Arch Linux

random3f

Member

Registered: 2012-05-11

Posts: 4

a real Arch Linux OS on a pen drive, not a live linux

Hi everyone!
I would like an Arch linux on a USB pen drive, but maybe not a live linux.
I would like to install software and change configurations whenever I want.
Moreover I want to be able to update the system and make it working on most of the computers I have.

Is that possible? How can I make it?

What I would like is something like the ArchBang http://archbang.org/
A very light system... not more than that (but I need of specific software)

Can I just install it on a pen drive? Does it work?

Is there any smarter way of doing it? I mean: will it be too slow? Should I need to load the OS on the ram?

Thank you for any information.

Last edited by random3f (2012-08-15 17:30:20)

lilsirecho

Veteran

Registered: 2003-10-24

Posts: 5,000

Re: a real Arch Linux OS on a pen drive, not a live linux

Perhaps you would find it to be too slow with usb2.0.  It may be better with usb3.0 but this writer has no experience with that development.

My approach is outlined using grub2 raid0 bootable from partition.  The system I use is with CF cards with addonics adapters from sataII ports.  This gives maximum bandwidth (not pci limited).

My system boots in under ten seconds with 5GB of installed packages utilizing UDMA based maxell 16GB CF cards.  It runs as root only but can be setup with /home as well.  No swap needed with >2GB of ram.

Hdparm reads at 180MB/s.

The system thusly setup has successfully upgraded through four or so upgrades and uses jumanji as the browser and xfce4 for the desktop with qtfm file manager.

This is my approach to a raid array bootable from partition with latest grub2 and provides the fastest and largest-sized system available for raid0.  Using separate flash devices allows providing raid0 boots into different package combos for special purposes, say music files, videos, video editing, news, ebooks and whatever is of interest.  This allows the use of pairs of CF devices to boot quickly and have minimal packages to permit the optimum performance from the hardware/software...green power...quiet.

I have utilized up to three CF cards for my raid0 with success.  My mobo does not allow for more.

Maxell UDMA 16GB cards run at 90MB/s with sataII adapters, eliminate HDD delays, are quiet and low power (<3Watts each).

I have operated as root for all my linux years (about 13 now).

---

Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
A man is not complete until he is married..then..he is finished.
When ALL is lost, what can be found? Even bytes get lonely for a little bit!     X-ray confirms Iam spineless!

WonderWoofy

Member

From: Los Gatos, CA

Registered: 2012-05-19

Posts: 8,414

Re: a real Arch Linux OS on a pen drive, not a live linux

Installing to a pen drive is realtively easy.  If you are comfortable installing Arch Linux in general, really the only difference is making sure the correct usb modules are loaded by the initramfs (otherwise it will be unable to read your / paritition).  Fortunately, the awesome Arch devs have already done the work for you.  All you have to do is add 'usb' to mkinicpio.conf (not usbinput, as this is specific to input devices like usb keyboards, etc).  Rebuild that mofo (mkinitcpio -p linux).  As far as I can remember, all the rest is the same.

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: a real Arch Linux OS on a pen drive, not a live linux

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/In … _a_USB_key is out of date, but maybe there's some info that helps.

joseperezc

Member

Registered: 2011-03-02

Posts: 80

Re: a real Arch Linux OS on a pen drive, not a live linux

hi there, you should take a look at: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/In … _a_USB_key
try to install the x drivers for intel, ati, nvidia and vesa and use a light desktop

---

Hope to be helpfull

ajbibb

Member

Registered: 2012-02-12

Posts: 142

Re: a real Arch Linux OS on a pen drive, not a live linux

I've got Arch installed to USB using ArchISO and it works fine.  Not exactly what you want as my system is running off a compressed image like in a "live" system, however I use the copy on write (COW) stuff from ArchISO so the USB has persistent memory.  I have not noticed any speed difference running programs between the USB system and my normal hard drive system, although once in a while I'll notice an occasional lag on the USB, due I think to the COW writes.  As far as I know I've always run from a USB 2 port, never a USB 3, although my stick would support that.

I've got the Base, Xorg and LXDE package groups, Opera, Abiword with one spelling dictonary, Gnumeric, Cups, Gstreamer with Xnoise and Parole, all taking up about 500 MB of space.  Had an E17 version more or less working with the same programs at about the same size.  I've plugged the USB into several computers and it has booted fine on all once you tell the BIOS that you really want to boot from the USB.

Upgrading I've found to not work well.  The one time I tried to upgrade it was to a system on an encrypted USB, and it may have been the encryption and not the COW stuff that was choking it.  When I need to upgrade what I do is save my /home directory and then roll that into the next build.  I keep my /home directory reserved for program settings (email and the like) and keep my actual files on an uncompressed partition on the USB. 

I've built both fully open and encrypted USB's using ArchISO.

Last edited by ajbibb (2012-08-15 20:31:10)