Thanks Dylan, it is clear now.
However, given your example of those other Linux ditro's, I am
wondering why the DF group decided to build their images this way if
there is an alternative. I mean if DF seriously wants to expand
its ranks the best way is from the herds of Windows users and most
of them know nothing about Unix. So the easier the route to see
what DF can do - the more likely is someone to put in the effort.
With this USB example alone: first, a newbie has to get the USB
image, second realize (probably the hard way 'cause there is no
mention of this on the download page) that the writing app is
completely different from the one they use to write their CD images
with and ultimately see that even though the DF image is small he
can't move anything else onto the flash disk (which may be
particularly frustrating if they only have the big one they just
bought)... I think it is easy to see how many novices may get
discouraged with DF and give up almost before they began.
Fortunately, I am strongly motivated, have been to DF's IRC channel
before and have finally succeeded in signing up on this help list
(which also wasn't the most straight forward thing ever... and could
not have happened without my knowledge of IRC). My point is, I
think you are a great bunch of guys who have done one hell of a job,
but if you want to attract not just the most experience computer
users, the route from A-B, never mind from A-Z should be easier.
Many thanks,
Tron.
On 9/28/2010 8:56 PM, Dylan Reinhold wrote:
Tron,
Yes you are correct this would completely re write the stick
with
this image.
The way DFly build their USB images means this is the only way.
I know some Linux distro's have some ways to allow you to drop the
files on a fat[32] formated drive and run a command to boot.
So when you want you disk back do will need to refomat it, saveing
the
current image might work also.
Hope this helps,
Dylan
On 09/28/2010 05:42 PM, Tron wrote:
An off the shelf flash drive allows standard copy operations of
files
under windows. I imagine that writing a non win OS image would
erase
everything on that flash drive making it unusable for further
storage
of other (windows) data. I don't know if USB flash drives are
formated
for NTFS, FAT32 or what but if I should want to use this drive
under
windows again, would I have to reformat it after DF (kind of
like a
hard drive)? Or make an image of an empty USB drive for ease of
later
restoration before I through on a DF image? Or is it
possible
to reserve space on a large USB for diff OS's (like partitioning
HD's),
or..? (Hope the question isn't too idiotic but I haven't done
anything
like this with flash drives before).
On 9/26/2010 4:21 PM, Dylan Reinhold wrote:
On 09/26/2010 01:32 PM, tron wrote:
If I want to copy the DF USB image
onto my
USB
stick and I am working under WinXP, can I open the
archive with 7zip and just copy the resulting
files/folders to the stick or will I need a special app
for installing the image to the USB stick? (Sorry if
this sounds dumb, but I am only used to the world
of Windows and the handbook on DF page only
discusses installation with CD.)
You should be able to use Image Writter
https://launchpad.net/win32-image-writer
Dylan
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