XBMC LiveUSB (formerly "LiveXBMC") V1: an USB disk image

[l.capriotti]

For the braves only...

I have been playing recently with Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded toolkit, and finally managed to create a live USB disk booting a minimal Ubuntu distro with XBMC. Having an Intel 965 based PC, I preconfigured the image with Intel X drivers, but all the open source xorg drivers are included for anyone to play with it. Restricted drivers are not included, though, you you are on your own - apt-get will be your friend.

Some details:
* Requires 512 MB USB flash disk
* Default user: "xbmc" - password: "password" (no quotes)
* Live R/W image, all changes are saved to the USB disk
* Support for Intel GPUs - (XBMC requires high-end GPU)
* DHCP on eth0 enabled
* FTP and SSH servers automatically started, FTP not configured
* lircd included, not configured.
* ivman included (removable media auto-mounting)
* nice XBMC usplash theme (courtesy of Duduke)!!!

Bear in mind that:

* This is a PROOF-OF-CONCEPT only, it is not supported by all means neither by the TeamXBMC nor by myself!
* it's not supposed to be working, it's a technology preview!

Finally the download link: https://sourceforge.net/project/show...ease_id=571325

Enjoy!

[topfs2]

Oh my yes! will try and report my finds. Although I don't have Intel but nvidia but one must try!

Thank you!

[Razor_109]

I'm very curious how it works and such.. but I've never booted anything from an USB stick.. got a USB-stick but how exactly will i get the .IMG on the USB? cause i dont think CTRL+C CTRL+V would work

ANy program to 'burn' the img to the USB?

Thanks for the help

[pike]

I recommend this method if you're using Linux:

http://www.planet-lab.org/node/172

[topfs2]

It boots

Although I get issues with the Xorg but that was to be expected as I'm using a nvidia, and quite a new one to.
Oh well, Keep up the good work!

[l.capriotti]

anyone using Windows to prepare the flash disk? ..
Google will retun a million of similar pages, but this one seems more accurate than others:

http://www.althack.com/2006/03/10/ho...n-a-usb-drive/

Cheers

PS. if you remove-rename the file ext3fs.img you have a read-only system (changes are not kept when rebooting) with a pure X11+fluxbox shell.

[Razor_109]

yep using Windows to prepare the flash disk

well tried a couple of ISO/IMG extracting programs, almost none seemed to handle the file (IsoBuster and MagicIso are a no-go).

Then i found a program 'undisker'.. it will copy directly from .IMG to your USB drive and format it for you.. (as far as I know atleast)

Just have to use Syslinux to make it bootable and then i'll try it..

PS. For Undisker see: www.undisker.com

[topfs2]

On windows you can use hp usb disk storage format tool. It will take an image file and fix everything for you.

DOn't know the adress now but, hp.com maybe

[Hudson_Hawk04]

im having issues getting this on my flash drive....anyone have any pointers? I'm trying to set my drive up in windows....but I cant help but feel like I am missing something

[djdafreund]

I have the HP tool already, but it only gives formatting options for FAT32 and NTFS. Also, doesn't have any tools for IMG files, just says 'No dos files found'. Using x64.

I would love to use this, i bought a 4gig Flash Voyager (Corsair) yesterday JUST SPECIFICALLY to install Ubuntu and XBMC and saw this today, making it even easier to do. I did find this a little tricky. I have the live cd for now, but am not linux savvy AT ALL, as i'm sure a lot of people aren't. But willing to learn.

One point i read over in the Tom's Hardware forums, which is not good, and something (of ALL tutorials i've read of installing linux on USB) is that THEY said it's NOT recommended for a BIG reason, the average USB stick (gave pretty specific and highly detailed specs of why.) has an average of 10,000 writes, which for an OS, one would find a USB stick to start giving error's from wear and tear after a period of time quicker then one thinks. Thats bad news to hear. Anyone hear otherwise? I know Tom's Hardware is one of the most knowledgable and respected site on the net.

But either way, i still have a 300gig USB hardrive sitting around not using anyway, since i use my 500gig netdrive since then, and want to get this working still, whether on my USB stick, or my USB hard drive. I'd like to start getting used to Ubuntu, and XBMC linux. I'll be closely following this thread for sure, in excitement of this easier solution, for the linux newbs.