How to set up a Fedora Core on a USB disk

[Zariah]

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This document details the installation of Fedora Core on an external hard drive connected via USB. It may be the basis for other distributions with minor modifications. Installing Fedora Core on an external hard drive does not vary much from the installation on an internal hard drive. In this document I'll just zoom in on the specifics. I guess later in the tutorial you have a PC on which you connect your external USB disk. And of course on what PC you have a Linux distribution installed. For me it is a Debian Sarge, but it works with any.

[Zariah]

Installing the Distribution on the external hard drive

The main problem of this installation lies in the detection of the external hard drive. In fact, you start the installation in expert mode to detect the external hard drive and install the distribution and on the latter. Connect your external hard drive and insert the CD or DVD of "Fedora Core". Then type: linux expert at the boot: prompt.

Creating Partitions

At this stage, each manages his scores as he wishes. Nevertheless, for the installation to succeed, create a / boot partition of about 300MB beyond your / partition. As a guide, here's how I made my home:

  / Boot 300MB on / dev/sda3 / 15GB on / dev/sda5 * swap on / dev/sda6

Grub
At the end of the installation, the installer asks you where to install GRUB, choose not to install any software startup. You will use the existing one on your internal hard drive.

[Zariah]

Restarting in rescue mode

Upon reboot, do not try to boot from the external hard drive, even if your bios allows. Otherwise you get a nice "Kernel Panic". Insert the CD instead of installing Fedora Core. At bootup, simply type:

  Boot: linux rescue

• Choose the language
• Choose the type of keyboard.
• When asked "configure networking" choose NO.
• When asked "rescue" choose to ignore.

Once in the shell, chroot partitions on the hard drive. Specifically, do this:

# Mkdir-p / mnt / source # mount / dev/sda5 / mnt / source # mount / dev/sda3 / mnt / source / boot # chroot / mnt / source # uname-r 2.6.11-1.1369_FC4

Note that / dev/sda5 and / dev/sda3 correspond to my partitions, / and / boot. If this is not home, adjust! Note on a piece of paper this time, the string returned by uname-r, it will be useful later. At this point, you are on the external hard drive, and you use the software installed on it.

[Zariah]

Creating an initrd

An "initrd" the acronym "initial ramdisk" is a RAM disk that is initialized by the OS loader before the kernel boots. It contains additional modules ideally the kernel can use to launch. To create an initrd on partition / dev/sda3 (/ boot), type:

# Mkinitrd - preload = ehci-hcd - preload = uhci-hcd - preload = ohci-hcd - preload = usb-storage - preload = scsi_mod - preload = sd_mod / boot / 2.6.11-initrd_new_usb.img 1.1369_FC4

2.6.11-1.1369_FC4 rate that exactly matches the string returned by uname-r above. If your home is different, adjust! After validation, the image to start the external hard drive is ready for use. To exit the chroot, type:

  # Exit

Then reboot:

  # Reboot

[Zariah]

Updating the OS loader : Start now on your distribution installed on the internal hard drive.

If you are using Grub as a loader BONE
Edit / boot / grub / menu.lst. Add a new section for Fedora (at end of file):

 title Fedora Core Ext
 root (hd1, 2)
 kernel / vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4 ro root = LABEL = /
 initrd / initrd_new_usb.img

For what are not accustomed to the notation grub (hd1, 2) delivered to your desktop 3rd partition on 2nd hard drive (/ dev/sda3). Save it, then type in a terminal:

  # Update-grub

If you use LILO as a charger BONE : Edit the file / etc / lilo.conf. Add a new section for Fedora (at end of file):

  image = / vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4
 label = Fedora Core Ext
 initrd = / initrd_new_usb.img
 read-only
 append = "root = LABEL = /"

Save it, then type in a terminal:

  # Lilo

Finally : The "root = LABEL = /" is a feature of Fedora / Red Hat. If you use this document as the basis for another distribution, see what has been done in other sections of the file / boot / grub / menu.lst and / etc / lilo.conf. Otherwise check out the tutorials for Grub and Lilo for how to add a section to OS loader generically. Restart your computer, and the appearance of Grub select "Fedora Core Ext.

What is the size of the disk required for setting Fedora core on USB disk. Can anyone please do reply me regarding the space requirement for ubuntu or any older version like red hat or FREE BSD