how to: install Mageia on a USB (not for a live Mageia)

[ludotw]

I would like to install Mageia on a USB. So that my entire system is on the USB, with partitions on the USB, saving files and setups on the USB.

The topic is discussed a bit In a separate thread, https://forums.mageia.org/en/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2477 where doktor5000 says:

The other way would be to install Mageia to the pendrive.

Yes! This is what I would like to do. So I have an ISO burned onto a DVD, as a live DVD it starts well. Then what is next?
I ask because I tried with mandriva one 2011. Also from a DVD, at the beginning of the installation I chose my USB drive as the target drive. I have formated it with:

Code: Select all

mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdf

I chose the option to use the entire space.
But then it seems that the install also is doing something (?) on my sda drive (the HDD): I saw messages regarding operations on /dev/sda (with maybe some partition specified I can't remember).
When I am asked where to put the GRUB, I also chose the USB drive.

But the GRUB option don't give me the choice to boot with windows as a possibility. That is a first problem.
But I still try to boot from this USB. Yes, it boots. I get a splash screen, I am asked which language I want to use, and other options, but then the screen turns all black.
And windows couldn't start anymore (has the MBR been damaged by the process?).

So:
1) what is the best way to install Mageia on a USB (size of partitions, options, steps to follow...)
2) is there any condition on the USB (speed, capacity, model...)? The one I used for my test was 2.0 and 8GB.
3) about the GRUB: if it is installed on the USB, if the USB is not present will that cause any problem (why would it?)?

My target machine is a zenbook UX32VD.

[Max]

A while back I managed to make a persistent USB system of Crunchbang, and if I am not mistaken, the same process can be used for any system that has a Live install.
Basically what it does is to create the Live USB like normally, but to allocate a partition for a persistent /home directory.
I'll look around and see if I can find out how I did this.

[Ken-Bergen]

This is worrisome.

I chose the option to use the entire space.
But then it seems that the install also is doing something (?) on my sda drive (the HDD): I saw messages regarding operations on /dev/sda (with maybe some partition specified I can't remember).

It looks like you actually installed to the hard drive thus wiping out Windows.
Have you checked that Windows still boots with the flash drive removed?

[widget]

When you get your system fixed from the problems caused by your installation attempt give it another try on the stick.

I have an install of LMDE (linux mint debian edition) on a 32gig stick. I did use about half of it for the install, lots of room. It is installed on 3 partitions in this order,
/boot. /, /home. Then about 16gigs of a data partition and last a single gig of /swap incase I want to boot it on a low ram box.

I was nervous about doing this so I disabled, in bios, my internal drives. There was no chance of the installer messing with my other installs.

The reason for using a 1 gig /boot is that there are some bios that will boot the thing better with a separate /boot.

You will not have an entry for MS installing this way but you can add that to your /boot/grub/menu.list later manually. Don't know what it would look like, don't use MS myself.

Installation is just like installing on any usb external drive or for that matter an internal drive.

Mine is very slow to boot and use however. I believe it is because the stick is a cheap one. It does work however and is faster than running from a CD/DVD.

It is also kind of FUN.

As I am not really interested in running the thing for anything but trouble shooting and recovery there is no real need for more speed. Plays music fine as long as I am not doing much else. Haven't tried a movie but think it will play if doing nothing else.

I have several installs on an external enclosure. Not as portable but I can't tell the difference in speed from my internal installs. You may want to consider that option. Externals are not real expensive and enclosures pretty cheep. You just need to add your own HDD and if you have any old one laying around it will probably be bigger than a stick gig wise.

[gohlip]

This is worrisome.
It looks like you actually installed to the hard drive thus wiping out Windows.
Have you checked that Windows still boots with the flash drive removed?

@ludotw, this is important. If you are unable to do the above, you may also check by booting up a livecd and at terminal (as root)
"fdisk -lu" or "blkid" and see if there are any ntfs partitions. If there are ntfs partitions yet you cannot boot windows, there is hope to rescue your windows intact.

[gohlip]

@ludotw, this is important. If you are unable to do the above, you may also check by booting up a livecd and at terminal (as root)
"

Another simpler way is to go to grub prompt, type in
grub> find (
Then press <tab> (you may need to press <tab> twice)
and you get a list of partitions showing also their formats.

ps: sorry, forgot about this, not used grub-legacy about 5 years.
(grub2 command is "ls")