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#1 2006-08-19 21:48:07
- mvinnicius
- Member
- From: Rio de Janeiro - Brasil
- Registered: 2006-02-16
- Posts: 86
Ach in a USB stick
Is it possible to install a working Arch on a USB stick to use with a diskless machine?
Keep swimming.
Dolly, in Finding Nemo
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#2 2006-08-19 23:05:05
- jaboua
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- Registered: 2005-11-05
- Posts: 634
Re: Ach in a USB stick
It should be possible, but I'm not quite sure how.
Note that the computer will need bios support for booting from USB, unless you plan on using a cd/floppy to boot the USB key.
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#3 2006-08-20 01:44:24
- sash
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- Registered: 2005-10-16
- Posts: 155
Re: Ach in a USB stick
There is Minimax (http://www.kotek.net/minimax/) but appears that the project is not maintained anymore.
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#4 2006-08-20 03:07:18
- Gullible Jones
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- Registered: 2004-12-29
- Posts: 4,863
Re: Ach in a USB stick
Minimax sucks. It stuffs everything on a 30 MB initrd, which means tough luck for buggy BIOSes that don't support high-speed USB.
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#5 2006-08-20 07:57:10
- gradgrind
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- From: Germany
- Registered: 2005-10-06
- Posts: 921
Re: Ach in a USB stick
Sorry, I can't directly help you - I don't have the hardware.
But I do remember some other thread about this - I suppose you have done a forum search? I think syslinux is often used for USB boots.
If you want an Arch system to try out, I would be very pleased if you had a look at my larch scripts. They are designed for live CD building, but it should be no big job to convert them for a USB stick. And it would be nice to be able to add this feature to the larch project ...
larch: http://larch.berlios.de
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#6 2006-08-20 13:29:49
- mvinnicius
- Member
- From: Rio de Janeiro - Brasil
- Registered: 2006-02-16
- Posts: 86
Re: Ach in a USB stick
I will take a look, thank you.
Keep swimming.
Dolly, in Finding Nemo
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#7 2006-08-20 13:44:32
- rayjgu3
- Member
- From: Chicago IL usa
- Registered: 2004-07-04
- Posts: 695
Re: Ach in a USB stick
yes you can install it to & boot off usb if your pc will boot off of it . its been a while since i had one going but i was able to do it .
2 things come to mind 1)make sure you put usb modules in ".initrd" 2) install mdadm .
those are only 2 issues that i can think of the 1st being the biggest (at least for me) i messed with mkinitrd for some time till i got the right mix
now that we're switching to .mkinitcpio i would suggest you get familiar with it
another thing just came to mind i was unable to boot it off other pc's only the 1 where i installed
so try it have fun
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#8 2006-08-20 13:55:14
- mvinnicius
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- From: Rio de Janeiro - Brasil
- Registered: 2006-02-16
- Posts: 86
Re: Ach in a USB stick
Did you have any trouble with filesystems? I've been testing some other distributions, and the old scheme syslinux-FAT32 seems to be the only one that works, but i wasn't trying a real instalation.
Keep swimming.
Dolly, in Finding Nemo
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#9 2006-08-20 15:32:38
- rayjgu3
- Member
- From: Chicago IL usa
- Registered: 2004-07-04
- Posts: 695
Re: Ach in a USB stick
syslinux i dont think worked for me niether did grub i had to use lilo
its been probably over a year since i messed with it so i cant recall all of it
just what sticks out... ya know
i installed on ext3 no swap so windows has a bit of a problem with ext3 so i didnt get syslinux in that way although i belived i tried through arch ,i dont recall
i just browsed through my old posts but i dont see anything there that jumps out at me , i know i didnt document what i did but i did share with others who asked bout booting usb but currently im blind ,i dont see the posts
i dont think theres any thing more than what i put here though.
try it yourself its fun you might learn something , i know thats how i do it jump in ,try it make mistakes ,learn .
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#10 2006-08-20 22:58:17
- mvinnicius
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- From: Rio de Janeiro - Brasil
- Registered: 2006-02-16
- Posts: 86
Re: Ach in a USB stick
I'm not avoiding the fun. 
, just choosing the field to play...Thanks for the trouble insearch for anything that could help me.
Keep swimming.
Dolly, in Finding Nemo
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#11 2006-08-22 14:56:08
- gradgrind
- Member
- From: Germany
- Registered: 2005-10-06
- Posts: 921
Re: Ach in a USB stick
Update:
larch (version 1.1.0) now installs to USB-stick. I hope you will find it to your liking.
larch: http://larch.berlios.de
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#12 2006-08-22 15:02:43
- brazzmonkey
- Member
- From: between keyboard and chair
- Registered: 2006-03-16
- Posts: 818
Re: Ach in a USB stick
gradgrind you should post a link whenever you mention larch, not everyone knows it (yet). i'll do it for you this time
http://four.fsphost.com/gradgrind/
what goes up must come down
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#13 2006-08-22 17:36:59
- gradgrind
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- From: Germany
- Registered: 2005-10-06
- Posts: 921
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#14 2006-08-22 18:19:36
- brazzmonkey
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- From: between keyboard and chair
- Registered: 2006-03-16
- Posts: 818
Re: Ach in a USB stick
great !
what goes up must come down
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#15 2006-08-22 18:48:17
- Mr Green
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- Registered: 2003-12-21
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Re: Ach in a USB stick
bring back Archie :cry:
Mr Green
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#16 2006-08-22 18:54:50
- mvinnicius
- Member
- From: Rio de Janeiro - Brasil
- Registered: 2006-02-16
- Posts: 86
Re: Ach in a USB stick
Better than better...great! I'll testit a.s.a.p!! 
Keep swimming.
Dolly, in Finding Nemo
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