[SOLVED] CentOS on USB - larger live-rw file

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Mike_the_Bike
Posts: 18
Joined: 2012/04/04 09:07:09

[SOLVED] CentOS on USB - larger live-rw file

Post by Mike_the_Bike » 2012/04/04 09:26:14

My intention is to use CentOS 6.2 on 16 GB big USB. But, if I format USB as FAT 32, live-rw file can be only 4096 MB big.

I would like to set up USB so that I can maximize free space for document, music, etc (I would like to have 8-10 Gb free space available for this and not only 4GB). I know that it is possible to enlargen casper-rw, but what about live-rw CentOS, Fedora and some other Distros use?

Could I make two partitions, one for CenOS Live DVD and the second for file storage?

Crunch
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Re: CentOS on USB - larger live-rw file

Post by Crunch » 2012/04/04 09:53:23

Hi Mike

What do you want to use CentOS for? If it's simply for rescue purposes and you have no need for the X windows then you might try http://centos.arcticnetwork.ca/6/isos/i386/CentOS-6.2-i386-minimal.iso which is only 250MB odd. This would be slightly more of an effort to install than the option below. You would need to use something like YUMI or equivalent to boot the image from the USB. This has the added benefit that you can format the entire USB medium as FAT32.

Alternatively you could install the Live-CD (700MB odd) instead and add any packages you're missing post install. http://centos.arcticnetwork.ca/6/isos/i386/CentOS-6.2-i386-LiveCD.iso

It is really easy installing CentOS Live to USB. However in this case you would probably need to create a separate partition. Here is a document explaining how to install the image to a USB storage medium.

https://projects.centos.org/trac/livecd/wiki/ImageFlash

pschaff
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[SOLVED] CentOS on USB - larger live-rw file

Post by pschaff » 2012/04/04 10:44:21

Welcome to the CentOS fora. Please see the recommended reading for new users linked in my signature.

As [b]Crunch[/b] said we need to know your objectives for this project; however, if you want a writeable install on USB making full use of the capacity of the media, an alternate approach might be to boot the LiveCD or LiveDVD from other media, such as CD or DVD, and use the USB media is the target for an install to disk, using the default ext4 format and partitioning. Of course you could use the same approach with a full install from DVD installation media.

If the above suggestions do not suffice please clarify your requirements.

Mike_the_Bike
Posts: 18
Joined: 2012/04/04 09:07:09

Re: CentOS on USB - larger live-rw file

Post by Mike_the_Bike » 2012/04/05 07:19:01

Thanx for help.

Actually, I formatted USB as FAT. Then I used Fedora LiveUSB Creator and then I put CentOS Live DVD onto it (+4 GB of persistant overlay file). My home has now 450 MB free space ...

After that, I used GParted from modified Ubuntu (LiveUSB MultiBoot) and resized FAT partition. Then I made another one for storage purposes (7,5 GB free space) from space, that was left from the resizong. So, I solved this ...

But there's only one small problem now:

Since I want to use this second partition in XP and Linux to swap files between two of them (so I do not have to use Linux to get files out), I want the second partition to be seen in XP. When I use USB in XP, only bootable partition with CentOS is seen. How do I mount a second partition in XP?

In Linux, I just used Disk Utility to mount and dismount a volume. When mounted, other partitons get their own icons on Linux Desktop and that's it ...

Mike_the_Bike
Posts: 18
Joined: 2012/04/04 09:07:09

Re: CentOS on USB - larger live-rw file

Post by Mike_the_Bike » 2012/04/05 09:05:30

I found a solution to my second problem.

SOLVED

pschaff
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Re: [SOLVED] CentOS on USB - larger live-rw file

Post by pschaff » 2012/04/05 17:58:31

Good - the second problem was not a CentOS problem anyway. Marking the thread for posterity.

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