install grub on pendrive

mar_jj_88 · 2011-10-11 08:54:27

Hi, i'm writing from italy please excuse me for my bad English.
I'm a slackware user and I would try archlinux. I've tried several times to install arch, but I' ve failed. The installation procedure it's ok (I think), at the end I install grub on /dev/sdc (my pendrive), but at the reboot grub doesn't start the system. I have requested help on an italian forum but without success.

I have some questions:
Is possible to install grub on a pen drive at the time of the system installation ?
There is a particular procedure to install grub on a pen drive?
I have tried to boot the system from a cd-rom but it's impossible. It's normal?
Thanks.

Last edited by mar_jj_88 (2011-10-11 13:08:20)

toad · 2011-10-11 10:43:46

So how exactly does your bootchain work? You have your Slackware grub pointing to the Arch grub on sdc and the Arch grub fails to start Arch?

mar_jj_88 · 2011-10-11 11:10:34

At the start i have tried some times to install grub during the system installation procedure, but at the restart appeared only the grub prompt (not the menu) and system is freeze . After I have inserted the arch voice in the grub2 menu that I used to load slackware, I'm not an grub2 expert, and I have tried these two solution:
}

menuentry "ARCH/Linux" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod ext4
set root='(hd1,8)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fbf10d54-1058-40a0-ba86-bbb71cd54bb4
initrd /initramfs-linux.img
linux /boot/vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sdb9 ro
}

or

menuentry "ARCH/Linux" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod ext4
set root='(hd1,8)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fbf10d54-1058-40a0-ba86-bbb71cd54bb4
echo Loading linux-3.0-ARCH
initrd /boot/initramfs-linux.img
linux /boot/vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sdb9 ro
}

nobody of two it's ok.

Last edited by mar_jj_88 (2011-10-11 13:05:19)

mar_jj_88 · 2011-10-11 15:01:18

I believe that in addition to the problem of the bootloader there is still another problem.
I think I've figured out how to boot from the installation CD,
In the first menu of arch linux cd I select
boot an existing OS and after the tab button I write hd1 8 (the partition with arch)
at the next prompt i type /arch/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz
and so the boot start, the system find the kernel but after there is this error
kernel panic not syncing: VFS Unable to mount fs on unknovn-block (9.2)
HELP ME!

mar_jj_88 · 2011-10-14 10:43:34

La soluzione l'ho trovata da solo. In pratica slackware e archlinux leggono in maniera diversa l'hard disk dove sono installate, che è lo stesso. Per slack il drive è sda per arch sdb, utilizzando il grub2 con cui avvio slack e modificando il grub.cfg ora avvio anche arch. "GRAZIE"

bernarcher · 2011-10-14 14:08:19

mar_jj_88 wrote:

La soluzione l'ho trovata da solo. In pratica slackware e archlinux leggono in maniera diversa l'hard disk dove sono installate, che è lo stesso. Per slack il drive è sda per arch sdb, utilizzando il grub2 con cui avvio slack e modificando il grub.cfg ora avvio anche arch. "GRAZIE"

Too bad, not many of us are able to read Italian. Would you please provide as an English translation?

mar_jj_88 · 2011-10-14 21:28:46

I have found the solution. The problem are that for slackware the hard-disk is sda but for arch it's sdb (but slackware and arch are in the same hard disk). Now I booting archlinux from grub2 installed on my pendrive through slackware.

piratebill · 2011-10-20 17:49:23

I just switched to arch from kubuntu. On the old set up I had grub2 on a pen drive as well. like mar_jj_88 I could not get grub one to boot arch when grub was on the pen drive. I was thinking I'd install grub2 to the harddrive, then after it was working install grub2 to the pen drives mbr, then restore my backed up win7 mbr to the hard disk. My initial goal with this was to have the laptop boot directly into win7 with out the current user even knowing linux was installed (incase of theft I'd rather direct the thief to my dummy windows install). Right now with grub1 I can have it not show the grub menu and boot straight to win 7, but it still prints text to the screen before windows boots. Is there a known way to get grub1 to either boot off my pen drive, not show any text with its hidden menus or do you think my grub2 idea is best?

piratebill · 2011-10-21 23:45:06

I ended up fixing my issue by installing burg

synthead · 2011-10-25 14:42:37

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=128992

Arch Linux

#1 2011-10-11 08:54:27

install grub on pendrive

#2 2011-10-11 10:43:46

Re: install grub on pendrive

#3 2011-10-11 11:10:34

Re: install grub on pendrive

#4 2011-10-11 15:01:18

Re: install grub on pendrive

#5 2011-10-14 10:43:34

Re: install grub on pendrive

#6 2011-10-14 14:08:19

Re: install grub on pendrive

#7 2011-10-14 21:28:46

Re: install grub on pendrive

#8 2011-10-20 17:49:23

Re: install grub on pendrive

#9 2011-10-21 23:45:06

Re: install grub on pendrive

#10 2011-10-25 14:42:37

Re: install grub on pendrive

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