Trying - and failing - to install USB Stick Boot Mode with Quick & Easy Overview

[vmsda]

I am using an Acer Aspire 4810T, but do not want to touch the hard disk, so the solution has to be a bootable pendrive.
So I boot from the CD and have the pen inserted. Inspecting the /etc/fstab I find that the install program calls my pendrive "sdb" and the cdrom "sr0".

However:
1. I never see my file on "sdb", and when I try to "create directory" I get: "Cannot create directory. System returned (13): Permission denied".
2. Have no idea what path to give so that the installer finds "bzImage tinycore.gz and microcore.gz"", and this is as far as I can get.

Thank you in advance for your hints.

[gerald_clark]

You need to partition the USB drive, and make a filesystem on a partition before you can mount it.

[Guy]

Use HD/USB Install. It is in the control panel.

You need to install extensions first, it will tell you.

It is very easy, and it works.

[Rich]

Hi vmsda
Looks like your going to help debug my write up. Open a terminal and type  sudo mount -a  just prior
to opening the file manager and you should find your file. To open a terminal click on the icon that
looks like a computer monitor. If you run into other problems let me know.

[vmsda]

Thank you, gerald_clark. Generally speaking, I know that that one needs

... to partition the USB drive, and make a filesystem on a partition before you can mount it.

but from the documentation it is far from clear what the installer does under the covers ... or doesn't. And that, in my experience, makes the Overview neither quick nor easy.

[vmsda]

Thank you, Rich.

... Open a terminal and type  sudo mount -a  just prior to opening the file manager and you should find your file. To open a terminal click on the icon that looks like a computer monitor. If you run into other problems let me know.

I did as you suggested and still could not see my file after going into File Manager.

I tried to go ahead with the install anyway, but am not sure what to answer to the question "Use Tiny Core from running install or iso file (r/i)" and, if I answer "i", what to answer to the question following that.

Additionally, at a loss what to answer to "Enter path only to bzImage and tinycore.gz or microcore.gz". No matter what I input the installer tells me it cannot find the system files bzImage etc. I tried both /mnt/sdb1/boot (my pen drive) and /mnt/sr0/boot (the Tiny Core iso CD).

Oh, almost forgot: after going back to my normal Ubuntu, found out that the installer had added "mydata.tgz" to the pen drive.

Thank you again for the help.

[Rich]

Hi vmsda
I'm rewriting sections 4 and 5 of the instructions and will post them here for you to try when I'm done.

@Anyone: I'd like some opinions on the preferred install method for a memory stick, Ext, HDD or Zip,
and one or two sentences as to why.

[roberts]

Ext, HDD or Zip? Which one to use depends on your BIOS. Some BIOS offer only USB-ZIP, some only USB-HDD. Most newer hardware offer BIOS that can boot from Ext. Ext is the preferred.

You do not need to have your pendrive mounted or formatted to use the install script. In fact the pendrive should be unmounted. No need to make any directories.

For a CDROM boot, to find where bzImage and tinycore.gz are simply use the mount tool, that disk drive looking icon at the bottom of the screen. Hover your mouse over and look for the label "Tiny Core". Be sure that one is green, if not click it to become green. That should display the file manager and the path is displayed in the upper left corner.

There should be no need to open a terminal and type Linux commands.

[vmsda]

Ext, HDD or Zip? ... Ext is the preferred ... For a CDROM boot, to find where bzImage and tinycore.gz are simply use the mount tool ... Be sure that one is green, if not click it to become green ... There should be no need to open a terminal and type Linux commands.

Let there be light or, to make a long story short, it works. I decided to keep yet another try as simple as "roberts" made out in his helpful (to say the least) append. The key was the use of the mount tool.

The first time I tried booting from the pen drive it did not work, returned "missing operating system". I had chosen Ext as the preferred USB boot method, so decided to give it another try, this time with HDD. The only difference is that it asked for two extensions instead of one (syslinux and dosfstools, if I recall correctly), the rest was just as before, but this time it did boot like a breeze.

I shall now wait for Rich's new version of the Quick & Easy Overview writeup to submit my feedback.

I am immeasurably indebted to you all.

[Rich]

Hi vmsda
When you have a chance, please try these instructions and let me know what you think. They are for an
Ext stick but go with it, I'm looking to verify accuracy and clarity. I'm not finding anymore mistakes which
means I'm just reading past them, so now it's up to you.

@roberts: Thanks for the clarification, I've never tried booting from USB so I wasn't aware it was so
non-standard. The first stick I tried would always reboot when it got to "Uncompressing linux". I tried
another stick and it worked for Ext and Zip, I didn't try HDD.

[EDIT]: Attached file removed, updated version is in Reply#11

[vmsda]

... let me know what you think. They are for an Ext stick ...

Hello, Rich:
I think the instructions are much clearer now. But for those who get "missing operating system" when they try to boot from the stick, perhaps something additional is justified. It happened to me because my BIOS does not support "EXT", so I had to opt for HDD: in this case, the system asks for two extensions instead of one, and users should at least be forewarned.
Thank you for your thorough and prompt update.

[Rich]

Hi vmsda
Thank you for taking the time to read it. I left the other two installation types out because I wanted to
be sure it was clear first. Instructions for the other two installation types have now been added.

    [EDIT]: Attachment moved to http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,11257.msg58894.html#msg58894