Porteus

Hi everyone,

I'm currently still using Porteus booting on my usb device, but i'd like to install on my hard drive.

I'd like to know : after installation on hard drive, is that possible to update Porteus for example from 2.0 to 3.0 just using the terminal (or clicking on a dedicated button) or i have to download a new iso and install it after ?

By the way, why everyone want to update the kernel version ? Is it dangerous to use an old kernel version when we surf the internet ? Can i use an old version if all the extensions used to surf the web are up to date ?

Thanks.

Hi weiman
If you install porteus to your HDD, it will be the same as it is on your usb device.
So no, it's not a rolling release.
But a new install is done in ~5min.You only have to copy two folders..
btw.If porteus will not be the only OS on your HDD, be careful not to overwrite
your existing bootloader.

2)
In short, newer kernel = better support for newer Hardware
keep your programs up to date, install security patches and you will be fine even with an older one.(but not stoneage old)
btw.IMO it's a lot more dangerous to use flash..but everybody does..

Thank you Donald for these explanations.

Could you tell me how to make a new install ?

If it's only about installing from a new iso, i know how it works, but what about the folders you talked about ? I just have to copy then paste and it's done ?

What loader do you have on your HDD (grub legacy, grub2 ...)?
Do you intend to use a Linux partition devoted to porteus (which would be the best avenue like ext4)?

@ weiman
When you install porteus onto a flash/HDD -Drive, you will get 2 folders (boot and porteus)
If you are clever, store your personal files outside of these folders.
Now,if you need to upgrade, replace the 2 folder with the new ones
(extract them from the new iso),run the installer inside the boot folder
(run the installer only if there is no other OS / bootloader installed)..done.

If you have no live-CD/usb at hand, you have to boot porteus in the "copy to ram" mode
to be able to delete these folders on your HDD
If the "ldlinux.sys" wont go away do:
# chattr -i /path/to/the/ldlinux.sys
# rm /path/to/the/ldlinux.sys
Hmmm...It sounds somewhat awkward...lol..

Thanks to you all. I learn a lot of things about how it works inside the system.

@francois : Yes, i plan to use a linux partition devoted to Porteus.
I'm currently using Grub with Linux Mint and Windows 7. I don't know which version of Grub it is, i just installed it with the linux mint 9 Isadora installer, it worked "out of the box".
i don't even know how to do to "add" Porteus. I tried to install Linux with Windows several times in the past and i unfortunately overwrote the last one.

In fact, i'd like to overwrite Linux Mint but keep Windows 7.

Anyone to help me ? Is there an easy way or i should reinstall everything ?

On boot up, when the Grub menu appears, press 'e' to edit, If nothing happens, press 'Tab' which should put you in 'edit' mode, if 'e' did not work. Grub 1/ Grub Legacy 'e'. Grub 2 'Tab'. (Esc & b to boot thereafter, or just reload)

@weiman:
From what I understand you want to replace a mint partition with porteus partition. You do not even have to erase mint. Just install porteus within mint in the same partition. This way you could do things without a cd or a usb. Its a good thing that the grub2 bootloader is already installed.

1.0 Getting to know your hdd structure. From the mint installation what is the result of: This will inform us about your hdd partitoning.

If you are not able to get into root mode # su, you might have to use sudo in front of the commands, as in: 2.0 Modifying the already installed bootloader. Then what is the content of your grub.cfg whish is on the mint partition (I think mint uses grub2)? This file should be in the /boot/grub folder. We will adapt the content of the following thread to your needs, trying to simplify it, as bogomips finds it naive user scaring.
http://forum.porteus.org/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=1790

3.0 Porteus is really simple to install on hdd once you are a little familiar with it. Its just a copy/paste thing, if you know how to extract the iso:
http://forum.porteus.org/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=3318
- mounting the porteus iso so that you can copy files to hdd or usb) on any linux system would be:
http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/how-to-mo ... linux.html
The files needed for porteus os will be on the /mnt/disk folder. You will have to install them in the appropriate folder on the mint partition, which could correspond to /32bit_v30 in the 2.0 example.

