@ Kenny

As promised, my test results

Unetbootin creates a grub-like boot menu. Unetbootin creates a label called Default which points to /ubnkern of the USB drive.

When I hit enter on the Default entry. It looked as if it was booting properly. Then I got the ramfs prompt. As first, I though it was a glitch. I rebooted again and hit Default again. Same result.

After further research on archwiki, I discovered I needed to adjust the
archisolabel paramater in the syslinux.cfg file.

label ubnentry0
menu label Boot Arch Linux
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26
append initrd=/boot/archiso.img archisolabel=ubnentry0 tmpfs_size=75% locale=en_US.UTF-8

After matching the archisolabel parameter to the label in bold. I rebooted the system.

From the menu, I hit Boot Arch Linux instead of Default.

And Bingo !!! It worked...

It was just a matter of tweaking the syslinux.cfg

The first test was to create a bootabe USB drive to be used as an installation medium. (i.e to install Arch to an internal drive).

In a couple of days from now, I'm going to install Arch onto a usb drive and see if I can boot an Arch file system from that.

ftp://slackware.mirrors.tds.net/pub/...xe-installers/

ftp://slackware.mirrors.tds.net/pub/...README_USB.TXT

(the above may also be located at the relevant corresponding folder right on the install dvd or cd media).

x86 and 64x86 Slackware supports to install Slackware by usb or pxe boot. Once booted, then you (I think) can install from a directory tree (like my rsync'd mirror that's on my lan server's hard drive)

Just follow the instructions on that readme. usbboot.img is used on the usb flash drive.

--
Alan.

That's Arch I was talking about there, not Slackware. But thankfully Unetbootin fixes that problem.

@Kenny

Summary

Basically, you just use unetbootin to transfer the ISO file to the USB stick.

Then mount the USB stick and edit the syslinux.cfg file and modify archisolabel=label

label ubnentry0
menu label Boot Arch Linux
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26
append initrd=/boot/archiso.img archisolabel=ubnentry0 tmpfs_size=75% locale=en_US.UTF-8

Save file and reboot

Note: If unetbootin created a Default entry, do not select it. it will drop you into a ramfs shell.

Select Boot Arch Linux

And it should load as if it were a cd/dvd drive

Anyway, this has worked for me. I hope it works on your side.

I've used 2010.05 and the previous image.

@ Kenny

I've completed my second test of running Arch on an external drive ( i.e USB key )

Don't worry Kenny, there is no obligation for you to do this. I know ubuntu is your most favorite distro and you're more familiar with it -- In fact, I remembered you said you contribute to ubuntu projects.

Anyway, I went through the usual step-by-step of installing arch.

VERY IMPORTANT !!! Make sure you know which device node your USB key is using.

When I got to the Configure System section, I only needed to edit one line from the /etc/mkinitcpico.conf.

Add usb after udev
I saved the file and resume installation. After editing the other system files. I click Done.

Next, I installed the bootloader. Arch installs Grub legacy by default.

When it asked where to install the bootloader. I choose /dev/sdc which is my USB key.

That's it. I rebooted and choose usb from the plop boot loader.

The first boot, I gotten a grub 15 error.

Then I did a manual edit of grub, by pressing the letter e

I changed root (hd2,0) to root (hd0,0)

I press enter and then the letter b to boot the temporary changes.

No errors. Arch booted fine from the USB key.

Now I have two arch distros, one running off the internal drive and the other from a USB key.

Well, that concludes the two tests. Both were successful by making minor tweaks.


- Cheers

Well Kenny, I did the tests you wanted me to do.

Both tests worked on my side with minor tweaking. And reed9 said he had no problems boting Arch to install on his Asus EEE netbooks.

I guess it has to be your netbook not playing nice with Arch or vice versa.

Funny, Arch is a bleeding edge distro. Can't figure why it won't boot normally off your usb DVD drive.

- later