How to make ext2 partition on usb stick?

[piri]

hey,

i'm not really into linux :-/ but want to boot olegs customized firmware from an usb memory stick.

therefore I have to create a ext2 partition on the stick.
how do I do that, when the only linuxbox around is the router itself and there are no partitioning tools like mke2fs on it?

partitionmagic8 for winxp is said to support ext2 partitions but does not recognize my usb stick.... any ideas???

cheers, thomas.

[Antiloop]

good question.. PQ8 does recognize my usbpendrive. maybe you have to insert the pendrive when booting your pc, and not after it's booted already..

[Styno]

It shouldn't be PM who's recognising the pen drive. This is handled by the operating system. If the pen drive is added by the operating system as a removable drive (it get's a drive number assigned), there should not be any problem using PM. Make sure you install/connect the pen drive first before starting PM.

Some other tips:
- Have you received any drivers with your drive? If so, you could try install them first.
- Enable PnP OS support in the BIOS
- Enable the Assign IRQ to USB options (if exists)

[Ark+]

how do I do that, when the only linuxbox around is the router itself and there are no partitioning tools like mke2fs on it?

Dowload knoppix ISO from http://www.knoppix.org, burn a CD with the ISO and boot on this CD. No installation is required. You will find fdisk and mke2fs.

KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals.

[Technik]

Originally posted by Ark+
Dowload knoppix ISO from http://www.knoppix.org, burn a CD with the ISO and boot on this CD. No installation is required. You will find fdisk and mke2fs.

KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals.

Yes - it's a good advice. I bought ABC Linux CD recently - it's bootable CD based on Knoppix - there are many applications contained and it works great.

[piri]

Originally posted by Styno
It shouldn't be PM who's recognising the pen drive. This is handled by the operating system. If the pen drive is added by the operating system as a removable drive (it get's a drive number assigned), there should not be any problem using PM. Make sure you install/connect the pen drive first before starting PM.

Some other tips:
- Have you received any drivers with your drive? If so, you could try install them first.
- Enable PnP OS support in the BIOS
- Enable the Assign IRQ to USB options (if exists)

actually it's a sandisk cruzer mini 256mb plugged in on bootup and properly recognized by windows xp.
no extra drivers from sandisk available, I don't have those settings in my notebook bios either, irq is assigned automatically...

Originally posted by Ark+
Dowload knoppix ISO from http://www.knoppix.org, burn a CD with the ISO and boot on this CD. No installation is required. You will find fdisk and mke2fs.

KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals.

great idea, I'll give it a try!

thank you all for those hints :-)
cheers, thomas.

[erik_bies]

The Sandisk cruzer is automatically recognised by Knoppix.

The latest version of Knoppix (3.4CT) contains a program called Qtparted, and it is a graphical partition manager. It also does the formatting for you.

You can find it in the "system" set of programs. I don't know if the earlier versions contain that program. If not, you'll have to do with the old
fdisk & mke2fs

If you wanna write, don't forget to right click on the drive on the desktop and set it to writable

Good luck.

[piri]

Technik and erik_bies (and oleg of course )

thanks guys, knoppix with qtparted did the job! now running with oleg's 1.7.5.6-CR2 on the cruzer

you do a great job out there m8s,
cheers, thomas.

[xlephant]

question: what is the advantage to run the firmware from usb stick?(i'm not really a linux pro) ;-(

[Antiloop]

running from usbstick/usbhd gives you the ability to change scripts etc on the fly.. (most used by 'linux' gurus..)