Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Michalis · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 237 Location: Greece

Couple days ago I tried for first time to boot puppy from a flash drive for testing reasons. I tried to install puppy431 and quirky010 simultaneously by using the "puppy universal installer", but unfortunately couldn't use both of them. So I searched a litle bit around and found the solution that is extremely easy after all. Just follow my steps:

1. Installation of the first puppy with the bootloader
a. Load one of the puppies that you want to install in the usb flash drive.
b. Go Menu->Setup->Puppy universal installer
c.At the screen which will appear choose the first option "USB Flash drive"

The next steps (till 2) are easy to follow by reading the messages, but I'm just making them very analytic (maybe too much):
d. Will pop a screen asking you which drive to install to, choose the one you want
e. Then Will follow a window asking you at which partition you want to install, select it by clicking on it.
f. After that will appear an information window, just to be sure that you didn't do any mistake
g. A window will come out asking you where are the files of the puppy you want to install, with 2 options "cd" and "directory". If you have load the puppy from a live cd just click the "CD" option, else the "Directory" option. Click on the iso and it will be automatically mounted under "/mnt/", navigate to it and select the "vmlinuz" file and click ok.
h. In the following window I've chosen the default option and worked. In case it doesn't work with you you'll have to try the other options.
i. If the partition doesn't have the flag "boot" will ask you to make it by using gparted. You have to do it. So click "GParted", right click on the partition you want to install to, select "Manage Flags" and select the "boot" flag and close gparted.
j. Next window just select the "default"
k. Will pop up a window, in the first option if you are sure just click "enter". Next if you want to wipe the contents of that partition click a character and then enter, else if you want to keep them just press "enter". At the next option I suggest to type a character and then press "enter". and when it finishes again "enter" to close.

That's it you have finished with the installation of the first puppy at the usb flash drive

2. Now you have a flash drive or a partition with the following files:
initrd.gz
ldlinux.sys
pup/quirky/"whatever you have chosen to install".sys
syslinux.cfg
USBFLASH
vmlinuz

a. Make a folder with whatever name you want, but with only western (english) characters let's say puppy, and move in the folder the next files:
initrd.gz
pup/quirky/"whatever you have chosen to install".sys
USBFLASH
vmlinuz

b. Right click at the syslinux.cfg and open it as text.
You'll see something like the next:

T_Hobbit · Joined: 27 May 2006 Posts: 400 Location: Portugal - Lisbon

You need to add "psubdir=subdir you make" to the end of the APPEND line. See my signature post.

upnorth · Posted: Tue 23 Mar 2010, 19:36 Post subject:

Thanks for the HOWTO, Michalis. Very Happy

Here is a slightly different configuration that uses the vesamenu.c32 module of syslinux:

Michalis · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 237 Location: Greece

Thanks for your suggestions

T_Hobbit, I think that in syslinux "psubdir=subdir you make" isn't necessary. I haven't found anywhere anyone using syslinux referring to it, maybe you need it because you are using unetbootin. Anyway just to be sure I added it to the the How to.

upnorth if you have also over linuxes in mind please bring them over Very Happy