Hi and thanks for all replies.
The `dracut-config-generic` package did the job with Fedora 28. I'm
actually building this for a non-technical person. What I did was:
* install on stick with netinst fedora image (BIOS mode)
* choose XFCE desktop
* choose basic layout (without LVM) with ~20GB root partition
** remove flash partition
** create VFAT partition for sharing files with windows (make it first
partition [*])
* install dracut-config-generic, codecs and VLC
* rebuild initramfs
* set uid=<target_user> in fstab for the VFAT partition
* link Documents, Pictures, etc. to the VFAT partition
** disable Firefox disk cache (about:config -> browser.cache.disk) [**]
** make locked memory for target user unlimited in limits.d/memlock.conf
(default fedora limit might be reasonable for a server but not for a
workstation)
It looks and works pretty descent. Presently installing on a 32GB USB
3.0 stick. If said user likes the setup I'll recommend switching to an
external SSD/NVMe.
Thanks again and have fun!
[**] Without removing FF disk cache youtube videos have been cutting out
like crazy and data constantly being written to the stick.
[*] I had only one issue. When I put stick into windows 7 it shows "disk
f:" and asks me to format it. It didn't show the VFAT partition because
it is third partition in the MBR. I had to use fdisk to just change
partition numbers. Then boot with install CD in rescue mode to chroot
into the system, then `grub2-mkconfig > /etc/grub2.cfg` and
`grub2-install /dev/sdX`.
[1]
https://superuser.com/questions/400560/windows-7-doesnt-recognize-second-...
ja wrote on 04/24/18 11:30:
> On Mon, 2018-04-23 at 23:52 +0300, Aleksandar Kostadinov wrote:
>> ja wrote on 04/23/18 20:28:
>>> On Mon, 2018-04-23 at 17:20 +0300, Aleksandar Kostadinov wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I'm reading documentation [1] for Fedora on a USB stick. The only
option
>>>> to have a portable fedora on a stick seems to be by creating an overlay
>>>> FS and this certainly leads to getting out of disk space at some point.
>>>>
>>>> I would really like to create Fedora on USB that I can plug anywhere and
>>>> work off it.
>>>>
>>>> I was thinking that perhaps I can just install regular fedora on a USB
>>>> stick like I would do on a hard drive. Then it can be updated and used
>>>> just like any other Fedora machine. Perhaps disable persistent logging
>>>> and swap so that flash memory doesn't wear out.
>>>>
>>>> One issue I presently know about is dracut. It creates by default images
>>>> that only support a specific hardware. i.e. if I install kernel on a
>>>> machine with an nforce disk controller, it will put in intird only that
>>>> module thus Fedora will not boot on a machine with AHCI controller.
>>>>
>>>> Maybe this wouldn't matter when all things are on the USB drive but
then
>>>> can there be a problem with different USB controller modules?
>>>>
>>>> I was wondering if anybody tried that and has tips for greated
portability.
>>>>
>>>> Thank you,
>>>> Aleksandar
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I have been doing this for several years, currently F27,
>>> but only as a recovery Stick.
>>> I just do a standard install but use a custom disk layout
>>> using ext4 / partition - no LMV.
>>> gdisk -l /dev/sda
>>> Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name
>>>
>>> 1 2048 1026047 500.0 MiB EF00 EFI System
>>> 2 1026048 1028095 1024.0 KiB EF02 BIOS boot
partition
>>> 3 1028096 3125247 1024.0 MiB 8300 Linux filesystem
>>> 4 3125248 19902463 8.0 GiB 8200 Linux swap
>>> 5 19902464 61800414 20.0 GiB 8300 Linux filesystem
>>>
>>> I have recently been using a Corsair GT 32GB stick
>>
>> Thanks a lot for the tip! I am also planning to start with a 32GB USB
>> 3.0 stick. It looks like though that you are having EFI and BIOS mode
>> both supported. Would you share how did you achieve it?
>>
>
> I usually pre-format SSD's, sticks with a "standard" partition layout
using
> gdisk before installing Fedora.
> This was it for this stick - "BIOS" & "EFI" boot partitions.
>
> All my machines have compatibility mode for booting.
>
> F27 was installed on this stick on a machine with EFI but
> "BIOS" mode was selected/forced during installation.
>
> I have just re-tested the stick
> It will boot on a 10 year old
> laptop with dual AMD Althon & only USB2.
> Also on Intel i7-6700K machine using "BIOS" mode.
>
> John
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