USB Jump Drive - Boot/run Linux

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#1 Post by **Harryc** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:21 pm

Has anyone successfully been able to get a T4X or a T6X Thinkpad to boot and run Linux successfully using a Jump(flash) drive? If so, can you explain what you did?

hyperq · #2 Post by **hyperq** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:49 pm

Google it. I have seen articles online describing how to do it.

aaa · #3 Post by **aaa** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:31 pm

Yes, I have the the 50mb DSL on my USB drive. I followed the howto on their wiki:
http://www.[censored].org/wiki/inde ... lash_Drive

#4 Post by **Harryc** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:01 pm

Thanks, but I was looking for something a bit more substantial than DSL. I have a 4GB USB key set aside for this ...

#5 Post by **Harryc** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:02 pm

hyperq wrote:Google it. I have seen articles online describing how to do it.

This advice sounds kind of vague. I have read and tried several of these 'articles'. Has anyone tried this?

aaa · #6 Post by **aaa** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:04 pm

Well you can install full-blown Ubuntu on that...

Google for a guide

Actually it might be as simple as selected the usb drive as the install target when you boot the cd.

#7 Post by **Harryc** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:08 pm

Thanks aaa. I am really looking for maybe 6 or 8 steps from someone who has done this with something more than DSL or a link that 'definitely' works with a T4x or a T6x. Google is hit or miss.

hart22 · #8 Post by **hart22** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:11 pm

The portable Linux distribution that interests me is this one from the same Pen Drive Linux site, allowing Linux to run from the USB drive as a window within XP or Vista. A little easier to setup because it connects to the internet through the host PC's connection.

I haven't tried any of the Pen Drive Linux distributions, but this article from PC Magazine does single them out as the most effortless to install and get up and running.

#9 Post by **Harryc** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:15 pm

Ok, pendrivelinux works. I am typing this on a T42 booted up from a USB jump drive.

Screenshot of PendriveLinux

Recommended....very nice and complete little distro. Intel 2200b/g wifi works out of the box.

pailhead · #10 Post by **pailhead** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 10:50 am

aaa wrote:Actually it might be as simple as selected the usb drive as the install target when you boot the cd.

Yes, it is that easy. I was booting Ubuntu from a 4GB flash drive for a weekend.

lightweight · #11 Post by **lightweight** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:31 am

As you mess around, be aware you can also compress and boot your favorite Linux distribution after installing a few modules and using the scripts at http://www.linux-live.org/ This allows you to use, say, your favorite kernel and flags and programs with a mobile Linux distribution. Also, loading Linux to RAM ensures no harddisk access unless you want to mount it for media or somesuch.

My x61s's Debian install -- including xfce, compiz-fusion, openoffice math/calc, mysql-server, gcc, perl5, bunch of development.networking/system tools, minus extra locales, etc -- is 2.7G. My desktop's Gentoo with pretty much the same plus postgres, httpd, lighttpd, bind, gnbd, etc is under 4G. You can get pretty bloated and remain totally doable considering the cost of RAM nowadays vs the increased battery time and your essential/favorite programs.

smintier · #12 Post by **smintier** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:33 am

http://www.remote-exploit.org/backtrack.html
This is an excellent network pen testing Linux distro. The wiki has a script that you can download and use to install backtrack from Winders with a couple of clicks. This is a full featured and fun Linux distro that's under a gig.

rdcuff · #13 Post by **rdcuff** » Wed May 07, 2008 2:41 pm

Harryc wrote:Has anyone successfully been able to get a T4X or a T6X Thinkpad to boot and run Linux successfully using a Jump(flash) drive? If so, can you explain what you did?

I am running a T42p with both DSL and PuppyLinux launched via a 2GB PNY USB pen drive.

I followed the DSL tutorial as published at their website. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Download the iso

Burn to a CD-R

Reboot the PC. If needed, press 12 at the initial screen to get a boot device list, then choose the CD/DVD crive.

Boot DSL from the CD

Install to the pen drive from within DSL -- sets up a 2nd partition that it boots from, installs GRUB.

Remove the CD, restart the PC. Make sure the pen drive is installed.

When the initial startup screen comes up, press F12 to get the boot devices list. You should see the USB pen drive on that list.

Select it.

Sixty seconds later, voila - working Linux.

I haven't tweaked it much yet...I can connect to the Internet using my hard wired ethernet connection, but haven't sorted out the wireless access yet.

The steps are similar for PuppyLinux.

Hope this helps

Richard / Allentown, PA USA

rdcuff · #14 Post by **rdcuff** » Wed May 07, 2008 4:06 pm

rdcuff wrote:
Reboot the PC. If needed, press 12 at the initial screen to get a boot device list, then choose the CD/DVD crive.

That should be

Press F12 at the initial screen

Sorry for any misunderstanding.

Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA

sliverstorm · #15 Post by **sliverstorm** » Sat May 10, 2008 11:50 am

actually, I have just discovered you can install a iso to a floppy with ease.

from linux:

apt-get install syslinux mtools

syslinux -s /dev/target_flash1 (ex. sdb1)

then copy everything out of the .iso (not the iso- you gotta extract the stuff) onto the drive
then you move /isolinux and /isolinux/isolinux.cfg to /syslinux and /syslinux/syslinux.cfg, respectifly.

It is supposed to work seamlessly on ubuntu. I used it to boot the Fedora 9 live cd; took a little editing of the boot options (had to specifiy root=/dev/sdb1 and I also changed root fs to vfat instead of iso9660)

I can't give you step by step instructions (sorry about that

) but man, just learning 1: that it can be done and 2: how to do it... I have been dreaming of this for 3 years

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