Sugar on a Stick/Linux/Non-compressed Fedora

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Full Fedora 11 Install of Sugar-Desktop on a Stick to USB

Uses Logical Volume Manager (LVM) layer over the file structure on the USB flash drive. Other methods on this page install a LiveUSB image that uses a compressed file system (SquashFS) to hold the system and content.

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. Please make suggestions or improvements.

Download of Prebuilt SUGAR-DESKTOP USB.img file

  • DOWNLOAD Link:[[1]]

Requires:

  • GNU/Linux system with ability to decompress archive
  • 4 GB or larger USB Stick
  • Familiarity with dd commands in terminal (see below)


Make your OWN Custom SUGAR-DESKTOP USB Boot Stick

  • Uses Fedora Net Install CD,[2]Fedora-13-i386-netinst.iso so best with a fast internet connection.
  • USB 2.0 recommended or install would take a excessive time using USB 1.0
  • Requires 4-GB USB drive. (Tested with Cruzer Micro USB Stick, an 8-GB Toshiba USB drive works faster.)
  1. Boot from CD
  2. Enter language, time, location, root user password
  3. Replace existing Linux system
  4. Review and modify partitioning layout
  5. edit LVM VolGroup
  6. delete LV_swap (needed to fit on 4GB stick and for reduced writes to USB)
  7. edit LV_root (Edit LVM and increase to max size on (/dev/sda*)
  8. size:(change to max shown)
  9. yes for no swap file
  10. Write changes to disk *NOTE: Be sure this is the USB drive, or you will ruin your hard disk installation on the host PC.
  11. install boot loader Fedora/dev/mapper/VolGroup-lv_root
  12. enable network interface (DHCP, IPv4)
  13. retrieve install informtion for Fedora 13-i386
  14. Select customize now
    1. sugar-desktop ONLY / deselect gnome-desktop
    2. deselect other unwanted applications in categories (Games, etc)
    Installer will reformat drive; install bootloader; transfer xxx packages (about 2 hours)
  15. reboot
  16. Configuration setup (Graphical), add user and password on first boot
  17. Log in User
  18. Select Sugar on selection bar
  • You can also do a hard disk install of SUGAR this way (not tested yet)
  • This procedure can be used with a Windows PC if it will boot from CD

8 GB Gnome/Sugar-Desktop USB

  • install gnome or KDE desktop with this technique and then, use add/remove programs to install sugar from other desktops
  • you get a 8GB USB that boots either gnome or sugar (8 GB Toshiba USB)

This Works well....can switch back between desktops by logging off and back on.

Use liveinst command in terminal

  • burn .iso to CD
  • boot PC from CD and start sugar
  • log in Name and select colors
  • go to upper right area of sugar's frame and select application lists
  • start sugar terminal type su -
  • root terminal # type liveinst (a part of Anaconda installer) this will start graphical installation
  • do normal install. (This works for Hard Disk or VM Installs )
If USB/SD (4GB for SOAS and 8GB for F12-edu images)
  • select custom install
  • make new partitions:
Label Size file-type 
/boot 200    ext2
/     3000   ext4 (5000 for f12-edu)
(no swap)
  • These are persistent USB/SD's and can be duplicated by dd command (see below)

IF NOT LOGGED INTO FOR FIRST TIME

AUTO Login to SUGAR

TO bypass gdm Login and start up Stick in SUGAR DESKTOP:

  • start up and log in to sugar
  • Open Terminal Application
su -
password=sugarroot
yum install gedit
(after gedit is installed:)
gedit /etc/gdm/gdm.schemas
  • change: (to true and add sugar)
 --snip--
<key>daemon/AutomaticLoginEnable</key>
<signature>b</signature>
<default>true</default>
</schema>
<schema>
<key>daemon/AutomaticLogin</key>
<signature>s</signature>
<default>sugar</default>
</schema> 
 --snip--
  • Reboot

Duplication of USB Sticks

Caution: This is a work in progress

Preparation of target device

Caution if you purchase Sandisk cruzer micro 4 GB USB you have to use Windows machine to to start the U3 program and delete the hidden U3 directory

This will make the USB a full 4GB otherwise it will be too small to use dd to copy .img file

  • U3 partition will not be removed by formating with Partition Manager

CAUTION VERY DANGEROUS IF NOT ENTERED CORRECTLY:

  • Enter Terminal
su -
<password>
(Need to be ROOT or get permission denied)
  • Target USB device MUST be larger for this to work (not all USB Sticks are exactly the same size)
    • be certain of the device identifier, /dev/sd(x), for your USB Stick. (I use the partition editor in Ubuntu 9.04 to identify the USB device.)
  • Note that .img file on Desktop can be compressed for distribution.

Example of sucessful clone session:'

Make Image from USB/SD:

NOTE This should be done on NEWLY BUILT USB before using it. THIS COPIES EVERYTHING ON IT EXACTLY including all of the things you have entered on it.

  • If you have logged in and selected Name and Color's

see below to remove personalisation in /.sugar directory on a USED USB/SD

  • SAMPLE: 8-GB Toshiba USB
root@xxxxx:/home/robert/Desktop# dd if=/dev/sda* of=USB8.img
15687680+0 records in
15687680+0 records out
8032092160 bytes (8.0 GB) copied, 421.146 s, 19.1 MB/s
Deleting /.Sugar Directory
  • in Sugar Terminal:
rm -rf ~/.sugar
su -
<password>
shutdown -h now
use image to write USB Clone:
  • 4-GB SanDisk Cruzer with U3 partition removed
root@xxxx:/home/robert/Desktop# dd if=USB4C2.img of=/dev/sdg bs=4k
986623+1 records in
986623+1 records out
4041211392 bytes (4.0 GB) copied, 595.509 s, 6.8 MB/s