linux install from usb

bogwalrus

hi all,

I have a pos touchscreen pc that i want to install linux on.

I am using a pen drive and have used Unetbootin to add all the files necessary.

When i go into boot menu on pc all that comes up is

linux
Boot:

If i type anything then it says

no such image. [tab] shows a list

When i press tab it only give "linux"

when i click this it runs the old bad linux previously installed where a critical error appears: hardlock not found


Is there something i can type after boot: that allows it to boot my new linux from pen drive?

Stuxnet

sometimes ive noticed if you have any other usb device other then the bootable usb device plugged in, it gives a similar error !

other then that i dont know, it should boot automatically if you have selected usb boot from boot options

Johnboy1951

Have you tried the USB device on another PC? ...... maybe it is not created correctly .... or it is trying to boot the installed broken OS ......

bogwalrus

i have since figured out that the previous owner had the operating system installed on a flash drive that was portable so there is actually none on the POS at all. There is a 1G sd card installed in the machine that can be used to store a OS.


For some reason though i can't install the Linux from my flash drive onto this internal SD.


I am going to order a laptop hdd and install in POS and then try again.


What other options do i have?

Maybe there is something i can type in the "linux boot: " ?

Johnboy1951

1GB is not sufficient space to install a modern operating system.

It is sufficient space to hold a 'live' OS.

***

You have not said what linux distro you put on the flash drive .......

.... or if the flash drive will work on another machine .......

Do you get a graphical menus with a choice to select from?

The answer to those questions should provide sufficient info for someone to begin to help a bit.

If the flash stick does not boot on another machine then I would suggest you recreate it.

regards.

bogwalrus

i tried damn small linux and puppy linux. I tried recreating a few times.

They get to the boot screen just fine on my main pc.


I did not get a menu on my POS unit when i pressed "esc" to get into boot menu.

All i got was a screen that said


Linux
Boot:


It was stay on this screen waiting for a command or something.


Just to clarify the POS unit i am using is

http://www.bleep.net/show.php?type=1&t=products&id1=1


Thanks for the help.

much appreciated,

boggy

Zapho

I used to use unetbootin all the time - but in the past 6 months it hasn't worked at all for me. Sometimes it would just fail to copy the required distro to the usb key (it would put on the boot loader but not copy any other files). Sometimes it wouldn't bother downloading the distro I requested and sometimes it would crap out with an error. I really don't know why this started happening because I haven't even upgraded it!

Instead, I've been using "Universal USB Installer". This has worked for any distro I've tried and it allows you to reserve an area of the usb drive to store settings and files. Check it out!

bogwalrus

excellent. Ill give that a try now.

bogwalrus

i notice damn small linux aint there. unfortunately the only flash drive i have handy is 600mb.

What other SMALL linux could i try thats around the 500mb

Stuxnet

puppy linux is a cool distro !

http://puppylinux.org/main/Download%20Latest%20Release.htm

loldog

Slax is a nice pocket OS too. Based on Slackware.

.

bogwalrus

yeah tried puppy but same problems. I will wait to install hdd then try install again.

Johnboy1951

bogwalrus wrote: »

i notice damn small linux aint there. unfortunately the only flash drive i have handy is 600mb.

What other SMALL linux could i try thats around the 500mb

There are a few choices on this page ..... different Desktop Environments in mini and standard sized ISOs.

http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/pclinuxos/live-cd/

I reckon there are about 7 different options there that will fit on the USB stick.

There is also a 'PCLinuxOS-liveusb' installer which writes the necessary files to a partition on the device and makes it bootable. That might work best ..... and can be used from a liveCD or an installed base.

regards.

bogwalrus

thanks for that link:D