Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

hoppik · 2007-10-29 15:58:52

Hi Everybody,

How I can copy existing installation on HDD to the USB drive. I didn't find any information about this.

Thanks for reply.

Ramses de Norre · 2007-10-29 16:10:34

Copy so that it'll run from that disk or copy as a backup?
The first might include some editing of config files (boot loader, fstab, ...) and a plain cp -a, for the second I'd use tar -xzf /path_to_usb/arch_root.tar.gz / and you might want to use the --exclude option to omit some directories (/dev/ and stuff), read man tar for details.

hoppik · 2007-10-29 16:15:39

I can't TAR all files in /, because i need boot from USB Stick...

I need replace HDD with USB Stick.

Ramses de Norre · 2007-10-29 16:21:54

cp -a / /path_to_usb_disk/

And start editing files to match the setup (fstab and such), you'll need to fiddle with grub and your bios to get it to boot.

Last edited by Ramses de Norre (2007-10-29 16:22:21)

foxbunny · 2007-10-29 16:25:19

I think Larch script will make that possible... But never tried it:

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=38077

Mr Green · 2007-10-29 16:31:21

Assuming your pc supports usb booting!

a direct copy of system is not going to work some dirs ie /dev /proc etc... are not required as they are populated at boot

syslinux will allow you to make usb stick bootable... and yes you will have to edit fstab and grub to get it to work

why not set up a base system that boots on usb stick then add your packages configs etc to it?

just some thoughts

MrGreen

Last edited by Mr Green (2007-10-29 16:31:53)

Ramses de Norre · 2007-10-29 16:34:02

Mr Green wrote:

Assuming your pc supports usb booting!
a direct copy of system is not going to work some dirs ie /dev /proc etc... are not required as they are populated at boot
syslinux will allow you to make usb stick bootable... and yes you will have to edit fstab and grub to get it to work
why not set up a base system that boots on usb stick then add your packages configs etc to it?
just some thoughts
MrGreen

It does work if you copy from a live disc or such, maybe I should have added that.

So you need to mount your arch partition from somewhere else when using cp, you can't do this while running from the same partition.
I've succesfully done this already, although from hard disk to hard disk, not to usb drive.

Last edited by Ramses de Norre (2007-10-29 16:34:33)

Mr Green · 2007-10-29 16:51:16

should not be a great difference only your going via usb/firewire rather than sata/ide

/me wants time machine on my system lol

.:B:. · 2007-10-29 23:15:49

And make your kernel (initrd) support booting from USB devices.

lilsirecho · 2007-10-30 01:06:35

You can burn a copy of FaunOS to your USB stick and it will boot forthwith. The USB stick is best if 2GB in size altho the 869MB download usb.img will fit on 1GB stick. It boots to KDE and has ~500 packages included...archlinux pacman with aufs overlays included.

Try it, if you don't like it, dump it!!!

hoppik · 2007-10-30 14:09:23

Hi,

I try to install fresh copy of Archlinux to the USB drive.
On the usb stick is one partition /dev/sda1 formated as ext3.

Which modules I must set into mkinitcpio.conf?

Arch Linux

#1 2007-10-29 15:58:52

Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#2 2007-10-29 16:10:34

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#3 2007-10-29 16:15:39

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#4 2007-10-29 16:21:54

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#5 2007-10-29 16:25:19

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#6 2007-10-29 16:31:21

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#7 2007-10-29 16:34:02

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#8 2007-10-29 16:51:16

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#9 2007-10-29 23:15:49

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#10 2007-10-30 01:06:35

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

#11 2007-10-30 14:09:23

Re: Copy existing Arch Installation to USB stick

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