BT3 on USB with persistent changes, using Linux.

[umattu]

Got problems....if I use /sdb2 it doesn't save....
So i've booted without saving and noticed that sda2 is the linux partition and sda1 is the vfat.... so i've tryed to use /sda2 but the boot process hangs with the message:

mount: mounting aufs on union failed
Fatal error occoured - can't setup union (aufs)
Please reboot....

Any idea?

-----------------------edit------------------------------------------------------

Just manually create in ext2 partition the "changes" folder...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please add the trick in the main thread!

No Trick, the sda2 (linux partition) is where the persistent changes will save to, BT3 itself is installed to the vfat partition.

[bbford]

Hi,

Good effort on the step by step instructions.

I followed the instructions a few times, but I could not get it to work. I'm using Ubuntu on a Dell laptop. I did manage to get the presistent usb install to work with a few changes.



When using fdisk, I found Ubuntu can mix up /dev/sdb1 with either /media/disk-1 or /media/disk-2 when the usb drive is mounted. This can lead you down the wrong road quickly.

To fix this, I made first partition with fdisk and wrote it. Unmount and remount the usb drive. Ubuntu will call this /media/disk-1. Then make the 2nd partition and write that. Ubuntu will call this /media/disk-2.

Now, /dev/sdb1 is equal to Ubuntu's /media/disk-1 and /dev/sdb2 is equal to Ubuntu's /media/disk-2. This makes it less confusing.

When following your instructions, I changed
"cp -r boot /media/disk" to "cp -r boot /media/disk-1
and changed
"cp -r BT3 /media/disk" to cp -r BT3 /media/disk-1



In /dev/sdb2 (/media/disk-2 in Ubuntu), you need to make a folder named "changes", if I didn't have this folder, the USB stick did not boot properly.

If you have a Dell laptop, add "acpi=off" to syslinux.cfg or type it in manually on boot.
I could not get it to boot if I didn't have this added with the USB install or live CD.

Those were the only issues I had with the instructions.

I still have 2 problems. About 1/2 way through the USB boot process, I get a black screen for about 1 minute, then everything starts up fine. I don't know if this is normal or not.

The other problem is that I never get a clean shut down. I get a fatal error and I have to manually turn off my laptop. I Googled this problem, did not find any good fixes so far...

[umattu]

Hi,

Good effort on the step by step instructions.

Thanks

When using fdisk, I found Ubuntu can mix up /dev/sdb1 with either /media/disk-1 or /media/disk-2 when the usb drive is mounted. This can lead you down the wrong road quickly.

/dev/sdb1 is the actual device, /media/disk1 is where the drive is mounted and accessible. You canNOT use fdisk on /media/disk1, if you try it should say something like this:

last_lba(): I don't know how to handle files with mode 40755
You will not be able to write the partition table.

Unable to read Disk1/

To fix this, I made first partition with fdisk and wrote it. Unmount and remount the usb drive. Ubuntu will call this /media/disk-1. Then make the 2nd partition and write that. Ubuntu will call this /media/disk-2.

Now, /dev/sdb1 is equal to Ubuntu's /media/disk-1 and /dev/sdb2 is equal to Ubuntu's /media/disk-2. This makes it less confusing.

As stated before, /media is the directory that ubuntu mounts the device to; /dev/sdb1 being the device. If the drive is not mounted under /media, (or anywhere you manually mount it) you cannot copy files to it.

When following your instructions, I changed
"cp -r boot /media/disk" to "cp -r boot /media/disk-1
and changed
"cp -r BT3 /media/disk" to cp -r BT3 /media/disk-1

Great, the /dev/sdb1 and /media/disk1, is going to be different for most everyone. I tried making a point of getting this across in the initial walk through, but I had to remove some text as the post was too large and had to be reduced.

In /dev/sdb2 (/media/disk-2 in Ubuntu), you need to make a folder named "changes", if I didn't have this folder, the USB stick did not boot properly.

hmm, mine is working just fine without the "changes" directory.

I still have 2 problems. About 1/2 way through the USB boot process, I get a black screen for about 1 minute, then everything starts up fine. I don't know if this is normal or not.

The other problem is that I never get a clean shut down. I get a fatal error and I have to manually turn off my laptop. I Googled this problem, did not find any good fixes so far...

A minute seems like a long time, mine boots in about a minute in total. Ofcourse it will take a bit longer than if it were installed to your HDD.

What kind of error are you getting on shutdown? With more specifics, someone may be able to help you out.

[jrm7262]

Thanks for tutorial, great work.

I did this on a stock eeepc 2g under xandros.

