USB Install Question

[Member artwheat]

I’ve downloaded antiX-19.3_x64-full.iso to my Mac and flashed it to a 32GB USB 3.0 using Etcher. I want to run Antix from my USB with persistence for now.

When I boot to USB, it does not give me any FKeys to choose options. I’m worried that if I choose install, it will overwrite my Mac hard drive. I’ve been going to FAQ, and Video’s looking for my own answers without any luck to the following three questions:

1) Why don’t I see any FKey options before install?
2) Will I be given a choice where to install or will it automatically overwrite my hard drive?
3) Can I install to my USB or do I need a second one to install to and is that different than USB with persistence?

I want to boot from a USB and run Antix from it without fear of over writing my hard drive. It would be great if I could access the hard drive and save some files to it, utilizing any free space, without overwriting any other files on there but that would be a bonus and not what I’m expecting.

Grateful for any help!

[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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Try reading http://download.tuxfamily.org/antix/docs-antiX-17/live-boot/persistence.html

If you have additional questions, quote the item(s) you do not understand and we will follow up with you.

Thanks!

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Brian Masinick

[Moderator caprea]

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1) That is probably because your laptop does not have a bios but already has a UEFI.
There’s a video about uefi-live-usb, it’s still antiX15, but hopefully will help
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJmukS-bSxw

You have to chose the customize boot as replacement for the F-keys

2) antiX will not automatically overwrite your harddrive. The usb-stick you created is already a live-usb which can be booted and used as a live-system. It also can be used for installation, but not automatically,

3)I don’t know the software etcher very well. but i think your usb-stick can be turned into a stick with persistence.

[Anonymous]

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> I want to boot from a USB and run Antix from it

Yep, the live antiX operating system, including persistent storage, is self-contained on the USB until/unless you optionally choose to install it onto an internal disk.

2) Will I be given a choice where to install or will it automatically overwrite my hard drive?

The following screengrabs from a recent dolphin_oracle video provide details related to your immediate question. Clicking the link and watching, or skimming, the tutorial videos can provide insight regarding further contextual questions.

^—v

[Moderator christophe]

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artwheat, my understanding of etcher is that it doesn’t make an antiX live-usb capable of persistence saved back to the usb drive.

IF you are still unsure on how you want to procede, perhaps this will be to your liking. It is a 2-step process (broken down further for clarity):

1. use an old, small usb-stick to make an etcher-made antiX live-usb (2 GB or bigger should work fine).
2. boot that antiX live-usb (without persistence).
3. once you have automatically booted up into antiX, plug in your 32 GB antiX usb-stick (that you want to make as your primary antiX Live system).
4. click the start menu >> Applications >> antiX >> Live USB Maker.
5. Live USB Maker will detect your 32 GB stick. Check the box that says “Clone running live system.” (Or just use the ISO you downloaded earlier, as the source ISO). Also, the “Make full-featured live-usb” should already be checked as default.
6. Run the program. It will make the new, full-featured live usb, capable of running live & saving back to the 32-GB stick.
7. Shut down the computer; unplug the original (non-persistent) usb; start to computer once again.

Now the usb will be “able” to save your persistence back to the stick, without touching the hdd/ssd.

Now, upon your first boot of your new full-featured live-usb:

As caprea wrote:

You have to chose the customize boot as replacement for the F-keys

that is, you have to set persistence options. Also, it’s a good practice to SAVE the options you pick, so they will be remembered.

There’s a video about uefi-live-usb, it’s still antiX15, but hopefully will help
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJmukS-bSxw

And as masinick wrote:

Try reading http://download.tuxfamily.org/antix/docs-antiX-17/live-boot/persistence.html

If you have additional questions, quote the item(s) you do not understand and we will follow up with you.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by christophe.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by christophe.

confirmed antiX frugaler, since 2019

[Member fatmac]

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1) Why don’t I see any FKey options before install?
2) Will I be given a choice where to install or will it automatically overwrite my hard drive?
3) Can I install to my USB or do I need a second one to install to and is that different than USB with persistence?

1) Your have UEFI
2) You will be able to choose
3) You can install to USB, from a live USB. You can choose what type of install to perform.

Read about the various ways.

http://download.tuxfamily.org/antix/docs-antiX-19/FAQ/index.html#_installation
http://download.tuxfamily.org/antix/docs-antiX-19/FAQ/frugal.html
http://download.tuxfamily.org/antix/docs-antiX-19/FAQ/persistence.html

Linux (& BSD) since 1999

[Member artwheat]

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Haven’t had a chance yet to try these out but the response to my initial question has been awesome. It says a lot about this community. Of the multitude of distro’s I could have chosen to start my Linux journey, I feel very good about having chosen to start with Antix. Thank you for all the help!

[Anonymous]

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christophe, this quote from dolphin_oracle confirms (y)our understanding about etcher

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