SliTaz Forum

Yet another tazusb question

(54 posts) (6 voices)

• Started 11 years ago by Mike7
• Latest reply from Mike7
• This topic is resolved

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1. 

   Anonymous
   

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   Mike7 said "What am I doing Wrong?"

   I honestly don't know, it worked for me.
   (Sorry, I don't have any other suggestions.)

   Posted 11 years ago #
2. 

   Ceel
   

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   If all else fails, maybe I can borrow a usb cd-rom from someone, put slitaz-3.0.iso on a cd, and install to pendrive from that. Yes?

   Yes but if you create a LiveCD, use slitaz-4.0.iso :-)
   You can also use a RW cd-rom if you have one.

   Is the latest version of Syslinux the best one to use for your manual install? You know, it does not have the .bat file any more.

   Reading the french page to install SliTaz from windows, I saw the link, in "Version rapide", for syslinux.zip pointed to http://files.openomy.com/public/Erjo/syslinux.zip. This link is not active anymore and I suppose Erjo had placed in his zip file the bootusb.bat. You won't find it in any syslinux.zip you'll download, you have to type all the commands yourself...

   You said: "download slitaz-4.0.iso on the stick". But you also said "don't work with SliTaz4.0". Bellard said that Slitaz 3.0 is hybris, but 4.0 is not. Should I use version 3?

   Yes you're right, use a 3.0 iso! My mistake; I never succeded to install SliTaz4.0 correctly on a FAT 16/32 stick.

   You said: "copy \syslinux-9.20\win32\syslinux.exe in boot\syslinux". Do you mean I should copy the whole directory structure (\syslinux-9.20\win32\syslinux.exe), or just syslinux.exe?

   Just copy the syslinux.exe but take care, here is an other error in my post: copy \syslinux-5.01\win32\syslinux.exe (and not 9.20).

   You said: "type
   e:\boot\syslinux>syslinux -ma -d \boot\syslinux e:
   Are you sure the right command is "syslinux -ma -d" and not "syslinux -maf -d"?

   Yes, but you can use -ma or -maf

   -m = Mbr; install a bootable MBR sector to the beginning of the drive
   -a = Active; marks the partition used active (=bootable)
   -f = Force installing

   I never needed the - f option

   I saw in 3.0 that the \boot\syslinux\syslinux.cfg is a little different of this of 2.0. Edit it using notepad as this:

   display syslinux.msg
   label slitaz
   kernel /boot/bzImage
   append initrd=/boot/rootfs.gz rw root=/dev/null vga=normal autologin

   include common.cfg

   Posted 11 years ago #
3. 

   Ceel
   

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   Hey Mike7,

   Good news! I spent my evening to test different iso and where UNetBootIn, LiLiCreator or others fail, the old method written by fantomas at http://doc.slitaz.org/fr:handbook:liveusb#installer-slitaz-sur-usb-depuis-windows (strangely never translated in english ?) works like a charm, even the 4-in-1 slitaz-4.0.iso, as well as FAT16 than FAT32 (somebody knows why the LiveUSB is faster with FAT16?)

   Follow the steps I gave you in previous posts, just change the version of syslinux: syslinux-4.05 for SliTaz 4.0, syslinux-3.82 for SliTaz 3.0 (syslinux-3.73 for SliTaz 2.0 and syslinux-3.61 for SliTaz 1.0) if you want that options work at boot.

   If you use slitaz-4.0.iso, you'll just have to

   • rename \boot\isolinux in \boot\syslinux
   • copy the \syslinux-4.05\syslinux.exe file in the \boot\syslinux repertory of your stick
   • rename \boot\syslinux\isolinux.cfg in \boot\syslinux\syslinux.cfg
   • modify line #32 of \boot\syslinux\syslinux.cfg from kernel /boot/isolinux/ifmem.c32 to kernel /boot/syslinux/ifmem.c32
   • and make your stick bootable and, as says totoetsasoeur,

   Happy SliTaz!

   Promissed; as soon as I'll find time, I'll improve the documentation.
   Now windows users, you have no excuse to not try SliTaz!

   J'espère que tu es à nouveau au sec :-)
   Tu n'aurais pas des bouleaux à proximité de ta maison ?

   Posted 11 years ago #
4. 

