Hi guys
I'm want to instal Damn Small Linux on my 8GB Micro SD and I don't have access to a computer with admin rites.
The only program I could find to do this is UUI (Universal USB Installer), but its not portable and is thus blocked by the computer.
I'm wondering if there is a portable equivelant that would allow me to do the same?
(and no, begging whoever the admin is to allow me to instal DSL is out of the question XD)
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Portable USB installer (like UUI)
May 22, 2013 - 8:36am
#1
Portable USB installer (like UUI)
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Unetbootin is the only official portable app on this site for installing Linux to flash drives, so try it first.
If that doesn't work go to http://www.pendrivelinux.com/ , they have link to several different tools for this. I use YUMI, myself.
Will try!
Only... Unetbootin still requires admin rites...
God is a bacteria!
Tea = another form of dirty water.
the thing is that most os usb installers require admin rights
so we all have some issues with them but a few will still run under limited user logins but won't always install the os correctly on the portable drive/sd card
YUMI does have it's issues under non admin rights
but than so does Unetbootin but it has less bugs
i'm not wierd, i'm just different
Just tried YUMI, double click on the .exe and the admin password pop-up... pops up...
God is a bacteria!
Tea = another form of dirty water.
the problem is that it has to create partition, write MBR and partition table etc. Those tasks, regardless if the drive is portable usb or not, are simply prohibited by any current windows.
Those are access to low level of the machine and as you can imagine, one can format all and destroy completely any machine if this would be allowed.
There is no workaroud or I can not imagine how it should work.
Windows has to protect such operations strictly.
The only way I can think off is to boot the machine from some bootable media as linux itself, and do the operation from there. Unetbootin exists for linux too.
It would be also possible to use some virtual machine and let the usb drive to be connected only to the virtual machine and logically disconnected from the host.
However this would again need the installation of drivers for the virtual machine, which again needs admin privileges.
So you can not make any OS installation and formating taks from a restricted user windows machine.
So there is no solution for that and in future will be even less, as UEFI machines might stop you doing such things completely.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
I don't think the QEMU vm needs to install drivers.
If tattorack can created CDs and can access the Internet he could download a Live Linux system, burn it to a CD and boot the CD. Course booting a CD and/or USB may require changes to the machine's BIOS.
Ed
Yes, I could boot from a USB or a CD, all the computers here have a boot menu on startup with miltiple options.
Though it would still require me to format my SD card as bootable.
I tried QEMU once and it worket (if not deathly slow, and not helpful considering I'm already on slow computers), but Vista apparently detects programs of a certain kind and blocks them next time windows is started.
QEMU is now blocked, I get an error message stating the program isn't authorized by the admin.
If there really isn't any alternative, I'll let it drop then, I'll have to do with the computers speeds there are then :/
God is a bacteria!
Tea = another form of dirty water.
>Though it would still require me to format my SD card as bootable.Vista apparently detects programs of a certain kind and blocks them next time windows is started.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
Admin rites is needed for UnetBootin, or similar programs I've used (or tried to use) recently.
Booting from a cd... how do I instal blender/gimp etc on it then? Wont it be slower if I have to use a seperate usb drive to load inside the live cd?
God is a bacteria!
Tea = another form of dirty water.
"Admin rites is needed for UnetBootin, or similar programs I've used (or tried to use) recently."
Not if you are running the app under a Live Linux CD system. The Live Linux CD is a step to what you want to accomplish not the end result itself.
1. Download a Live Linux ISO. I like Porteus personally but there are others.
2. Burn ISO to a CD such that the CD is bootable.
3. Boot the CD.
4. Now create your USB drive with whatever system and apps you want.
QEMU was mentioned in case you couldn't create the bootable CD. You would run the Live Linux ISO under it. Yes it is a slow VM but if it gets you to where you want to be that's all that counts. Once it boots the ISO create your USB drive and when done delete QEMU.
Ed
Well alright I'll try and see if it works...
God is a bacteria!
Tea = another form of dirty water.
QUEMU itself does not use drivers, but it is of very little use without the quemu-accelerator, as it is deadly slow then hard to use at all.
The accelerator is a driver and needs admin rights.
I am also not sure now if the usb to be formated can be completely logically insulated from the host as it can be in other VM.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
The QEMU 0.15.1 that I have doesn't have the kqemu accelerator like older versions and has support for 64bit machines which helps it's speed. Not saying its lightning fast but faster than it use to be.
QEMU Manager can help make QEMU easier to use. http://download.cnet.com/Qemu-Manager/3000-2094_4-75451507.html
Ed