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The installer should offer to format your flash drive & overwrite anything on it.
Are you sure /dev/sdc is the flash drive to which you are installing?
It appeared to me as the 'Standard' installation regime. I went the "Manual" route.
The only choice I made to differ from what was "Suggested" was to have a "Home" partition as contrasted with having just
one partition.
The ERROR message was a surprise to me. It offered a choice between [Cancel] and [Ignore]. I chose [Cancel] and exited back out.
When I try to 'Mount' the Flash Drive, I get the following message.
Quote:
Unable to mount Debian 7.7.0 i386 1
Error mounting: mount: block device /dev/sdc6 is write-protected, mounting read-only
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sdc6,
missing codepage or helper program, or other error
In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
dmesg | tail or so
yancek;
I suspected something was wonky before I began the Installation from Boot. That's what prompted me to give y'all the
output from '~# lsblk' below the output from the 'dd=if ...'command; which shows the 'sdc1' part'n. As Head correctly
says, running the Installation 'should' have dealt with this.
I've got a few meetings this morning. When I get back, I'll run the 'dd=if ...' copy to the FD again, hopefully overwriting what's
there before doing the Installation regime again.
# dd if=/home/rooster/Downloads/debian-7.7.0-i386-kde-CD-1.iso of=/dev/sdc bs=4096;sync
165632+0 records in
165632+0 records out
678428672 bytes (678 MB) copied, 35.277 s, 19.2 MB/s
When I got to the Partitioning I saw a problem.
When I ran the Installer the first time, I got an output from “Select Disk to Partition”
I backed out of the Installer, re-booted into Debian (Maxtor HDD). Output from 'lsblk'f with FD inserted still shows /dev part'ns as they
were, and both 'lsblk' and 'blkid' show the /sdc1 partition to be persistent. I don't know if it matters that the order has the Windows HDD (sdb)listed first. It is slotted in the 'Slave' position on the MoBo.
Code:
# lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sdb 8:16 0 931.5G 0 disk
├─sdb1 8:17 0 800M 0 part
├─sdb2 8:18 0 260M 0 part
├─sdb3 8:19 0 128M 0 part
├─sdb4 8:20 0 150G 0 part
├─sdb5 8:21 0 763.2G 0 part
└─sdb6 8:22 0 17.2G 0 part
sda 8:0 0 149.1G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 9.3G 0 part
├─sda2 8:2 0 486.4M 0 part [SWAP]
├─sda3 8:3 0 28G 0 part /
├─sda4 8:4 0 1K 0 part
└─sda5 8:5 0 14G 0 part
sr0 11:0 1 1024M 0 rom
sdc 8:32 1 28.9G 0 disk
└─sdc1 8:33 1 647M 0 part
The trick is to plug the stick just before you intend to transfer the .iso and run these commands:
Code:
dmesg | tail
lsblk
The first command will show you the block device to which the stick has been assigned, the second command can be used to double-check by viewing the sizes of the attached devices.
If I plug a Kingston 8GiB USB stick into my laptop, I get this from dmesg (the kernel ring buffer messaging system):
I will rephrase what I and yancek were trying to say: You either transfer the iso image to flash disk by dd (and use it as it is) or install a system to flash disk.
You cannot transfer the liveCD iso to flash disk, boot it, and then install the system to the same flash disk, as you seemingly try.
Meditate on it a while and explain if my guess is wrong.
Distribution: Debian 8 Cinnamon/Xfce/gnome classic Debian live usb
Posts: 508
Rep:
I've recently installed debian onto a USB stick.
A live USB shouldn't really be used as a storage device. If there's too many writing and deleting on the USB, then it wears away quickly.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_fl...#Disadvantages
If you have two hard disks, then it's probably better that you use a partition to put all your backups. Hard disks don't wear like the SSD on your USB.
The live USB won't have persistence - it won't save any files on its home directory. And it won't save your desktop and web browser customisations. Again, that's so the USB doesn't have to write on its disk to avoid wear.
But you can use the the USB to download files onto hard disks and backup files between hard disks.
You shouldn't really use just any .iso file for your USB. You should use a 'live' version. These are specially made to ensure they're lightweight so you can use the most amount of RAM and again, don't write to the USB. Debian calls them 'iso hybrids'.