   Mike7
   

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   Member

   Hi, Bellard.

   I can no longer remember where I downloaded the isohybrid.exe and dd.exe files from, but they seemed to work:

   > isohybrid Slitaz-4.0.iso

   There was a pause before the prompt returned; and the iso file was larger after running the command than before.

   > dd if=Slitaz-4.0.iso of=\\.\e:
   xxxxxx bytes in
   xxxxxx bytes out

   Not sure what you mean, that dd.exe is a WINDOWS executable only. The version I have runs from the command interpreter. I put it, together with isohybrid.exe, in C:\Windows\system32, and it runs at any level just like all the other commands. Or so it seems, anyway.

   But the stick won’t boot.

   Cheers!

   Mike

   Posted 11 years ago #
5. 

   Mike7
   

   offline

   Member

   Hi, Ceel.

   Je te donne beaucoup de travail, je crains. J’ai des remords.

   I have noted all your changes and instructions. I will collate them and try out your procedure as soon as I have time (and the courage <grin>).

   You wrote:

   > . . . if you create a LiveCD, use slitaz-4.0.iso.

   I think I will stick to slitaz-3.0.iso for all attempts to create a bootable usb stick. After reading that version 4 iso is not hybrid I don’t trust it any more.

   > You can also use a RW cd-rom if you have one.

   I have no external CD for my netbook. Also, I live in Buenos Aires, where they are very expensive. (I am from New York City originally).

   > I suppose Erjo had placed in his zip file the bootusb.bat. You won't find it in any
   > syslinux.zip you'll download, you have to type all the commands yourself...

   I think it is best to have a batch file in the root of the usb stick for creating the MBR. The BIOS in many computers such as my EeePC does not seem to understand the MBR made by syslinux.exe. But I will try it anyway.

   > I never succeded to install SliTaz4.0 correctly on a FAT 16/32 stick.

   Please do not mention FAT16 <grin>. Even Windows XP does not know what to do with FAT16, even though the drive manager allows you to create a FAT16 file system. And Gparted hates FAT16.

   > copy \syslinux-5.01\win32\syslinux.exe (and not 9.20).

   J’ai compris.

   > you can use -ma or -maf. . . I never needed the - f option

   I force everything. Merde, alors, avec ces commandes!

   > the old method written by fantomas at
   > http://doc.slitaz.orgfr:handbook:liveusb#installer-slitaz-sur-usb-depuis
   > -windows works like a charm

   I wish I could understand it.

   > as says totoetsasoeur,
   > Happy SliTaz!

   C’est Toto où sa soeur qui l’a dit?

   > J'espère que tu es à nouveau au sec :-)

   Je suis au sec dans ma chambre où j’écris ceci, mais le toit de ma salle à manger est au point de s’enfoncer à cause de la pluie. J’habite une maison très vielle.

   > Tu n'aurais pas des bouleaux à proximité de ta maison?

   Des bouleaux dans le centre-ville, à Buenos Aires? Tu rêves, mon amie.

   Posted 11 years ago #
6. 

   Mike7
   

   offline

   Member

   Hello, Fatmac.

   Don't worry. Thank you for all your help. I think the fault is with my computer or the pendrives I am using, not with your method. The isohybrid and dd commands seem to work just as they should. But there appears to be something peculiar about the BIOS in my computer. I was able to create two bootable usb sticks a month ago, but since then I can do none and I have tried everything.

   However, I learned a lot from trying. All this is completely new to me. So just learning for example what the dd command does, is useful to me. Before, I knew nothing about formats and raw data. Now I know a little.

   So, thank you again for your kind help.

   Cheers!

   Mike

   Posted 11 years ago #
7. 

   totoetsasoeur
   

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   Moderator

   @Mike7
   I translated old fantomas method into English: http://doc.slitaz.org/en:handbook:liveusb

   It is a straight translation. I mean I did not test the method itself.
   Would you please try it and post comments here?

   Happy slitaz.

   Posted 11 years ago #
8. 

   Bellard
   

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   Key Master

   @mike
   > There was a pause before the prompt returned; and the iso file was larger after running the command than before.

