How to do a full install on external USB hdd

[erikson]

Additional note ---

Barry found a bug in 2.6.25.16 that may affect usb booting, cfr Barry's blog

I didn't notice the bug during my tests, because my usb devices only use the ehci-hcd and uhci-hcd driver modules (not the affected ohci-hcd module). You can verify which driver(s) your usb device(s) use by running lsmod | grep "hci" on a 2.6.21.7 Puppy version that can access your devices.

As an alternative to Barry's patch (see his blog), also my technique can be used to patch initrd.gz

After unpacking initrd.gz and before repacking it:

(1) mount the relevant pup_xxx.sfs file and locate the driver module
/lib/modules/2.6.25.16/kernel/drivers/ssb/ssb.ko

(2) gzip it to
/lib/modules/2.6.25.16/kernel/drivers/ssb/ssb.ko.gz
and copy it into the expanded initrd-tree

(3) in the expanded initrd-tree, edit the additional dependency into
/lib/modules/2.6.25.6/modules.dep
i.e. locate and replace the line

Code: Select all

/lib/modules/2.6.25.16/kernel/drivers/usb/host/ehci-hcd.ko.gz:
/lib/modules/2.6.25.16/kernel/drivers/usb/core/usbcore.ko.gz

with the line

Code: Select all

/lib/modules/2.6.25.16/kernel/drivers/usb/host/ehci-hcd.ko.gz:
/lib/modules/2.6.25.16/kernel/drivers/usb/core/usbcore.ko.gz
/lib/modules/2.6.25.16/kernel/drivers/ssb/ssb.ko

(Note: must be on one line with the three fields separated by a space)

Sorry I can't test it (I have no affected usb device) but I think it should work.

[Béèm]

Thank you erikson for the update.
As I wasn't asked to save a pup_save, I assumed I was in full
And indeed this is in pupstate

Code: Select all

PUPMODE=2
ATADRIVES='sda sdb '
PUP_HOME='/'

About the boot, I don' worry too much. It's easy to go into the bios.
Once I do setup that USB HDD, thinks get complicated anyway as I will have also that USB flash to boot from eventually and I will have to choose in the bios for the booting anyway then.

I indeed wondered what the impact of Barry's comment was about USB
Thank you for replying before I did ask?

Anyway it's a great procedure, altho it didn't work for the desktop.
The USB flash is first in line to boot from, but isn't considered.
I will have to investigate further.

As for booting from within Lin'N'Win i'll have to investigate also.
I have no clear view for the moment how to achieve this.

[erikson]

I indeed wondered what the impact of Barry's comment was about USB. Thank you for replying before I did ask?

I dropped a note on Barry's blog. I wonder if there will be interest to merge full-booting off usb into regular Puppy releases.

Anyway it's a great procedure, altho it didn't work for the desktop.
The USB flash is first in line to boot from, but isn't considered. I will have to investigate further.

Keep us posted. Are you sure your desktop is capable of booting off usb? It's also possible that my waiting loop for usb registration (see init script) ends too fast; you may try and add a "sleep 3" immediately after the loop, and see what gives. You may also try and clone my initrd technique for the retro kernel, this avoids the potential ohci bug problem.

As for booting from within Lin'N'Win i'll have to investigate also.
I have no clear view for the moment how to achieve this.

Can't help on this one since I'm not familiar with Lin'N'Win. Good luck.

[Béèm]

Yes the bios recognizes the USB flash device and identifies it correctly (the same way as the laptop does)
But it has dual 1,8Ghz processors and maybe the sleep command can be useful.

For the booting from within Lin'N'Win I'll see with ICPUG.

I am working right now on the USB flash, but indeed this is only to be for test purposes.
It's amazing how many accesses are performed to the device.

[gschl]

just a brief note that, using the information and script provided by erikson, I could install Puppy 411 to and boot from a partition of my usb-harddrive (Trekstor) - thank you!!

[erikson]

just a brief note that, using the information and script provided by erikson, I could install Puppy 411 to and boot from a partition of my usb-harddrive (Trekstor) - thank you!!

So, that makes at least three of us (you, Béèm and myself)...

[Béèm]

So one more and we can play cards.

[gschl]

actually, when looking at a new distro, usually first thing is to check installing to usb-harddisk, since there is virtually unlimited space to play.
To my knowledge nowadays all major linux versions have this feature implemented OOTB, but I still remember that in the early days of knoppix you also had to play with initrd.
With Puppy I was late to test this feature since the frugal thing is such an easy solution......

[Q5sys]

Not to sound like a complete Noob here, but couldnt you just install to a HD, then image the drive and 'burn' that image onto a USB drive?
I've done this with other Linux Installs and it works. Is there any reason why it wouldnt work for Puppy?

[erikson]

Not to sound like a complete Noob here, but couldnt you just install to a HD, then image the drive and 'burn' that image onto a USB drive?
I've done this with other Linux Installs and it works. Is there any reason why it wouldnt work for Puppy?

Try it and report