I found several showstopper issues with the script that Slackel uses to copy its ISO data to a USB stick.

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2015-05-13 - 6.0.3 ∞

Some of these issues are probably because of the distribution I was running. That was Lubuntu 14.04, updated recently.

I don't know if the 32/64 bit nature of an ISO matters at all. My first pass was 64bit, and I did another pass with 32bit when I noticed the mbr missing file issue.

• The docs need updating.

  • Fix the sh/bash reference.
  • List dependencies.
• The script needs to check for missing dependencies.

• The script should check for an alternate (Ubuntu) syslinux mbr location.

install_on_usb.sh: Syntax error: "(" unexpected ∞

\sudo  \bash ./install_on_usb.sh --usb slackellive64-openbox-6.0.3.iso /dev/sdb

./install_on_usb.sh: 58: ./install_on_usb.sh: Syntax error: "(" unexpected

The installation instructions have a mistake

The solution:

sudo sh install_on_usb.sh --usb path_to_iso_image device
=>
sudo bash install_on_usb.sh --usb path_to_iso_image device

gdisk: command not found ∞

\sudo  \bash ./install_on_usb.sh --usb slackellive64-openbox-6.0.3.iso /dev/sdb

./install_on_usb.sh: line 269: gdisk: command not found

The installation instructions do not mention it.

The solution:

\sudo  \apt-get  install gdisk

mbr.bin: No such file or directory ∞

\sudo  \bash ./install_on_usb.sh --usb slackellive64-openbox-6.0.3.iso /dev/sdb

cat: /usr/share/syslinux/mbr.bin: No such file or directory

The solution:

\sudo  \mkdir /usr/share/syslinux/
\sudo  \ln  --symbolic  /usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin  /usr/share/syslinux/mbr.bin

[invalid] '/mnt/install': Directory not empty ∞

\sudo  \bash ./install_on_usb.sh --usb slackellive64-openbox-6.0.3.iso /dev/sdb

The persistent file persistent is ready.
umount: /mnt/install: not mounted
rmdir: failed to remove '/mnt/install': Directory not empty

The USB stick was still mounted before running the installer.

The solution:

\sudo  \umount /dev/sdb*

This may also be useful:

\sudo  \rm    /mnt/install/persistent
\sudo  \rmdir /mnt/install/

I also tried opening another teminal during:

Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information:

and doing:

\sudo  \umount /dev/sdb*

• install_on_usb.sh needs to be modified so it's aware of this automatic mounting and unmounts as necessary.

I rebooted and did all the usual steps from scratch and did not have any similar issues. I think perhaps my USB slot isn't secure and the device slipped out then back in again, causing it to be auto-mounted and fuck things up.

other leftovers which should be automatically removed ∞

# The install script does not unmount its loop devices.
\sudo  \umount  /tmp/iso/
\sudo  \rmdir   /tmp/iso/
\sudo  \umount  /tmp/tmp.*
\sudo  \rmdir   /tmp/tmp.*

Last updated 2016-04-09 at 19:34:27