   Are you sure that you run http://mirror.slitaz.org/boot/isohybrid.exe ?
   It does not change the iso size (update the first 32Kb only).
   Tested with Windows 98, Windows XP, wine, dosbox. Take less than 1s with a pentium 133 / windows 98.

   Which Windows are you running ?

   dd.exe is 32bits (windows) only. isohydrid.exe from mirror is 32bits (windows) and 16bits (dos before windows 95)

   Posted 11 years ago #
9. 

   Mike7
   

   offline

   Member

   Hi, totoetsasoeur.

   That was a good thing to do, for English-speakers having trouble with a USB install. I have made a copy of it and will try it as soon as I have a chance.

   In the meantime, however, I have finally succeeded in booting Slitaz-3.0 from my pendrive! For what I did, see my post to Ceel, below.

   Thanks for your help.

   Cheers!

   Mike

   Posted 11 years ago #
10. 

    Mike7
    

    offline

    Member

    Hi, Bellard.

    I have two isohybrid.exe files. One of them, which is 2,431,994 bytes, I got from http://www.com-magazin.de/fileadmin/download/ergaenzungen/com0609/isohybrid.exe. This is the one I put in c:\windows\system32 to use in a commandline.

    The other isohybrid.exe file is 27,136 bytes, and I no longer recall where I got it.

    I just downloaded yours, the one from the Slitaz mirror, and compared its size with the with the other two. It is also a small file, 34,436 bytes, but somewhat larger than my other small one.

    So, there seem to be many versions of isohybrid.exe. I will give the Slitaz version a try, but I do not know any way of testing the result. For that matter, I do not know any way to test an iso file to see if it is hybrid. Do you know of a way to do this?

    To answer your question, my version of Windows is XP Service Pack 3. It has been modified somewhat by Asus for my netbook (Asus EeePC 1000HA).

    I believe that an installation method using isohybrid.exe and dd.exe could work. But there are unresolved questions about the results of applying isohybrid.exe to an iso, and there are unresolved questions about the use of dd.exe on a pendrive. There is also the question of whether raw data from an iso, hybrid or not, can be used by the BIOS of my computer (or another).

    This is an interesting subject and worthy of further study. I spent many hours trying to use this method and failed, But I believe it can be made to work.

    Cheers!

    Mike

    Posted 11 years ago #
11. 

    Mike7
    

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    Member

    Hi, Ceel.

    Success! I now have a bootable pendrive with Slitaz-3.0 on it.

    Here's what I did:

    I compared the instructions you gave me with the procedure used by Universal-USB-Installer (from pendrivelinux.com). That installer is the most reputable one. It is recommended by Ubuntu. It is also the only installer that is transparent: It prints out a flow of operations.

    It seemed to me that your instructions and the procedure of Universal-USB-Installer were essentially the same. I was not able, previously, to boot from a pendrive made by Universal-USB-Installer, but I thought it was worth another try, with a modification to the MBR. (I have always thought that the MBR was the problem for me, because the only installation that has worked until now was Puppeee, which, as you will remember, uses a bootinst.bat file to create an MBR specific for Puppeee.)

    First I used Gparted in Puppeee to partition my pendrive with a 1Gb FAT32 boot partition, leaving the rest (3Gb) unallocated. Then I removed the newly formatted and partitioned pendrive from my computer and shutdown Puppeee.

    I booted into Windows, plugged in the pendrive, and, with the new information that Slitaz-3.0.iso is hybrid, I installed Slitaz-3.0.iso using Universal-USB-Installer. I removed the pendrive and shut down.

    I booted back into Puppeee Linux, plugged in the pendrive, and used the testdisk tool. First, it recorded a problem in the boot sectors, and I let it fix the problem. Then it offered the choice of having testdisk write a new MBR to the pendrive, and I let it do this.

    I unplugged the pendrive, shut down windows, plugged the pendrive back in, and, while powering on, pressed the "Escape" key to get the pre-BIOS boot choice: Boot From HDD or Boot From Removable Media. I chose Removable Media, and it booted into Slitaz. Voilà!

    I need your help now with four initial problems:

    -- How can I boot without having to run through the language and keyboard selection every time?

    -- How do I set up persistence?

    -- How do I get administrator privileges? (I tried every way I could to do this, and also to change the password, but failed.) And how do I set it up so that I do not have to enter a password every time I click on a reserved (admin) application?