You've got a 64-bit processor so you shouldn't use a 32-bit iso file, which is what you're doing. It won't make use of your 8gb RAM. This is where I got my debian 'live' iso file. http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/...64/iso-hybrid/
After some help from Yancek, this is how I made a live USB:
1. Boot hard disk which has debian.
2. Attach USB - make sure the USB is unmountedhttps://www.debian.org/releases/whee...h04s03.html.en.
3. On your root terminal go to the directory with iso file. This is the code I used:
Enter BIOS and change the setting to boot from USB. That was a bit difficult for me at the beginning. Put in your USB. There's no GRUB. There's no Debian Installer. There's no root password.
You just get a slim-line OS which does everything except save files onto the USB.
It is possible to add persistence - but that's another thread.
I've recently installed debian onto a USB stick.
A live USB shouldn't really be used as a storage device. If there's too many writing and deleting on the USB, then it wears away quickly.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_fl...#Disadvantages
If you have two hard disks, then it's probably better that you use a partition to put all your backups. Hard disks don't wear like the SSD on your USB.
The live USB won't have persistence - it won't save any files on its home directory. And it won't save your desktop and web browser customisations. Again, that's so the USB doesn't have to write on its disk to avoid wear.
But you can use the the USB to download files onto hard disks and backup files between hard disks.
You shouldn't really use just any .iso file for your USB. You should use a 'live' version. These are specially made to ensure they're lightweight so you can use the most amount of RAM and again, don't write to the USB. Debian calls them 'iso hybrids'.
You've got a 64-bit processor so you shouldn't use a 32-bit iso file, which is what you're doing. It won't make use of your 8gb RAM. This is where I got my debian 'live' iso file. http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/...64/iso-hybrid/
After some help from Yancek, this is how I made a live USB:
1. Boot hard disk which has debian.
2. Attach USB - make sure the USB is unmountedhttps://www.debian.org/releases/whee...h04s03.html.en.
3. On your root terminal go to the directory with iso file. This is the code I used:
Enter BIOS and change the setting to boot from USB. That was a bit difficult for me at the beginning. Put in your USB. There's no GRUB. There's no Debian Installer. There's no root password.
You just get a slim-line OS which does everything except save files onto the USB.
It is possible to add persistence - but that's another thread.
Higgsboson;
I feel like Homer Simpson at the control panel of Mr. Burns nuclear power plant with lights and sirens going off as he
wails; “Why is it that things that only happen to stupid people keep happening to me!!!”
I got the right image this time: 'debian-7.7.0-amd64-kde-CD-1.iso'. Until y'all put me straight, I thought AMD64 was incompatible architecture with my intel-core-i5 processor. I want a system, not a live distro. I need persistence.
Yes I have 2 HDD's. The problem is, I can't get the ASUS BIOS Boot Menu to acknowledge my debian (Maxtor) HDD. Neither can I 'mount' debian from the Windows 8.1 (Toshiba) HDD. On my old PC, I had a debian HDD in the master slot and Windows XP the slave. Booting, mounting and Backups were a snap. The FD is a way around this problem in addition to having files stored in a place that might ensure against thefts and or emergency evacuation.
As previously posted, when I tried to finish the Installer, I was pre-empted by the following ERROR message.
Quote:
Partition(s) 1 on /dev/sdc have been written, but we have been unable to inform the kernel of the change, probably because it/they are in use. As a result, the old partitions will remain in use. You should reboot now before making further changes.
ERROR!
The question seems to be: How do I copy the iso to the FD without creating a partition (sdc1) that will be “in use” when I try to engage/complete the Installer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_agon
You either transfer the iso image to flash disk by dd (and use it as it is) or install a system to flash disk.
This might well be at the core of my confusion. I want to install the debian-7.7.0-amd64-kde as a system ... like a 3rd HDD. I don't know just how I would use it as an iso image unless it was to copy/install the system on another disk. This being the case, is the 'dd if=...' command the one I need?
The question seems to be: How do I copy the iso to the FD without creating a partition (sdc1) that will be “in use” when I try to engage/complete the Installer?
The simple answer is "You don't".
The more elaborate answer is "You don't need to".
Solution 1: Get another flash disk. Copy the iso image to it, launch installer and install to your target flash disk.
Solution 2: Boot iso from your HDD, launch installer and install to your target flash disk.
To accomplish solution 2 boot your existing debian, mount your iso and see how it looks like inside. Then edit GRUB menu to boot your iso.
