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#1 2016-01-02 03:10:25

exaos
Member
Registered: 2012-03-18
Posts: 17

Install on a USB stick with some features?

It is possible to install Arch Linux on a USB stick which supports:

  • Booting both UEFI and BIOS from a NTFS partition.

  • Periodical upgration.

  • Local data seperated from system installed.

I guess, maybe it is possible to use:

  • syslinux or something else on a NTFS-formatted USB-stick.

  • system installed on a squashfs image

  • extra space left on the stick can be used for file shareing and local data.

Is this possible?

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#2 2016-01-02 03:38:32

respiranto
Member
Registered: 2015-05-15
Posts: 479
Website

Re: Install on a USB stick with some features?

Yes, https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=206201
Using NTFS as root filesystem is possible, as far as I know, though it may lead to problems.
Are you sure, that you need NTFS as root filesystem?
How about simply creating a separate home partition formatted as NTFS?

Last edited by respiranto (2016-01-02 03:45:01)

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#3 2016-01-02 16:16:07

memory_leak
Member
Registered: 2015-03-02
Posts: 43

Re: Install on a USB stick with some features?

Indeed, if you run from USB stick (as I do) I don't see reason to use NTFS, If you need access from windows to ext4, you may use free Paragon ext4fs tool which is driver for ext4 fs for Windows.

You may put home partition whereever you want, it does not need to be on USB stick, but honestly, when running from usb, just put everything into same place. Upgrades and everything works just fine. I recommend a fast usb 3.0 stick, such as sandisk extreme.

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#4 2016-01-03 07:36:44

exaos
Member
Registered: 2012-03-18
Posts: 17

Re: Install on a USB stick with some features?

I have a 32GB USB stick. I want to make things as simple as possible. So, I want to install Arch on a squashfs image resident in a directory (e.g. `live`). Because disc image is usally large. And VFAT is not good for large files. So, I want to use NTFS, then to exchange large files between Windows and Linux can be smoothly.  Yes, ext4 is good. But if I want to use my stick on other people's PC, I don't need to install paragon ext4fs or ext2fsd, etc. You know, it may be anoying to install softwares on other's system. :-)

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#5 2016-01-03 13:29:05

memory_leak
Member
Registered: 2015-03-02
Posts: 43

Re: Install on a USB stick with some features?

I am not sure I really understand what you are doing here? Are you making a "live" installation to boot other people's PCs from your usb stick? In that case, be sure you have support for ntfs driver in your kernel (most does these days) and than you have access to other people's ntfs and can copy over files from your stick from within your linux session. You don't need to have ntfs partition on your stick in that case.

If you are just going to put your stick into other people's pc and use it as "data" stick (ordinary usb stick usage) than there is no need to make it "live". You can just do ordinary system installation on the stick and skip squashfs alltogether and make an extra ntfs partition where you can put files to share. By the way if you really want to be portable, make a fat32 partition so even mac and android can read the stick with ease. My stick is very fast usb 3.0 stick and paired with 3.0 connection on computer, boot time is almost same as from sata ssd, not much behind. Booting from squashfs is sloooow. Furthermore you will need to combine it with some other filesystem type to make it writeable. Only advantage of squashfs would be to save some space, but added boot time is just too much to make squashfs sexy in my eyes. Furthermore how are you going to access squashfs from your friends windows PC? Are you gonna install virtualmachine just for the purpose? Or some other tools? You are left with same problem as if you are reading ext4fs, or any other file system but fat and ntfs.

If purpose is only to be able to exchange data (not booting into live environment), consider how cheap usb sticks are, or even free web storage, and the fact that you probably have a smartphone with a sd card in, is there really need to use exactly same stick to share data with other people? Of course, you know best your need, I am just suggesting that there might be other ways too. I never felt need to take exactly the stick I have OS on with me, I simply copy files to other usb stick.

Last edited by memory_leak (2016-01-06 18:16:36)

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