Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19

Thread: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

  1. #1
    neu5eeCh is offline Grande Half-n-Half Cinnamon Ubuntu
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Beans
    912
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    Since I'm getting no satisfaction with my last query, thought I'd ask the question with a little more clarity...

    With two of my last three laptops, I've been unable to install drivers (wireless) while in live-mode. Once Ubuntu was properly installed (on the HDD), however, the drivers installed flawlessly.

    So... is the inability to install drivers in live mode standard behavior?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    NEK Vermont
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu UNR

    Re: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    If you are talking about a live cd, then the answer is yes. The live cd is read only. It is possible to create other bootable devices and install additional software to the operating system. If you want to run strictly a live environment, you might consider knoppix instead.

    Also this is still relevant: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD/Persistence Though I wouldn't reccomend trying karmic's usb creator.
    Last edited by spiderbatdad; January 1st, 2010 at 03:36 PM.

  3. #3
    neu5eeCh is offline Grande Half-n-Half Cinnamon Ubuntu
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Beans
    912
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    Thanks Spider. That hasn't been my experience with either LiveCD or LiveUSB, but I'll take your word for it.

    I'm not trying to run in a "strictly live environment". I've been trying to persuade my wife to kill windows on her netbook, but it's hard to demonstrate the superiority of Ubuntu (and Linux in general) when I can't get her wireless to work. That's why I'm asking if this only an issue in "Live Mode".

    Edit: Just noticed that I misread Spider's comment. He was saying that I can't install drivers in live mode, which confirms my experience.
    Last edited by neu5eeCh; January 1st, 2010 at 03:43 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    NEK Vermont
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu UNR

    Re: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    please tell us what netbook and what version of Ubuntu.

    I could be wrong. I haven't spent much time running a live cd. Certainly you can edit files and the like, but I don't understand where you would be installing any programs unless you had storage or a partition prepared to which you could write.
    Last edited by spiderbatdad; January 1st, 2010 at 03:44 PM.

  5. #5
    neu5eeCh is offline Grande Half-n-Half Cinnamon Ubuntu
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Beans
    912
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    HP Mini 1030NR.

    As mentioned in my last post, another user has apparently created a dual boot system on this tiny computer (all on a 16G solid state drive!), so I have no doubt that Ubuntu will work on her Netbook once I persuade her to switch.

    Anyway, I tried with two different versions of Ubuntu 9.10 - both standard and Netbook remix.

    I was about to try with Puppy, just to see....

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    NEK Vermont
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu UNR

    Re: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    ok sorry, I looked at your previous thread. How about trying to install the broadcom driver from the live cd. Check your software sources to be sure cd rom is checked then start synaptic package manager. Look for bcmwl-kernel-source, or something...just type bcm into the search window. Sorry I haven't had much experience with this driver...luckily!

  7. #7
    neu5eeCh is offline Grande Half-n-Half Cinnamon Ubuntu
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Beans
    912
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    Thanks again, Spider.

    The problem isn't with finding or downloading the driver (which Ubuntu seems able to do) the problem is that "Live Mode" seems unable to "activate" it, or (to use its own terminology) put the wireless hardware in use.

    I'm beginning to think that this is a Live Mode limitation.

    It would seem to me that the Ubuntu "powers that be" ought to either remedy this or give users like myself some indication that this is a "Live Mode" limitation. I'm OK with the latter solution - at least newcomers won't think there's something wrong with Linux itself...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    NEK Vermont
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu UNR

    Re: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    If you created a bootable usb with 2G and used the extra space for storage, I would venture you could use this driver. You can create the bootable usb using usb-creator, even from a live cd, but not Karmic's since it is broken. But if you had a copy of Jaunty, for example, or Hardy, You can boot the cd, plug-in the usb, and run usb-creator. This assumes you have an image stored on a working system. You select source by browsing, then highlight it. Then select usb as target...set extra space for persistence. I realize it's a little work, but it creates a bootable/installation usb device with some storage. Also if the image is on a working ext4 system there might be problems browsing the filesystem...not sure. A lot of issues exist since all the recent changes. I get around this by using an external drive to store the image I want to write to usb, and boot from an 8.04, or 8.10 live cd for usb-creator.
    Last edited by spiderbatdad; January 1st, 2010 at 04:38 PM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Beans
    15
    Distro
    Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

    Re: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    My sister has the same wireless card in her Mini 1030NR. To fix it, I went to System > Administration > Software Sources then checked the box that said "CDROM with Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala). Then I opened Synaptic Package Manager and searched for "bcmwl-kernel-source" and installed it. After a reboot, everything works perfectly. Hopefully this will work for you too. Best of luck!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    NEK Vermont
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu UNR

    Re: Can drivers be installed with LiveCDs & LiveUSBs?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ferretti View Post
    My sister has the same wireless card in her Mini 1030NR. To fix it, I went to System > Administration > Software Sources then checked the box that said "CDROM with Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala). Then I opened Synaptic Package Manager and searched for "bcmwl-kernel-source" and installed it. After a reboot, everything works perfectly. Hopefully this will work for you too. Best of luck!
    It would be great if you actually read the thread before posting.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •