(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

I'm booted from the Puppy 4.1.2 live cd, trying to use the universal installer to install Puppy non-frugally (full install) to my usb thumb drive. In other words, the file system directly to the ext2 primary partition. The boot flag is set. So here I go:
Puppy universal installer.
USB Flash drive.
sdc USB flash memory size (about 500MB)
Method: filesystem in partition.
"If you click the OK button, the universal installer will exit and GParted will be run. Thus, the universal installer will have to be run again afterward....."
No other options, I click OK.
Puts me into Gparted. I check it out (ext2, primary partition using the entire flash disk, boot flag set) and even have tried repartitioning. I always make sure the boot flag is set. I exit gparted and re-enter universal installer. I've tried replugging the flash drive, rebooting and running through this again, repartitioning again, everything. No matter what I do. I go through this endless loop. Is it even possible to get Puppy installed to flash drive as a conventional ext2 full installation, or has that functionality slipped through the cracks of the gui?
I know how to do a frugal install. Obviously, the universal installer seems to want to force me to use that option. Am I missing something?

Hi
I will have to try it...I just plugged in the thumb (1gig fat 16 and two gig fat 32) and ran the installer for the frugal install...it auto saved after the initial setup for the pupsave on initial shut down..curious why you want the full install to thumb...will try here and see what happens..best I can do...it may want the standard fat partition for install

Turpin

I'm going to say it's not possible....that way someone will come along
and prove me wrong.

The versatility of the usb with a vfat partition and no need for grub
makes frugal my choice on usb anyway. It's basically just a muti-
session live cd in a smallerpackage.

rjb

I've been playing with Puppy for years and don't think I've ever gotten a full install to flash to work, even though the universal installer seems to indicate it's supposed to be possible.
And I thought I should clarify: what I'm wanting to do is a full install, which needs a linux partition (ext2 or ext3).
In answer to the "why" question, it's a long story. My ultimate aim is simply a bootable rescue flash that includes: udf packetwriting (Puppy doesnt have working), gparted, partimage, and Truecrypt, and the ability to install anything else I might need, maybe a file synch app. Parted Magic is PERFECT, EXCEPT it lacks Truecrypt. And apparently I can't add apps to it conventionally because its "save" file on the usb flash disk only saves the root folder (wtf?). I thought of using Puppy but it lacks udf packet-writing capabilities from everything I've read. So, I was thinking, since I thought Puppy offers a ful install option for flash drives, why don't I use it to set up the boot mechanism and file system and just replace the file system with that of Parted Magic? Once again, Linux manages to hand me a brick wall wit "You shall not pass" graffiti.

How do you believe it's not possible, or are you a jokester? The gui must at some point have thought it was possible. It includes "file system" as one of the options. It looks like it's back to the drawing board. Such a simple thing I need and nothing in the LInux world can do it. Un@$#believable.

If you dare come further into the rabbit hole, ask me why I need UDF packet-writing. Better yet, I'll answer you now. So that partimage can save to a DVD+RW of which I have a surplus, while I on the other hand have very little (double digits) money to my name and very little flash or other storage to take with me when helping people with their computers. If you want to help pull me out of the rabbit hole, tell me that Puppy does UDF packet-writing in newer versions, because the information I've found varies and doesn't sound promising. I heard some have it working but it apparently isn't easy.

Sorry
Guess you didn't didn't get the joke.
I've tried to do it myself and didn't succeed . Doesn't make much
sense when it's possible to full install to cf and other solid
state media.

rjb

Like all threads in which somebody asks me how I got here or why I need this or that, the answer always ends up steering the whole thing away from my question. Is it possible to get a working bootable file system (ful install) on an ext2 or ext3 partition on a usb flash drive?

rjbrewer wrote:Sorry

I'm at a place where computer related things have eaten up my life. Basically, patience is killing me. For instance, this is a simple need. usbflash+gparted+partimage+Truecrypt+UDFpacketwriting . A simple rescue flash drive. Not a tall order. Should take maybe an hour to research, download, burn, and implement. I've been on it for a week. I should be looking for work, but instead, I'm on this. Sorry if I lose my temper a bit. I'm normally one of the most patient people you'll ever meet and have been told so on several occasions. Sign of the times I guess.

sorry I can be of no help...puppy is a very good, small linux desktop linux os and can be installed to a thumb amoung other things...it does not to my understanding promote itself as a rescue cd with option for full hd install to usb thumb drive..

I understand your frustrations as I have as much in my own situation...I am just a puppy user who has limited experience and thought since I just installed it may have been a simplier issue

have you looked at the many rescue live linux...I just googled this

http://www.livecdlist.com/

http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page

likely nothing of use

best of luck..

Turpin

I have a 1 gig flash drive.formatted to ext2 w/gparted

Did a full install of 4.1.2 to a 900mb ext2 partition.

Used "Pudd copy drive-partition to copy the full install to usb.

That part works...it's on the usb.

Haven't figured out how i'm going to boot it yet. I didn't
install grub to the usb.

Was not able to get it to boot.
My pc is too old to support usb boot, but I can do it using the live cd
and "puppy pmedia=usbflash"; or using wakepup2 floppy.
This works only with the frugal type install.

I tried doing the pudd partition copy to the usb, using a vfat
partition and while it does the copy correctly, it still won't boot.

The boot floppy asks for a sub-directory; which full installs don't
use as far as I know; and also asks for a marker file.

I'm too much of a newbie and am stumped; temporarily I hope.

Maybe you can get some useful clues from this.

rjb

Thanks for trying. I think it's looking not possible. There has to be an easy answer to my real need somewhere. I must be just overlooking something. I'm really liking everything about Parted MAgic for rescue and their udf packet-writing support, if I could just add Truecrypt. I'll probably just end up going with the slow-booting SystemRescueCD. I have to be done with this tonight so I can live my life.

Read here.