[IDEA] Boot XBian from USB

[mk01]

@edvahass

your fstab looks perfectly

but a silly question. how you got your usb copy mounted under /mnt ?

[edvahass]

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

Actually that's the third step of the Wiki's USB installation guide. That's what I don't understand, it later says to edit the fstab file, but the things it says to change don't exist on mine.

http://wiki.xbian.org/USB_Installation

[mk01]

@edvahass,

you are a victim of wrong (outdated / not specific enough) documentation.
this was pre-Beta2 ad-hoc solution which requires /etc/fstab modification. although works, it is not recommended for seamless daily use as it is removing XBian native filesystem structure which is expected to exists.

beta2 provides native function for cloning / imaging via xbian-config (xbian copier).

[edvahass]

So does that mean I only need to use xbian copier and then edit cmdline.txt?

[mk01]

exactly

the only thing you will focus on is putting /dev/sda1 (please double check it is not mounted) as destination (will be reformatted) and then editing cmdline.txt changing "root=XXXX" to "root=/dev/sda1"

_should_ be easy as that. lets see.

[edvahass]

That worked! Thanks for the help. Now I can finally overclock this thing.

[min]

I'm having a problem with USB booting. I'm using the built-in feature in beta 2, though when I change the cmdline.txt to point to /dev/sda1 the system does not boot. Instead there is a black screen with a blinking underscore.

I've tried changing the fstab though that has had no effect.

[Smultie]

Sure your USB stick is not on /dev/sda2 ?

[mk01]

(15th Dec, 2013 08:33 PM)min Wrote:  I'm having a problem with USB booting. I'm using the built-in feature in beta 2, though when I change the cmdline.txt to point to /dev/sda1 the system does not boot. Instead there is a black screen with a blinking underscore.

I've tried changing the fstab though that has had no effect.

if kernel mounts rootfs and launches upstart phase, you will see "mountall" on screen (first event being run).

while on blinking cursor you are far from being there - usually blinking cursor is fail on load kernel or initramfs (due to file corruption on boot, or wrong files or many other things), or wrong parameters in config.txt or cmdline.txt …

[min]

It's definitely sda1, I'll try installing a fresh image and run the copier again.

In regards to the parameters, the only thing changed is 'boot=/dev/sda1'

[mk01]

@min

if you (with the stuck cursor) change back to /dev/mmcblk0p2, it boots again?

oh, check please if /boot/config.txt contains line

Code:

initramfs initramfs.gz  0x00a00000

and that it is not commented out (with # at beginning of line)

[min]

Yes, changing back to SD allowed it to boot.

I checked the config, and the initramfs line was commented out- I changed that and it booted from USB after a couple of freezes! Thanks

[postdeath]

Is there an up-to-date USB installation guide available? I'm considering switching back to Xbian after a long long absence, and this is the only stickler at the moment. Cheers

[Lilone21804]

Could someone explain how to install Xbian on an USB drive to me, I am having the hardest time. Im on Beta 2. I know how to initiate the clone by going to option 6 in xbian.config. That's as far as I can go. I'm not sure how to check for where the USB is mounted, how to change the cmdline.txt, or anything else. Pretty much, I need someone the explain step by step if possible.

[stormy]

(18th Dec, 2013 12:03 PM)Lilone21804 Wrote:  Could someone explain how to install Xbian on an USB drive to me, I am having the hardest time. Im on Beta 2. I know how to initiate the clone by going to option 6 in xbian.config. That's as far as I can go. I'm not sure how to check for where the USB is mounted, how to change the cmdline.txt, or anything else. Pretty much, I need someone the explain step by step if possible.

All I did was to install beta2 on the SD card, bung the sd card in the rasp pi and then plug in the usb then turn the pi on , the rest is just automatic. Seemed to work for me .