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Topic: frugal strikes again!, bootable USB install

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Lenaisan
Unregistered

Posted: Oct. 02 2004,20:51

Hi,
Here is how I made my Sandisk mini cruzer 256 MB bootable with DSL.

Used :
Windows XP Home Edition
HPUSBFW.EXE
DSL Live CD
bootusb-0.8.img
mattrib
mcopy
syslinux
EmelFM
Root Access
Toshiba M30-104 Laptop
Sandisk mini cruzer 254 MB

1. Under Windows, format USB Pendrive with HPUSBFW.EXE in FAT (no need of system files ; may be done by fdisk ?)
Under DSL Live CD :
2. Mount /dev/hda1 to /mnt/hda1 (where I've put the files bootusb-0.8.img, mattrib, mcopy and syslinux on an ntfs partition)
3. Copy the previously mentionned files to /ramdisk/home/dsl with EmelFM (highlight files then click "copy" button)
4. Set executable flag for the files mattrib, mcopy and syslinux in /ramdisk/home/dsl via EmelFM (highlight files, right click button, select properties then permission..., click on button under "exec" in the line "user" then "apply to all" button)
5. Launch "Root Access" (right click on desktop, "XShells", "Root Access")
6. Type echo "mtools_skip_chek=1" > .mtoolsrc then Enter
7. Type syslinux -o bootusb-0.8.img /dev/sda1 then Enter
8. Mount /dev/sda1 to /mnt/sda1
9. Type mkdir boot then Enter
10. Type mount bootusb-0.8.img boot -t vfat -o loop=/dev/loop0 then Enter
11. Type cp boot/* /mnt/sda1 then Enter
12. Copy /cdrom/knoppix to /mnt/sda1 via EmelFM.
13. Reboot and set Generic USB HDD before HD into BIOS, save settings and exit.

You should have this on /mnt/sda1 :
boot.msg
f2
f3
german.kdb
knoppix/
ldlinux.sys
linux24
logo.16
minirt24.gz
syslinux.cfg

I'm only a newbie, but I hope this may help someone (this post is written under DSL Live USB Pendrive).

Bye

ke4nt1

Group: Members
Posts: 2329
Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: Oct. 02 2004,21:20

If you'll add the /boot directory from the CD,
you can use your USB key for installing DSL to hard drives as well !

It will not interfere with the operation of your key,
and is nice option to have once you've used your USBkey to bootup a box ..

Curious?
Did the Apps > Tools > Install to USB Pendrive script in 0.8.2 not work for you?
It's a lot less work for those fingers ..

73
ke4nt

lenaisan
Unregistered

Posted: Oct. 03 2004,06:29

Indeed, the option Install to Pendrive didn't work for me (blinking cursor of death). I'm wondering if it's the key CHS or the BIOS which doesn't like it.
But what is best, you can directly customize your DSL pendrive instead of processing some iso file.
Also, the CHS of my key are : 31-63-255. I didn't used sfdisk to set the sector to 32 as seen in other posts and stayed with only 1 partition of type e (Win95 FAT16 (LBA)) of maximum size.
I need to thank you for the frugal script where i've found most of the shell commands and the other users of the forum for the rest.

lenaisan.

ke4nt1

Group: Members
Posts: 2329
Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: Oct. 03 2004,13:18

Thanks for the CHS notes...
I'm keeping notes of other folks contributed notes as well ..

Seems the 32 sector/track works for people who have the option to
boot from USB-ZIP ..

I also used the HP tool to partition/format my 512MB USBKey and place
a copy of MS-DOS on it. Like you , it booted flawlessly when the bios was
set as booting from USB-HDD ..

I'm hoping to get enough samples of successful installs, then tabulate some
hard data about what works and what don't for different BIOS options ..
USB-FDD USB-ZIP USB-HDD USB-CDROM or USB Device
USB Legacy or Keyboard emulation on/off , etc..

Thanx and 73
ke4nt

lenaisan
Unregistered

Posted: Oct. 03 2004,17:13

I've found an easiest way to make my DSL Live Pendrive under Windows only.

Used :
Windows XP Home Edition
WinRAR
HPUSBFW.EXE
Extract 2.10 (here)
DSL Live CD iso
bootusb-0.8.img
syslinux 2.11
Toshiba M30-104 Laptop with PhoenixBIOS
Desktop computer with ECS K7S5A Pro and AMIBIOS (for testing)
Sandisk mini cruzer 256 MB

1. Format pendrive with HPUSBFW.EXE (FAT, no system files).
2. Extract contents of DSL Live CD iso to C:\DSLUSB with WinRAR.
3. Extract contents of bootusb-0.8.img to C:\DSLUSB with extract -e bootusb-0.8.img C:\DSLUSB in DOS box (unzip extrac21.zip into some directory in which you copy bootusb-0.8.img).
4. Copy/Move contents of C:\DSLUSB to pendrive x:.
5. Run syslinux.exe x: from DOS box into syslinux directory.
6. Reboot and raise Generic STORAGE DEVICE-(USB) upper HD in Harddrive sublist (boot menu) then save and exit BIOS.
7. Boot success !

I also tried this config over my desktop where I needed to select USB RMD-FDD into BIOS (Advanced Setup) and enabled USB Function Support and USB Function for DOS (Features Setup) to make it work.

If you can provide a zip file with contents of DSL Live CD and contents of bootusb-0.8.img, it will be like Feather Linux distro. Users will just have to unzip it to their pendrive and use syslinux.exe x: or syslinux /dev/sdan to set the bootsector. :cool:

Yet, I don't know if it works with every pendrives and BIOS.

lenaisan.

38 replies since Aug. 31 2004,22:12

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Damn Small Linux Board » Damn Small Linux » Other Help Topics » frugal strikes again!