Arch Linux

Nalroff

Member

Registered: 2009-04-16

Posts: 6

USB Stick install

I've tried several times to get arch to install on my laptop that has no more CD drive (I'm abusive and it's a long story... don't ask). Anyway, when I use either of the most recent images and put them on my Sandisk Cruzer Micro 2GB, it does not want to boot. Better yet, it even freezes my POST. I installed Ubuntu on an old USB external I had and it worked like a charm, but that HDD is now dead. I'm wondering if I just need to buy a new thumb drive. Any feedback will make me happy. Thanks.

-Nalroff

Last edited by Nalroff (2009-04-24 17:54:23)

R00KIE

Forum Fellow

From: Between a computer and a chair

Registered: 2008-09-14

Posts: 4,734

Re: USB Stick install

I guess that most probably the arch devs will want to chat with you to figure out what isn't working.
Meanwhile grab an older boot image and give it a go and see if it works http://schlunix.org/archlinux/ I would pick one ftp install image, after all the install image is just to install, all up-to-date packages come from the repos

Last edited by R00KIE (2009-04-24 17:57:42)

---

R00KIE
Tm90aGluZyB0byBzZWUgaGVyZSwgbW92ZSBhbG9uZy4K

Pudge

Arch Linux f@h Team Member

Registered: 2006-01-23

Posts: 300

Re: USB Stick install

How did you create the USB image on the USB stick?  Did you use the dd command?

If so, did you ensure that the USB drive was UNmounted when you issued the dd command?  Did you format the command as root as follows:

# dd if=path_to_.img_file of=/dev/sdb

The main thing of interest here is that of= was /dev/sdb and NOT /dev/sdb1   If you used of=/dev/sdb1 it will not boot. 

See The New and Improved Way, on Linux of this WIKI page

Pudge

---

Folding STATS

Nalroff

Member

Registered: 2009-04-16

Posts: 6

Re: USB Stick install

I have done everything that it says to do on the ArchLinux site. What's odd is that I found that many people are having the same kind of problem with the Cruzer Micro. On the Puppy Linux forum I found somewhat of a HOW-TO to fix this issue, but I seem to be doing something wrong. (Google "Cruzer Micro boot" and it's the first result) Here's what I did.

To zero the drive:

dd -if=/dev/zero -of=/dev/sdb

To set up the image:

dd -if=archlinux-2009.02-core-i686.img -of=/dev/sdb

And it still wouldn't boot. I checked the boot flag and it was on. Any suggestions?

-Nalroff

R00KIE

Forum Fellow

From: Between a computer and a chair

Registered: 2008-09-14

Posts: 4,734

Re: USB Stick install

As far as I can tell there is no dash before any of the options of dd, this includes if and of, dd will even complain about that, are you sure that you did it that way?

As for other suggestions, try with a different pen drive, try with that pen in another computer with a different motherboard.

---

R00KIE
Tm90aGluZyB0byBzZWUgaGVyZSwgbW92ZSBhbG9uZy4K

Nalroff

Member

Registered: 2009-04-16

Posts: 6

Re: USB Stick install

Thanks for all the input. I went to Wal-Mart today and got a PNY 4GB flash drive, and tried it the same way (yeah without the dashes, I was winging it when I wrote that post ) and it worked flawlessly. It must have something to do with the Cruzer Micro. It works for storing files though, so I'll just keep it for that. I won't be knocking PNY anymore though. It's very quick and responsive, and from what little I flipped through their "instruction" manual, they are in cahoots with St. Jude's Children's Hospital, so that's good.