LiveCD USB pendrive with Multiple partitions and Grub2 installed

[Neill_R]

Trying to make this USB stick dual purpose

1 A working copy of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS
2 A Live CD (well DVD now) to install UBuntu 14.04 LTS on other disks/computers

What I did was to partition drive as so then installed the LIVE CD on sdb1.

tried to boot from the USB drive to install Ubuntu. Not possible to do that the partition table is in use.
used VirtualBox reading from virtual CD iso file to try Ubuntu and then install the system on the attached USB disk.


https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=ead6025a5b&view=att&th=145af78d46c297d1&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1




Mount running from the hard drive sda





neill@HPlt2UbuntuSvr:~$
neill@HPlt2UbuntuSvr:~$ mount

/dev/sda7 on / type ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
none on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/debug type debugfs (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/security type securityfs (rw)
udev on /dev type devtmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=0620)
tmpfs on /run type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,size=10%,mode=0755)
none on /run/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,size=5242880)
none on /run/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
cgroup on /sys/fs/cgroup type tmpfs (rw,relatime,mode=755)
cgroup on /sys/fs/cgroup/cpuset type cgroup (rw,relatime,cpuset)
cgroup on /sys/fs/cgroup/cpu type cgroup (rw,relatime,cpu)
cgroup on /sys/fs/cgroup/cpuacct type cgroup (rw,relatime,cpuacct)
cgroup on /sys/fs/cgroup/memory type cgroup (rw,relatime,memory)
cgroup on /sys/fs/cgroup/devices type cgroup (rw,relatime,devices)
cgroup on /sys/fs/cgroup/freezer type cgroup (rw,relatime,freezer)
cgroup on /sys/fs/cgroup/blkio type cgroup (rw,relatime,blkio)
cgroup on /sys/fs/cgroup/perf_event type cgroup (rw,relatime,perf_event)
/dev/sda8 on /home type ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev)
rpc_pipefs on /run/rpc_pipefs type rpc_pipefs (rw)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
nfsd on /proc/fs/nfsd type nfsd (rw)
gvfs-fuse-daemon on /home/neill/.gvfs type fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon (rw,nosuid,nodev,user=neill)
/dev/sdb3 on /media/Home type ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks)
/dev/sdb4 on /media/Root type ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks)
/dev/sdb1 on /media/7E20-B291 type vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,uid=1000,gid=1000,shortname=mixed ,dmask=0077,utf8=1,showexec,flush,uhelper=udisks)

neill@HPlt2UbuntuSvr:~$
neill@HPlt2UbuntuSvr:~$





How do i get this into the grub2 configuration on sdb







/dev/sdb1 on /media/7E20-B291 type vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,uid=1000,gid=1000,shortname=mixed ,dmask=0077,utf8=1,showexec,flush,uhelper=udisks)




I tried grub-update but all that did was to add the OS on sda. Wish i knew how to stop it searching the internal hard drive when i am configuring a removable disk device?

Now running(booting) 14.04 from the pendrive (USB stick)




sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for chris:

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x12bf842d

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 2048 409599 203776 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 409600 661841919 330716160 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3 1927114752 1953525167 13205208 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda4 661841920 1894217727 616187904 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 675459072 696143871 10342400 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 724178944 961085439 118453248 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 1157052416 1383878655 113413120 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 1383880704 1760509951 188314624 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 16.4 GB, 16358768640 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 15600 cylinders, total 31950720 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00063f98

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 2048 5496831 2747392 b W95 FAT32
/dev/sdb2 5496832 9730047 2116608 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3 9735390 15454139 2859375 83 Linux
/dev/sdb4 15462400 31948799 8243200 83 Linux
chris@chris-usb:~$






chris@chris-usb:~$ sudo blkid
/dev/sda1: LABEL="SYSTEM" UUID="0C2CE3F82CE3DAAA" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda2: UUID="9A8665128664EFE5" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda3: LABEL="RECOVERY" UUID="9CB8910BB890E554" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda5: UUID="e5dc3b89-9fd9-497b-a218-03c7ad8803f0" TYPE="swap"
/dev/sda6: LABEL="Desktop_12_04" UUID="150e6635-c92f-4ae9-ba53-21a1b5426758" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sda7: LABEL="12_04_Server" UUID="83d8ab27-7990-46c4-b59e-91891997c327" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sda8: LABEL="Home_64_Server" UUID="7f3006a7-a968-4b18-a99a-c951197bf4ba" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb1: UUID="7E20-B291" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sdb2: UUID="124e75df-4f09-4503-b6c8-481616782c5f" TYPE="swap"
/dev/sdb3: LABEL="Home" UUID="943b55b4-39ad-484c-a859-68208cdc1546" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb4: LABEL="Root" UUID="306ba494-0f3a-4dc9-9684-35e1d4dd2fcf" TYPE="ext4"
chris@chris-usb:~$




