Unetbootin and persistant changes BT4

ionreflex · #1 (**permalink**) 11-27-2009, 04:44 AM

I just have 2 questions for now...

is the UNetbootin method supposed to be persistent ? (I'm pretty sure, but haven't search that deep for now...)
how can I know if my USB stick would be compatible ? (I came with a lot of different results booting from multiple machines, so I was wondering if there's a way to bulletproof it!)

I've been fighting for a persistent USB for some time now, I'm not done yet but if someone can answer those, that would help a lot!

Thanks

Hey all,

Maybe it would be good to state that a 4GB stick is enough for the UNetbootin alternative method : at least I've been able to install it and have it running, but the persistence wasn't there (hence my previous post)...

But guess what ? I'm currently typing this message following a successful install based on the OS video! It was my fifth or sixth attempt with this method, and I always ended up with an unbootable stick dropping to the "initramfs" prompt. I'm pretty sure I followed step-by-step each time... go figure, looks like my stick is compatible after all, but if someone has an answer to my previous post, paleez share!

I'm gonna confirm the persistence and do some other tests as well : before I got it to work, I experienced quite a score of different results...

Would it be a good idea to post them here ? Maybe it would be better to send them to someone directly ? I would be more than happy to help perfect this tutorial...

ps : paleez forgive my ink/glitch!

End of line.

archangel.amael · #2 (**permalink**) 11-27-2009, 10:41 PM

First of all use the edit button instead of making consecutive posts.
In addition don't hijack threads like you did. Your questions/problems have nothing to do with the thread they were in.

Check those rules and stickies for more good info.

erhardm · #3 (**permalink**) 11-29-2009, 01:50 PM

Here is the link that I used to learn to install BackTrack with persistent changes on usb stick:
Backtrack 4 – USB/Persistent Changes/Nessus | Infosec Ramblings

chiqui862 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 10:45 AM

I have the same problem, I tried everything to make a bootable pendrive with persistent changes, but till today I havent get it, tried make partitions, unetbooting ....... Nothing solved my problem. the pendrive starts like a cdrom, appears the install icon on the desktop. And when I restart, changes dissapears.
Anything I did forget to do??.

Hello, I have 16Gb pendrive. im newbie in this forum, my first post, but I have the same problem with persistent changes in pendrive, I tried video method, unetbooting, etc, nothing works, the pendrive appear like "cdrom0" when I boot from it, so I think that is not a persistent changes usb, what im doing wrong?, because everybody says that those methods work. Thanks.

ionreflex · #5 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archangel.amael

First of all use the edit button instead of making consecutive posts.
In addition don't hijack threads like you did. Your questions/problems have nothing to do with the thread they were in.

Check those rules and stickies for more good info.

DOH! Sorry Mister High 'n' Mighty Moderator, my bad : I did try hard to do the proper way, but failed miserably, so lemme - or help me - fix it so it stands perfectly; far from me the intention of hijacking anything, I wish only to contribute as best I can!

Since you felt I should have my own thread, could you rename it to something else ? Something like "4GB persistent BT4PF USB stick... looking for answers" ? If not, I'll start another one...

Quote:

Originally Posted by erhardm

Here is the link that I used to learn to install BackTrack with persistent changes on usb stick:
URL-I-CANNOT-QUOTE

Hey there, I stumble upon that tutorial, except the Nessus part it's quite the same as the noobproof tutorial, the 2nd alt method...

Anyhow, thanks for the info!

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiqui862

I have the same problem, I tried everything to make a bootable pendrive with persistent changes, but till today I havent get it, tried make partitions, unetbooting ....... Nothing solved my problem. the pendrive starts like a cdrom, appears the install icon on the desktop. And when I restart, changes dissapears.
Anything I did forget to do??.

Hello, I have 16Gb pendrive. im newbie in this forum, my first post, but I have the same problem with persistent changes in pendrive, I tried video method, unetbooting, etc, nothing works, the pendrive appear like "cdrom0" when I boot from it, so I think that is not a persistent changes usb, what im doing wrong?, because everybody says that those methods work. Thanks.

Personally, I had to give it about six tryouts before achieving persistent Live USB, each time was done according to one of the methods that appear in the already mentioned noobproof tutorial :

first method, running "install.sh" : impossible with 4GB stick, not enough space at 70%
alt1 : tried about 4 times before it finally worked, had to fsck the casper-rw partition before I could backup it with clonezilla (error was "bitmap free count err")
alt2 : worked, didn't like it, no other reason...

g1ic7h · #6 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 06:02 AM

"Unetbootin and persistant changes BT4"

to achieve this is simple...

1) Create two partitions on your pen drive
first partition, bootable fat32, name it what you like.
sec partition, ext2 or 3 , name it casper-rw

2) install BT4 via Unetbootin as you normally would.

3) mod syslinux.cfg in the root directory of your pen drive
add: "persistent rw" to the append line.

The main draw back of this type of install, Its slow.
By slow, I mean, the BT4 OS runs unbearably slow on the pen drive.
At least, this has been my experience. May have been my pen drive.

lupin · #7 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ionreflex

DOH! Sorry Mister High 'n' Mighty Moderator, my bad : I did try hard to do the proper way, but failed miserably, so lemme - or help me - fix it so it stands perfectly; far from me the intention of hijacking anything, I wish only to contribute as best I can!

Since you felt I should have my own thread, could you rename it to something else ? Something like "4GB persistent BT4PF USB stick... looking for answers" ? If not, I'll start another one...

Lose the attitude and lose it now, I'm not going to tolerate these sort of smart assed replies to one of our moderators who was just trying to politely educate you on the rules of our forum. Continue with this behaviour and I will demonstrate some of the more heavy handed methods of enforcing our rules.

If you want to pick your own thread titles make sure you do the right thing in the first place instead of thread hijacking. DO NOT start a new thread for this.

ionreflex · #8 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lupin

Lose the attitude and lose it now, I'm not going to tolerate these sort of smart assed replies to one of our moderators who was just trying to politely educate you on the rules of our forum. Continue with this behaviour and I will demonstrate some of the more heavy handed methods of enforcing our rules.

If you want to pick your own thread titles make sure you do the right thing in the first place instead of thread hijacking. DO NOT start a new thread for this.

I get it... my intention wasn't any smartass disrespect be assured of that, the "High 'n' Mighty" quote is from the 82 Tron movie...

Quote:

Originally Posted by g1ic7h

3) mod syslinux.cfg in the root directory of your pen drive
add: "persistent rw" to the append line.

The main draw back of this type of install, Its slow.
By slow, I mean, the BT4 OS runs unbearably slow on the pen drive.
At least, this has been my experience. May have been my pen drive.

I didn't do it via UNetbootin... in fact, I should state that question is answered, I know for a fact it can be persistent, I don't know why mine wasn't!

About your step 3, I cannot find syslinux.cfg anywhere... am I wrong or it is the equivalent to menu.lst for a grub-install ?