*SOLVED*Trying out XFCE

[hitsware]

I have LXDE on hard drive.
I would like to try XFCE on live USB.
I have:
downloaded iso
extracted to usb (ext 2)
when I try to run ' porteus installer for linux.com ' I get ' error occurred while loading archive ' ???

[brokenman]

After extracting to USB you need to change director into the boot folder on the USB and run the installer from there. The installation instructions are in a text file on the root of the USB device.

[hitsware]

Thanks !

> After extracting to USB you need to change director into the boot folder on the USB and run the installer from there.

That's what I'm doing (I think)
1) format usb to ext 2
2) extract iso to usb
3) go to usb
4) click on boot folder
5) double click 'install from linux' folder

> The installation instructions are in a text file on the root of the USB device.

?????
If I launch the installer, it will install the LXDE (unless I am missing something?)
You can choose the target, but not the source .......
So I'm trying ' from any Linux '
(which seems to agree with what you say)

"''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
From any Linux Distribution other than Porteus:
a) copy the contents of the ISO image to your drive
b) navigate to the /boot folder and launch the installer
'bash Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com'
c) verify you are installing to the correct drive and press 'Enter' to
complete the installation

From Porteus itself (booted from CD):
a) launch 'Porteus Installer' from the desktop menu,
under the 'System' heading (if you are
prompted for the root password, it is toor)
b) plug in your usb drive or select a partition
on a hard drive
c) follow the on-screen instructions

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

[brokenman]

The installer simply installs a bootloader on the USB and makes it bootable. Whatever files from the ISO you copied onto the USB will be the Porteus version that you are installing.

1) Open a terminal
2) elevate to root (type: su and then password: toor)
3) cd /mnt/sdxY/boot (where sdxY is the path to your USB)
3) ./Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com

[hitsware]

> The installer simply installs a bootloader on the USB and makes it bootable.
> Whatever files from the ISO you copied onto the USB will be the Porteus version that you are installing.

Wrong. It copied the LXDE along with all modules.
(I must be missing something)

It would be so nice if the installer in the boot folder on the usb worked.
(or perhaps that is the one you mean by "installer" ?)
Again: I get " an error occured while loading the archive "

[brokenman]

or perhaps that is the one you mean by "installer" ?

This is indeed what I meant.

If you install using the graphical installer in the desktop menu it will install whatever desktop you are currently in.
If you copy the files from your chosen ISO file onto the USB drive, then the only thing left to do is what I said above. You MUST change directory into the boot folder of the target USB device and run the ./Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com from there.

It would be so nice if the installer in the boot folder on the usb worked.

It works. Many others have had success. If you continue not to, then reformat your USB drive in gparted and start again.

[hitsware]

> You MUST change directory into the boot folder of the target USB

That happens simply by clicking into the folder, right ?
I.E........Must one use the terminal ? (which didn't help)
I've redownloaded 2 versions
reformatted ...... Still the same results

[fanthom]

two other solutions:
1) boot Windows and install using Porteus-installer-for-Windows.exe
2) burn Porteus on a CD and install using GUI fronted to the installer (find it under System category)

[hitsware]

O.K.
Thanks Guys .........

Got it.!!!!! You do need to boot to another distro to make it work.
Strange (to me) that the same steps won't work in Porteus

[francois]

1. You can do it from a CD (fanthom's suggestion):
burn Porteus on a CD and install using GUI fronted to the installer (find it under System category)
From the kde menu.

2. You can do it from your lxde installation (brokenman's suggestion):
Once you have copied manually the /boot and /porteus folder on the usb key. In terminal mode, change directory to the root partition of this usb key and run the command provided by brokenman: ./Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com.

To find the the partition of your usb key, once in root mode, use the fdisk -l command. Then change directory to the root of the usb key partition.

Here is an example from my computer:

Code: Select all

root@porteus:~# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 128.0 GB, 128035676160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15566 cylinders, total 250069680 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: 0xf6c5ce6c

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048     3074047     1536000   82  Linux swap
/dev/sda2         3074048    97843579    47384766   83  Linux
/dev/sda3        97845246   250068991    76111873    5  Extended
/dev/sda5       117444608   180903935    31729664   83  Linux
/dev/sda6       180905984   247578623    33336320   83  Linux
/dev/sda7        97845248   117442904     9798828+  83  Linux
/dev/sda8       247580672   250068991     1244160   82  Linux swap

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 8019 MB, 8019509248 bytes
251 heads, 44 sectors/track, 1418 cylinders, total 15663104 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: 0x00037247

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1            2048    15663103     7830528   83  Linux
root@porteus:~#

Code: Select all

root@porteus:~# cd /mnt/sdb1
root@porteus:/mnt/sdb1#

Code: Select all

root@porteus:/mnt/sdb1# ./Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com

[hitsware]

@ fanthom
1) I'm trying to transcend Windows
2) No cd drive
(Just outta curiosity) Why does the one
method work with any distro except Porteus ?

@ francois & brokenman
Thanks Again
I tend not to use the terminal if possible,
since I understand so little of what the
scripts mean. ( not that's it's an excuse,
but the latest Ubuntu doesn't even have
an icon for the terminal ( uses a certain
key combination ))

[brokenman]

Most probably you weren't using a file browser with root privileges. It's like in windows when you need to have administrator rights to do something. I just tested it from two different desktops and it works ok.

[hitsware]

O.K. ...... Are we both talking about these instructions ?? :

a) copy the contents of the ISO image to your drive
b) navigate to the /boot folder and launch the installer
'bash Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com'
c) verify you are installing to the correct drive and press 'Enter' to
complete the installation

> Most probably you weren't using a file browser with root privileges.
> It's like in windows when you need to have administrator rights to do something.
> I just tested it from two different desktops and it works ok.

I boot to root so it should work ???

[brokenman]

O.K. ...... Are we both talking about these instructions ?? :

Yes

I boot to root so it should work ???

Yes it should. Well in any case, I couldn't make it not work. I'm pretty sure if it wasn't working others would have noticed it also. If you are using LXDE on v3.0.1 then we are not on the same page. I am using the latest v3.1.

[fanthom]

@hitsware
this issue is caused by udisks2 which protects MBR of the stick from overwriting.
please insert the stick -> DO NOT use any automounting helpers -> if stick gets mounted automatically then unmount it -> run 'mkdir /mnt/stick && mount /dev/sdXY /mnt/stick' -> do the rest as normal (extract ISO, run installer)

this method will work for sure.