1 Topic by f3

  • f3
  • #! CrunchBanger
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  • Registered: 2009-04-01
  • Posts: 121

Topic: Pendrivelinux.com vs full install to memory stick

Greetings,

Can somebody please tell me what the difference is between these two methods?

Radioz' Full Install method: http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/15829/#p15829

Pendrivelinux tutorial: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/crunchbang … ll-via-cd/

Last edited by f3 (2009-08-03 03:30:33)

  • Toolz
  • #! Die-hard
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  • From: Asia
  • Registered: 2009-02-02
  • Posts: 937

Re: Pendrivelinux.com vs full install to memory stick

Former is a conventional install. Just treating USB stick like any HDD.

Latter hacks a casper rw loop to achieve persistence in a 'live' setup.

3 Reply by f3

  • f3
  • #! CrunchBanger
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  • Registered: 2009-04-01
  • Posts: 121

Re: Pendrivelinux.com vs full install to memory stick

Thank you for the reply.  Can you please tell me why one would be preferred over the other?

Last edited by f3 (2009-08-03 09:27:15)

  • Awebb
  • #! Die-hard
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  • Registered: 2009-07-23
  • Posts: 2,476

Re: Pendrivelinux.com vs full install to memory stick

It depends on what you are going to use that stick.

With the "pendrivelinux" method - this is basically dd'ing the image to the stick and give it a bootloader - you'll have the original live system. You'll have a standard user with all standard settings (they're setup in /etc/skel/) and you can save files persistently in a casper-rw file or partition. You can also create a new user and so on. As soon as you kill the casper-rw, your pen linux is set back to the original state, like you never did any changes.

A full install will give you just a full #! on a stick. You don't have the limits of the casper-rw filesystem and changes you make are directly applied to the system. If you screw up, you have to reinstall your system like you had to when screwing up a regular OS on a regular HDD.

I'm so meta, even this acronym
  • Registered: 2008-11-24
  • Posts: 2,087

Re: Pendrivelinux.com vs full install to memory stick

Pendrive method takes up less space and prolongs the lifespan of the flash device.
Full install feels more familiar and convenient, plus you can do anything you can do on a regular install (new kernel, upgrade to a new release, etc.).