Installing on a USB drive big trouble

[clerk]

I want to install(no to create LiveUSB) PCLinuxOS 2011.9 LXDE on the USB Flash Drive PQI Cool Drive U339S.
I use IBM T41 Notebook computer, but i have a big problem, when I try to install PCLinuxOS on the USB Flash.
I don't see the USB drive in Disk Manager in the Control Center, but it's listed in detected hardware in Hardware Manager as sda (because I tried to install without HDD in the laptop) The only message that I got in the Control center->Disk Manager was NO HARD Drives found. It seems that the setup program cannot find any HDD/USB Flash regardless of fact that USB Flash is inserted in the Hi-Speed USB port(I have two USB 2.0 ports)
Make liveUSB reports that couldn't find USB Flash drive. The flash drive is in the perfect contition, it works fine in Windows. When I insert the USB Flash, when I have booted PCLinuxOS LiveCD, it detects my USB Flash, I can list the contents, I can delete or add files on the flash drive, but only this.Neither I can install on the usb flash, nor to create live usb. Both utilities doesn't recognize my USB Flash, and can't do anything.
I'll be glad if someone could help me to install the distro on the Flash drive
PS. On the other, very Old PC with Pentium3, 384RAM, the liveUSB recognize my USB Flash drive, but the installer doesn't recognize the drive and the Disk Manager doesn't recognize the drive-It gives me-No hard drives found...

[CaptainSarcastic]

You probably need to format the thumb drive - you should be able to use to use Gparted to blow out the existing partition structure, format the whole drive, and set the boot flag to on.  I would think that should let the installer see it as a valid location.

[clerk]

I formatted the USB Flash with GParted with EXT2 FS, set boot flag and now the installer recognize my USB Drive. Now I will try to install. Thank you.
One more question-Will PCLinuxos fit on the 2GB Drive?

[Just17]

I formatted the USB Flash with GParted with EXT2 FS, set boot flag and now the installer recognize my USB Drive. Now I will try to install. Thank you.
One more question-Will PCLinuxos fit on the 2GB Drive?

No .......  only as LiveUSB ..... unless you use one of the small ISOs, then it may be possible ...

[AS]

I formatted the USB Flash with GParted with EXT2 FS, set boot flag and now the installer recognize my USB Drive. Now I will try to install. Thank you.
One more question-Will PCLinuxos fit on the 2GB Drive?

No .......  only as LiveUSB ..... unless you use one of the small ISOs, then it may be possible ...

+1,
Surely not using plain installation. It could be installed as LiveUSB and using persistence because the filesystem is compressed, but a plain installation will require more space, approx. 3 times the ISO size.

You can try to install one of the mini/minime versions of PCLinuxOS that will probably fit in at first install, but you will end up with to much few free space very early when you will be using it (temporary files, cached files, config files ...).

[clerk]

My plan was to install to USB Flash, remove everything, except web browser, Skype and Mplayer. This is why I thought that my 2GB USB Flash would be OK.
I'll try MniniMe, probably...

[Bald Brick]

My plan was to install to USB Flash, remove everything, except web browser, Skype and Mplayer. This is why I thought that my 2GB USB Flash would be OK.
I'll try MniniMe, probably...

I'd still recommend using Just18's Live USB Creator script. Running it is even easier than doing a normal install, you'd save a lot of space, and running Linux from a live install would be kinder to your flash drive as writing to the drive would be minimized.

You could have formatted the drive with EXT3 instead of EXT2. (The Live USB Creator doesn't seem to like EXT4 though.)

[clerk]

I understand, but my TFT Panel with resol. 1400x1500 is detected as 1024x768, so I can't use the optimal resolution of the LCD, because when I change the display settings, I must reboot. But the settings are not saved anywhere, so after the reboot, the problem would be the same. I also want to change default configuration, to wipe out Firefox and to use Opera, wipe out all software, except Mplayer, so the only installed software will be a small text editor, Opera, and Skype. nothing other... So I really need to save the configuration changes and this is why I want to do something like this. I will not use Swap partition, I have 1GB of RAM, I think it is enough. May be I will buy a bigger USB FLash drive

[AS]

I understand, but my TFT Panel with resol. 1400x1500 is detected as 1024x768, so I can't use the optimal resolution of the LCD, because when I change the display settings, I must reboot. But the settings are not saved anywhere, so after the reboot, the problem would be the same. I also want to change default configuration, to wipe out Firefox and to use Opera, wipe out all software, except Mplayer, so the only installed software will be a small text editor, Opera, and Skype. nothing other... So I really need to save the configuration changes and this is why I want to do something like this. I will not use Swap partition, I have 1GB of RAM, I think it is enough. May be I will buy a bigger USB FLash drive

LiveUSB can run as temporary (non permanent changes) system or using persistence, i.e. your settings will be saved.

[Just17]

1400x1500 ......  I presume that is a typo error .....

In any case when running KDE I can change the resolution in KDE CC temporarily - for the session.

Also I have changed the resolution in PCC and instead of rebooting, use Ctrl, Alt + Backspace and log in again to the new resolution.

I would also expect the changes to be retained when using persistence on a live session if set up with PCC.

I checked this and apparently not     the changes to the display settings were not retained between boots even using persistence.

regards.

[clerk]

Oh..I'm sorry..It's really typo mistake...I mean 1400x1050...