Install Slax on a USB Drive

Slax

Install on a USB Drive

Download the Slax iso file. Get the latest version.

Slax may be downloaded from http://www.slax.org/get_slax.php, or ftp://ftp.slax.org/.

Write it to a CD.

Verify Checksum

You can check if your download has been corrupted by verifying the MD5 checksum. To find out what is should be, go to http://www.slax.org/get_slax.php. Click on "md5," and this will take you to the checksum page. The checksum must be exactly the same. If it is different, the download is corrupted, and it needs to be downloaded again.

Filesystems

If you want to reformat your USB drive with another filesystem, do that before installing Slax. For more information see Filesystems.

Run Slax from the Live CD

Run Slax from the Live CD. The following is done running Slax from the live CD. You will automatically be logged in as root.

Connect the USB Drive

With Slax already running, connect the usb drive to the computer.

Open it in a new window.

Copy and Paste boot and slax to the USB Drive

Using the root file manager, copy and paste the two directories, "boot" and "slax," from the CD, to the USB drive.

Set Up the Bootloader for a Linux Filesystem

If you formatted the USB drive with a Linux filesystem, use this method.

Recommended but Optional

Open the file /mnt/(partition)/boot/liloinst.sh (the one on the usb drive) with a root text editor.

Edit the line:

append = "ramdisk_size=6666 changes=slaxchanges"

To this:

append = "ramdisk_size=6666 autoexec=xconf;telinit~4 changes=slaxchanges"

If you view this on a screen with a low resolution, the end of the line may return and be on the next line. If you enter it that way, it will not work. It must be on one line.

Save the file.

If you don't make this change, you will need to type the username, password and the start command, such as startx, each time Slax is started.

If you plan to install Slax using this method often, you can edit liloinst.sh and make a Make a Modified Live CD.

For changes to take effect, you must run liloinst.sh after making changes.

Open the root terminal, and type:

bash /mnt/(partition)/boot/liloinst.sh

Insert the appropriate partition where it says "(partition)." It will be something like "sdd1."

Set Up the Bootloader for a FAT filesystem

If your USB drive is formatted with a FAT 16 or FAT 32 filesystem, open the root terminal, and type:

cd /mnt/(partition)/boot
./bootinst.sh

Run Slax from the USB drive

With the USB drive connected to the computer, turn the computer off, and restart. Remember to remove the CD.

If the Computer Won't Start from the USB drive, click here for more information.

Be aware, the BIOS in older computers cannot be set up to start an operating system from a USB drive.

If the BIOS cannot be set up to start an operating system from a USB drive, you can:

Download a CD from ftp://ftp.slax.org/ which can be used to start Slax from the USB drive.

Use the PLoP Boot Manager to start Slax from the USB drive.

Run from a Live CD and save files to the USB drive.

Install Slax on the Hard Drive.

Prompt for Username and Password

When first installed, you will automatically be logged in as root each time Slax is started.

You may leave it like this, or change it so you will be prompted for your user name and password.

To change it, from the menu, click "Control Center."

You will see a new window. Click "System Adminstration," then "Login Manager."

Click the tab "Convenience."

Click to uncheck the squares preceeding "Enable Auto-Login," and "Enable Password-Less Logins."

Click "Apply."

After changing this, you will be prompted for your user name and password each time Slax is started.

When first installed, the user is "slax," and the password is "toor." It is a good idea to change the root password and add your user name and password.

Swap Partition

A computer uses a swap partition like extra RAM.

If you install Slax on a USB drive, do not make a swap partition on the USB drive, as it will greatly shorten the life of the USB drive. If Linux is installed on the hard drive, it will have a swap partition and Slax will use it. If Windows is installed on the hard drive, make a swap partition or swap file on the hard drive.

< Install on a Hard Drive

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