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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1051 Location: UK
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Posted: Wed 14 Oct 2015, 16:30 Post subject:
Convert any ISO into a hybrid & use dd to place any Subject description: hybrid ISO or .img file on a card or USB stick. |
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Convert any ISO into a hybrid & use dd to place any hybrid ISO or .img file on a card or USB stick.
How to convert any ISO into a hybrid ISO.
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1. Use pfind to confirm that your pup has isohybrid installed. (/usr/bin/isohybrid)
2. If not, use PPM to install syslinux, any version => 3.72 will do, then check again.
In a terminal issue the command:
Code: | isohybrid path/to/name-of-the.iso |
Notes:
Hardly rocket science!
There is no excuse for not issuing all ISOs as hybrids. (O/K I plead guilty )
There is no output from the command unless it fails for some reason.
The modified date & time on the file will not change but the pre MD5 sum and post MD5 sum will be different.
EDIT1: Execution is instant
EDIT2: Ensure that the ISO is not mounted.
Use dd to write a hybrid ISO or .img file to a USB stick or SD card.
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Code: | dd if=path/to/name-of-the.iso of=/dev/sde && sync |
Things to keep in mind:
dd will completely overwrite your card or USB stick: Any data on it will be lost so if you use this method you'll want to use it with a dedicated card or stick.
dd needs to write to the disk path, not the partition path: in the above example /dev/sde is the disk path device, /dev/sde1 is the partition path (e.g., sde1 is the first partition on sde).
You need to write to the disk path because isohybrid prepends a partition structure to the ISO.
Example One:
Used in Rapid Pup V2 for new 16MB boot image K4.1.7
Code: | dd if=/root/Downloads/boot_utility_7.2_k4.1.7.img of=/dev/sdx && sync |
Example Two:
Same as ONE but with dd progress bar once attached 64bit pet has been installed.
Code: | (pv -n /root/Downloads/boot_utility_7.2_k4.1.7.img | dd of=/dev/sdx) 2>&1 | dialog --gauge "Writing Image to target, please wait... Show total bytes written when finished." 12 70 0 |
(There is no need to specify a bs=xxxx value with small images such as these or a typical 300MB Puppy ISO. A safe default value of 512 will be used.)
Description |
64-bit pv pet for Rapid
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Download |
Filename |
pv-1.5.1-x86_64-1.pet |
Filesize |
36.04 KB |
Downloaded |
151 Time(s) |
Description |
dd with progress indicator |
Filesize |
25.15 KB |
Viewed |
1154 Time(s) |

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_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
Last edited by ETP on Tue 26 Dec 2017, 03:00; edited 4 times in total
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greengeek

Joined: 20 Jul 2010 Posts: 4934 Location: Republic of Novo Zelande
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Posted: Wed 14 Oct 2015, 16:45 Post subject:
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Hi ETP - does use of isohybrid overwrite the original iso or do you end up with two isos?
cheers
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1051 Location: UK
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Posted: Wed 14 Oct 2015, 17:16 Post subject:
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greengeek wrote: | Hi ETP - does use of isohybrid overwrite the original iso or do you end up with two isos?
cheers |
Hi greengeek,
It just makes a small change to the original ISO. You do not finish up with two ISOs.
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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slavvo67
Joined: 12 Oct 2012 Posts: 1512 Location: The other Mr. 305
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Posted: Wed 14 Oct 2015, 17:28 Post subject:
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In these particular instructions, there is no mention of the USB format type. I know you usually need the fat32 for booting and typically an f2fs 2nd partition. Do the instructions above require that in order to boot?
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gcmartin
Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 6730 Location: Earth
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Posted: Wed 14 Oct 2015, 18:41 Post subject:
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Hello @ETP. Nice.
Questions
Does isohybrid check the current ISO to see if it currently a hybrid ISO? If not, is there a test to determine if the ISO is a hybrid? Thanks for this contribution.
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1051 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu 15 Oct 2015, 01:57 Post subject:
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@slavvo67,
Quote: | In these particular instructions, there is no mention of the USB format type. I know you usually need the fat32 for booting and typically an f2fs 2nd partition. Do the instructions above require that in order to boot? |
If using dd the format on the stick or card does not matter. Everything on it will be wiped and replaced by
whatever is in the .img or ISO that you are writing to it. If the original .img file or ISO is bootable the copy will be bootable.
The format of the target USB or SD is important only if you are using Win32diskimager (My favourite tool) with Windows to write an .img file or hybrid ISO to a card or stick.
The target has to be fat32 for Windows to recognise it & to then present it as a drive letter such as H:
@gcmartin,
Quote: | Does isohybrid check the current ISO to see if it currently a hybrid ISO? If not, is there a test to determine if the ISO is a hybrid? |
AFAIK there is no check. Generally the release notes will tell you whether the ISO is a hybrid or not.
If you simply don't know just issue the command. If it was not a hybrid it will become one. If it was a hybrid already it
will do no harm. Any Puppy ISO ever issued can be turned into a hybrid.
One thing I forgot to mention is that when you do issue the command the action is instant which may give the false impression
that nothing as happened.
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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L18L
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 3431 Location: www.eussenheim.de/
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Posted: Thu 15 Oct 2015, 06:00 Post subject:
Re: Convert any ISO into a hybdrid & use dd to place any Subject description: hydrid ISO or .img file on a card or USB stick. |
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ETP wrote: | There is no output from the command unless it fails for some reason. |
Did you try: Code: | isohybrid --verbose path/to/name-of-the.iso | ?
Very interesting things, isohybrid and these others iso (tab tab) s!
Thank you.
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amigo
Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 2641
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Posted: Thu 15 Oct 2015, 13:17 Post subject:
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I think you could check an ISO by running fdisk on it. If it has a partition table, then it is a hybrid. If not, fdisk will say that no valid partition table was found.
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gcmartin
Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 6730 Location: Earth
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Posted: Thu 15 Oct 2015, 13:58 Post subject:
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Thanks @Amigo. I was not aware that one could run fdisk to a file like an ISO. Does fdisk require the ISO to be mounted on a loop?
Update: Loop mount not required (should have known, duh..."everything in Linux is a file")
Code: | root# which isohybrid
/usr/bin/isohybrid
root# echo "So, this TahrPUP has 'isohybrid' installed"
So, this TahrPUP has 'isohybrid' installed
root#
root# fdisk -l android-x86-4.4-r2.iso
Disk android-x86-4.4-r2.iso: 406 MB, 406847488 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 388 cylinders, total 794624 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x26d40bfd
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
android-x86-4.4-r2.iso1 * 0 794623 397312 17 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
root# | Thanks!
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1051 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu 15 Oct 2015, 14:18 Post subject:
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@L18L & amigo,
Thanks to you both for your tips.
An easy way of checking an ISO is to right click it then select properties.
The shot below shows a normal bootable ISO on the left & a hybrid on the right with its partition.
Description |
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Filesize |
143.96 KB |
Viewed |
992 Time(s) |

