Re: [gentoo-user] Iron penguin on usb?

[Fernando Rodriguez]

On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 10:15:38 PM James wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Ok the latest release of livedvd is here:
>
> https://www.gentoo.org/news/20140826-livedvd.xml
>
> So my understanding is you can put this on a usb stick. Run
> gentoo live, download packages, set flags, install packages
> and save them to the USB stick?  So it's a portable  gentoo
> workstation on a usb stick?
>
> https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/LiveUSB/HOWTO
>
>
> Are these the best instructions to follow to createa usb bootable
> live gentoo image?  It has to be able to install new packages and
> save those to the usb stick.
>
> I remember some time back (Neil) mentioned a package I was
> not aware of (and naturally cannot remmber the name of) that
> made creating USB bootable, usable, images on a usb stick
> straightforward?
>
> It even handled grub2, uefi and such?
>
> suggestions?
>
>
> James
>
>
>
>

You can install Gentoo to a USB drive following the installation guide on the 
wiki. I've done it Arch cause it's quicker but it will work with Gentoo as 
well. Just make sure to compile the kernel with everything as modules and 
install all the xorg drivers if you want a desktop.

You can also make a multiboot USB (for most live CDs) like that, Just use 
syslinux as your bootloader, to install a new live CD (in a nutshell):

1. Create a FAT partition big enough to store the Live CD. If the CD has a 
volume label that's less that 8 chars set the label of the new partition to 
the same (some live CDs use it to find the live medium).
2. Mount the ISO image as a loop device and copy all the files to your new 
partition.
3. Install Syslinux on top of Isolinux (usually /isolinux).
4. Create a syslinux.cfg as follows: "echo 'include isolinux.cfg' > 
/mnt/isolinux/syslinux.cfg (assuming your new partition is mounted on /mnt).
5. Add an entry to your Gentoo's syslinux.cfg to chainload to the new 
partition.

I recently tried this and it worked with Arch, Knoppix, Kali, and Ubuntu CDs 
(for Ubuntu distros create the partition and then use Ubunutu's startup disk 
creator to install it to the new partition, then do step #5).

I create a FAT32 parition for my files and set the type of all other paritions, 
including the ext2 partion to "Hidden FAT32" (more modern software doesnt care 
about the type) so when you plug it in on a desktop (even windows) only that 
partition is visible. Just make sure not to mount your it on your /home 
directory cause it'll give you problems.

-- 
Fernando Rodriguez
PGP Key: http://keys.gnupg.net/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xF6CE157FF9525C1C