[Techtalk] simple date question

[mgmonza at sdf.lonestar.org]

BOn Tue, 8 Oct 2013, Akkana Peck wrote:

> I wrote:
>>> One tip: it is possible to install Ubuntu (or other distros) to a
>>> USB stick or external USB drive. I haven't done such an install
>>> myself so I don't know the tricks, but I would guess the most
>
> Peggy Russell writes:
>> The site, pendrivelinux.com, has been helpful. They have manual steps 
>> and they also have a Universal USB installer that lets you select a 
>> Linux Distro.
>> KNOPPIX Persistent – Saving settings to USB

That's -exactly- what I went after first.

>
> I was under the impression that installing a distro to a USB stick was a 
> different thing from having a live USB stick with persistence. With a 
> live distro, even with persistence, as far as I know you're always 
> booting from that original ISO you downloaded, and then there's an 
> overlay on top that remembers changes you've made to that filesystem. Am 
> I wrong about that?
>

This is what I found after going after the USB option - that my entire USB 
had to be erased (can't right now without erasing needed data), with no 
indication changes would be saved.

> If you actually install a distro to a USB stick, there's none of
> that overlay stuff -- you just have a normal ext4 (or whatever)
> filesystem on the USB stick, and any changes you make happen right
> there on the root filesystem, just like they would if you installed
> to your laptop's built-in hard drive.


>
> Since the original poster already has a persistent live distro set up,
> maybe it's not worth the hassle, but I did want to point out that a
> simpler setup was possible.

It is simpler, and thank you for that.  I may be able to get just a USB 
drive for, e.g., Linux Mint with Debian (at 9 mb it's over the CD size). 
Far more attractive than Ubuntu up to and past Oneric Ocelot.

Actually, I don't have a persistent live distro set up, but would love to 
know if this can be done on a CD.  An engineering friend who's Windows 
computer was corrupted all to pieces by viruses got this going, after I'd 
introduced him to the wonders of Linux and live CDs and getting safe 
access to his data, etc.  At the time, I had no way of knowing I'd be in 
this situation (blacklisted after filing a Title VII suit, and living the 
last decade or so in third world conditions right in the middle of good 
ole U.S. of A.) so didn't ask him how he did it.

What I'm doing is more like a fake persistent distro.  I'd forgotten the 
relativly inexpensive USB option until Akkaana mentioned it here and will 
pursue that after my next paycheck. It is true that the live options are 
the same as on the CDs:  the entire USB is requisitioned for the 
distributions.

Intstalling the distro to the USB stick looks like exactly what I need - 
having the right words are critical even to non-google searches.  Thank 
you both for the very helpful information.

MG