Can't install archlabs to usb-stick

#1

Hello!

I am trying to install archlabs to my USB-stick but I can’t get it to show up during the partitioning part. I found this thread about a similar issue but it didn’t solve it for me. After doing that my USB-stick now shows up when I select “list devices”, but not when I select partition drive. In that thread they said that this was fixed in the latest release but I have the latest one (2018-07) and it is obviously not fixed for me.

I tried the old calamares installer and that went through flawlessly but left me with a million updates that caused a bunch of problems, so I would prefer to get this version working.

#2

I would format the usb (I always do it with mkfs) and install the iso with dd, It works for me. An example of dd:

$ cd /path/to/AL_iso/

# dd bs=4M if=yourArchLabs.iso of=/dev/sdx status=progress oflag=sync
#3

Thanks! I’ll try that. Sorry if this is a really stupid question, but how do I find the .iso in my live version of archlabs? Do I have to download it again or is it in there somewhere?

#4

You are welcome @OscarFredriksson ! No question is stupid friend. We all make them.

#5

Im sorry, but I don’t understand what you mean. I am trying to install from one live-USB to another USB-stick

#6

Hello @OscarFredriksson, and welcome to the forum.
Do you want to install AL on usb? Not to create a live bootable USB; in that case the dd method is not what you’re looking for.

#7

Yes. I am trying to create a persistent bootable USB-stick. I already have a live-USB with Archlabs on, and I am trying to install from that to my other USB-stick.

#8

Sorry @OscarFredriksson

#9

Bios or EFI? You will need to set the boot loader, in the EFI case you will need a esp partition (FAT32 100MB)

#10

Im sorry, but I’m really new to this. Does it depend on what computer I’m going to boot the USB-stick on? If so, just regular BIOS.

#11

In what context this happens?

#12

After going into the installer file and commenting away a couple of lines that had something like "if [ USB_DEVICES =… " like someone said in the other thread.

#13

As far as I remember it has been ‘fixed’ with the latest release, but it doesn’t work with all usb.

#14

So there is no way I can get my USB working with Archlabs on it?

#15

I believe there’s a way to do it, it is just beyond my knowledge. Please be a little patient and somebody will come up with a solution.

#16

I installed two distro archlabs on a usb transmemory toshiba, but I used etcher.
I have not used the last iso, but those of 2017 if I remember correctly or maybe 2016.
edit

[midfingr@midfingr-pc ~]$ lsusb -D /dev/bus/usb/004/002
Device: ID 0930:1407 Toshiba Corp. 
Couldn't open device, some information will be missing
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               3.00
  bDeviceClass            0 
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0         9
  idVendor           0x0930 Toshiba Corp.
  idProduct          0x1407 
  bcdDevice           10.75
  iManufacturer           1 
  iProduct                2 
  iSerial                 3 
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength       0x002c
    bNumInterfaces          1
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0x80
      (Bus Powered)
    MaxPower              304mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass         8 Mass Storage
      bInterfaceSubClass      6 SCSI
      bInterfaceProtocol     80 Bulk-Only
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x02  EP 2 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0400  1x 1024 bytes
        bInterval               0
        bMaxBurst              15
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x81  EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0400  1x 1024 bytes
        bInterval               0
        bMaxBurst              15
[midfingr@midfingr-pc ~]$ 

[midfingr@midfingr-pc ~]$ lsusb -D /dev/bus/usb/004/001
Device: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Couldn't open device, some information will be missing
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               3.00
  bDeviceClass            9 Hub
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         3 
  bMaxPacketSize0         9
  idVendor           0x1d6b Linux Foundation
  idProduct          0x0003 3.0 root hub
  bcdDevice            4.19
  iManufacturer           3 
  iProduct                2 
  iSerial                 1 
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength       0x001f
    bNumInterfaces          1
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0xe0
      Self Powered
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower                0mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           1
      bInterfaceClass         9 Hub
      bInterfaceSubClass      0 
      bInterfaceProtocol      0 Full speed (or root) hub
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x81  EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0004  1x 4 bytes
        bInterval              12
        bMaxBurst               0
[midfingr@midfingr-pc ~]$ 

