[SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

vegan · 2011-06-18 04:23:25

I want to put Arch on my netbook, by using a flash drive. I tried several times to put it on with unetbootin, and maybe it is the wrong iso. I'm using the i686 core. I already went to the Ubuntu forums and read the beginner's guide, specifically the section dealing with putting Arch on a flash drive and I clicked on the special greater detail section. There is one method which I can't understand, involving dd and typing in the file path.

So, I formatted my flash drive for FAT32 and used unetbootin, and it didn't come up with the normal command prompt after all the text rolled down the screen. It came up with ramdfs and another type of command prompt. That type of response might be familiar to some of you, and you might know what I did wrong.

Last edited by vegan (2011-06-19 19:36:37)

JBorneu · 2011-06-18 06:41:21

Here you go:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/In … lash_drive

Edit: after rereading your posts, it seems like you already tried that one.

Did you check which version of unetbootin you're using?
"If using a version of UNetbootin older than 549, then after it finishes, you will have to adjust syslinux.cfg on the root of your flash drive before rebooting. Correct the "archisolabel=" parameter to reflect the label of the USB drive you used ..."

If none of the other methods work, I'm affraid I can't help.

Last edited by JBorneu (2011-06-18 06:47:08)

tomk · 2011-06-18 07:16:53

What do you not understand about the dd command? That's what you should be using, not unetbootin.

Also, use an iso from here instead.

vegan · 2011-06-18 07:20:31

J Bourneu,

Thanks! Is syslinux.cfg a configuration file on the flash drive? How do you get into those files? I opened up unetbootin and usually I find out what version an application is by clicking on help, then about, but there was no top menu of that kind.

vegan · 2011-06-18 07:35:55

Tom,

Okay, I downloaded the file and it is on the desktop. How would I specify the filepath. Let me try to guess:

 dd if=archlinux-2011.06.10-core-i686.iso of=/dev/sdx

What does /dev/sdx mean? I thought by filepath they meant something like /home/desktop/archlinux.iso

vegan

sumski · 2011-06-18 07:38:30

Format your flash drive, label it 'flash' or whatever name you want, mount it, open unetbootin, add arch iso, when it finishes, go into flash drive directory, find syslinux.cfg and then add label you used , under 'archisolabel'.

Last edited by sumski (2011-06-18 07:39:39)

tomk · 2011-06-18 08:00:36

Yes, you need the path to the iso - that's up to you to determine. Then plug in the flash device and run dmesg - that will give the correct device name e.g. sdb, sdg whatever. The command will then be

dd if=/path/to/archlinux-2011.06.10-core-i686.iso of=/dev/sdb

(or whatever the device name turns out to be).

vegan · 2011-06-18 08:45:08

Thanks guys. I don't know what to say. I tried both these methods and I can't make either one work. For the dd method, it gave back an error that there is no such file or directory. For Sumski, I don't know how to get into that file. I tried changing directories on the command line into the /dev directory, then I didn't know how to open the file sdf1. I couldn't use cd, because it was a file, not a directory. Also, the beginner's guide instructs me to use dd while the flash drive is unmounted. I don't understand that.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/In … lash_drive

litemotiv · 2011-06-18 08:55:11

vegan, if i were you i wouldn't torture myself any longer and start with an easier linux distro first. Try Arch again when you have more experience and feel comfortable around your system and the command line. Arch won't be a fun or rewarding trip for you with your current understanding of linux fundamentals.

sumski · 2011-06-18 09:15:22

i think latest unetbootin has 'out of the box' support for arch iso's. Downoad it from it's page.

cybertorture · 2011-06-18 09:30:04

Hello vegan,
litemotiv is rite abot that arch is not the best distro to start from, however it have very nice wiki page
as for install from usb easy way is unetbootin + archboot iso

Best wishes at installing

tomk · 2011-06-18 11:59:10

Jeez.....

unetbootin may be completely awesome, but it's also completely unnecessary, and it adds extra complexity to what is a fall-off-a-log simple task. Please stop recommending it to people who want to install Arch.

vegan - although I agree with litemotiv's recommendation, I will take one last look at the dd method for you. Paste the exact command that you used.

lilsirecho · 2011-06-18 15:36:51

Perhaps the dd method is best utilized if the input file .iso is added by copy and paste from the file directory into the terminal following the entry.....dd if=(paste here).....and then add the ...of=/dev/sd(x).

This assures that the path to the .iso is entered correctly and the flash device is correctly addressed.

This will take some time to write to the flash drive and no indication of progress appears.

It will terminate the install with information concerning the size of the install, the time it took to install and the install speed.

The drive is then capable of being used to install arch.

vegan · 2011-06-18 15:40:38

dd if=archlinux-2011.06.10-core-i686.iso of=/dev/sdf

litemotiv, Thanks for your kind words! Torturing myself? I don't feel that way at all. I get frustrated, sure. But, I find some of these tasks baffling, and next to impossible, and then someone shows me how to do something that I never thought I could do. Then, I can control and interact with the computer very differently than before. I think about how I will know things in 6 months or a year and no longer be a Linux beginner.

I think that Fedora might be slightly harder than Ubuntu, but Arch is probably a good fit for me. It will take time to adjust to it, though.

TomK,

The directions are sketchy in the manual about the pathname, because the manual assumes a level of prior knowledge that I don't have. So, if I can understand how a pathname works, if one of you can explain it slowly, I might be able to input the right text, and the problem should be solved. I agree with you about unetbootin. I think it just doesn't seem to work with Arch.

vegan · 2011-06-18 15:45:16

We can give up if you guys want. I also have my laptop and desktop computer. Is it easier to put it on virtualbox?

x5x_tim · 2011-06-18 16:09:49

Vegan, I hope you are still willing to try this, if you succeed you might learn a lot.

dd is a very powerful linux command, but in essence, it is quite simple.

