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Old 03-23-2009, 12:33 PM   #1
DGeeez
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Popular pen drive tutorial - "Success!!!", so why can't it find the kernel?


Hello, I am simply trying to find a way to make a USB (pen) drive bootable with any decent Linux distro which is available, and the popularly-recommended site for procedure on this is here (and here is the tutorial for the distro which I haven't yet given up on).

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-knoppix-510/

I have been through the prescribed process with more than just this distro, and the results are the same. Those which are as easy as this one work something like this:

1. Download a self-extracting file and deploy it on your hard drive.
2. Download the appropriate .iso and place it in the new folder created by the above.
3. Navigate to that new folder, and launch a .bat file by the same name as that .exe which created the folder.
4. Follow the instructions. I did this while running Vista (per additional directions offered by the program for Admin issues) and again under easier XP (when the reboot results weren't so congratulatory as the program was after it had completed it's process).

Although the program proclaimed success, when I reboot, with F12 to select my new Knoppix USB drive, it can't find the the kernel - that's what it says,and then it dies. I get the same results on more than one Windows system, so there must be something I'm not understanding about the installation process - please help, if you can!

Thanks.

Last edited by DGeeez; 03-23-2009 at 01:50 PM.
 
Old 03-24-2009, 10:09 PM   #2
linus72
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Let's make it easier-download the knoppix 5.1 iso(you probably already have..)
Anyway-download Billix here(you'll probably put this on the usb after knoppix-later)-
( http://sourceforge.net/projects/billix )
You wanna download the usb version.
OK-now were gonna start "Macgyvern" this stew 'cause being a newbie too I'm not yet into all this terminal jazz..
Being in Windows-which I no longer have-I don't know the procedure to extract the knoppix 5.1 iso-HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WHO COMMENTS BEHIND ME CAN TELL HIM...
Assuming you know or can find out how to extract the iso image-WAIT-run the Ubuntu Live CD 8.04 on your computer to do that.In Ubuntu you can easily extract it-so just run Ubuntu live (no install).
You can either download Knoppix/billix to your ubuntu desktop or find it on your HD.
When you get to the Ubuntu desktop-go up to the top panel and click places-then find the iso image in your windows drive (let's say it's on your XP desktop in folder "Linux".
Now, grab the iso and copy/paste it to the Ubuntu desktop.
OK-right-click on the knoppix iso and select "extract here"-it will extract the iso to a folder.
Go into the folder it made-go into the "boot" folder, go into the "isolinux" folder-go up to the "edit" button on the file browser window-click it and select "select all", now click it again and select "cut". Click the "up" button and go back up into the "boot" folder-right-click on a empty space and select "paste".
Now delete the now empty isolinux folder.
Find the "isolinux.cfg" file and rename it "syslinux.cfg"(right-click/rename).
Now right click on the "syslinux.cfg" file and select open with...choose "text editor".
When it opens at the top it will say DEFAULT linux Put "/boot/" in front of linux "/boot/linux"
Now wherever it says KERNEL linux make it KERNEL /boot/linux and wherever it says "initrd=minirt.gz" on the "APPEND" line make it "initrd=/boot/minirt.gz".
Where it says boot.msg, F1, F2, F3 put a "/boot/" in front of so it would be "Display /boot/boot.msg" F2 f2 would be "F2 /boot/f2".
OK now click "save".
Now, right click on the "syslinux.cfg" file and select "copy" and click the "up" arrow back up to the "knoppix" folder.
Select "paste"-now you should have the "boot" and "KNOPPIX" folders and "autorun.bat" and "autorun.pif/inf" "cdrom.ico" "index.html" and the "syslinux.cfg" file in there-right?
OK-Now right click on the "billix" -0.23.tar.gz" you downloaded. Select "extract here" and go into the folder-find the file named "ldlinux.sys"(this is "SYSLINUX"). Right click on "ldlinux.sys" and select copy-then paste it into the your knoppix 5.1 folder-now there should be these folders/files in the knoppix 5.1 folder you extracted-
syslinux.cfg
ldlinux.sys
index.html
autrun.bat/inf/pif
KNOPPIX folder
boot folder
SEE SCREENSHOT-And the knoppix usb will "autorun" when you plug your usb into Windows-cool huh!
Now plug in your USB-when the window appears for your usb, open the knoppix folder too- double click the knoppix 5.1 folder so it opens-go to the "edit" button on the file browser and select "select all" then either "copy or cut", then "paste" into the usb window that opened-it may take a few minutes to transfer the 600+MB files.
Now-go up to the "system" button on the top panel above the desktop, select "partition editor", click on the "gparted" button on the window that opens-select "devices" and click on your device (sdf1, sde1, sdb1,etc) whichever is the usb and not your HD.
Now right-click on the line where it says your usb info-
( /dev/sdf1 "key icon" fat32 /media/disk1 3.76GB etc)
select "manage flags"
check the "boot" box.
Your DONE!
unmount the usb and reboot into KNOPPIX 5.1!
Just remember not to remove the usb when running live knoppix-even when running "knoppix toram"