I can boot Ubuntu derivatives with something like this, modifying the paths according to my needs:
Code:
menuentry "Precise ISO" {
set isofile='/kubuntu-12.04-desktop-i386.iso'
loopback loop (hd0,3)$isofile
linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
}
GRUB2 is required to boot iso like this. The old one does not work.
hint: Try to enter your commands directly during boot in GRUB command line. You will have immediate answer if they are wrong.
Distribution: Debian 8 Cinnamon/Xfce/gnome classic Debian live usb
Posts: 508
Rep:
Quote:
Originally Posted by r00ster
[B][COLOR="DarkRed"]
I want a system, not a live distro. I need persistence.
I didn't think you could have a full system on a USB. There's nothing on the debian manual about it. But you can certainly have a try!
It is possible that the 'live iso hybrids' are specially made so they can be specially installed onto a USB.
Quote:
Yes I have 2 HDD's. The problem is, I can't get the ASUS BIOS Boot Menu to acknowledge my debian (Maxtor) HDD.
If your motherboard isn't seeing your Maxtor, then surely that means you can't use your linux distros anymore? Is that the case?
Why don't you start a new thread about how you can get your motherboard to see your Maxtor again? Surely that's more important than creating another linux distro on a USB?
Also, you have a new UEFI motherboard. That means it's not BIOS! This makes things complicated. You could start a new thread about how to get your new UEFI motherboard to see your Maxtor which could be an IDE hard disk (even though linux labels it as sda i.e a SATA hard disk).
Quote:
Neither can I 'mount' debian from the Windows 8.1 (Toshiba) HDD.
Yes, if your linux distros are in ext2, ext3 or ext4 then Windows can't see it. I think Windows can only see NTFS and FAT32.
And in any case, your UEFI motherboard can't see the Maxtor so it will tell Windows it doesn't exist.
Quote:
On my old PC, I had a debian HDD in the master slot and Windows XP the slave. Booting, mounting and Backups were a snap.
It looks like you need to start a thread about how you can get back to that situation again.
Quote:
The FD is a way around this problem in addition to having files stored in a place that might ensure against thefts and or emergency evacuation.
Yes, this makes sense. But you would't neeed a full OS on the USB, would you? You can have 2 partitions on the USB in ext3 for example, and NTFS. You could then backup files from Windows and linux and put them in the appropriate partitions.
Of course, that means you wouldn't have a linux distro on USB, which you probably don't want.
Quote:
The question seems to be: How do I copy the iso to the FD without creating a partition (sdc1) that will be “in use” when I try to engage/complete the Installer?
Just make sure there are no partitions on the USB. You'll be using up all the space, but it should avoid the error message.
My 32gb live debian USB doesn't have a partition. I've lost a lot of space - but it works! Once it works without a partition, then you can think of adding partitions (although you'll need to do that from your Maxtor).
Quote:
This might well be at the core of my confusion. I want to install the debian-7.7.0-amd64-kde as a system ... like a 3rd HDD.
It's a nice idea. Give it a try. But I think the full 'system' iso images are only designed to be installed from a disc onto a hard drive (not a USB).
Quote:
I don't know just how I would use it as an iso image unless it was to copy/install the system on another disk. This being the case, is the 'dd if=...' command the one I need?
I'm getting confused now.
I used the 'dd if=...' command to install a 'live iso hybrid' image onto USB - and it worked!
If you want a 'system' on your USB, then use the same 'dd if=...' command with the iso you have onto your USB. And see if it works.
You'll need to do that from your linux distros on your Maxtor. But how can that be possible if your new UEFI motherboard can't see the hard drive?
Where to begin. You boys have been patient above & beyond.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Higgsboson
I didn't think you could have a full system on a USB. There's nothing on the debian manual about it. But you can certainly have a try!
It is possible that the 'live iso hybrids' are specially made so they can be specially installed onto a USB.
If the data on a USB Flash is not persistent, what is the point? If I need to transfer/copy/read files on/to a different computer; which would be the case if my HD crashed, I got burgled, or there was a tsunami (I live on the West Coast of BC). I'd be sunk. (NPI)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Higgsboson
If your motherboard isn't seeing your Maxtor, then surely that means you can't use your linux distros anymore? Is that the case?
Why don't you start a new thread about how you can get your motherboard to see your Maxtor again? Surely that's more important than creating another linux distro on a USB?
Also, you have a new UEFI motherboard. That means it's not BIOS! This makes things complicated. You could start a new thread about how to get your new UEFI motherboard to see your Maxtor which could be an IDE hard disk (even though linux labels it as sda i.e a SATA hard disk).
