Arch Linux

yvonney

Member

Registered: 2008-06-11

Posts: 671

Create:mini-ARCH system FROM existing system - COPYING files-gottcha?

OBJECTIVE: using already built packages and by copying files to usb-stick end up with bare bones ARCH system]

Hi, enough with puppy linux, tiny core etc. I'm not concerned about wearing out the USB stick at all, nor video/wifi drivers, either.
I am really wanting just ARCH.   SO:

1) I have my entire full xmonad/cli-heavy system running beautifully on a 16 gig stick. grub2! love it.

2) I have an 8 gig stick with grub2 booting many ISOs etc.

I believe I can boot from any live CD. Copy as few files as is needed from /lib /etc/ /root ETC. and fumble around 'till I get it working.
right? Anyone know where I can get a list of files that are needed. I'd be able to install packages that I've already downloaded via pacman
or build via AUR, right?

A list of what's needed I think is what I'm looking for and any tips.

ISSUE: Doing a copy of many of the files from a running system does the thing where it's originally a folder yet the copy,
IF it'll even copy at all ends up a file on the destination media. I hope that this will not occur when I boot from CD and then try to
copy files. Right?

Gotta do this! :)

Last edited by yvonney (2010-04-21 22:53:11)

firecat53

Member

From: Lake Stevens, WA, USA

Registered: 2007-05-14

Posts: 1,542

Website

Re: Create:mini-ARCH system FROM existing system - COPYING files-gottcha?

Look for larch -- it can create a bootable usb drive from an existing install, I believe.

Scott

---

Github

yvonney

Member

Registered: 2008-06-11

Posts: 671

Re: Create:mini-ARCH system FROM existing system - COPYING files-gottcha?

yep, thank you! I've had a great time with larch.
Not looking for larch features for current plans.
Looking to have a very messy time seeing what's possible.
And, wish to run like a regular ARCH system.
No saving of files to overlay, nor extra scripts etc.

Have just thought that installing an ARCH system to a partition
and then archiving it, and also seeing what's needed just to run.
That should be way easier and of course cleaner more logical initially.

Interested in any gottchas or tips.

So I'll be trying:
install clean ARCH system wherever so that I have clean files. No HAL woohoo! [xorg18] repo.
Then: Boot from CD, copy all the files from the clean install to wherever I'd like to end up. usb stick.
I'd have to do stuff like find blkid for UUID or use /dev/sda1 etc. for fstab
I'm fine getting grub2 to boot After a bit of a think and attempts so that should be fine.
Then I'd use my already build packages to enhance.

UPDATE: found this
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ins … ting_Linux

UPDATE 2: that worked great. Will now try crazy things like running xmonad without GHC installed etc.
Have thought to just copy the dwm binary across, though xmonad is so tricked out thanks to brisbin33
http://pbrisbin.com:8080/         t'would be less to not have xmonad and the rest on the archmini.

Last edited by yvonney (2010-04-22 02:02:48)