Basically, it takes two arguments, if, which is the input file, and of, wich is the output file.
The only thing that dd does is just copy whatever is in the if argument to whatever is in the of argument.

It can write raw data from one disk to another, for making a hard backup, or create a disk image from a drive, or put an image on a drive. What you want to do is the last. You have an iso file, which is a disk image. Think of it as a description of a disk. It is basically a ZIP archive with all the files that are on the disc on it. Then you want to tell to dd: look, I have this iso file here, and I have this drive here and I want to make that flash drive like the ISO says. That's all.

(Disclaimer: I know iso's are not compressed with ZIP, it's just an analogy)

The thing is, you've gotta tell dd where the files is, otherwise it can't do anything. So open a terminal and cd to the folder where you saved the ISO. That way, you can just put the name of the file for the if argument later.
Now, run 'sudo fdisk -l' and post the output. This will tell you where the flash drive is in the /dev/ folder. (The /dev/ folder contains references to devices in your computer).

The command is going to look like: dd if=imagename.iso of=/dev/devicename
Before you run this command, make sure you post the output of fdisk and let us check it. If you put the /dev/ location of your harddrive there, you will end up putting the ISO on your hard drive, dd isn' t a tool that holds your hand, it just does what you tell it.

I hope you get it now You are right to want to learn!

lilsirecho · 2011-06-18 16:42:03

Vegan:

Your post of the dd command is almost correct.

The path to file info is missing.....

Thus, you need to add the following ..../root/Desktop/......because the path is /root/Desktop wherein the file is located.

Then the dd command becomes:

dd if=/root/Desktop/archlinux-2011.06.10-core.iso of=/dev/sdf

Make certain that the of=/dev/sdf is correctly entered because if it isn't, it is possible to damage your system. The dd command is capable of wiping out entire drives.

Make certain that /dev/sdf is your flash drive.

ewaller · 2011-06-18 17:33:35

lilsirecho wrote:

...The dd command is capable of wiping often wipes out entire drives.
Make certain that /dev/sdf is your flash drive.

x5x_tim · 2011-06-18 17:36:29

lilsirecho wrote:

Thus, you need to add the following ..../root/Desktop/......because the path is /root/Desktop wherein the file is located.

How do you know where the iso is on his system? And /root/Desktop/? Why would it be there?

lilsirecho · 2011-06-18 17:38:16

He reported that he had placed it in Desktop.....

x5x_tim · 2011-06-18 17:46:56

lilsirecho wrote:

He reported that he had placed it in Desktop.....

True, but it highly depends on which DE (or if he runs one at all) he runs where that is. And I hope he isn't running his DE as root.

vegan · 2011-06-19 02:54:36

Okay, since I'm running Ubuntu, I thought that I had forgotten the sudo command or that dd is not enabled on it. Then, I thought the home directory might be just the ~ character, and I tried those. I've been trying capitalizing desktop, because I couldn't cd into that directory with desktop not capitalized.

Okay, I think I made some progress with it. By trying 'root/Desktop/archlinux etc. Instead of getting 'no such file or directory.' This time I got permission denied as a response from the command line. I think that means I got the file path right.

I got the correct path to the flash drive by going to disc utility, the GUI program. It is /dev/sdf1

Yeah, I think I'm almost there. I just need to figure out how to enable permissions. But, is it in the arch iso file?

jasonwryan · 2011-06-19 03:03:27

A word of caution: if you are intent on using dd - backup all your data NOW. Your post above suggests that you are really lacking even a basic understanding of some of the fundamentals of Linux and using a command like dd is probably going to end in tears...

Also, your assessment about being "almost there" is wildly optimistic. I would put this project on hold for the time being, and spend a couple of weeks just studying up on Linux and how it works.

vegan · 2011-06-19 04:21:21

Jason,

I thought about quitting, but I like to be fair to people and if the kind contributors have made such an effort to help me get this far, I would feel like a scumbag to brush off all their efforts and quit just before I'm going to reach success. I would feel like I was being ungrateful, because the gift they have given me of their time and energy would be wasted if I give up now.

How many more steps do you estimate I will need to take after enabling file permissions, in order to put the bootable image on the flash drive?

ewaller · 2011-06-19 04:53:25

vegan wrote:

How many more steps do you estimate I will need to take after enabling file permissions, in order to put the bootable image on the flash drive?

I hope you are kidding.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-06-18 04:23:25

[SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#2 2011-06-18 06:41:21

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#3 2011-06-18 07:16:53

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#4 2011-06-18 07:20:31

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#5 2011-06-18 07:35:55

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#6 2011-06-18 07:38:30

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#7 2011-06-18 08:00:36

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#8 2011-06-18 08:45:08

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#9 2011-06-18 08:55:11

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#10 2011-06-18 09:15:22

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#11 2011-06-18 09:30:04

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#12 2011-06-18 11:59:10

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#13 2011-06-18 15:36:51

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#14 2011-06-18 15:40:38

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#15 2011-06-18 15:45:16

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#16 2011-06-18 16:09:49

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#17 2011-06-18 16:42:03

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#18 2011-06-18 17:33:35

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#19 2011-06-18 17:36:29

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#20 2011-06-18 17:38:16

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#21 2011-06-18 17:46:56

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#22 2011-06-19 02:54:36

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#23 2011-06-19 03:03:27

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#24 2011-06-19 04:21:21

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

#25 2011-06-19 04:53:25

Re: [SOLVED]using Arch on flash drive

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