[midfingr@midfingr-pc ~]$ sudo parted -l
[sudo] password di midfingr: 
Modello: ATA TOSHIBA MQ01ABD0 (scsi)
Disco /dev/sda: 750GB
Dimensione del settore (logica/fisica): 512B/4096B
Tabella delle partizioni: gpt
Flag del disco: 

Numero  Inizio  Fine   Dimensione  File system  Nome                          Flag
 1      1049kB  420MB  419MB       ntfs         Basic data partition          nascosta, diag
 2      420MB   693MB  273MB       fat32        EFI system partition          avvio, esp
 3      693MB   827MB  134MB                    Microsoft reserved partition  msftres
 4      827MB   652GB  651GB       ntfs         Basic data partition          msftdata
 5      652GB   729GB  77,3GB      ntfs         Basic data partition          msftdata
 6      729GB   730GB  968MB       ntfs                                       nascosta, diag
 7      730GB   731GB  510MB       ntfs                                       nascosta, diag
 8      731GB   731GB  472MB       ntfs                                       nascosta, diag
 9      731GB   750GB  18,8GB      ntfs         Basic data partition          nascosta, msftdata


Modello: TOSHIBA TransMemory-Ex2 (scsi)
Disco /dev/sdb: 32,0GB
Dimensione del settore (logica/fisica): 512B/512B
Tabella delle partizioni: gpt
Flag del disco: 

Numero  Inizio  Fine    Dimensione  File system  Nome  Flag
 1      1049kB  919MB   918MB       fat32              avvio, esp
 2      919MB   18,2GB  17,3GB      ext4
 3      18,2GB  18,8GB  576MB       fat32              avvio, esp
 4      18,8GB  30,2GB  11,4GB      ext4


[midfingr@midfingr-pc ~]$ 
[midfingr@midfingr-pc ~]$ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 698,7G  0 disk 
├─sda1   8:1    0   400M  0 part 
├─sda2   8:2    0   260M  0 part 
├─sda3   8:3    0   128M  0 part 
├─sda4   8:4    0 606,6G  0 part 
├─sda5   8:5    0    72G  0 part 
├─sda6   8:6    0   923M  0 part 
├─sda7   8:7    0   486M  0 part 
├─sda8   8:8    0   450M  0 part 
└─sda9   8:9    0  17,5G  0 part 
sdb      8:16   1  29,8G  0 disk 
├─sdb1   8:17   1   875M  0 part /boot/efi
├─sdb2   8:18   1  16,1G  0 part /
├─sdb3   8:19   1   549M  0 part 
└─sdb4   8:20   1  10,7G  0 part 
sr0     11:0    1  1024M  0 rom  
[midfingr@midfingr-pc ~]$
#17

Just curious, why do you wan’t to do that ? ^^

#18

+1 Wondering minds would like to know.

#19

@anon2716996, @gazeka74:

I’m guessing you are wondering why I wan’t to install to a USB-stick. It’s so I can just carry the USB around and then boot from that on whatever computer I have available. Currently have manjaro installed on it, works pretty good.

#20

Open the file /installer/installer and find the following line (around line 26)

# change
readonly SYS_DEVS="$(lsblk -lno NAME,SIZE,TYPE,TRAN | awk '/disk/ && !/usb/ {print "/dev/" $1 " " $2}')"

# to
readonly SYS_DEVS="$(lsblk -lno NAME,SIZE,TYPE,TRAN | awk '/disk/ {print "/dev/" $1 " " $2}')"

just a few lines below that you’ll find

# change
for dev in $(lsblk -lno NAME,TRAN | awk '/usb/ {print $1}'); do
    USB_DEVS="${dev}$([[ $USB_DEVS ]] && echo -n "|$USB_DEVS")"
done

# to
USB_DEVS=""

You should now be able to choose usb device partitions during install.