Newb to command line: Error setting up USB Drive to install Slackware

mrjackandcoke · 02-28-2014, 11:48 AM

Hello All!
With the main stream tech market being corralled towards mobile/cloud/daily-updates/never-ending-soap-opera, I decided it was best for me and my business to jump off that speeding train and learn Linux!

All that said, I am very new user on a quest to create a bootable USB stick with Slackware14.1 and its packages using Terminal on Mac OS X10.6.

The tactic I am using is found here: http://alien.slackbook.org/blog/inst...b-thumb-drive/

The goal is to use Eric's enhanced "usbimg2disk.sh" script to format the USB Drive, create a bootable installer, and copy the Slackware setup files, kernels and packages.

**I have a 4GB USB Drive, a local Slackware tree, it's dark, and I'm wearing sun glasses.**

Here is my entry to Terminal:
sudo -s sh usbimg2disk.sh -f -s /Users/me/Desktop/slackware-14.1 -o /Volumes/LEXARDRIVE

The result line is:
"*** Not a block device: '/Volumes/LEXARDRIVE' !"

Again, I am fairly new to the command line so I'm not sure if I have a hardware problem, software problem, or if it's good 'ole user error!
Is my USB drive is really not a block device?
Am I missing a parameter?
-i is not needed when moving the whole tree?

I'm sure this is a newbie problem, but any help to push me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!

PS- So far I have enjoyed this empowering journey into the world of Linux. Now I'm just left wondering, what took me so long!

Drakeo · 03-01-2014, 07:43 AM

I really do not understand your goal. if you want a Slackware installer on a usbdrive. then create an install image by using the ISO image of the dvd.
if your trying to install Slackware to a usb drive. you can install it from a dvd or from a copy of the repository and do a chroot install.

you will need a working pkgtool installed. and

Quote:

#!/bin/sh
cd Slackware/slackware64-14.1/slackware64
for dir in a ap d e f k kde l n t tcl x xap xfce y ; do
( cd $dir ; installpkg -root /media/yourusbdevice *.t?z )
done

then I guess your going to boot it as a virtual machine in mac.

but if your trying to make a install image so you can use a usbdrive to install on other machinces.

I would take the dvd extract it or mount it since you only have a 4gb and the dvd install is 6.2
i would do 2 things that I do. one is I use the Alien Bob mirror-current script and get a mirror of the repository.
then after the mirror is complete I move the source folder out you don't need it as a install.
then I would make a dvd image of the mirror with out the the source folder. This can be done in the mirror-current script so it only makes a dvd image.
then then take that usb drive of yours plug it in.

Quote:

dd if=slackware64-14.1-install-dvd.iso of=/dev/sdx bs=512

sdx will be your usb device.
use these mac manual to learn how to use the dd command in Mac https://langui.sh/2011/04/02/using-dd-in-os-x/
remember dd is unforgiven and there is no going back do right the first time.