Messages in this thread | | | Date | Sat, 27 Jul 2002 14:49:22 -0700 | From | Matthew Dharm <> | Subject | Re: Linux booting from USB HD / USB interface devices |
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On Sat, Jul 27, 2002 at 02:15:15PM -0400, David Ford wrote: > Linux booting from USB HD > > 1) Most motherboard vendors (that mention Linux) are indicating Linux > 2.4.x for support. How is the USB Mass storage support in 2.4.19+?
It works nicely for many people.
> 2) There are some vague comments about some devices requiring the > ability to boot, are there some USB hard drives that are incapable of > acting as a boot device?
Yes. They are few, tho. The USB-IF is currently working on a bootability standard to eliminate this problem.
> 3) I don't suspect there is anything tricky or nonstandard that I'd need > to do on the USB drive, do I need corrected?
No correction.
> 4) What kind of USB hard drives are well supported in Linux?
See www.linux-usb.org for a link to a list of good devices.
> 5) What kernel issues do I need to be aware of?
THe stock kernel won't work. There are patches floating around to make this work. Basically, the kernel needs to pause for a couple of seconds before attempting to mount the root fs so that the plug-n-pray detection can work, identify the drive, and get going.
Matt
-- Matthew Dharm Home: mdharm-usb@one-eyed-alien.net Maintainer, Linux USB Mass Storage Driver
Okay, this isn't funny anymore! Let me down! I'll tell Bill on you!! -- Microsoft Salesman User Friendly, 4/1/1998 [unhandled content-type:application/pgp-signature] | |