    -- How do I set up wireless? (Slitaz 3.0 has the Atheros5xxx driver, yes?)

    These are priorities. Can you help me with them? Then I will be off and running with my new Slitaz operating system.

    Happy Slitaz!

    Cheers!

    Mike

    Posted 11 years ago #
12. 

    Ceel
    

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    Administrator

    @ Mike7,

    I would just add a word to your post above: Yyyyeessss !!!!!

    Welcome to SliTaz!

    How can I boot without having to run through the language and keyboard selection every time?

    Just modify your /boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg (ie for french) like this:
    append initrd=/boot/rootfs.gz rw root=/dev/null lang=fr kmap=fr vga=normal

    How do I set up persistence?

    Unfortunately, you can't... with a FAT16 or 32 LiveUSB but you can now make a new Live that will have persistence:

    • Download the SliTaz iso of your choice in /home/tux
    • Format a stick ext3
    • Then >>> Applications > System tools > Create a liveUSB; password is root of course
    • image iso >>> select your iso
    • USB Media >>> choose the good stick!
    • click OK and wait... it'ready!

    Minor differences with your FAT stick:

    • the /boot/syslinux is replace by /boot/extlinux folder
    • the config file is now /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf

    Don't forget to modify extlinux.conf as indicate above to have language, keyboard

    How do I get administrator privileges? (I tried every way I could to do this, and also to change the password, but failed.) And how do I set it up so that I do not have to enter a password every time I click on a reserved (admin) application?

    Well, not sure you can do it simply with a Live.
    You have to wait that a professsional takes the hand for this, I'm just a sorcerer apprentice (and far to be Harry Potter :-))
    If you don't have any answer, I'll try it this week end. I don't have my livebook tonight, just use a very old P4 with SliTaz 4.0 installed.

    How do I set up wireless? (Slitaz 3.0 has the Atheros5xxx driver, yes?)

    This shouldn't be very difficult if the driver exists for SliTaz 3.0.
    You can find posts about Atheros on the forum but may be the best is to wait for Mojo, the Master for wifi.

    (Hi mojo!)

    EDIT: see this http://forum.slitaz.org/topic/setting-up-wifi-on-eeepc701#post-8569
    Hope it'll help.

    Posted 11 years ago #
13. 

    Ceel
    

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    Administrator

    @ Mike7,

    I suggest you to open new topics for your other problems and to mark this one as solved.

    I came back home later today. I didn't see time passing. It is time to go to bed.

    Posted 11 years ago #
14. 

    Mike7
    

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    Member

    Hi, Ceel.

    I will make a new live stick, following your directions, as soon as I can get another pendrive. Is it okay to put slitaz-4.0 (or slitaz-4.0-firefox) on it, even though they are not hybrid iso's? Should I run isohybrid on the iso before installing it with Create A Live USB?

    I finally figured out that the word "root" was the password. This is not very clear from the instructions page. I am going to make a suggestion about this in a separate post.

    Since I was able to open the network applications with "root", I have formed more specific questions about getting wireless to work, and I will make a separate post about that, too (probably a new thread would be best, as you say). Post 8569 was not much help, as the version of Slitaz was different and so, too, was the computer.

    I want to thank you again for all your kind support and help, Ceel. It is a pleasure to join you in this nice Slitaz community.

    À très bientôt, j'espère.

    Mike

    Posted 11 years ago #
15. 

    Mike7
    

    offline

    Member

    Hi, all. Allô, tout le monde.

    I have a suggestion about the introductory English documentation that accompanies Slitaz (at least Slitaz 3.0).

    On that document page there is a brief explanation about the password protection used by Slitaz. In it, there is the expression "(default root)". That is not very clear and can lead to misunderstanding, as was the case when I first booted up Slitaz and was unable to access any of the administrative applications. It should be changed to "(default "root")" to make it clear that the default password is the word "root". Without the quotation marks around the word "root", the expression "default root" appears to be an explanation of what preceeds it, which it is not. Making the change will solve what can be, and was for me, a very vexing problem: how to access applications.

    I hope you will take this suggestion in the spirit of collaboration that it is intended.

    Cheers!

    Mike

    Posted 11 years ago #

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