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#1 2020-08-03 07:20:28

ryanjgillies
Member
Registered: 2019-03-06
Posts: 8

Live USB with persistence?

How can I go about creating a Live USB stick with persistence. This is off the back of my attempts to install on to an HP ThinClient t5540 (http://forum.slitaz.org/topic/slitaz-50-rc3-on-hp-thinclient-t5540) where the internal HDD is too small.

So far I've only been able to create a Live USB using Rufus 3.11, no persistence, dd mode. If I try to create with persistence Slitaz fails to boot.

From inside of Slitaz, I've tried using [c]tazusb gen-iso2usb[/c] with multiple ISOs and USB sticks but receive the following error each time: [c]Copying needed files from CD-ROM... Failed[/c]

I then attempted a Slitaz install onto the USB stick rather than HDD, which so far I think has the best chance of success. I install Slitaz and the bootloader to USB, but receive a [c]cannot find boot media[/c] error on boot. I presume this is because I am installing to [c]/dev/sdc1[/c] and when I restart with the Live USB removed ([c]/dev/sdb1[/c]) the bootloader is pointing to a place that no longer exists ([c]sdc[/c] becomes [c]sdb[/c]).

Can anyone provide any advice on installing to a USB stick, perhaps the bootloader going onto the 128mb internal flash ([c]sda[/c]) of this particular machine and referencing that specific USB stick by some sort of hardware ID, to avoid any issues if additional USB sticks are plugged in at a later point?

Or better still is there an easier way to create a live USB with persistence? Ideally I'd take an image of the stick when I'm done and copy it to work on the 10 thin clients I have.

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#2 2020-08-03 20:05:50

Ceel
Administrator
Registered: 2011-04-02
Posts: 1,424

Re: Live USB with persistence?

Hello ryanjgillies,

[c]Copying needed files from CD-ROM... Failed[/c]

It looks like if you used the [c]tazusb gen-liveusb[/c] command ??

To have persistence, the stick must be formated EXT2 or EXT3:

[c]tazusb format /dev/sdX1[/c]

Then:

[c]tazusb gen-iso2usb /path/to/your/file.iso[/c]

should create the Live.

There is a long time I didn't use [c]tazusb[/c] and unfortunately I don't have any USB stick with me. I'll try to test it tomorrow evening or the day after.

Concerning your installation on a USB stick, [c]cannot find boot media[/c] is a message of the computer, not of the bootloader. It seems there is no bootloader installed on your stick.

How was the stick formated? FAT? and what bootloader did you install?

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#3 2020-08-18 03:38:26

UncleTom
Member
Registered: 2020-08-01
Posts: 3

Re: Live USB with persistence?

After learning 'persistence' from Puppy Linux, I assumed its no big deal.

Until I tried Slitaz.  The documentation is worthless, the software is stuffware.

Its obvious that 'testing' is becoming a lost-art !

I read slowly & carefully, so I can try to understand whats between the lines.

...must be formatted ext2,3....  where did you read that ?

...needed files from CD-ROM...  what CDrom ?   It asks for a disk-partition !

...Failed.... I think it wants the original downloaded .ISO.

Thats enough... My last commandline was S/360 Assembler.

My.ISO is in a Linux MINT library on my LAN/PC.

One right-click on the .ISO, burns a bootable CD, or USB.  Thats it !

Then I boot the old Toshiba LugTop model:BabyElephant, from the USB.

The HD controller is history. The CD plays church music, no home-burned CDs.

Delete most all the unwanted junk & dead spiders that my 82year old sister certainly does not care-to-see.

Get the wireless SlowFi working. Nice WiFi program, shame it doesn't fit on the screen.

Speaking of screens, why does the boot process line-wrap ?   OhNo, not another wanna-be-coder with a 30" screen !

Finally,,,  I want to add the 'persistance' features to this running Slitaz.

Or maybe,,, take my sister back to 2015, using the last/true Puppy Linux.

She says her corona-mask is Kool !  She had it on when they took the lottery-winner photos !

Thanks in advance.  Anything helpful is appreciated.

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#4 2020-08-18 09:19:57

bellard
Administrator
Registered: 2011-03-28
Posts: 657

Re: Live USB with persistence?

Hello UncleTom,

I will assume that you are using the last rolling:

http://mirror1.slitaz.org/iso/rolling/slitaz-rolling-core-5in1.iso                                                                                               

> ...must be formatted ext2,3.... where did you read that ?

Application->Documentation->TazUSB Documentation                                                                                                                 

> ...needed files from CD-ROM... what CDrom ? It asks for a disk-partition !

> ...Failed.... I think it wants the original downloaded .ISO.

You need a Slitaz image or a SliTaz CD-ROM (source) to install it on a disk partition USB with persistence (destination).

Note you can rename the .ISO to anything.EXE and launch it with Windows. The embedded tool will support persistence eventually.

> My.ISO is in a Linux MINT library on my LAN/PC.

> One right-click on the .ISO, burns a bootable CD, or USB. Thats it !

One right-click on the .ISO (or a double left click) open a box to 'Select an application to open "raw CD image" files'

Unroll the first item 'Accessoiries' then click on the first item 'Burn CD/DVD'. If you think that these actions are too long you can check 'Set selected application as default for this file type'

You may prefer 'System Tools' -> 'Create a LiveUSB'

> Speaking of screens, why does the boot process line-wrap ? OhNo, not another wanna-be-coder with a 30" screen !

Bug in busybox 1.32. Back to 1.31.1 three weeks ago.

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#5 2020-08-18 18:01:16

UncleTom
Member
Registered: 2020-08-01
Posts: 3

Re: Live USB with persistence?

1st point:  5in1???? - previously advised to use *loram.iso

2nd point:  After I get it installed, I'll read some more stuff.

My intent was to stress the 'stuffware' problems.

3rd & 4th points:  Here again, LiveUSB produces a bootable USB that will not boot this old Toshiba.

A newer laptop boots from it, no problem.  PARTED shows a warning flag??? on the first partition.

I found that a 2GB USB is the largest the Toshiba BIOS will handle.  So I tried LiveUSB on a 1GB and it boots the Toshiba.

F.Y.I: Most all old-BIOS will easily boot from a diskette "PLOP" loader.

5th point: HaHa! I booted a 27"iMAC from the 1GB and it fit the wide-screen.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Review this thread and help address Ryan's problems.  That will solve all my problems.

I upgrade & donate old laptops with TinyCore, DSL, & old-PUPPY for young school-agers.

Failures go to Goodwill re-cycle.

Multi-language Slitaz would be a welcomed upgrade.  Anyone familiar with O.L.P.C ?

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