We will do things together step by step, if this is too much instructions.

Thank you all.

I tried to modify the grubloader but i failed. I will retry to do everything according the procedure you wrote.
But is there any easier way to install both windows 7 and Porteus ? If there is, which one should i first install ?

Here is rgroner dualboot windows-porteus procedure:
http://forum.porteus.org/viewtopic.php? ... 8&start=60

To have Windows XP and Porteus dual boot:
Partition the hard disk into two partitions. You can actually just live boot with Porteus and use gparted to do this.
Install Windows XP to the first partition. After install, verify system boots up to Windows XP without issues.
Boot from Porteus Live CD/key and run Porteus installer.
Install Porteus to the second partition, and have Porteus install the bootloader.
Reboot the system and verify it now boots into Porteus
Modify the /mnt/sda2/boot/syslinux/porteus.cfg file and, in the same style as the other entries, add the following entry:
CODE: SELECT ALL
LABEL xp
MENU LABEL Windows XP
KERNEL /boot/syslinux/chain.c32
APPEND hd0 1
Reboot and there should now be an option to boot to Windows XP in the boot selection screen.

Two things should be noted imo.

1. Windows XP is obsolete and no longer supported by Microsoft. This means if freshly installed it will have NONE of the security updates Microsoft released for it over the past decade. ie It is a major security risk if used on line.

2. Window XP boots differently than Windows 7 which is what the OP says he has.

@Ed:
First, are you stating that you have used rgroner strategy and that it did not work for windows 7?

And second, I reiterate what I have stated on another thread:
Ed, who do you try to scare? Most people people on this forum are vaccinated adults. Isn't it? This is not a ubuntu forum.

All windows and linux users should make regular backup of their critical data. If you do not you might get in trouble someday. This will happen to you a lot more often with windows than with linux, this means with windows on a daily basis and linux on a monthly or yearly basis. And surprisingly, it seems that apple would be even more vulnerable than windows:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/202452/w ... ndows.html
http://www.quora.com/Linux-Operating-Sy ... iruses-Why
http://www.tecmint.com/linux-operating- ... irus-free/

etc.

@weiman:

On this forum there are many helpful eyes and hands. From your reading of the rgroner post which Donald mainly resolved, the dual boot windows-porteus was with syslinux bootloader. I think this is the best proposition because Porteus standard installation is with syslinux. If you are new to bootloaders you should stick to one bootloader until you know it well.

If you still have windows and mint there is no need to remove your windows installation and to reinstall anew. Unless you have a good reason. If you want to completely remove mint there no need to stick to grub2 bootloader, especially if you are sure that you want to adopt porteus as your main linux distribution.

1.0 Is there any reason you want to reinstall windows anew?

2.0 Are you still able to boot from mint? If this is the case please give us the output in a terminal of:
sudo fdisk -l

francois wrote:@Ed:
First, are you stating that you have used rgroner strategy and that it did not work for windows 7?

No, can't say that I have. But can you prove me to be wrong?

The grub4dos commands that I use to boot my Win 7 systems are:

And second, I reiterate what I have stated on another thread:
Ed, who do you try to scare? Most people people on this forum are vaccinated adults. Isn't it? This is not a ubuntu forum.

I am trying to scare people from installing an old XP CD and using it on an existing machine. The XP system will have more holes in it than Swiss cheese and will compromise their whole system.

All windows and linux users should make regular backup of their critical data.

Totally agree. Unfortunately most users, especially Windows users, have no idea what their critical data is or where it is stored. Equally important, most users don't know how to restore their systems when they fail even if they have backed them up!!

@Ed:
Please read between between the lines and also directly the lines. I have the impression that sometime we are overkilling the problem. I hope that this does not fear new members. 8)