i have discovered

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1664134
(http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1664134)

and on sdb1 under /boot/grub i saw the file loopback.cfg containing the lines




menuentry "Try Ubuntu without installing" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper iso-scan/filename=${iso_path} quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Install Ubuntu" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity iso-scan/filename=${iso_path} quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Check disc for defects" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz boot=casper integrity-check iso-scan/filename=${iso_path} quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Test memory" {
linux16 /install/mt86plus
}



now I have what have to figure out is how to integrate those lines into the grub menu on sdb4


I be back if i have success but if you can help teach me I would be grateful

[oldfred]

A syslinux configuration is different.

I have a full install of Ubuntu on my flash drive and in another partition copy the ISOs. Then from grub with loopmount I boot the ISO directly. I also boot ISO from an old hard drive partition to install on another drive.

Then you do not have to extract the ISO to use it as an installer. I also copy several repair ISO like gparted, parted magic, Supergrub, Boot-Repair and others onto flash drive.

This will boot an ISO from a hard drive or any second drive
ISO Booting with Grub 2 from Hard drive - drs305
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/ISOBoot
Examples - you may copy & edit for your path & ISO version
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/ISOBoot/Examples
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1549847
Boot ISO from harddrive. To install it would have to be different partition

I have not tried chainloading to syslinux, but it is like Windows in that you should be able to just chain to sdb1 and boot the syslinux install. Boot drive is always hd0.

menuentry "Syslinux Chainboot" {
set root=(hd0,1)
chainloader +1
}

[Neill_R]

SOLVED

This is what i did

installed

[CODE}

# the 'exec tail' line above.
menuentry "Gparted live" {
set isofile="/boot/for_40_custom/gparted-live-0.18.0-2-i486.iso"
loopback loop $isofile
linux (loop)/live/vmlinuz boot=live config union=aufs noswap noprompt vga$
initrd (loop)/live/initrd.img
}
#
# will this work? YES it did!!!
#
menuentry "CloneZilla live" {
set isofile="/boot/for_40_custom/clonezilla-live-20140415-saucy-i386.iso"
loopback loop $isofile
linux (loop)/live/vmlinuz boot=live config union=aufs noswap noprompt vga$
initrd (loop)/live/initrd.img
}
#
# and will this? yes it did too !!!
#

[/CODE]


thanks oldfred

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/ISOBoot

sudo apt-get install gksu
gksu gedit /etc/default/grub &

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install grub-customizer

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list uncomment partner lines
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install skype
skype
sudo grub-install /dev/sdb1

sudo mount -o loop /boot/grml/ubuntu-14.04-desktop-i386.iso /mnt/iso
ls /mnt/iso
sudo umount /mnt/iso

sudo apt-get install grml-rescueboot
sudo mv ~/Downloads/u*.iso /boot/grml/
sudo mount -o loop /boot/grml/ubuntu-14.04-desktop-i386.iso /mnt/iso
ls /mnt/iso
sudo umount /mnt/iso

sudo mkdir /boot/for_40_custom
sudo mv ~/Downloads/*.iso /boot/for_40_custom/
ls /boot/for_40_custom
clonezilla-live-20140331-saucy-amd64.iso
gparted-live-0.18.0-2-i486.iso
clonezilla-live-20140415-saucy-i386.iso

133 sudo nano /etc/grub.d/40_custom

# the 'exec tail' line above.
menuentry "Gparted live" {
set isofile="/boot/for_40_custom/gparted-live-0.18.0-2-i486.iso"
loopback loop $isofile
linux (loop)/live/vmlinuz boot=live config union=aufs noswap noprompt vga=788 ip=frommedia toram=filesystem.squashfs findiso=$isofile
initrd (loop)/live/initrd.img
}
#
# will this work? YES it did!!!
#
menuentry "CloneZilla live" {
set isofile="/boot/for_40_custom/clonezilla-live-20140415-saucy-i386.iso"
loopback loop $isofile
linux (loop)/live/vmlinuz boot=live config union=aufs noswap noprompt vga=788 ip=frommedia toram=filesystem.squashfs findiso=$isofile
initrd (loop)/live/initrd.img
}
#
# and will this? Yess!!!
#


134 gksu grub-customizer &

unselect the sda OS entries

save and then reboot


save and reboot