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Topic: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

If you want to install and boot gparted_livecd-beta off usbstick, follow those instructions :

1) download gparted-livecd.iso 
2) mount the iso to an empty directory, like this

mount -o loop gparted-livecd.iso /mnt/try/

3) change to this directory using "cd" :

 cd /mnt/try/

4) plug your usbstick (64mb and fat16/32 are required), and see where it is mounted (e.g. : /media/disk), or mount it manually, like this :

mount /dev/sdc1 /media/disk (if it has been attached to your system on /dev/sdc1)

5)cd to mnt/try, and copy all data from the mounted directory (mnt/try) to the usbstick, like this :

cp isolinux/*  syslinux/*  gparted.dat  /media/disk/

6) umount the usbstick, like this :

umount /media/disk (if it was mounted on /media/disk)

7) run syslinux on the usb device :

syslinux /dev/sdc1 (if your usbstick has been attached to /dev/sdc1)

On the usbstick you may now see those files if you mount it again :

boot.cat  gparted.dat   isolinux.cfg  memdisk  syslinux.cfg  vmlinuz1.igz boot.msg  isolinux.bin  ldlinux.sys   splash.lss  vmlinuz1

8) plug your key and boot off usb (you may need to enable this boot option from your bios).

It should work ...

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

With gparted-livecd-0.3.4-3 you must copy the files from an other directory !
The  step 5) is a bit different since there is no more isolinux directory !

cp gparted.dat boot/gparted* syslinux/* /media/disk/

and that's it smile

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

3 (edited by briton 2007-03-17 07:23:27)

Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

OK that's great. Thanks.

Now, I am trying to create a method of booting from USB (and later from CD - for reasons which will become apparent if I get a chance to test the options from the USB which is the quickest method of testing) from a DOS boot.

The reason for this is simply that the LiveCD appears to use an El Torito boot method, which means that it has a DOS partition unused anyway and many users (and many more potential users) could not perform the actions above because they don't (yet) have an available bootable Linux partition.

All around the web, there is strong advice to use loadlin (Load Linux) which allows a DOS boot to then boot into Linux from a Kernel Image File and which then OVERLAYS THE ENTIRE DOS OS. In  other words, the DOS is no longer there. It is recommended strongly by many as a means of Windows/DOS users to migrate to Linux and try it out without the problems associated with such things as installing Linux on a partition which it won't then boot from and they have to get into Grub, Lilo and possibly move the partition or reinstall.

Also, remember that most of us have a limited number of USBsticks many people only one. Which means it is used for many things. Finding a SIMPLE way to re-create the boot into GParted without actually having any other Linux would mean that the GParted can simply be copied to the stick which would retain its DOS bootability between uses (and just about anyone can learn how to create a DOS bootable USB stick - leaving the tricky stuff to be included in the files which simple need copying).

A partition which boots into DOS but then immediately runs loadlin (from the autoexec.bat file) and boots linux has many advantages.

I have managed to successfully boot from a DOS partition on a USB stick using loadlin (directly using the autoexec.bat) to boot the GParted based on the gparted-livecd-0.3.4-2 version of LiveCD. The trouble is that because some of the parameters appeart to be "fixed" within the CD boot process, my boot does not pause 300 seconds allowing me to switch to vesa so I am now blocked from continuing testing.

Any ideas about how I can change the configuration to ensure that the pause/prompt occurs? What is my method leaving out? I am simply telling loadline the basic parameters in the isolinux.cfg/syslinux.cfg files (not sure why we need both of those either as Larry has stated elsewhere that one needs copying to the other).

The command I am using is:

In AUTOEXEC.BAT which will give this DOS command immediately on booting:

                     loadlin.exe @loadlin.par

The @loadlin.par is simply telling loadlin that it will find it's parameters in a file in the same directory (root) called loadlin.par

The loadlin.par file is a textfile (DOS with CR-LF line breaks) containing only the following:

gparted
initrd=gparted.igz
root=/dev/ram0
init=/linuxrc
vga=788
looptype=squashfs
loop=/gparted.dat
dokeymap
cdroot=/dev/sda1
splash=silent
nosound
docache

(note that this is a direct copy of the configuration file initial commands from the gparted live-cd).

Now I can create a menu in the DOS batchfile which would get the choices (vesa int810 etc) but I would need to make two small changes which would pass these on - and the existing boot process would need changing to use them! (I tried video=vesa as a parameter which works until the linux boot takes over and then it is overridden which blanks my screen).

The other method would be to tell me how to change the loadlin parameters to ensure that the existing 300 second prompt activates correctly.

Anyone any ideas?

