Bootable USB stick - How do YOU do it?

[greengeek]

The full install must reside on a Linux file system like ext2 or ext3.

Thanks Crash - in that case it makes me wonder why Grub4dos keeps insisting that my frugal install (which is on a FAT partition) has been detected as a full install. Sounds like Grub4dos should realise that it can't be a full install because it is the wrong partition type.

Must be a bug with my version of Grub4dos I guess.

[bigpup]

Grub4dos version?
Running in what version of Puppy?

[greengeek]

Grub4dos version?
Running in what version of Puppy?

Grub4Dos 1.8.0 running in a Slacko 5.6 derivative.

[bigpup]

Try this update to Grub4dos. V1.9.2
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=51697

To correct the running from a Puppy full install issue you may also need to install this patch to Grub4dosconfig.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 269#890269
Not needed if you run Grub4dosconfig from a Puppy frugal install.

[Pelo]

Yesterday all day long i tried to multiboot puppies with unbuntu, suse, and Mint..
Puppies are Ok, but Linux (the fat) search for the live cd..
I will try isobooter, but in fact the four Linux where on a DVD, and my goal was to separate them on my usb stick Voyager 16GB...
For Puppies only, it is really easy..
Français, English Spoken tutorial translated Here

[puppyluvr]

Hello,

For Puppies only, it is really easy..

Thank you for saying that..

[greengeek]

Updated first post of thread with my current most reliable method (which uses syslinux 3.73)

This seems to give me the best compatibility with a large range of hardware.

I have partition 1 as FAT32 (containing Puppy files and boot files), partition 2 as an EXT2 data storage partition that preserves linux permissions for compiling, pet building or whatever, and partition 3 as a very large swap partition which enables me to do major remastering etc on a machine that has no hard drive or other swap file, or is low on memory.

[sheldonisaac]

Updated first post of thread with my current most reliable method (which uses syslinux 3.73)

Thanks, greengeek.
I can't now recall my past, using loadlin or other bootloaders.
For the last several years, I've used only grub4dos, and almost always from a hard drive. I had occasionally used a USB stick, but am unsure what did or did not work.
I hope to try your method soon. Appreciate all your research, and do like the idea of a stick that reliably boots on a variety of computers.

This morning, (using Puppy from a hard drive), I removed everything but the 3 Puppy Linux files from a 16GB Emtec USB stick, and then used gparted to mark it as bootable.
The USB stick booted OK. Files are as below.
All this was done on this Dell E6410, a laptop from approx 2011.

Code: Select all

# ls -al /mnt/sdc1
total 236
drwxr-xr-x  3 root root   4096 2017-03-07 17:31 .
drwxr-xr-x 13 root root     80 2017-03-08 08:32 ..
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 220049 2017-03-08 21:29 grldr
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   2649 2017-03-08 21:29 menu.lst
-rw-r--r--  1 root root      0 2017-03-07 17:31 pupdesk.flg
-rw-r--r--  1 root root    512 2017-03-08 21:29 sdc_mbr.bak
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root   4096 2017-03-08 21:27 sulu

Code: Select all

# ls -al /mnt/sdc1/sulu/
total 169464
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root      4096 2017-03-08 21:27 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root      4096 2017-03-07 17:31 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   3688506 2015-06-14 05:59 initrd.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 166846496 2015-06-14 05:59 sulu_002.sfs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   2802352 2015-06-14 05:59 vmlinuz

[watchdog]

I think the following how-to for uefi machines from fatdog64, which also works for slacko 6.3.2 and tahr 6.0.6, should be added to this thread:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/fatdog/web/fa ... drive.html

[CyberPaddy66]

Here's my favourite method:
How to Make a Bootable Flash Drive using ISObooter

FINALLY, a simple and finger crossed successful method to make a bootable USB disk from within Puppy, I have just wasted 3 days of trying to make a usable USB drive that will allow me to boot up several different LIVE-ISO's so try out.

[greengeek]

Thanks watchdog and cyberpaddy - added those comments/links to the first thread.

[Pelo]

Isobooter used sucessfully last night, for dual boot Puppy Stretch and Mintpup, an OS Based on casper or porteus.
Easy with rcrsn51 how-to.
Very easy i should say when done once.. No need to read again how-to.

[Pelo]

"I prefer to work with an 8GB or 16GB stick which also contains a swap partition - as that helps me during the remaster/reconfigure phase of the installation."
Are you sure swap on pendrive cannot exist, I was told
Nice tuto however. How many topics, how many videos on You tube about the subject !

[greengeek]

Are you sure swap on pendrive cannot exist, I was told

Yes, I am certain. Swap partition on usb pendrive works on my hardware.

You can test this by using a PC that has no hard drive - boot it with puppy, connect a usb pendrive and use Gparted to format it as "Linux Swap" then shut down the PC. Leave the pendrive plugged in as Puppy needs to find it during the boot process.

Reboot the PC and after booting open a terminal and enter the following command:

free

You should see the swap partition available (may not actually be in use yet depending on your RAM size...)

As an alternative to typing "free" you can enter the following command:

swapon -s

and you should see the swap partition available.

[greengeek]

Try this update to Grub4dos. V1.9.2
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=51697

Thanks Bigpup - that did resolve my problem. Sorry for the slow reply (only 1.5 years!) - believe it or not I was persisting with my own manual methods for working around the issue. Turns out updating Grub4Dos is simpler...

[hamoudoudou]

Before Creating new Programs please check those done by your colleagues.. Look at did18 IMG2key, i failed with it...
Grub4dos makes easy my boots, but i don't have UEFI..
Isobooter too.. My puppies are more thn one hundred for about 30 USB keys, most are multiboot, some with Linux OS as Ubuntu. .
topic img2key Did18 would like some successful feed-back
About CDs or USB, don't format Linux your pendrives.. Puppy Linux with FAT 32 never get trouble, pupsaves .2fs 3.fs. 4fs do not need a Linux partition.