My partitions were already FAT16 and EXT2 on an sdhc card, it worked with these.

The only unusual thing was in the last step.

When it said press any key to continue, I had to press return.


Kindest regards

James

[TRB01]

Hello, I've followed your tutorial to the letter and am pretty certain that im doing it correctly. Anywho, when I boot the USB drive I get a bit through the loading process of backtrack when it stops and says this:

* Using BT3 data from /mnt/sdb1/BT3
* setting up directory for changes
* /dev/sdb2
* testing filesystem for posix compatibility
* setup union directories (using aufs, with udba=none)
mount: mounting aufs on union failed
Fatal error occured - can't setup union (aufs)
* Something went wrong and we can't continue. This should never happen.
* Please reboot your computer with Ctrl+alt+Delete ...
#

This only happens when I try to boot with persistent changes, and I did make the change to the syslinux.cfg.

Hello, I've followed your tutorial to the letter and am pretty certain that im doing it correctly. Anywho, when I boot the USB drive I get a bit through the loading process of backtrack when it stops and says this:

* Using BT3 data from /mnt/sdb1/BT3
* setting up directory for changes
* /dev/sdb2
* testing filesystem for posix compatibility
* setup union directories (using aufs, with udba=none)
mount: mounting aufs on union failed
Fatal error occured - can't setup union (aufs)
* Something went wrong and we can't continue. This should never happen.
* Please reboot your computer with Ctrl+alt+Delete ...
#

This only happens when I try to boot with persistent changes, and I did make the change to the syslinux.cfg.

Ahh I had to manually create a directory named "changes" on the ext2 partition. Work great now. Thanks for the tutorial!

EDIT: Sorry I meant to edit my previous post, not quote it.

[RadarG]

I followed the instructions in this thread. I can boot off of my BT3 USB. When it boot normally everything is fine but persistant chnages dont work. When I select persistnat changes at startup it hangs @ Usage :init any ideas?

[Barry]

I followed the instructions in this thread. I can boot off of my BT3 USB. When it boot normally everything is fine but persistant chnages dont work. When I select persistnat changes at startup it hangs @ Usage :init any ideas?

Post your syslinux config. Sounds like you borked something there.

[RadarG]

PROMPT 0
TIMEOUT 40
DEFAULT /boot/vesamenu.c32

LABEL cubez
MENU LABEL BT3 Graphics mode (Compiz) - Experimental
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw chexpand=256 load=cubez autoexec=xconf;cubez;startx

LABEL cubez
MENU LABEL BT3 Graphics mode (Compiz Nvidia) - Experimental
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw chexpand=256 load=cubez,nvidiadriver autoexec=xconf;startnvidia.sh;startx


LABEL xconf1
MENU LABEL BT3 Graphics mode (KDE)
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw autoexec=xconf;kdm

LABEL xconf2
MENU LABEL BT3 Graphics mode (Flux)
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw autoexec=xconf;flux

LABEL startx
MENU LABEL BT3 Graphics mode (VESA KDE)
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw autoexec=kdm

LABEL BT3
MENU LABEL BT3 Text mode Frame Buffer
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw

LABEL BT3_no_DHCP
MENU LABEL Run BT3 no DHCP
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw nodhcp

LABEL BT3_no_HD
MENU LABEL Run BT3 no Hard Disk
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw nohd

LABEL BT3_Safe
MENU LABEL Run BT3 Safe Mode
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=normal initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666
root=/dev/ram0 rw

LABEL pchanges
MENU LABEL BT3 Graphics mode with Persistent Changes
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666
root=/dev/ram0 rw changes=/dev/sdb2/changes autoexec=xconf;kdm

LABEL copy2ram
MENU LABEL BT3 Graphics mode, Copy To RAM
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=0x317 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw copy2ram autoexec=xconf;kdm

LABEL msramdmp
MENU LABEL msramdmp
com32 /boot/msramdmp.c32

LABEL memtest86
MENU LABEL Run Memtest utility
KERNEL /boot/mt86p

[shady]

I followed this guide, and it is not working for me, so I have a few questions.

Is the 1080 mb partition created to hold the changes or the installed BT3 OS?

Is the changes stored on the ext2 partition, and BT3 on the fat32 partition?

Here's the errors I am getting. I have the line changes=/dev/sda2. /dev/sda2 is the empty ext2 partition I created to hold the changes.

img373.imageshack.us/img373/5869/bt3errorze3.png

Everything will work fine if I don't try to use changes. What's going on here?

[vixtor]

Thanks a lot
it works, just some change and everything is fine

Excellent howto, congrats