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

I have no time to give explanation, but maybe this doc I made last years will give you some help : http://www.brothersofnet.freesurf.fr/sa … b-boot.htm

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

Thanks Larry. I succeeded in getting it booted AND displaying by forcing the video using a parameter:

           video=vesafb

So there is no problem using loadlin as the DOS jump-off without stopping in DOS. This means that no linux boot is required which means that any Window user can create their own LiveCD or LiveCD bootable USBStick without any linux partition (which they would need to execute the syslinux -s command which is what makes the bootable partition on the USB stick IF you want to boot into Linux. When you have time, can you let me know whether it's possible to run the syslinux -s command from within a terminal window after a GParted Live-CD boot and, if so, how to get somewhere it will recognise that command.

6 (edited by Patrick Verner 2007-03-21 01:12:32)

Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

GOOGLE: syslinux windows

You guys do realize syslinux has a windows version, right? It says it right on the syslinux website in plain view.

1) copy files to usb stick
2) syslinux.exe E: (or whatever drive)

This is from windows. BTW

Patrick Verner
www.partedmagic.com

7 (edited by erichs 2007-03-23 10:44:17)

Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

Hallo!
Wunderbare Anleitung! Ausf

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

Deutch lese Ich nicht mehr sad

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

Ok Sorry, didn`t realise, that this forum is in English, so compliment for the wonderful easy to read instruction!
I have a Toshiba 4GB Stick with 2 Partitions (FAT32, first Partition <1024, boot flag). Although I followed the instructions several times step by step without getting error messages (after i installed mtoos and syslinux) i can`t start with the stick. Error: could not find kernel image: linux
Following data is on the stick:
syslinux boot.msg gparted gparted.dat gparted.igz Idlinux.sys options.msg splash.lss syslinux.cfg  and in folder syslinux: boot.msg options.msg splash.lss syslinux.cfg

result of fdisk -l :
/dev/sda1   *           1         258      945296   83  Linux
/dev/sda2             259        1081     3015472    5  Extended
what would be the kernel image and how can i get it on the stick or what is the error?

i used the gparted-livecd-0.3.4-4.iso and it functions as a burned cd without errors!

thx

erich

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

I probably don't understand something :
you say you have fat32 partition but the out put of fdisk shows us ext .... :-/

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

I wanted to create the USB boot using only windows and hence in the 7th step I used the syslinux for windows. However when I booted my PC it said "Missing Operating Sysytem"

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

I was using 0.3.4-7 Live CD ISO

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

Please, describe the steps you followed...

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

14 (edited by sci.crazi 2007-06-11 03:40:57)

Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

My Machine is a Dell Optiplex Gx520, Windows XP
My Flash drive is 1 GB Fat32
I was using 0.3.4-7 Live CD ISO


Steps.
1. I copied gparted.dat, boot/* and syslinux/* into my flash Drive
2. I used the syslinux for windows and ran the command from Win32 folder of syslinux
>>   syslinux.exe F:
where F:is my USB drive
3.Then I pulled out my USB without Remove Hardware windows Utility
4.I plugged the USB into another similiar computer with Boot priority set to USB and I got the message "Missing Operating Sysytem" when I started the computer

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

sci.crazi wrote:

My Machine is a Dell Optiplex Gx520, Windows XP
My Flash drive is 1 GB Fat32
I was using 0.3.4-7 Live CD ISO


Steps.
1. I copied gparted.dat, boot/* and syslinux/* into my flash Drive
2. I used the syslinux for windows and ran the command from Win32 folder of syslinux
>>   syslinux.exe F:
where F:is my USB drive
3.Then I pulled out my USB without Remove Hardware windows Utility
4.I plugged the USB into another similiar computer with Boot priority set to USB and I got the message "Missing Operating Sysytem" when I started the computer

Weird ! It should work.
Does your computer boot this usb key with other operating system set on it ?

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

what does dat mean .. Did not get dat

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

Did you ever try to boot off some other operating system install from within you usb stick, or not ?

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

No never tried before

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

then you can't know if your usb stick should work or not :-/

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

when I run syslinux I dont get any messages on screen just that the command prompt comes again. Is that success

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

I am just trying to tell you that the problem may come from hardware :-/

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

Ok what kind of hardware is expected both for PC and USB

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

Computer with older motherboard and BIOS often don't support boot from usb port devices.
I saw that Dell Optiplex Gx520 is a rather new computer. Nevertheless it uses no ATX motherboard but BTX, which is not a standard.
You could check if boot from usb is allowed in the BIOS settings.

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

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

The motherboard size/shape shouldn't cause problems. (That's what ATX and BTX are.)

For external use only.

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Re: Boot gparted-livecd- off usbstick

Yes it supports USB boot else Y on earth will it say "No operating system found" while win XP sits happily in hard disk