1 Topic by neuromancer

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Topic: USB is not the same as CD

I know its the same code, but for some reason, the LiveCD versions work perfectly, and the USB versions do not.

It brings up a simple GUI with an open pmagic window. I could CLI to do a secure erase, but prefer to have the same GUI experience I do with the live CD.


CD version has worked flawlessly for me, over a year now on multiple platforms including the one I am currently using. I no longer have an optical drive for it. (Its not a price thing, I have one drive in my server I makes ISOs and network share with.  All OS installs etc are done via USB now.)

Thanks

2 Reply by class413

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

with an open pmagic window

Do you use Parted magic or GParted livecd?
Parted magic uses GParted to perform resizing/moving etc operations, but it boots using its own operating system.

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

3 Reply by neuromancer (edited by neuromancer 2011-05-31 19:55:05)

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

class413 wrote:

with an open pmagic window

Do you use Parted magic or GParted livecd?
Parted magic uses GParted to perform resizing/moving etc operations, but it boots using its own operating system.

I have been trying both.

Gparted (live) works on USB, with out the full GUI like the Live CD version. CD version always worked no matter what (cant find CD and dont want to pull optical drive from server)

Partedmagic works great with 580GTX from USB, but gives nothing but multi-colored snow with HD6850.

EDIT: I apologize if my posts are unclear I am not a linux guru. I understand the basics though and can CLI if I have too, but would prefer GUI method for "erase disk" rather than taking my chances with CLI hdparm smile

4 Reply by class413

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

Booting from live media gives in a first step the boot loader, that allows us to select a boot way (i.e. fully automatic detection, safe, manual selection).
The fully automatic detection, although working in the majority of the cases, could fail in some cases to detect the right graphics driver and install the right graphics mode. In this case, we eventually get a garbled screen, multicolored snow etc, or no graphics at all.
The "safe" mode uses a legacy VGA graphics mode and a resolution of (I think) 1024x768 pixels, that is potentially supported by every VGA-like graphics card and monitor since 15 years (perhaps it is not true for some special platforms in specialized industrial systems etc, but I think it must be true for the x86 and x86-64bit platforms).
The manual selection allows to select a graphics driver, i.e. ati, nvidia, etc and a resolution. The VESA graphics driver @1024x768 is supported by most graphics cards.

You can try these boot options.
It you get garbled graphics screen, you can press Control+Alt+Backspace. This would kill "X" and bring you to the command prompt. Then, you can manually start GParted with the command 

sudo Forcevideo

by selecting a graphics like VESA @1024x768.

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

5 Reply by neuromancer

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

Sorry, I guess my post is unclear.

Not looking for partedmagic GFX issues (yes I been through all the stuff with it).

I am asking why the gparted live USB is not the same as the live CD.

Live CD boots up and is a full blown Live Linux OS.  With web browsers and everything

USB method, gives a black desktop with no "start" button and a couple of icons.  with an open gnome partition editor window. Uber basic UI that reminds me of HPUX.


I am asking how to make USB boot like CD boot smile

6 Reply by gedakc

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

Which method did you use to create the bootable USB?
GParted Live on USB

Have you tried using tuxboot to create a bootable USB?

7 Reply by neuromancer (edited by neuromancer 2011-06-02 17:16:14)

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

I have tried both the unetbootin and the LinuxLive USB creator

Oh.. here is something interesting..

When I install to USB when I boot and select run from RAM.. I get the traditional Xserver setup questions

a)Keymap
b) Language
c) gfx options

I do not get them when booting from the CD.

8 Reply by gedakc

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

neuromancer wrote:

I have tried both the unetbootin and the LinuxLive USB creator

These two methods do not use the same boot process.  That is why I suggested tuxboot.

9 Reply by neuromancer

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

I tried tuxboot and it does the same thing.

sad

10 Reply by gedakc

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

Did you try the steps suggested by class413?

11 Reply by neuromancer (edited by neuromancer 2011-06-04 21:32:33)

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

gedakc wrote:

Did you try the steps suggested by class413?

No. I am not having a driver issue in Gparted Live.  I am having that in partedmagic live. (although in PMlive I did try VESA mode and got gfx corruption still)

In gparted live via USB I am getting this UI...

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u153/cyber42punk/ssd001.jpg


With the CD version I get the full blown linux live OS

12 Reply by gedakc

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Re: USB is not the same as CD

A picture is worth a thousand words.  :-)

The picture above shows GParted Live as it is supposed to be displayed on both the Live CD and the Live USB.  This appears to be working exactly as designed.  Hence it appears that your USB is working as it should.