Howto install and run Linux Mint - LiveCD on USB-stick

[Staffan]

This Howto I made to install from Windows (XP).

Download syslinux.zip from http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/.
Extract the syslinux-directory to C: on your harddrive, you can use winrar or any other program you like.

Download LinuxMint-4.0.iso and extract it to C: or anywhere you like it on your harddrive (you can use winrar for that to).
You can extract it directly to your USB-stick but I noticed that it took much longer time.

If you have a new USB-stick (at least 1Gb) you probably can use it as it is, otherwise open "My Computer"
rightclick on your USB-device (D: or whatever it is called in your Windows) and format with FAT or FAT 32
(If you have a buggy BIOS and get the message USB RMD-FDD..OK
"Could not find kernel image: linux" at bootup you should use FAT. That helped me).

Copy everything from your LinuxMint-directory to your USB-stick (isolinux,casper,.disk,.disc_id).

On your USB-stick: Move vmlinuz and initrd.gz to your root-directory (where .disc_id is) from the directory casper.
Move the file isolinux.cfg from the directory isolinux to your root-directory and rename it to syslinux.cfg.

Copy the file menu.c32 from C:\syslinux-3.xx(xx=your version)\com32\modules to the root-
directory on your USB-stick (used to get a default menu at bootup).

Open syslinux.cfg on your USB-stick and change the text in it to this (you can use wordpad or textpad):
default menu.c32
timeout 100

LABEL Linux Mint
menu label Start Linux Mint Daryna
kernel vmlinuz
append file=preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper persistent initrd=initrd.gz ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw quiet splash --

LABEL xforcevesa
menu label Start Linux Mint in safe graphics mode
kernel vmlinuz
append file=preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper xforcevesa initrd=initrd.gz ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw quiet splash --

Now you only have to install syslinux. Open command prompt in Windows
(Start-run-cmd or Start-all programs-accessories-command prompt).
CD \syslinux-3.xx (xx=your version)\win32
(type DIR and you should see the file syslinux.exe)
Now type
syslinux.exe -ma D: (D: or whatever your USB-stick i called in your Windows. Look in "My computer"
what your USB-stick is called. Be careful so you don't install syslinux on any other device but your USB-stick).

That's it! Now you should be able to boot LinuxMint - LiveCD from your USB-stick.

[Husse]

Guides are always welcome but there has been a sticky post about this in the Howto section since june 15 2007
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=3250

[McLovin]

That's ok, noone looks for them, look at all the questions still coming in about ATI cards and 3D acceleration.

[Husse]

[Ede]

Why make a guide I allready wrote?

[Staffan]

Well, I could not get the guide to work and the links in the guide was outdated.

//Staffan

[yamawho]

Thank you Staffan

Would this method work with a sd card ?

[Ede]

Then make a post in that guide and tell me the links are outdated.

[staffan]

Thank you Staffan

Would this method work with a sd card ?

Hello yamawho!
I am glad you appreciate the guide. I do not know if it works for a sd card, have not tried it myself, but I think it will be much slower. Anyway, I found a way to do this installation even easier and quicker with the LinuxMint-LiveCD and I will put out a "Howto" soon.

[Ede]

Would this method work with a sd card ?

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=3250
This one does. Atleas Silver said he got it to work.

Staffan: Not to be rude or anything, but your guide is flawed. There are some files on the liveCD that's hidden, so just a regular copy *COULD* miss some files.