<SNIP>
It looks like you need to start a thread about how you can get back to that situation again.
BTDT: That's where all this began. I've been in touch with Roderick W. Smith and several other experts in addition to ASUS Tech Support [sic]. The issue is, “Secure Boot” must be disabled in the UEFI Firmware. It can't be disabled without returning the PC to ASUS together with both my HDD's. Suffice it... this is not an option for me. The Maxtor is PATA connected by a SATA to IDE Adaptor. If you wish, I can give y'all a screed of threads where I pursue a sol'n to this issue. But I feel it would be a waste of your valuable time and lead you to what I've already recounted herein.
The MoBo firmware erratically does see the Maxtor. Sometimes it requires >5 Reset + Restarts; which is bad form to say the least. However, with the FD inserted bearing only legacy formatting, the BIOS Menu does inexplicably list all drives; somehow prompted by the “EZ Flash” setting in the BIOS. To clarify, "UEFI BIOS" is how the firmware refers to itself. AFAICT the "BIOS" is the software portion available via terminal. Whereas the "UEFI" is hard-wired into the MoBo. For a long time, I thought I could (should?) disable "Secure Boot" from the BIOS terminal. Short story: no joy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Higgsboson
Yes, if your linux distros are in ext2, ext3 or ext4 then Windows can't see it. I think Windows can only see NTFS and FAT32.
And in any case, your UEFI motherboard can't see the Maxtor so it will tell Windows it doesn't exist.
I have “Paragon ExtFS for Windows” installed on W-8.1. It is designed to allow Windows to 'see' and 'manage' ext2-4 files. I ran this with W-XP on one drive and debs 5,6,7 consecutively on the other. It worked fine. I have lots of deb/libreoffice files stored on W-8.1; ... no problems managing and editing them 'in' either Deb or Windows; ... go figure! The intervention of the UEFI MoBo is something I hadn't considered. Hrrrmph! It seems odd to me the problem doesn't occur in reverse...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Higgsboson
Just make sure there are no partitions on the USB. You'll be using up all the space, but it should avoid the error message. My 32gb live debian USB doesn't have a partition. I've lost [lots?] a lot of space - but it works! Once it works without a partition, then you can think of adding partitions (although you'll need to do that from your Maxtor).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr_agon
To accomplish solution 2 boot your existing debian, mount your iso and see how it looks like inside. Then edit GRUB menu to boot your iso.
Sounds like a plan. A couple of things: again, should I run,
Code:
# dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdc bs=1k count=2048
to remove that sdc1 part'n? That is the iso that resulted when I ran,
I'm not sure how to 'mount' the FD. The mount command I'm used to
Code:
# mount /dev/sdc
mount: can't find /dev/sdc in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
Code:
# mount -t usb-devfs none /proc/bus/usb
mount: unknown filesystem type 'usb-devfs'
The iso isn't installed of course ...just the iso sitting there biding its time.
I'm thinking, perhaps I should re-format the FD "File Sys Type msdos" since both deb and Windows can 'see' that format; provided of course that I can install the @#$%^ kde OS in that format.
I think I might be missing a step getting the actual system onto the FD as opposed to getting just the iso. Would I 'Extract' it to/as a DT Folder/file then “#dd if=...” that file to the FD? Or would '#dd if='ing it to a CD, then Installing it to the FD; .. if that is even an option?
There is an option in the Installer regime, as you indicate, to put everything on one part'n or have 'home' on a separate part'n. Originally I chose the latter. I don't think it matters in this specific context; but, like I'd know...
Secure boot can be disabled but you must be in the bios to do it, not the boot menu.
Also the latest command that you ran has to have an output file which is of=/dev
To be sure what /dev you're writing to run
Quote:
ls /dev
before inserting usb, then run it again noting the change in the /dev/sdx field. Also you can't install to the drive that iso is mounted on.
I have encountered this ASUS Secure Boot lockout before.
The only solution is to use Ubuntu, Fedora or openSUSE (these will boot up with Secure Boot enabled) to install a small system on your attached hard drive, then boot up the Debian installer by creating a GRUB menu entry for the Debian .iso stored on the Ubuntu/Fedora/openSUSE partition* and install Debian without a bootloader, boot up Ubuntu/Fedora/openSUSE and run `update-grub` to generate a GRUB menu entry that will boot up with Secure Boot enabled.
