Booting From USB

This board posts about running linux on your webdt366
Post Reply
david_halliday
Developer
Developer
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:13 pm

Booting From USB

Post by david_halliday »

Has anyone managed to boot a DT366 from USB using native Linux as the file system?

I can boot a USB stick with FAT partition (Eg ghost restore stick) no problems and can even boot from a USB cdrom but try as I might I can not seem to get a stick to boot if it contains just Linux partitions and Grub in the MBR. The DT366 just comes up and says no boot device found.

I have a couple of thoughts to work around the problem but don't really like any of them.

1) Put grub on internal flash (IDE) and boot to the external usb
2) Try having a fat partition and boot to that then use syslinux to boot Linux.

I am just wondering what everyone else is doing, I know most Live distributions are FAT based but has anyone managed to get an installed linux to boot from USB only?

Dave.
Fleegman
Developer
Developer
Posts: 58
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:32 am

Re: Booting From USB

Post by Fleegman »

I was able to get AntiX booting off the USB.  The live CD lets you install AntiX onto a USB drive as a real linux installation (complete with swap partition) -- but I was unable to get the Penmount drivers works  (everything else worked fine).
david_halliday
Developer
Developer
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:13 pm

Re: Booting From USB

Post by david_halliday »

Thanks Fleegman,  I think I have it figured out. It looks like when debian was installing grub it got the hard-drives mixed up some how. My work around was to install the entrire thing on a second computer (disabling the controller that has the real HD so that it does not even show up).

The big plus of this is that the install is super fast compared to installing on the WebDT directly (DT366 only has USB 1.1) You do need to trick the installer into putting on the correct kernel however.

Dave.
vinograd19
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:14 am
Contact:

Re: Booting From USB

Post by vinograd19 »

does it hasn't usb 2.0?
david_halliday
Developer
Developer
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:13 pm

Re: Booting From USB

Post by david_halliday »

Nope DT366 = USB 1.1  but DT360=USB2

Dave.
Post Reply