View Full Version : [ubuntu] How to install with multiple partitions on USB key?
Fastfwd
January 19th, 2009, 01:48 PM
What I would like is to use my work laptop from home without the currently installed OS and all its restrictions. Basically I want to boot from usb-ubuntu but I also want to keep a FAT32 partition on my usb key for all my files that I use in both windows and linux.
I deally I would have a 2GB partition for ubuntu, don't care about which filesystem. And 6GB for FAT32 that is accessible by both windows and linux.
As of yet I have been unable to do that. I can create a live-usb but this does not let me have a 2nd partition and any files I put on the FAT32 endup as read-only in /cdrom
Any ideas?
Fastfwd
January 19th, 2009, 02:59 PM
I seem to have made some progress but definitely not there yet.
I booted from the live-cd and did a manual partitioning scheme to create a 5.5GB FAT23 partition first for windows and then wanted to use the remaining 2.xGB for ubuntu as ext3.
I received a warning about not having any swap partition but he installer started anyway. About 75% in it told me I was out of space for files. I assume this means my ext3 partition was already full and has nothing to do with the swap space.
Do I really need to use more than 2GB to install a basic ubuntu 8.10?
Will I be able to run simple software with 1GB of ram and no swap. vlc, firefox, ssh?
Archmage
January 19th, 2009, 03:07 PM
Yes, I think that 2 GB is pretty tight. I assume that Ubuntu would need more.
When you are using the usb-creator for a live CD and active persistante space. Can't Windows read this?
Fastfwd
January 19th, 2009, 04:25 PM
Yes, I think that 2 GB is pretty tight. I assume that Ubuntu would need more.
When you are using the usb-creator for a live CD and active persistante space. Can't Windows read this?
Yes windows can read the FAT32 on the live-usb but linux himself can only read files that are there and not modify them because they end up omn the /cdrom partititon.
Fastfwd
January 19th, 2009, 04:29 PM
I finally got it to work.
1- Use lexar bootit or other tool to flip the bit to mark usb key as non-removable drive.
2- Boot from ubuntu 8.10 live CD
3- Insert usb key
4- Choose install from menu
5- manually create partitions(first is primary fat32, second in ext3 mounted as "/") I was successful with 4GB ext3 but I think 3GB would have worked too from the available space I have now.
6- At confirm sreen go into advanced and tell grub to install on sdb(or whatever else is your usb key)
That's it. I now have a USB key that has a 4GB fat32 partition that I can read and write from windows. And a 4GB partition that I can boot into with a persistent install of ubuntu 8.10.
Too bad that I needed more space. I guess it's time to buy a key that is bigger than 8GB :)
underwhelmed
January 20th, 2009, 01:01 AM
Looks like you've done well!
Now what I've done is got a good persistent install on an 8gbusb disk, but haven't partitioned it so windows can't see it. Can anyone tell me if i can retro partition it (say 4gb) as fat32 without losing data and settings on the original half??
similarly can i make an installed usb into a live disk retrospectively?
I'll try the above moves with another usb, but would really like to keep the original, but with the above mods, without b*ggering it all up.
any ideas? cheers g
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