Flash to USB installer (experimental) in 7.0.5

[philo]

I installed Knoppix 7.0.5 DVD on a Kingston USB2 (16GB) with a persistent img of 4GB. It works fine.
I am now trying to use its Knoppix flash-to-USB installer (experimental version) to create another Live USB (on a Sandisk USB2 of 32GB) with a much larger overlay, as reportedly now possible with 7.0.5.
I left the Sandisk key unformated.
The popup window asks me to choose 'i' (overlay of <4gb) or 'p'. I highlight 'p' and press OK. The next window is an error message saying that the overlay must be set at 400MB or above.
In the previous window, I then try to enter a figure (say 10000) as the proposed size for the overlay and press OK, but that figure does not seem to be recorded.
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for your help. (this is my first posting by the way)

[Blacksimon]

i=overlay image
p=overlay partition

if highlight "p" a data partition (ReiserFS fornatted) is created about size choosen.
knoppix-data.inf is the partition mounted by fstab

[philo]

Thanks, Blacksimon but could you be more specific - in a tutorial sort of fashion - about how I should proceed after opening the knoppix installer (experimental ersion). Grazie.

[ssanubis]

I, too, am having issues with the new experimental USB installer. Is there some documentation on how exactly to use it? I checked and there is no man page for flash-knoppix2 nor flash-knoppix which is which is a darn shame. No entry on the wiki that I could see. No prior posts here in support minus this one I am in currently.

I am using an 8 GB usb flash drive I always carry on my keys chain and really wanted to try this out (I always thought it stunk that the live-rw function of debian was not functional on knoppix) but simply cannot get this to work. The problem is, without instructions I cannot determine if it's an issue where this experimental application is not working as intended for me or if it's my own user error. Unfortunately, the above post does not contain any actual explainaton either.

Lets boil this down to steps.

1. How exactly does the usb need to be prepared?
2. Number of partitions?
3. Format of partitions?
4. Labels?
5. Size requirements?
6. Mounted or unmounted?

Give me something to work with, LOL.

[Blacksimon]

I only take a look inside flash-knoppix2
Now I try it

[Blacksimon]

1) Launch knoppix installer (experimental version)
2) Select desired target device (I try to use a 16GB Sony Usb not empty)
3) Select installation method:
case "i" Standard installation on FAT32 with knoppix-data < 4GB (I think is the same of old flash-knoppix)
case "p" New type of installation: first parition FAT32 and second partition dedicated to overlay
4) i choose "p" because i want overlay >4GB (if possible...)
5) ok at warning message all data will erase on usb. I want.
6) ok at second warning message before proceed. Do it.
7) select the size of overlay partition. min: 400MB - max: the available free space left on usb
8 ) I select the max (in my case 8728MB)
9) ok to proceed
10) wait the end of the process (formatting, install boot loader, copy data file)
11) now, if you want, you can encrypt with aes the overlay.
12) Enter a password 8-14 chars lenght and then again to confirm
13) Wait the creation of the encrypted overlay
14) End

[ttopp]

1) Launch knoppix installer (experimental version)
2) Select desired target device (I try to use a 16GB Sony Usb not empty)
3) Select installation method:
case "i" Standard installation on FAT32 with knoppix-data < 4GB (I think is the same of old flash-knoppix)
case "p" New type of installation: first parition FAT32 and second partition dedicated to overlay
4) i choose "p" because i want overlay >4GB (if possible...)
5) ok at warning message all data will erase on usb. I want.
6) ok at second warning message before proceed. Do it.
7) select the size of overlay partition. min: 400MB - max: the available free space left on usb
8 ) I select the max (in my case 8728MB)
9) ok to proceed
10) wait the end of the process (formatting, install boot loader, copy data file)
11) now, if you want, you can encrypt with aes the overlay.
12) Enter a password 8-14 chars lenght and then again to confirm
13) Wait the creation of the encrypted overlay
14) End

Hi,

I spent the weekend to no avail but now have an 8GB and 16GB Sandisk and today a 64GB Lexar USB drives with Knoppix 7.05 DVD - None of 3 will boot! Am I missing a step(s), somewhere?

10) wait the end of the process (formatting, install boot loader, copy data file)

I started with the 7.05 DVD .... when I had the Graphical Interface; I selected from (lower left) menu, Knowppix, Install to USB -Experimental. I let the Install Program do everything - Very smooth. When Finished, I reboot and receive the No DEFAULT or UI configuration directive found!

10) wait the end of the process (formatting, install boot loader, copy data file)

So, is your Step number 10... consisting of multiple steps; like installing lilo - Please, it's been some time. I'm back because of the possibility to carry mutiple boots and DVD of data on a USB. Thanks.

