1 Topic by jcsullivan

  • jcsullivan
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Topic: OT: Installing to hdd

I'm probably pushing the friendliness in this forum a little but I'm stuck. Hopefully I won't get kicked out for trying to learn something new.

I'm wanting to "instal" PartedMagic (by the original author of GParted) to a hdd but absolutely don't know how to execute the following instructions. Does anyone here feel up to helping me even if outside the forum.

For any normal hard disk (must be a linux file system, EXT2, EXT3, reiser, etc...):

1) Download and extract pmagic-hdd-x.x.tar.bz2 directly to a partition. It should have the file structure like any other linux distro.
2) Set-up GRUB or LiLo using the correct "kernel" and "append" syntax found in boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf

The small initrd is needed to "find" the partition with the installed Parted Magic. Device numbers change from system to system and this eliminates the need to keep changing the device number in the extlinux.conf. So, in theory it should boot from a USB flash without the device numbers confusing the boot loader or computer device configuration.

I've d'loaded the file and it sits in the root of an ext2 drive.

For the uncompression, do I go into the terminal window and type

bzip2 -d pmagic-hdd-x.x.tar.bz2

Do I not need the bzip2 software?

As for #2 in the above quote I am completely out of it.

As for GParted what version of Linux is recommended in this forum?

Thanks for your patience and any help you might provide.

2 Reply by stormhead (edited by stormhead 2009-03-14 10:12:48)

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Re: OT: Installing to hdd

Hi!

I haven't tried this before, but from the manual excerpt you've quoted, I'd conclude that you first have to copy the .tar.bz2 to an already formatted partition (a Linux file system must be used there).
Then, don't simply unpack it, but also untar it (that is, decompress the file using the bzip2 command line you've already mentioned, and afterwards, extract the contents of the resulting .tar archive to the partition) - or simply do this in one step:

tar -xvjf pmagic-hdd-x-x.tar.bz2

(of course you must adapt the "x-x" to the real file name of the archive).
Afterwards, you need to set up a boot loader like GRUB, LiLo, EXTLINUX (from the SYSLINUX suite) oe r the like - there are plenty of alternatioves around, from which GRUB is probally the most commonly used one today (however, EXTLINUX may be easier to set up). The boot loader must know where the Linux kernel that it hould boot resides and which parameters must be passed to this kernel upon starting it - and this information can be found on your partition in /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf once you've unpacked the tar ball (the existence of this file is a srong hint that EXTLINX is already contained in the archive you've downloaded - so I think all that must be done it adapting this file to your partition layout and installing the EXTLINUX boot loader in the MBR or your partition's first sector).

However, since this is a PartedMagic related problem, I think the GParted forum is not the correct place to ask this question - you should better take it the the PartedMagic forum. After all, your problem has nothing to do with GParted itself ot the GParted Live media, but with the installation instructions set up by a third-party project for the software they released!

3 Reply by jcsullivan

  • jcsullivan
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Re: OT: Installing to hdd

Thank you so much Stormhead. Your time and patience is very appreciated. You have given me something to work with and I can also do more searching and KNOW what to look for.

You are quite correct this doesn't belong here. I was pushing my luck as Mr Verner felt he didn't need to teach me Linux.

Again thanks, for pointing me in the correct direction.
jc

4 Reply by class413

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Re: OT: Installing to hdd

Another big forum on Linux support issues is Linuxquestions.org, with a specian "newbie" section. You can learn many things by reading the various topics.

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***

5 Reply by jcsullivan

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Re: OT: Installing to hdd

Thanks Class413 will be heading over there.

Meanwhile, since I don't give up easily, I've discovered openSUSE but will be back to this forum for specific questions regarding GParted.

THANKS again your patience and help is appreciated.

6 Reply by gedakc

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Re: OT: Installing to hdd

jcsullivan wrote:

... PartedMagic (by the original author of GParted) ....

The following is to give credit to the correct persons:

Bart Hakvoort is the original author of the GParted software application.
Patrick Verner was the original creator of the GParted LiveCD, and currently maintains Parted Magic.
Steven Shiau created and currently maintains GParted Live (CD/USB/PXE/HD).

7 Reply by jcsullivan

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Re: OT: Installing to hdd

Thank you for the correction. Credit where credit is due, ALWAYS.