Last edited by linus72; 04-20-2009 at 12:26 PM.
 
Old 03-25-2009, 04:53 AM   #3
linus72
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Note that many distro's can be put on usb this way. You can also put several distro's at the same time on the same usb-a multidistro usb.
It only takes about 2-3min for the whole operation of putting KNOPPIX 5.1 on usb my way. Through the terminal you would have to do alot of typing to do the same thing.
 
Old 03-25-2009, 05:13 AM   #4
repo
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Quote:
Through the terminal you would have to do alot of typing to do the same thing
Typing will go faster then all this clicking.
 
Old 03-25-2009, 05:21 AM   #5
linus72
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Maybe-but my way is still safer for a newbie-through the terminal the newbie might accidently type "syslinux -s /dev/sda" or "/dev/hda" in which case they just installed syslinux to their HD MBR and that won't be good.
it's a matter of different paths to achieve the same result-they both accomplish the same thing.
And, through the terminal-if you mis-type the path to a folder- "cd /home/bz/Deskti/?" you gotta start all over.
 
Old 03-25-2009, 05:24 AM   #6
repo
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Quote:
And, through the terminal-if you mis-type the path to a folder- "cd /home/bz/Deskti/?" you gotta start all over.
That's where the TAB key comes in handy :-)
 
Old 03-25-2009, 05:28 AM   #7
linus72
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And there's the fact that a newbie is not going to know the lingo to extract the iso image to a folder-I've been using Linux for months and don't know how to extract the iso image from the command line.
My way is a basic way-not better or worse.
Note that I will say it is more important for a newbie to learn the terminal than to learn "hack&slash" copy/paste, but in a pinch my way works great for a newbie with 0 Linux experience.
I didn't even know about using the TAB key.
 
Old 03-25-2009, 04:03 PM   #8
ak99505
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tab completion is simple. but if you REALLY want to understand ALL of bash completion then start by reading

http://www.gnu.org/software/bash/man...ble-Completion

but that is not for the weak of heart, very hard reading.

simple example thought say I'm in a directory with 3 files

Code:
526 0 $ ls 
some other really long file name with . \ and funny chars.iso
some really long file name with . \ and some other funny chars.iso
yet another really long file name with . \ and some other funny chars.iso
527 0 $
now i want to do something with one of these files, I don't want to have to type in the whole file name.
if I wanted the last file, the one that started with the word 'yet' i could simple type some like
Code:
ls -l y[TAB]
[TAB] being a literal tab key and bash will complete it for me.

say i wanted the second one

Code:
ls -l s[TAB]
but because there are two files that start the same bash would complete as much of the name as is the same
are command line would look like

Code:
ls -l some\
then we just have to had the one letter that is different, in this case the letter 'r'
and hit tab again

Code:
ls -l some \ r[TAB]
then it would finish the name correctly.


ps. in linux to mount an iso file just do something like

Code:
sudo mount *iso /mnt -o loop=/dev/loop0
that command is assuming the iso is in the currenty directory and you
only have ONE iso image in that directory, also you don't HAVE to mount
it to /mnt, just any directory that is not being used is safe.

and /dev/loop0 might be busy you should have more loop devices..maybe

Last edited by ak99505; 03-25-2009 at 04:10 PM. Reason: adding how to mount iso
 
Old 03-26-2009, 08:41 AM   #9
linus72
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I still think my way is easier-both produce the same result.
 
Old 03-26-2009, 08:32 PM   #10
ak99505
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Quote:
Originally Posted by linus72 View Post
I still think my way is easier-both produce the same result.
easier is a relative term, to you yes, your way is easier, to some one else it might not be.
I learned unix from the command line, (solaris to be exact, although I think at the time
it was still called sunOS). so the command line comes more natural to me than it might to you.
I can find my way around better on the command line.


but then I think vi is the greatest editor ever. so that probably tells you something about me.
 
  


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