Distribution: Debian 8 Cinnamon/Xfce/gnome classic Debian live usb
Posts: 508
Rep:
Quote:
Originally Posted by r00ster
If the data on a USB Flash is not persistent, what is the point? If I need to transfer/copy/read files on/to a different computer; which would be the case if my HD crashed, I got burgled, or there was a tsunami (I live on the West Coast of BC). I'd be sunk. (NPI)
Ok, that's a good point.
As you know, you can just use the USB as a normal storage device.
But if you want a linux OS on the USB as well then you have two options:
1. Create a legit debian live USB without persistence. Then add persistence to the USB. This is one way http://www.linux.com/community/blogs...or-non-techies
2. Install a normal debian OS onto the USB (which is what you've been trying to do) and try to save data on the USB.
Obviously, I would suggest option 1 as it's the legit way.
Quote:
The Maxtor is PATA connected by a SATA to IDE Adaptor.
Wow. Sounds like you should copy all your files onto a new disk and get rid of the Maxtor. The new disk should be a SATA hard drive or... a USB.
Ah, I think I see what you're doing.
Quote:
Sounds like a plan. A couple of things: again, should I run,
# dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdc bs=1k count=2048
This command will install your OS into a partition.
The last time you did this the whole OS was in a 64MB partition. Yet you have a 30GB USB.
Is there a reason why you need a partition on your USB?
That's the command I used. You can substitute the debian version for something else.
There is no partition.
The OS is using the whole 32GB - it's not in a very small partition on the USB.
Quote:
to remove that sdc1 part'n? That is the iso that resulted when I ran,
# dd if=/home/rooster/Downloads/debian-7.7.0-amd64-kde-CD-1.iso
You don't need to remove the sdc1 partition.
It will be deleted by the 'dd' command.
Quote:
I'm not sure how to 'mount' the FD. The mount command I'm used to
# mount /dev/sdc
mount: can't find /dev/sdc in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
# mount -t usb-devfs none /proc/bus/usb
mount: unknown filesystem type 'usb-devfs'
I'm thinking, perhaps I should re-format the FD "File Sys Type msdos" since both deb and Windows can 'see' that format; provided of course that I can install the @#$%^ kde OS in that format.
The USB should be in FAT32 format. At least, that worked for me.
Quote:
I think I might be missing a step getting the actual system onto the FD as opposed to getting just the iso. Would I 'Extract' it to/as a DT Folder/file then “#dd if=...” that file to the FD? Or would '#dd if='ing it to a CD, then Installing it to the FD; .. if that is even an option?
If you're in a debian distro, then you need to open a terminal.
You need to be in the same directory where the iso file is.
Then run the dd command.
Solution 2: Boot iso from your HDD, launch installer and install to your target flash disk.
I have checked my suggestion myself It looks like debian 7.7 live iso cannot be booted directly. Apparently it cannot find its files after booting the kernel (they are supposed to be on removable media) and fails. (for someone interested: I could not force it to mount my harddisk partition when I was dropped do Busybox or initramfs command line. Why? I have no idea.) This is NO GO.
So, if you want debian - go with my solution 1 (= get another flash disk). If you have no second flash disk - get another distro. As I said before, Ubuntu could be booted from iso.
I can also suggest solution 3:
Check how much your existing debian installation takes on hard disk, and if it can fit your big flash disk just create a linux partition on your flash disk and copy all files from your working debian system (of course omit your /home to save place), then boot it by GRUB just as if it were hard disk (with the same options).
But first of all, don't mix the solutions people offer to you. It looks like you shoot commands and options blindly without realizing what they mean.
I have checked my suggestion myself It looks like debian 7.7 live iso cannot be booted directly. Apparently it cannot find its files after booting the kernel (they are supposed to be on removable media) and fails. (for someone interested: I could not force it to mount my harddisk partition when I was dropped do Busybox or initramfs command line. Why? I have no idea.) This is NO GO.
So, if you want debian - go with my solution 1 (= get another flash disk). If you have no second flash disk - get another distro. As I said before, Ubuntu could be booted from iso.
You did this with unetbootin? Also was it a fat partition?
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It looks like debian 7.7 live iso cannot be booted directly. Apparently it cannot find its files after booting the kernel (they are supposed to be on removable media) and fails. (for someone interested: I could not force it to mount my harddisk partition when I was dropped do Busybox or initramfs command line. Why? I have no idea.) This is NO GO.
