Since you are already using Ubuntu, depending if you want more control, you could use debootstrap your USB key. Some information is available: https://help.ubuntu.com/9.10/installation-guide/i386/linux-upgrade.html While a little more elbow grease is required, you can customize your install based on your needs. PB On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 3:07 PM, Prof. John C Nash <nashjc [ at ] uottawa [ dot ] ca> wrote: > To follow up on my queries of a few days ago, here are my findings so far. Comments > offline unless I've made egregious errors. I'm planning to put them on the wiki assuming > no major issues. > > I used 1GB USB keys or a 1GB SD card in a USB carrier. > > 1) Getting persistent live USB. > > I found the Ubunutu USB startup disk creator the easiest tool. In fact a tool called > portable_linux did not work for me -- it would not show available USB keys. > > I found it best to have a FAT 32 formatted key. I used gparted. I also labelled my partition. > > I could then choose the distro (ISO) file and set the size of the capser-rw (persistence) > file. > > 2) Getting the persistent live USB to work at all > > a) On Ubuntu Jaunty -- make a Jaunty (9.04) USB > b) On Ubuntu Karmic -- make a Karmic (9.10) USB -- I made Linux Mint Helena version > > When I made a Mint USB on Jaunty, I could not get persistence. I suspect grub vs. grub2 > woes. Didn't try Jaunty create on Karmic host, but suspect similar possibilities. > > 3) Setting up real users > > I booted by USB, then chose the appropriate Users & Groups. In Jaunty this is under System > / Administration. On Mint it is in the Control Panel. I did NOT need to become superuser. > > > I set up a User and Password. I set the user as "Administrator". > > Then opened Login Window. For Jaunty I turned off BOTH automatic and timed logins (under > Security). Mint only offered automatic or login screen. I chose the latter. > > Rebooted. > > Jaunty USB displays login screen. > > Mint auto boots into "Mint". I have to logout, then I can login as the real User. > This is annoying. If anyone knows a solution (there must be one!), contact me off-list, > I'll check that I can get it working, then post solution. > > 4) Network > > I recommend starting with wired connection. Note that some machines e.g., Asus Eee 1005HA > need Karmic or later to run even wired connection. > > A lot of machines use Broadcom wireless cards. I did System / Hardware drivers in Jaunty > or Control Panel / Hardware drivers in Mint and activated these. (You need a network > connection, and MUST reboot before the change is effective.) > > 5) Software etc. > > - in USB login as real user (who can be administrator) > - sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list and uncomment repositories as desired (I prefer them all) > - in terminal do > sudo apt-get install (your choices: I used mc joe leafpad gnome-commander) > > Thats about as far as I"ve got. > > I had some glitches with an SD card in a carrier with Buffer write errors on shutdown. May > be misbehaving SD card or speed mismatch or .... Doesn't occur with USB keys. > > Comments or brickbats? > > John Nash > _______________________________________________ > Linux mailing list > Linux [ at ] lists [ dot ] oclug [ dot ] on [ dot ] ca > http://oclug.on.ca/mailman/listinfo/linux >