Arch Linux

beretta

Member

Registered: 2008-04-21

Posts: 133

External HDD install for multiple computers

I'd like to try and build an Arch installation on an external hard drive that I could boot from on multiple computers-- ie. something that behaves like a live cd in that it has most everything it would need for common hardware, but would also be a complete system, not just a live installation cd.  How difficult would this be, and where would I look to find what modules and things I should have included?  Is there a way to build it from the live cd itself, using its kernel and hardware detection?

Mektub

Member

From: Lisbon /Portugal

Registered: 2008-01-02

Posts: 647

Re: External HDD install for multiple computers

I'd like to try and build an Arch installation on an external hard drive that I could boot from on multiple computers-- ie. something that behaves like a live cd in that it has most everything it would need for common hardware, but would also be a complete system, not just a live installation cd.  How difficult would this be, and where would I look to find what modules and things I should have included?  Is there a way to build it from the live cd itself, using its kernel and hardware detection?

I did that and no problems.

Just did a normal install to an external USB disk.

Things are much simplified with the new Xorg because you don't need a xorg.conf.

I tried it in three different computers and was OK.
Only condition is that the computer must be able to boot from a USB disk.

Mektub

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haxit

Member

From: /home/haxit

Registered: 2008-03-04

Posts: 1,247

Website

Re: External HDD install for multiple computers

I'd like to try and build an Arch installation on an external hard drive that I could boot from on multiple computers-- ie. something that behaves like a live cd in that it has most everything it would need for common hardware, but would also be a complete system, not just a live installation cd.  How difficult would this be, and where would I look to find what modules and things I should have included?  Is there a way to build it from the live cd itself, using its kernel and hardware detection?

I did that and no problems.

Just did a normal install to an external USB disk.

Things are much simplified with the new Xorg because you don't need a xorg.conf.

I tried it in three different computers and was OK.
Only condition is that the computer must be able to boot from a USB disk.

Mektub

They should also have somewhat the same features (32bit or 64bit, supported hardware, maybe same gfx card or similar, etc....)

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R00KIE

Forum Fellow

From: Between a computer and a chair

Registered: 2008-09-14

Posts: 4,734

Re: External HDD install for multiple computers

Things are much simplified with the new Xorg because you don't need a xorg.conf.

Tell that to the xf86-video-radeonhd driver .... the xf86-video-ati does work without a xorg.conf though.
As far as my experience goes proprietary drivers do need a xorg.conf.

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R00KIE
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cerbie

Member

Registered: 2008-03-16

Posts: 124

Re: External HDD install for multiple computers

Things are much simplified with the new Xorg because you don't need a xorg.conf.

Tell that to the xf86-video-radeonhd driver .... the xf86-video-ati does work without a xorg.conf though.
As far as my experience goes proprietary drivers do need a xorg.conf.

Or tell that to my PCs, which fail completely, but worked w/ the 1.4 Xorg out of the box. The only way I've been able to get it to work, out of four PCs I've tried (1xSavage IX, 2xGeforce, 1xGMA), was to use a 1.4 xorg.conf, and comment out error lines. Use of the new Xorg would be my main concern with a multi-PC install. I certainly would not set it up with a login manager by default.

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__void__

Member

Registered: 2009-01-21

Posts: 10

Re: External HDD install for multiple computers

Maybe adding some way of selecting at boot time the hardware profile to use? Like network profiles does. Providing that you know on what machines you'll try to run your installation.

Any ideas on how to proceed with this?

EVRAMP

Member

From: Czech Republic

Registered: 2008-10-03

Posts: 173

Website

Re: External HDD install for multiple computers

Maybe adding some way of selecting at boot time the hardware profile to use? Like network profiles does. Providing that you know on what machines you'll try to run your installation.

Any ideas on how to proceed with this?

Remove autodetect hook from /etc/mkinit.cpio and add every hook you might need -> this will build more generic kernel.
For video card it is no problem to have installed more xf86-video drivers and X.org selects which to use (if hal is running), but if you want to use proprietary drivers you must set them in xorg.conf.

Last edited by EVRAMP (2009-05-19 09:15:40)

__void__

Member

Registered: 2009-01-21

Posts: 10

Re: External HDD install for multiple computers

Maybe adding some way of selecting at boot time the hardware profile to use? Like network profiles does. Providing that you know on what machines you'll try to run your installation.

Any ideas on how to proceed with this?

Remove autodetect hook from /etc/mkinit.cpio and add every hook you might need -> this will build more generic kernel.
For video card it is no problem to have installed more xf86-video drivers and X.org selects which to use (if hal is running), but if you want to use proprietary drivers you must set them in xorg.conf.

Thanks, I will try this