CrunchBang Linux

gosa

#! Member

From: Barcelona

Registered: 2009-12-07

Posts: 60

Install Crunchbang to usb/SDHC without touching local drives? [Solved]

Hi all!

I'm sorry if this is covered already, I have to say that I'm not 100% sure on what to search for to get answers on this...

During my recent work with trying to scare an Acer Aspire One back to the land of the living I went through the process of trying numerous different live systems as well as installing a few directly to usb-stick/SDHC to be able to update/upgrade/install things properly in my "test" environment.

Now - as far as I've understood things the part involving grub will also be "touching" any local OS i have on the machine that I install the new "alternative" system, so my method of choice so far have been to rip out the hard drive in my 1000HE, boot with one live-stick and install to another usb/SDHC just to make sure that I can return things to normal when I'm done.

Is this the only way to do things? Or have I missed something?

I've seen a lot of nice guides on how to transfer a live cd to usb, but nothing on this. Maybe because it's not easily done, or simply because my google-fu is a bit rusty.

I'd love to install Statler to an SDHC for my netbook, and maybe even to an USB hard disk for my desktop computer, but to go through the process of unplugging hard drives every time I want to try something new...

Can anyone point me in the right direction for this? Or am I just worrying about a problem I created by myself?

Last edited by gosa (2010-04-16 14:38:03)

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!000HE dual-booting Windows XP Home & Crunchbang 9.04

oupsemma

#! Junkie

From: Cumbria / UK

Registered: 2008-12-06

Posts: 319

Re: Install Crunchbang to usb/SDHC without touching local drives? [Solved]

When you want to install a distro on a USB media and also want your main hard drive to remain untouched by that, you don't really need to wipe off your HD; when installing to the USB, you have to be careful about Grub and check all the options it might give you: you need to have it installed to the MBR of your USB media, nowhere else.
This way, your USB media will have its own Grub and your HD willl remain intact; you will be able to boot into this distro when plugging the stick/card, powering the computer on, pressing Escape and selecting the adequate USB media.

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#Linux user 482038, eeepc 901 with #!, freed 901Go with Trisquel & gNewSense,
901 with Manjaro & ArchBang

gosa

#! Member

From: Barcelona

Registered: 2009-12-07

Posts: 60

Re: Install Crunchbang to usb/SDHC without touching local drives? [Solved]

Hello again oupsemma... are you stalking me?
- Kidding! Just my good Friday mood shining through... -20 minutes and counting!

Anyway - Ok - didn't know that. (And I've been to much of a "chicken" to try...) I got the impression that grub would mess up my internal drive if I left it in.  - Maybe I just misinterpreted the stuff I've read so far...

Guess I have one more thing to try this weekend. Had some problems with the language/location choices when I installed Statler to usb last weekend. Not sure if it was me wanting Swedish keyboard (keymap actually), location Spain in English that got complicated, or if I just made some clumsy choices, but my OS turned out to be in Swedish, with English keyboard, in location Spain (one out of three turned out well).

I'll be reading some of the Statler guides, and I guess we'll see if I come back with more questions.

Either way - I suppose this initial question is answered.

Thanks!

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!000HE dual-booting Windows XP Home & Crunchbang 9.04