Installing on USB Harddisk -> help anyone?

[d00m3d]

I have not thied to install Knoppix but have installed Debian Sarge- I need to do some work with the boot as I get a kernel panic on boot up still.

...

Many distributions will not easily boot from USB- I have gotten many kernek panic messages trying.

Many distros do not boot from USB easily because your system will attempt to mount the root filesystem before the USB device in which the real root filesystem is located. As the USB device cannot be recognized, the mounting will fail and lead to kernel panic.

See the steps I posted here, the magic is to build the right initrd before your system can boot. http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20961

[mindwave]

James,

do you have the step by step instructions for making the mandrake 10.1 usb device?

i just bought the mandriva flash key (it hasnt arrived yet) but would LOVE to have hat on a 120gb usb hd.

if you have them or knw the location i'd love an email.

thanks

j

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quote="James419"]I am using both PCLinuxOS 8 and Mandriva (Mandrake) 10.1 on external USB hard drives. My drives are USB 2.0 and I think that USB 1.1 would be a problem. Mandriva even sell a USB hard drive with Mandriva 10.1 preinstalled. It includes both a floppy and cd bootdisk for systems that can not boot for USB drives. The Mandriva 10.1 Offical installation lets you make these two disks if wanted.

I use the USB drives as I wish to try and learn about linux without having my wife complain that she does not have Windows for her use. I have set my system to boot from USB first- the only thing is I have to remember to either cut off or remove my USB drives to boot to the ide drive.

I have not thied to install Knoppix but have installed Debian Sarge- I need to do some work with the boot as I get a kernel panic on boot up still.

I also have booted Win 98 from a Iomegs Zip 250 USB drive on my computer.

System- Dell Dimension 3000, P4, 512MB memory, 80GB Windows ide drive, 2 external 80GB linux drives and a 15GB external USB drive with Mandriva 10.1.

Many distributions will not easily boot from USB- I have gotten many kernek panic messages trying.

Jim
(also new to linux- less than 4 months trying)[/quote]