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_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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slavvo67
Joined: 12 Oct 2012 Posts: 1512 Location: The other Mr. 305
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Posted: Thu 15 Oct 2015, 18:53 Post subject:
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Please put in your instructions that the destination USB must be unmounted. Sometimes, it's the little things....
Does anyone know if you can use Gparted after the install to create a second partition (perhaps an f2fs) for larger usb drives? Also, how do the save files work with this type of install?
Note: Worked with my Fluxpup.iso file but I think it's running a bit slower than the CD or even slower than the bootflash install included in the Puppy itself. It might just be me. I'll need to test this more.
Either way, it's a nice way to avoid CD's / DVD's.
Edit: Works very well with Tahrpup. Used save file to local partition (sda1) but the save file wasn't read when rebooting.
Thanks!
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gcmartin
Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 6730 Location: Earth
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Posted: Fri 16 Oct 2015, 00:01 Post subject:
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Using TahrPUP 602, install PET. Use MultiPUP to create an ISO.
Code: | root# isohybrid --verbose /mnt/sda6/MultiPup-v6r22/New-ISO/April7s.iso
/usr/bin/isohybrid: cannot open --verbose: No such file or directory
root# isohybrid /mnt/sda6/MultiPup-v6r22/New-ISO/April7s.iso
/usr/bin/isohybrid: /mnt/sda6/MultiPup-v6r22/New-ISO/April7s.iso: bootloader is missing isolinux.bin hybrid signature
Note: isolinux-debug.bin does not support hybrid booting
| then, had a look at the ISO properties:
Description |
Non Hybrid ISO |
Filesize |
46.59 KB |
Viewed |
910 Time(s) |

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goingnuts
Joined: 07 Dec 2008 Posts: 903
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Posted: Fri 16 Oct 2015, 00:19 Post subject:
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Quote: | # isohybrid xwoaf_pup170910.iso
/usr/bin/isohybrid: xwoaf_pup170910.iso: bootloader does not have a isolinux.bin hybrid signature.Note that isolinux-debug.bin does not support hybrid booting. |
Probably isolinux.bin on iso comes from syslinux version less than 3.86 - check with: Code: | # strings isolinux.bin | grep ISOLINUX |
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L18L
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 3431 Location: www.eussenheim.de/
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Posted: Fri 16 Oct 2015, 04:00 Post subject:
isohybrid Subject description: check with "file" |
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ETP wrote: | An easy way of checking an ISO is to right click it then select properties. |
Thanks.
An other easy way I just have found is using command line:
This is working at least in Fatdog where also "--verbose" works.
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1051 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri 16 Oct 2015, 04:20 Post subject:
Queries |
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Hi slavvo67,
Quote: | Please put in your instructions that the destination USB must be unmounted. Sometimes, it's the little things.... |
Good point - done.
Quote: | Does anyone know if you can use Gparted after the install to create a second partition (perhaps an f2fs) for larger usb drives? |
Yes - if you are dealing with a .img file. (See OP in UCF2FS Pup)
No - if you are placing a bootable hybrid ISO on a stick or card.
Quote: | Also, how do the save files work with this type of install? |
If you place a bootable hybrid ISO on a stick or card you are to all intents & purposes then dealing with a CD.
Quote: | Note: Worked with my Fluxpup.iso file but I think it's running a bit slower than the CD or even slower than the bootflash install included in the Puppy itself. It might just be me. I'll need to test this more. |
Best to use a USB2 or USB3 stick. If you have a USB3 port available put the USB2 stick in that. It will be slightly quicker.
Quote: | Either way, it's a nice way to avoid CD's / DVD's. |
Agreed. Many devices lack optical drives these days but we continue to issue standard ISOs. The optical drives that are installed are generally
of poor quality & fail quite quickly with heavy use.
Quote: | Edit: Works very well with Tahrpup. Used save file to local partition (sda1) but the save file wasn't read when rebooting. Sad |
Give it a bit of help with some boot codes.
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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