progress on booting debian installer from USB stick

progress on booting debian installer from USB stick

[Kitty Litter]

1. format stick with mkdosfs -I /dev/sdf

2. install syslinux syslinux /dev/sdf

3. Mount the memory stick.

4. Mount latest install image with mount image.iso /mnt -o loop

5. copy vmlinuz to the stick from /mnt/install.amd

6 copy initrd.gz to the stick from /mnt/install.amd/gtk

7. Create syslinux.cfg on the stick containing lines such as:
serial 0
default vmlinuz
append initrd=initrd.gz speakup.synth=audptr

8. copy image.iso to the stick, all files to the root directory.

9. copy the module loop.ko to the stick which might be difficult unless you 
happen to have it from a previous install. The loop module is not in initrd, 
maybe it could be included?

10. Boot from the stick and if all goes well the installer will talk.

11. Go to shell with alt-f2 enter. Mount the stick and copy loop.ko to 
/lib/modules/kernel_version/drivers/block and do depmod.

12. Mount the image.iso to /cdrom and go back to installer with alt-f1.

I didn't actually complete the install, I got to the partitioner which I 
could not back out of and did a halt from the shell. If I'm still alive 
tomorrow will try making another initrd with alsa and a few more modules.

Re: progress on booting debian installer from USB stick

[Samuel Thibault]

Kitty Litter, le Thu 13 Nov 2008 20:24:14 -0500, a écrit :
> 11. Go to shell with alt-f2 enter. Mount the stick and copy loop.ko to 
> /lib/modules/kernel_version/drivers/block and do depmod.
> 
> 12. Mount the image.iso to /cdrom and go back to installer with alt-f1.

Err, I don't see why you need that. The debian installer manual says you
can just throw the images on the USB stick and then it should work.  If
it doesn't then that's a bug which should be reported.

Samuel

Re: progress on booting debian installer from USB stick

[Kitty Litter]

I know the installer manual said that but I couldn't get it to work, if you 
can, I would be interested in hearing about it. 

Re: progress on booting debian installer from USB stick

[Samuel Thibault]

Kitty Litter, le Thu 13 Nov 2008 20:40:07 -0500, a écrit :
> I know the installer manual said that but I couldn't get it to work,

Then file a bug report explaining exactly what you tried.  Either it
doesn't work (and that should be fixed), or you missed a step (and the
documentation should be fixed).

Samuel