onederer Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Now, I'm using PCLinuxOS to write this, in "live" mode. And since I now know that this version of PC Linux OS can do wireless with no pain involved, I'd like to install it in a Flash Memory. But I don't want to install the "live" version in the memory stick. I want to install it as if it was on a regular hard drive, in a permanent fashion. I have an application that can do an ISO installation, but the last time it installed an "ISO" Linux, and it was the "live" version. And that's useless. All is lost when the power goes out. If I use the PCLinuxOS's own install application, will it install itself in the Flash Memory? Or will I encounter problems trying to do this? Can anyone straighten me out on this matter?The next question. I found that I can use apt-get commands with PCLinuxOS. But isn't it an RPM based distro? Do I also use RPM commands just as well? It's been a long time since I've used RPM commands, and feel kind of lost at the moment. This latest version seems to run well and is well organized . And that's all I ask and need out of an OS system. And after a long search, I finally found a distro that can do laptop wireless without my spending hours trying to make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Hi OneThere is a folder on the desktop called "Utilties" . . . there you should find a program that lets you install the distro to a flash-drive ( it is NOT the same installer as the HD install )Glad you got your wireless out of the box . . . . . finally !!!And . . indeed PCLos uses rpm packages but you can install them with apt-get . . . you can also do the updates with apt-get: "apt-get update && apt-get upgrade" ( or use the GUI tool : "synaptics" ) Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onederer Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 Hi OneThere is a folder on the desktop called "Utilties" . . . there you should find a program that lets you install the distro to a flash-drive ( it is NOT the same installer as the HD install )Glad you got your wireless out of the box . . . . . finally !!!And . . indeed PCLos uses rpm packages but you can install them with apt-get . . . you can also do the updates with apt-get: "apt-get update && apt-get upgrade" ( or use the GUI tool : "synaptics" ) BrunoThanks Bruno. Now, should I desire to use RPM commands rather than what I've gotten used to, can this be done, or is RPM used differently than what I "used to use"? Are you telling me that PCLinuxOS doesn't care whether RPM or apt-get commands are used to achieve the same results? I'm also looking forward to installing this OS in a Flash Drive. Dual OS's installed on a hard drive, is very hard for laptops, since the storage space in lappys tend to be somwhat very limited. Also, a flash drive is much more portable than a disc. If I install the OS in a Flash Drive, does it need a dual boot application, such as Grub? Or just the insertion and/or removal of the memory stick will take care of what boots up? I do know that in this machine, Flash Drives do boot up, which thrills me a lot. It could also be used in a small Acer One laptop (my current telephone appliance for Skype and MagicJack). And PCLinuxOS can also replace Freespire in the bedroom laptop. That laptop only has Linux in it, on the hard drive. Since Qualcom has purchased Freespire and Linspire, it looks like they have neglected those two OS's. They are only interested s-e-l-l-i-n-g their brand of Linux. No freebies.MY QUEST IS FINALLY OVER (for now)!Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onederer Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 I installed the PCLinuxOS in the 8GB flash memory. And just as I suspected, it is again, an only "live" installation. This is much to my dismay! Turn the power off, and away goes all the setups. It is necessary to start up all over again to redo the prior setups.. All data is lost, the wirelss data is lost, the Firefox setup is lost. It is an endless routine for wasting a lot of time re-doing the entire setup, before the system is once again useful. It is no different than that application that I have that installs an OS from an ISO file. The problem is that this time, I need an OS that DOESN"T have a "live" version built in. I need one that will install itself directly from an ISO file, and is a non-live version that once installed, will stick, and retain all the setups, just the same as if it was installed on a hard drive. But what I like is the PCLinuxOS is the right one for me, for easy wireless networking.Now, what can be done to overcome this problem? How can we eliminate the "live" out of the "live version", and force PCLinusOS to permanently install itself on a USB Flash Drive, so that it will become useful? I want to be able to turn off the power, and when I bring up the power again, everything will still be the same as before I shut down the machine. Is that possible?HELP!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Wait wait . . . . yes if you install it to USB flash the distro works as a "Live CD". That is the only way it will work on more then the one computer you used to install it. ( Why else would you want to install it to a flash you carry around ? )If you want the distro only on one computer it makes more sense to install it to HDOnce you insert the flash in a computer the BIOS ( not grub ) decides what the first boot device it . . . the HD or the flashAlso, PCLos uses apt-get to install packages remotely ( like urpmi works in Mandriva ) . . . urpmi does NOT work in PCLos. To install rpm packages that are already downloaded you use "rpm -ihv" and "rpm -Uhv" and not apt-get BrunoPS: If you want to save files from a computer when you're away from home just upload it to online storage like flickr, google docs, xdrive.com etc etc. ( Check here )PS2: Also, with an extra partition on that flash drive you could save files to that partition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onederer Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 Wait wait . . . . yes if you install it to USB flash the distro works as a "Live CD". That is the only way it will work on more then the one computer you used to install it. ( Why else would you want to install it to a flash you carry around ? )If you want the distro only on one computer it makes more sense to install it to HDOnce you insert the flash in a computer the BIOS ( not grub ) decides what the first boot device it . . . the HD or the flashAlso, PCLos uses apt-get to install packages remotely ( like urpmi works in Mandriva ) . . . urpmi does NOT work in PCLos. To install rpm packages that are already downloaded you use "rpm -ihv" and "rpm -Uhv" and not apt-get ;) BrunoPS: If you want to save files from a computer when you're away from home just upload it to online storage like flickr, google docs, xdrive.com etc etc. ( Check here )PS2: Also, with an extra partition on that flash drive you could save files to that partition :">Hi,In your first paragraph, why can't the OS work as a straight OS when installed on a USB Flash Drive, or a USB hard drive? I've got different plans for this setup. PCLOS will be installed into the bedroom hard drive where there is NO Windows running on that machine. But as I wrote before, laptop hard drives are kind of small, and get too cramped when two OS's occupy space on the same hard drive. This is where a USB hard drive comes in handy, or a USB FLASH Drive. I'm looking to expand the storage capacity of laptops, by going to external storage, and in this case, install a Linux OS in the USB drive. I'm looking at portability for each individual machine and it's capability, and not just one Flash Drive to be exchanged between all the machines. How can I take the "live" out of the "live distro", if installed into a USB Flash Drive, or a USB hard drive? I just need to make sure that the Flash Drive or the USB hard drive has the bootable software installed in it. If I had an OS with no 'live' version on it, and the ISO file was burned-into a platter, then installed on a bootable USB device, would that on operate as a normal operating system? And as for the next part, it is not just the fact of saving files and data that was created, to those online storage URL's. My gripe is that a live USB device loses all of it's setups when the power is removed. One has to start all over again tweaking the system when the power is turned on again, to make it usable once more. PCLOS is supposed to have built-in persistence, but in reality, it doesn't! I chose the "persistent" mode when I turned on the computer. And when I turned it back on, Firefox had lost every change that I had done to it, wireless, didn't remember the security key that was manually entered into it, nor the ESSID that was given to it. The printer had to be re-installed again, The security parameters were lost. I therefore ask you, how or where am I supposed to store that kind of information? This represents a lot of wasted time, re-doing this over and over again. On a standard hard drive, this information stays with the system, and is ready to go when starting the system. On a "live' system, all that just evaporates.The good point for a "live" distro, is to try it before making a permanent installation on a hard drive. It is also good when one is traveling, doesn't want to bother nor care much about how the screen or applications look like, and uses it just to get the job done. Then shuts it down when finished with whatever the chore was.Cheers!Merci pour l'information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 In that case you do have another option: do a "normal install" to the USB-key . . . and put the bootloader in the MBR of the USB / partition.Next adapt the bootloader of the computer so it can chainload the distro on the USB . . . . so when the USB key is inserted you can choose the correct entry to boot the USB installed distro.The only downside will be that it will only work on the computer you used to do the install ( all the config files will be customized along that hardware ) . . . but the upside is that it will keep all the settings and changes you apply to it, including the files in your /homeB) BrunoPS: A live CD is a live CD and you can not write to it either . . . the USB if used as "live USB" should be seen the same way :"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onederer Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 In that case you do have another option: do a "normal install" to the USB-key . . . and put the bootloader in the MBR of the USB / partition.Next adapt the bootloader of the computer so it can chainload the distro on the USB . . . . so when the USB key is inserted you can choose the correct entry to boot the USB installed distro.The only downside will be that it will only work on the computer you used to do the install ( all the config files will be customized along that hardware ) . . . but the upside is that it will keep all the settings and changes you apply to it, including the files in your /homeB) BrunoPS: A live CD is a live CD and you can not write to it either . . . the USB if used as "live USB" should be seen the same way This is precisely what I want! A normal install that will keep all the data and information that was originally used to setup that particular computer. I don't mind getting a few of those Flash Memories to do that, for each machine. Now, what I'm not sure of is the adapting of the bootloader of the computer, the chainloading of the distro on the USB. Can you help me with that?It was not my intention of using the Flash Drive as a "Live" device, except for the very first time, to make sure that the wireless was functional. Now that I know that, I'm ready for the next step. However, can I install the entire PCLOS 2009.1 in an 8GB device? Or do I need a larger one? I've no qualms of using a USB external hard drive either, if it serves the purpose. Will the installer balk at installing the OS in a USB device?It would be nice if a "live" OS made optional provisions for a persistent presence for changeable dynamic data, if so desired. There are some around, but not many. Sabayon Linux is one of them, but it is lousy for wireless networking. At least I failed to get it to work, except with CAT-5 cabling.We are getting a little closer! Looking forward to the final product, all in a small Flash Drive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 However, can I install the entire PCLOS 2009.1 in an 8GB device? Yep no problem 8GB is enough space.Will the installer balk at installing the OS in a USB device? Nope, the installer will be able to handle that . . . just make sure you install it on the correct sda1 ( or sdb1 ) . . . one big partition is the easiest way to go about it, let the installer make the partition for you.Maybe installing the bootloader in the MBR of the USB will be easier to boot then putting the bootloader in the / partition . . . that is maybe something we will have to experiment with. Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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