====== LiveUSB media ======
===== Tazusb - Live USB Tool =====

Tazusb is a tool that can create bootable usb media with a few simple commands. It can also compress and backup the entire current filesystem to the media, thus preserving all modifications for future use. Type //tazusb usage// for a full list of commands or read the [[http://hg.slitaz.org/tazusb/raw-file/tip/doc/tazusb.en.html|TazUSB manual]].

=== Generate your own LiveUSB media ===

To generate your own LiveUSB media, first you need to login as //root// with //su// and locate your usb storage device using the command:

<code># fdisk -l /dev/sdxx </code>

Then format and label your device (Warning: this will erase all data, make sure you specify the right device):

<code> # tazusb format /dev/sdxx </code> 

And finally generate your LiveUSB media device with either:

<code> # tazusb gen-liveusb /dev/sdxx </code>
(if you're working with a LiveCD as the install source) 

OR

<code> # tazusb gen-iso2usb slitaz.iso /dev/sdxx </code>
(if you're working with an iso file as the install source)

Note that the /dev/sdxx part of the command above specifies the location to where you need to write the iso's files to; it is not the source media where the iso is on ! With the iso file as install source option, you should hence specify the exact location where the slitaz iso  source file is located. If it is located at /home/tux (while running slitaz from a non-live version), write "tazusb gen-iso2usb /home/tux/slitaz.iso /dev/sdxx". If the source file is found on an external hard disk, mention the folder in which the media's files are outputted to - check this with PCManFM (in practice the folder can be something like /media/disk). So, the command you'd need to write with the latter would be something like "tazusb gen-iso2usb /media/disk/slitaz.iso /dev/sdxx"

And that's all you need to do, you can now boot SliTaz from usb media (providing your computer bios supports this method).

=== Tazusb Manual ===

The official Tazusb manual can be found in the SliTaz [[http://hg.slitaz.org/tazusb/raw-file/tip/doc/tazusb.en.html|Web site documentation]]; this contains a lot more useful information. The manual is also available through the documentation menu on the LiveCD.

===== Install SliTaz on USB from Windows =====

Slitaz can be installed on USB media from windows. The following description has been tested on Windows XP and Vista.
Before starting you need to download:
  - the latest SliTaz iso from [[http://www.slitaz.org/en/get/#stable|Get SliTaz]].
  - the syslinux tool for the SliTaz version you install:
  * [[https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/4.xx/syslinux-4.05.zip|syslinux-4.05.zip]] for SliTaz 4.0
  * [[https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/3.xx/syslinux-3.82.zip|syslinux-3.82.zip]] for SliTaz 3.0
  * [[https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/3.xx/syslinux-3.73.zip|syslinux-3.73.zip]] for SliTaz 2.0
  * [[https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/3.xx/syslinux-3.61.zip|syslinux-3.61.zip]] for SliTaz 1.0

**1.** Extract the SliTaz ISO file to the USB stick. For this, use a tool like [[http://www.7-zip.org/|7-Zip]] or Winimage (shareware). Once extracted, you should get the following: 
<code>
\boot
\boot\isolinux
\boot\grub
</code>

<note>
Depending on the version of SliTaz you install, you can find on root other directories and files but they are not used by the LiveUSB.
</note>

**2.** On your USB stick, rename the //\boot\isolinux// directory to //\boot\syslinux//.

**3.** In the new directory //\boot\syslinux//, rename //isolinux.cfg// file to //syslinux.cfg// and //isolinux.msg// file to //syslinux.msg//. This is not mandatory but makes more sense.

**4.** Now extract the syslinux archive previously downloaded and copy the //syslinux.exe// file from its //win32// directory into the //\boot\syslinux// directory of the USB stick.

**5.** Modify the //\boot\syslinux\syslinux.cfg//: replace all //isolinux.*// appellations with //syslinux.*//.

===example for SliTaz 4.0:===
<file>...
kernel /boot/isolinux/ifmem.c32
...
</file>
to
<file>...
kernel /boot/syslinux/ifmem.c32
...
</file>

===example for SliTaz 3.0 and previous versions:===
<file>
display syslinux.msg
label slitaz
	kernel /boot/bzImage
	append initrd=/boot/rootfs.gz rw root=/dev/null lang=C kmap=uk vga=normal autologin

include common.cfg
</file>
**Note : ** In the example above, compared to the original file, the line //display isolinux.msg// has been replaced by //display syslinux.cfg// and the parameters //lang=C kmap=uk// have been added to the line //append// so that, lang and keyboard are automatically selected at boot.

In file //\boot\syslinux\common.cfg//, modify 
<file>...
F3 isolinux.msg
...</file>
to
<file>...
F3 syslinux.msg
...</file>

**6.** Now, from the terminal in Windows, run //syslinux.exe// to install the //bootloader//. For example, here the USB stick is shown as letter K, type:
<code>
k:
cd \boot\syslinux
syslinux -ma -d \boot\syslinux k:
</code>

**7.** You can now restart your computer. Change option in BIOS to boot first from USB.

==== See also ====
[[http://doc.slitaz.org/en:guides:liveusb]]