[STraute]

I spent the weekend to no avail but now have an 8GB and 16GB Sandisk and today a 64GB Lexar USB drives with Knoppix 7.05 DVD - None of 3 will boot! Am I missing a step(s), somewhere?

10) wait the end of the process (formatting, install boot loader, copy data file)

I started with the 7.05 DVD .... when I had the Graphical Interface; I selected from (lower left) menu, Knowppix, Install to USB -Experimental. I let the Install Program do everything - Very smooth. When Finished, I reboot and receive the No DEFAULT or UI configuration directive found!

10) wait the end of the process (formatting, install boot loader, copy data file)

So, is your Step number 10... consisting of multiple steps; like installing lilo - Please, it's been some time. I'm back because of the possibility to carry mutiple boots and DVD of data on a USB. Thanks.

Step 10 does not describe tasks You (as the user of the experimental Installer) have to perform, it just lists the many sub-tasks the Installer has to perform (while You have to wait).

The message You described might come from the Knoppix boot loader, but I am not sure. Is the same
message displayed when you start Your PC without any (USB-) Flash storage device attached?
Can Your PC boot from other flash memory storage devices? Can other PCs/Laptops boot Knoppix from Your USB flash memory devices?

I think that it is entirely possible that every one of Your installations was successful, but that your computer can not (currently) boot from USB: Most PCs built-in firmware/BIOS software requires a special key to be pressed before booting of any operating system (from hard disk or SSD) can take place. This key causes a boot device menu to be displayed. In this kind of menu you may then select the avaliable boot devices (among device vendor strings). I can not tell you which special key is needed for Your PC, but this is usually displayed during BIOS storage device detection in a message like "Press F11 to enter boot device selection menu." or "Press F8 key to choose system startup media". This display may zip by rather fast; But the Pause key is your friend.

Sometimes the PC firmware/BIOS requires reconfiguration before even allowing boot from USB media.
In Your BIOS setup, please check the boot device order (and other USB-related options).

Perhaps Your PC-BIOS gets confused by the second partition(s) ("/dev/sd?2") created by the experimental installer - Try to use the normal/older flash install program from the Knoppix DVD with Your 8 GB Sandisk stick (If that can be booted then You have a picky/broken BIOS. Your PC manufacturer might offer BIOS updates by download). Only storage devices with memory capacity bigger than 8 GiB can really benefit from the new experimental installer anyway.

I hope any of this can help You.

[ttopp]

Step 10 does not describe tasks You (as the user of the experimental Installer) have to perform, it just lists the many sub-tasks the Installer has to perform (while You have to wait).

Can Your PC boot from other flash memory storage devices? Can other PCs/Laptops boot Knoppix from Your USB flash memory devices?

Try to use the normal/older flash install program from the Knoppix DVD with Your 8 GB Sandisk stick (If that can be booted then You have a picky/broken BIOS. Your PC manufacturer might offer BIOS updates by download). Only storage devices with memory capacity bigger than 8 GiB can really benefit from the new experimental installer anyway.

I hope any of this can help You.

Ok... First - Thank you for the quick responses. On Knoppix DVD 7.05 from USB... experimental... I ran 'knoppix testdvd' and it Failed. Thank you.
------------------------------------------------

You folks are good with your answers to posts. Your manners are patient and appreciated.
I have downloaded and installed Firmware Update for the Plextor 716A CD/DVD R RW DL. Finished. I have Updated 4.22.2005 AMI BIOS. Finished. I have adjusted BIOS to boot from DVD, USB, etc. I have pressed F8 to get a Boot Menu. Thank you.
-------------------------------------------------
These Thank yous are sincere. It helps my memory to read and re read the forum posts after so long. I am looking for the 7.1 DVD and will start over. -Installing to Flash-USB Experimental. Until then...
I have a 8GB w optional overlay, a 16GB w p, and a 64GB install w 1505MB Reiser FS partition?. Thanks. ..looking for computers here at the home to test them on, although, with the DVD Failing (the 7.04-5? *CD, PASSED!) -maybe yes/ maybe no. One more on the errors... in the beginning when I first started.. I received 'Can't find Kernel' errors. I haven't seen that in a while. I thought Sandisk specific?
-----------------------------------------------------
I used to be fairly adept at this and I'm enjoying the heck out of it again... so thanks and I'm keeepin on.

[Werner P. Schulz]

If you select "p" you'll get your Overlay within a separate partition "/dev/sda2" with the mountpoint "KNOPPIX-DATA"
flash-knoppix2..png

This partition is ReiserFS formatted; therefore the overlay size can exceed the size of 4GB. The partition "/dev/sda1" is FAT32 formatted as usual.

In my example I've used an USB-drive of about 150GB and I created an overlay partition of 20GB.

As you can see there is remainig free space at '/mnt-system/' of 126GB which also can be used. For example create the folder

'/mnt-system/personal_stuff/'

and store whatever you want within this folder.