Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

USB flash drive installers
Installers, that can be used in other operating systems, to install Puppy Linux on a USB flash drive.

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UNetbootin to install to USB
(has Linux or Windows version)
http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

Note:
The latest version of Unetbootin (v702) is not able to do a good install that will boot.

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universal-usb-installer
(runs in Linux)
https://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal ... -as-1-2-3/
Note:
Because this installer is not specifically made for Puppy installs and does not understand Puppy boot options.
To make sure the pupsave will be used.
On the flash drive, locate the file syslinux.cfg. Open it in a text editor. Delete the argument "pfix=ram".

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Rufus USB installer
(Runs in Windows)
https://rufus.akeo.ie/
Warning:
Latest version has issues with some Puppy versions ISO files.
Download v3.17 portable from here https://www.fosshub.com/Rufus-old.html and it will work.

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usbimager
https://github.com/trollcop/usbimager
Make sure to get the correct version 32bit or 64bit for the OS you run it in.

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Etcher (maybe)
I only offer it as maybe it will work.
Some it works, for others (like me) no it does not.

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NOTE:
These USB installers do not know about the different Puppy Linux boot options, that can be added to a boot menu entry.
They may add a option that is wrong or not needed.

If having any boot problems.
Look on the USB for the boot loader config file.
grub.cfg
syslinux.cfg
Or something similar.

Open the file in a text editor.
Look at the entries for pmedia= option.
It will probably be pmedia=cd
This has to be changed to pmedia=usbflash

May have other boot menu entries using different pfix options.
Pfix=
Boot options:
pfix=ram ->this keeps save from being loaded.
pfix=nox ->keeps X server from starting and boots to prompt.

When you can boot a running Puppy version.
Use the installers, that are in the Puppy version, to do Puppy installs.

title Puppy precisely 5.8 (sdc1/precisely-5.8)
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /precisely-5.8/initrd.gz
kernel /precisely-5.8/vmlinuz psubdir=/precisely-5.8 pmedia=usbhd pfix=nocopy
initrd /precisely-5.8/initrd.gz

PipzDex wrote: ↑Mon Oct 05, 2020 9:09 pm Hi bigpup
about usb installers
I share my experience doing my installation of any version of puppy in USB in Frugal mode, using Grub4dos using any version of puppy

/snip

Cheers!

Here's a popular one that wasn't mentioned above:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/etcher.mirror/

Also many linux iso can be directly written to the usb via dd since they were created using isohybrd.

s243a wrote: ↑Sun Nov 08, 2020 5:32 am

Here's a popular one that wasn't mentioned above:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/etcher.mirror/

Also many linux iso can be directly written to the usb via dd since they were created using isohybrd.

I used Etcher to create my Raspup microSD card for my Raspberry Pi 3B+.

s243a wrote: ↑Sun Nov 08, 2020 5:32 am

Here's a popular one that wasn't mentioned above:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/etcher.mirror/

Also many linux iso can be directly written to the usb via dd since they were created using isohybrd.

Yes, it was. Read post #1 again, carefully this time. Halfway down the page:-

Etcher
(has Linux or Windows version)
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

Never worked for me, regardless of OS/platform I've tried it in.....

Mike.

mikewalsh,
s243a was correct about Etcher not in the first post.

I added it after I read s243a's post about Etcher.
(first post Last edited by bigpup on Tue Nov 10, 2020 7:12 am)

I too have never gotten Etcher to work running in Puppy Linux.
Did get it to work running in Windows 10.
It did seem to be a little unforgiving and hard to get a good result.
I guess people can use it in other than Puppy Linux, maybe

Anyone but me and mikewalsh tried it???

@bigpup :-

Ah. Fair enough!

I know some people over at BleepingComputer, where I moderate, swear by it as being the best thing since sliced bread, but as I said, I have never got a successful result with the thing anywhere at all. Certainly, it refuses to "play ball" in Puppy...

Y'know, I've had a thought about that. I think I know why Etcher doesn't work for us.

Although other Linux OSs also 'mount' their media to a mount-point, for the 'big boys' it seems they primarily mount removable drives to the /media directory.....and that's NOT something Puppy uses, is it? I wonder if it might be possible to create a /media directory and mount to that instead.....and THEN see if it works.

Worth a try, I suppose. What d'you think?

Mike.

Do not want to do it in this topic.

How about starting a new topic about getting Etcher to work in Puppy.
We and others could probably figure out what is wrong.

Etcher does give an error message with a bunch of stuff listed about why it is not working.
Maybe that info will tell what is needed.

Re Etcher-FWIW-It uses the "dd" cmd. So You could basically use "dd" cmd, instead of Etcher. I've used it in Mint, but never tried it with a Pup.

tosim wrote: ↑Thu Nov 12, 2020 4:10 pm

Re Etcher-FWIW-It uses the "dd" cmd. So You could basically use "dd" cmd, instead of Etcher. I've used it in Mint, but never tried it with a Pup.

Which only works if the ISO was created with isohybrd.

Grey has brought USBImager to our attention, viewtopic.php?p=21503#p21503 "It works perfectly and it seems that russian colleagues have not received any complaints from users on the topic of writing a USB drive for a long time. Read: .img, .bin, .raw, .iso, .dd, .gz, .bz2, .xz, .zst, PKZIP and ZIP64." Further details and links to programs at above post.

There are both Windows and Linux versions.

Continuation of above post. Just wanted to have a searchable title. Grey's post provided these links:

https://github.com/trollcop/usbimager
https://gitlab.com/bztsrc/usbimager

Grey has published a pet for fossapup64, viewtopic.php?p=21514#p21514. May work under other 64-bit Puppies. (Untested by me). Thanks, Grey.