USB Kubuntu 8.04.1 Persistent install from Linux

USB Kubuntu 8.04.1 Persistent Linux installation from Linux without using a CDROM. Some Linux users prefer Kubuntu over Ubuntu because it uses the KDE desktop environment instead of Gnome. In the following, we cover the process of installing Kubuntu 8.04.1 Hardy Heron to a USB flash drive from within Linux. The persistence feature is used to allow the user to save and restore changes on subsequent boots. If you already have a working Linux installation on your PC and do not wish to use or your system does not have a CD drive, this tutorial is for you.


Prerequisites for this Kubuntu 8.04.1 USB installation:
Working Linux environment (we used a local Kubuntu installation)
Established internet connection
1GB or larger USB flash drive

How to install Kubuntu 8.04.1 to a USB flash drive via Linux:
Insert a 1GB or larger USB flash drive (2GB+ recommended)
Open a terminal and type sudo su
As one line, type wget mirrors.gigenet.com/ubuntu/kubuntu/hardy/kubuntu-8.04.1-desktop-i386.iso
Type mount -o loop -tiso9660 kubuntu*.iso /cdrom
Type fdisk -l to list available drives/partitions (note which device is your flash drive I.E. /dev/sdb). Throughout this tutorial, replace all instances of x with your flash drive letter. For example, if your flash drive is sdb, replace x with b.
Type umount /dev/sdx1
Type fdisk /dev/sdx
type p to show the existing partition and d to delete it
type p again to show any remaining partitions (if partitions exist, repeat the previous step)
type n to make a new partition
type p for primary partition
type 1 to make this the first partition
hit enter to use the default 1st cylinder
type +750M to set the partition size
type a to make this partition active
type 1 to select partition 1
type t to change the partition filesystem
type 6 to select the fat16 file system
type n to make another new partition
type p for primary partition
type 2 to make this the second partition
hit enter to use the default cylinder
hit enter again to use the default last cylinder
type w to write the new partition table
Type umount /dev/sdx1 to unmount the partition
Type mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n kubuntu8 /dev/sdx1 to format the first partition
Type umount /dev/sdx2 to ensure the partition is unmounted
Type mkfs.ext2 -b 4096 -L casper-rw /dev/sdx2 to format the second partition
Remove and re-insert your flash drive (if prompted that a new medium has been detected, select to open in a new window and click ok)
Back at the terminal, type sudo apt-get install syslinux mtools
Type syslinux -sf /dev/sdx1
Type cd /cdrom
Type cp -rfv casper dists install pics pool preseed .disk isolinux/* md5sum.txt README.diskdefines install/mt86plus /media/kubuntu8
Type cd /media/kubuntu8
Type wget pendrivelinux.com/downloads/ku8/syslinux.cfg
Type cd casper
Type rm initrd.gz
Type wget pendrivelinux.com/downloads/ku8/initrd.gz
Reboot your computer and set your system BIOS boot priority to boot from the USB stick.

If everything has gone as it should, you should be able to boot kubuntu 8.04 from the USB flash device and by default it should save your changes, restoring them on boot.

Notes: If your having trouble getting Ubuntu to boot, your memory stick may have a corrupted MBR. To repair the MBR of your USB device, at the terminal type sudo apt-get install lilo then type lilo -M /dev/sdx (replacing x with the letter of your flash device)


Source:
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-kubuntu-804-persistent-install-from-linux/


[silent killer]