frugal.sh

73
ke4nt

Posted by roberts on Oct. 01 2004,19:12

You don't need to burn a new cdrom and rerun the install to usb pendrive.
To update an already installed and working usb pendrive you only need to copy one file.

1. boot from existing DSL cdrom.
2. use mount.app and mount pendrive (usually sda1)
3. open a root xterm ( Xshells->root access)
4. df -h /ramdisk ( to be sure you have enough space, 50MB, to hold the downloaded new version of DSL
5. wget < http://ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/distribtions/damnsmall/current/current >
6. mount current /mnt/test -o loop
7. cp -u /mnt/test/KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX /mnt/sda1/knoppix/knoppix
8. overwrite y
9. sync (wait for prompt to return)
10. reboot to your new version of DSL on pendrive.

Posted by Rapidweather on Oct. 03 2004,13:23

Having enough space on /ramdisk shouldn't be a problem.
I just did "df -h /ramdisk and got:
/ramdisk Size 192.1 M Used 41.7 M Available 150.4 M Use 22%.
---
As a side note, I found that the USB boot floppy would search your
hard drives for a /KNOPPIX and on mine it found one on /mnt/hdb5
and tried to use that instead of the one on the pen drive. So I had to
try the DSL pen drive on a laptop with only /dev/hda1 on it with no
/KNOPPIX. It didn't fully boot, it was late and I didn't get all the error
messages, etc. written down. I'm using a small 64 MB pen, and use the
usb boot floppy with it. I'm still hunting around for a machine to try it on.
---

Posted by clivesay on Dec. 20 2004,03:52

Bookmark!!