PCLinuxOS Live USB Creator : Multiboot on USB, multipartitions ?

[Just17]

I have used our LiveUSBcreator for multiple installs but it always took care off everything for me.

Including non PCLinuxOS ISOs ?

Well, no-just PCLinuxOS. I never realised that distros use different install methods.

Would other distros most likely fail using our LiveUSB creator, or is that just a precaution?
 

They will almost definitely fail .....  success would be accidental and unusual 

LiveUSB Creator is designed for PCLOS ISOs and files only.

Okay, I have an 8 gig USB stick.  Let's suppose I create 2 gig partitions and install PCLOS on one (using LiveUSB, or maybe even UNetbootin).  If I install a different distro to each partition I assume I will need Grub to manage the boot process, correct?  If so, any pointers on how to set up Grub to do that?

TIA

 

Select one of the installs to be the manager of the booting .....  lets say PCLOS.
You install the PCLOS Grub to the MBR, and the others to the boot sector of their respective partitions.

You can then edit the PCLOS menu.lst file to 'chainload' the other partitions.
That keeps things nice and clean.

Of course you can go one better .....  create a small FAT first partition with boot flag set. (a few MBs will do)
Into that install Grub.
Create a menu.lst file there with nothing but chainload commands for all the partitions.
Install that Grub to the MBR, and all the OS's grub installations to their partition boot sector.

Now you have your own grub on the first small partition, and can call any partition you wish.

Making changes to the OS on any partition does not change the Grub partition.

The only thing I would point out ......  not all utilities will allow you the freedom to select where to install grub, so be careful one of those does not try to take over.

[ternor]

Hello.  Following these instructions I have done as follows:

1.  Reduced the existing FAT partition to the minimum allowed in PCC.
2.  Created two equal sized partitions and formatted them as ext4.

My first question is: How do I add "the boot flag" to the first partition or does it already have the boot flag?  The details of the first partition are as follows:

Device: sdb1
UUID: E83A-7C90
DOS drive letter: C (just a guess)
Type: FAT32 (0xb)
Start: sector 32
Size: 525MB (6%), 1076323 sectors
Cylinder 0 to 66
Partition booted by default
    (for MS-DOS boot, not for lilo)

My second question is how do I install Grub to that partition?

[Just17]

To set the boot flag you can use any of the partitioning tools .......  fdisk, cfdisk, parted etc from the command line; gparted, kparted etc GUI applications. It appears to have the boot flag set, but you should confirm.

Probably the easiest way is to copy  /boot/grub/   from an existing PCLOS install to the partition, then delete all but the gfxmenu file & /grub directory, under /boot.

You can then install Grub using the terminal commands, as explained in other posts on the forum, so no need to go into it here. You would be using the Grub commands  root  to specify the root for the Grub install (your fat partition) and  setup  to specify to where Grub gets installed - the MBR of the USB device.
When done you should check that it is bootable before installing anything else.

If you say what you intend to do with the two ext4 partitions it would help to advise.

 

[ternor]

Thank you for replying.  Using grub seems to get me nowhere:

Code: [Select]

$ pwd
/media/disk
$ ls -a -1
./
../
130603sda24/
130603sda24.sqfs*
boot/
lost+found/
$ find /boot/grub/menu.lst
/boot/grub/menu.lst
There are 3 partitions on the disk.  The partition 'disk-1' contains the following:

Code: [Select]

autorun.inf*
club_application/
RunClubSanDisk.exe*
RunSanDiskSecureAccess_Win.exe*
SanDiskSecureAccess/
I want to use the usb for remasters.

I did not format the first partition ('disk-1'); it was already formatted.

Last night I burnt an iso to the first ext4 partition.  I tried to boot from the usb earlier and was unable to.

The folder and file named '130603sda24*' should have been named '130603sda2*' and I have now renamed them.

[Just17]

Last night I burnt an iso to the first ext4 partition.  I tried to boot from the usb earlier and was unable to.

Please say what you used .....    the 'dd' command to 'burn' a hybrid ISO to the partition, or some other method?

If you used LiveUSB Creator and made the correct selection to install Grub to the MBR of the device then it should be bootable.

[ternor]

Thanks.  I used your PCLinuxOS Usb Creator.

[Just17]

Thanks.  I used your PCLinuxOS Usb Creator.

Do you remember which Grub choice you made?  Install to MBR?

[ternor]

I am 99% certain I used that selection.  I have installed gparted (I couldn't find kparted) and it shows that 'disk-1' has the boot flag.

EDIT: I am thinking I should go through the process again just to be 100% certain.  I'll do that now and report back.

[ternor]

Running it now I see that there is an 'extended' partition (/dev/sdc2).  

[Just17]

Running it now I see that there is an 'extended' partition (/dev/sdc2).

It does not matter to PCLOS if it is installed on a Logical or Primary partition .....  it will boot from either.

[ternor]

OK.  Thanks for that.  I burnt the iso again and definitely selected the option to install to the MBR.  Again, I was unable to boot from the usb.  The usb did not show up in "Advanced Bios Settings" nor in the hard drive section of the computer's boot menu.

These are the contents of /media when all partitions are mounted:

$ pwd
/media
$ ls -a -1
./
../
disk/
disk-1/
disk-2/
.hal-mtab
.hal-mtab-lock

These are the contents of /media/disk:

$ pwd
/media/disk
$ ls -a -1
./
../
autorun.inf*
club_application/
RunClubSanDisk.exe*
RunSanDiskSecureAccess_Win.exe*
SanDiskSecureAccess/

/media/disk-1 contains a lost+found folder.  The following are the contents of disk-2:

$ pwd
/media/disk-2
$ ls -a -1
./
../
130603sda24/
130603sda24.sqfs*
boot/
lost+found/

Once again the digit '4' has been added to the folder and file names.

[Just17]

The digit 4 reflects the partition number in grub (hd0,4) .....  it is to ensure the correct OS is booted, as you could have similarly named installs on different partitions.

If you have any other PC to try the USB that would be a good idea ... you need to find out if the problem is the USB device or the PC.

[Just17]

$ pwd
/media/disk
$ ls -a -1
./
../
autorun.inf*
club_application/
RunClubSanDisk.exe*
RunSanDiskSecureAccess_Win.exe*
SanDiskSecureAccess/

With that special software there maybe the device needs special attention ....  I never owned a SanDisk device so I am not sure.

Did you have this device booting previously?

[ternor]

Thanks.  No, I am using the device for the first time.

The computer isn't the problem.  I booted from a usb stick a few days ago.  In that case, the whole stick is formatted as ext4 and has only one partition.

Perhaps it would help to reformat the first partition either as FAT or ext4?

[Just17]

Thanks.  No, I am using the device for the first time.

The computer isn't the problem.  I booted from a usb stick a few days ago.  In that case, the whole stick is formatted as ext4 and has only one partition.

Perhaps it would help to reformat the first partition either as FAT or ext4?

I would advise doing a little research on that make of device before deleting anything.

Probably it will be OK ....  but better to be sure than sorry ....