Debian on USB Quick Install

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Prepare the USB media

This part is about the same as in the full version of my Install Debian on USB instructions. Create a single ext2 partition on the USB drive: 

foo:~/# fdisk /dev/sda

Command (m for help): d
Selected partition 1

Command (m for help): n
Command action
   e   extended
   p   primary partition (1-4)
p
Partition number (1-4): 1
First cylinder (1-1015, default 1): 
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeK (1-1015, default 1015):
Using default value 1015

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-4): 1

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sda: 1031 MB, 1031798784 bytes
32 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1015 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 1984 * 512 = 1015808 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        1015     1006849   83  Linux

Command (m for help): w
The partition table has been altered!

Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.

In short, create a Linux (type 83) partition that is bootable. Easy enough, right?

Create a filesystem on the USB media: 

foo:~/# mkfs -t ext2 /dev/sda1
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Get the files

Download the tarball. There are two versions, one if your flash drive is /dev/sda1 on boot, one if it is /dev/hda1 on boot (for instance if using a CF-to-IDE adaptor instead of USB)

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Install the files

Mount your USB media somewhere, and untar the contents of the tarball to it: 

# mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
# cd /mnt
# tar -xzf ~/moo-2007.03.05_sda1.tar.gz
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Install extlinux 

# extlinux --install /mnt
# cat /usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin > /dev/sda
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Try it! 

# umount /mnt

Then plug the USB device into the target machine and boot from it!

You will undoubtedly want to modify the configuration; change the IP address, hostname, etc.

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External links

Retrieved from "http://wiki.flimzy.com/index.php/Debian_on_USB_Quick_Install"