How to install to USB hdd?

[otropogo]

I was having some issues downloading from Mega in NZ, where the site consistently overrode the user's download settings in Chrome (the browser it recommends) and then aborted the download because there wasn't enough disk space
(I've since found that the same thing happens with Firefox, the only alternative browser Mega allows - no download interface appears, although the box for it is ticked). Since I was booting Knoppix 7.0.5 from an 8GB jumpdrive and Mega wanted 20 times the free space needed to actually hold the download file, it was mission impossible, as the default download path in Chrome in Knoppix is /knoppix/download.

So I decided to try installing Knoppix to a USB hdd.

Problem # 1 there seemed to be no installation option specifically for this action. The install to hdd option didn't ask for a drive number, let alone a partition, nor did it present a list of targets. The message said it would overwrite everything on the disk, which presumably meant all the partitions would be gone, and with them my Windows installation, and all my existing apps and data. So I turned to the only other option evident, install to usbflash.

Problem #2.usbflash installation wanted a Fat32 target, whereas my usbhdd was formatted NTFS in a single partition. So I backed up all 140GB of files (am I glad I did!), and used Gparted to shrink the NTFS partition and create an 80GB FAT32 partition. Then I tried the insall to usbflash option again.

Problem #3. the installer did not offer a choice of partitions, showed only the disk name- sdc , and continued to say everything on the disk would be wiped. This surprised me, since when installing to USBflash normally one doesn't have to lose one's data, IIRC. It was also extremely frustrating, because it had taken more than two hours to resize the NTFS partition with GParted via USB2.0. But I went ahead anyhow, and everything was undone, but the installation was pronounced successful.

Problem #4. The only installation option at the end was whether to create an overlay "up to 4GB", to which I agreed.

But when the newly created installation booted and loaded, synaptic would not go online to get Firefox or Chrome (or anything else, for that matter), although the connection was fine, as Iceweasel was able to navigate the net.

However, the whole purpose of the exercise was frustrated, since Iceweasel can't even connect properly to the Mega site, which demands either the latest version of Firefox with the latest Adobe Flash and Mega's download add-on, or the current version of Chrome.

So the entire exercise was a complete waste several hours.

But, both out of interest, and for future reference, I'd like to know whether there is a recommended procedure for installing Knoppix to an external hdd on the USB port, and what it is...

[Werner P. Schulz]

Did you read Poor man's install?

[otropogo]

Did you read Poor man's install?

I have now, thanks, and the other two links as well. But I can't say I'm any wiser. In fact, I don't understand the instructions.

For instance, it's not clear whether a poor man's install to a USB hard drive can be done just to a previously existing partition or not.

And for another, it's not clear what I have to do to make it bootable. Right now I have a bootable Knoppix USB drive, but it's crippled because synaptic doesn't work. I have no idea why. Can I simply copy the Knoppix files over from the LiveDVD to fix things?

Another unknown - at one point the wiki says that I can install a bootable Knoppix to an external hard drive partition simply by doing it from within the partition. How does that work? Do I have to try it blind and wait to see if it wipes my main hard drive or the entire external hard disk , or will the installer actually confirm that the installation will be made to, say, sdc2?

The part about an installation to an external hard drive making for a faster running system doesn't make much sense to me either, unless you can boot from a Firewire800 or eSata port (can you?). If the drive has only a USB2.0 connection, it won't make any difference to speed compared to a Jumpdrive or flash card (unless those are extremely slow), because the USB2.0 port itself will be the bottleneck.

If I have to use GRUB or some other boot manager to boot Knoppix from the external hard drive, I won't feel safe keeping any data on the drive, which would be a spectacular waste, as I don't have time to be backing up all the time.

[Werner P. Schulz]

For instance, it's not clear whether a poor man's install to a USB hard drive can be done just to a previously existing partition or not.

The partition must exist! Poor man's install only creates a folder 'Knoppix' within the partition.

And for another, it's not clear what I have to do to make it bootable.

You need Syslinux or UNetbootin.

Another unknown - at one point the wiki says that I can install a bootable Knoppix

Which Wiki does you refer?

Problem # 1 there seemed to be no installation option specifically for this action. The install to hdd option didn't ask for a drive number, let alone a partition, nor did it present a list of targets.

Read carefully the "Help"-option of the HD installscript! If there is a ReiserFS partition, the HD install will offer this partiton to use it.

[Werner P. Schulz]

But when the newly created installation booted and loaded, synaptic would not go online to get Firefox or Chrome (or anything else, for that matter), although the connection was fine, as Iceweasel was able to navigate the net.

Did you check the md5sum
and did you use the Cheatcode "knoppix testcd"?