Arch Linux

SORE-LOSER

Member

Registered: 2011-08-29

Posts: 32

Arch persistent USB / Installer dualboot

Looking to have a persistent install and a installer on the same pendrive for consolidation purposes. I'm guessing that two partitions would be necessary, and I'm thinking that dd'ing the image over wouldn't work like usual.

Any ideas would be helpful.

Trilby

Inspector Parrot

Registered: 2011-11-29

Posts: 30,332

Website

Re: Arch persistent USB / Installer dualboot

Why would two partitions be needed?  Any usb system can be an "installer", just install the package arch-install-scripts and you can install from that running usb system onto any harddrive or other mounted media.

But you are right that for a persistent install on a usb, you wouldn't dd anything - just install to the usb as if it were a harddrive.

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"UNIX is simple and coherent" - Dennis Ritchie; "GNU's Not Unix" - Richard Stallman

DSpider

Member

From: Romania

Registered: 2009-08-23

Posts: 2,273

Re: Arch persistent USB / Installer dualboot

I trust that you have read these:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/US … tion_Media
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/In … _a_USB_key

Sure, you could have two partitions on it, but I don't really see any need, honestly. I have a 16 GB stick, partitioned as:
– 5 GB FAT32 (for compatibility with "other" OS'es) with just some random cross-platform crap on it.
– 9.9 GB Btrfs with compression enabled (less writes = flash drive lasts longer, and less data to be read = better performance) with a persistent Arch Linux install on it.

Syslinux is installed on the USB stick's MBR using this method, which is very easy to update when a new ISO comes out - I just copy-paste it from any OS that reads FAT32 (as opposed to "dd"-ing, which isn't that difficult either, come to think of it, but meh...). However, the kernel and initramfs images are also located inside the "Boot" folder on the FAT32 partition. This is a Syslinux limitation. Maybe with GRUB you'll have more fun: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GR … _From_GRUB

Have fun.

Last edited by DSpider (2013-05-08 15:17:02)

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"How to Succeed with Linux"

I have made a personal commitment not to reply in topics that start with a lowercase letter. Proper grammar and punctuation is a sign of respect, and if you do not show any, you will NOT receive any help (at least not from me).

SORE-LOSER

Member

Registered: 2011-08-29

Posts: 32

Re: Arch persistent USB / Installer dualboot

I see what you both are saying, I hadn't looked at it that way. Thanks for the heads up.

Last edited by SORE-LOSER (2013-05-08 15:33:38)