Copy existing installation to USB stick

RedScare · 2009-09-15 01:43:10

My current install of arch takes up only 3 Gigs (not counting personal data), and I was wondering, if I just partition and install grub on my USB, would I be able to copy over the root partition to the USB?

If the above is indeed possible, what is the safest/quickest/most reliable method for the copying to be done?

Gen2ly · 2009-09-15 02:10:28

Well, RedScare, you'd have to edit fstab for one thing. Plus there are probably other things I'm not thinking of. I think your best bet is to d/l the aif installer and just install new from your desktop, copy whatever you need from there.

ninian · 2009-09-15 08:10:09

RedScare wrote:

if I just partition and install grub on my USB, would I be able to copy over the root partition to the USB? If the above is indeed possible, what is the safest/quickest/most reliable method for the copying to be done?

Have a look at the Tips section under Arch Linux on my page at http://appstogo.mcfadzean.org.uk/eeepc.html ignoring, of course, the Eee-specific stuff.

Gen2ly · 2009-09-15 18:44:38

First time I've seen your site ninian. Thanks for the link.

Last edited by Gen2ly (2009-09-15 18:46:04)

RedScare · 2009-09-15 22:11:52

Apart from partition and installing grub in the USB, is there anything else that needs to be done in order to make it "bootable"?

Thanks a lot for your help so far.

Wintervenom · 2009-09-15 22:34:23

Aside from setting up GRUB, if you are using a custom kernel (no initrd), you need to build your kernel with USB and USB Mass Storage device support compiled statically into the kernel. If you are using the stock kernel, or you wish to use initrd, then you need to edit the HOOKS array /etc/mkinitcpio.conf to have the usb hook load after udev. You may want to also add elevator=noop to your kernel parameters in GRUB to increase the performance of the system on your USB stick, as the other schedulers are meant for use on mechanical hard drives.

some-guy94 · 2009-09-15 23:36:11

RedScare wrote:

My current install of arch takes up only 3 Gigs (not counting personal data), and I was wondering, if I just partition and install grub on my USB, would I be able to copy over the root partition to the USB?
If the above is indeed possible, what is the safest/quickest/most reliable method for the copying to be done?

rsync -a / /path/to/mounted/usb

then edit the fstab

EDIT: Also you might want to use the UUID in fstab and grub, since it won't be system dependent

Last edited by some-guy94 (2009-09-15 23:37:37)

RedScare · 2009-09-16 18:53:00

Well, everything worked wonderfully. I'm just nervous about coming to a system that does not support a 64-bit OS, but those seem relatively rare now.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-09-15 01:43:10

Copy existing installation to USB stick

#2 2009-09-15 02:10:28

Re: Copy existing installation to USB stick

#3 2009-09-15 08:10:09

Re: Copy existing installation to USB stick

#4 2009-09-15 18:44:38

Re: Copy existing installation to USB stick

#5 2009-09-15 22:11:52

Re: Copy existing installation to USB stick

#6 2009-09-15 22:34:23

Re: Copy existing installation to USB stick

#7 2009-09-15 23:36:11

Re: Copy existing installation to USB stick

#8 2009-09-16 18:53:00

Re: Copy existing installation to USB stick

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