Linux Installation to USB

[nkeck72]

So I have the old D505 laptop, and have determined that the latest Linux I can install on it is Fedora Core 5. Finding installation media was no problem, but I need to be able to install it to USB. Every time I try to install, drivers load, media checks out OK, asks for my keyboard type and then I get "no valid devices were found on which to create new filesystems." This happens in both the graphical and text-mode installers.

My prblem is that if it thought the USB hard disk was nonexistant it wouldn't have loaded the usb-storage driver at startup and would have told me before graphics mode even started to give the path to a hard disk controller driver.

Do I have to create the partitions manually, or is there even a way to get the installer to work? And if there is a way to get it to work, is it an easy fix?

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

I would try a different distribution of Linux designed for lower end hardware, like Lubuntu. I don't think that machine is going to like FC5 even if it would install.

[stj]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

the fedora installer needs a gig of ram to operate for a start.
btw, if you have a decent bios on that thing, see how it mounts usb media.
is it simulating something else? or is it using EHCI ?

[nkeck72]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

The only clue to how it mount USB media is an option to turn USB emulation on or off.

I may try Lubuntu, as suggested by SteveNielsen. The only requirement I have is that it has to install to USB media, I do not have an internal HDD for this laptop.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

You can install Lubuntu to a USB drive. There are instructions online for that. What do you hope to do with the laptop? It's going to be pretty slow.

[nkeck72]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

It is going to simply be a development machine, no more no less. I just need a feasible OS (and Windows 95 is just too old.).

[stj]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

turn off any "emulation",
the linux kernel will bypass bios routines once it runs.

[Longbow]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

Anything can be installed to a USB. At this point, you can't partition and format the drive due to the way you have the USB mounted. OSDisc sells USB flash drives pre-loaded, but even then your bios has to be able to boot from USB. A similar situation exists when you are making a boot CDROM.

[nkeck72]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

The drive can be formatted and partitioned under DOS and Win95 though. My only other option is to turn emulation off and not have it mounted at all.

[stj]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

if you are using a boot-cd/dvd,
turn the emulation off, and boot the disc with the usb stick plugged in.

linux *will* find the stick.
after it has done the install and wants to reboot, you can re-enable the emulation if it wont boot.

[nkeck72]

Re: Linux Installation to USB

Installed Lubuntu, it works like a dream! Thanks for your help on the issue.