Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Base => TCB Q&A Forum => Topic started by: whitelines2 on July 02, 2011, 08:40:10 AM

Title: Is this possible?
Post by: whitelines2 on July 02, 2011, 08:40:10 AM

Hey.

I've been looking around for a very fast booting cli only linux distro. I think microcore fits the bill perfectly. I just have a couple of questions.

I want to have it on a usb stick, plug into laptop, it starts automatically and simply runs a single script. The script is basically just a dd command. But two issues:

1) How can i actually get it installed correctly on a usb stick with file persistence. I have tried using syslinux to boot it but i do not know the correct config settings for syslinux for this distro.

2)I'd like to skip the boot menu and just have it load directly to a root user, is that possible? Please give me an example syslinux.cfg if you can.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Is this possible?
Post by: Juanito on July 02, 2011, 08:48:55 AM

Quote from: whitelines2 on July 02, 2011, 08:40:10 AM

1) How can i actually get it installed correctly on a usb stick with file persistence. I have tried using syslinux to boot it but i do not know the correct config settings for syslinux for this distro.

You can use the gui installer to install to a usb stick - see the wiki for how to use it.

Otherwise, something like this will do the trick:

Code: [Select]

label microcore
kernel /boot/bzImage
append initrd=/boot/microcore.gz quiet noswap tce=UUID=aaab6273-4a6c-4118-8eb2-e31a9b31edb3 waitusb=10:UUID=aaab6273-4a6c-4118-8eb2-e31a9b31edb3

Title: Re: Is this possible?
Post by: Guy on July 02, 2011, 08:49:57 AM

If you download the multicore iso, and use the automatic installer it will be set up automatically (you can modify it if you want).

http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/install.html

http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_usb

You may experience filesystem corruption if used on a fat filesystem. It is ideal to use the ext2 filesystem with extlinux.

Title: Re: Is this possible?
Post by: whitelines2 on July 02, 2011, 08:56:00 AM

Thanks for the very fast replies, i'll try and post back what happens.

Title: Re: Is this possible?
Post by: whitelines2 on July 02, 2011, 09:16:29 AM

The wiki says to boot with installer type 'tci' at boot prompt, however it tells me 'could not find kernel image: tci'

So that's weird right? I'm using virtual box to boot tinycore, the latest version.

Title: Re: Is this possible?
Post by: Guy on July 02, 2011, 09:23:09 AM

If you use the multicore cd, that is how it is done.


If you are using tinycore download install.gz.

Copy install.gz to the tce directory (not /tce/optional). Restart the computer for it to be loaded.

install.gz can also be loaded from any directory by opening the Control Panel, then clicking Load Starter Pack.

Title: Re: Is this possible?
Post by: whitelines2 on July 02, 2011, 11:24:00 AM

Ok so almost there i think but slight hitch, please see screenshot:

http://i55.tinypic.com/149ma14.jpg

I mounted the usb device, it is called sda as shown by fdisk -l. I ran the tc install wizard, selected usb-hdd, microcore, selected sda then ext2 format.

Then on boot options i just chose 'superuser, nodhcp, noicons vga=792' and clicked proceed. But it gives me that error...

Please help!

Title: Re: Is this possible?
Post by: curaga on July 02, 2011, 11:26:59 AM

The destination drive should be unmounted.

Title: Re: Is this possible?
Post by: whitelines2 on July 02, 2011, 11:48:35 AM

OK i think its working now :) It said installation complete, however it couldn't find bzImage so i just manually put it in the same directory as microcore.gz on the usb stick. I booted and it worked, straight to superuser mode and at the vga settings i wanted :)

But i notice

"pci: no compatible bridge window for...." message at the top, is that anything to be concerned about?

These were my options during install:

superuser noicons nodhcp vga=792

Any option to get rid of the banner image just as it is booting up? Not a big deal but i like it to be all text... Should i set persistence options so it keeps files and changes i make or can i just leave it be.

It boots fast. Great disto.