Questions for " Prepping a USB stick with USB img"

[Fatmice]

This thread is for answering questions concerning
Prepping a USB stick with USB img

[Fatmice]

I used my 4Gig stick. Could not just copy the image file to it, Windows reported lack of space. (just transporting it from download computer to laptop)
Then I downloaded win32diskimager to download computer and it successfully written the image.

How could this be, to small for the image file, but ok to write that same image? It now shows 100% full in dolphin.

Obviously, in the same way you can't just copy files from a DVD image to a DVD. The word copy here is misleading. What you're really doing is lay down a string of 1's and 0's then another string of 1's and 0's detailing the location of the former. This process will end up taking more space then laying down a string of 1's and 0's of the image itself to the writable media.

[netSys]

I'm using the FreeBSD method

# dd if=PCBSD[...].img of=/dev/daX bs=10240k conv=sync

daX is your external device usb

[bebuxe]

10Mb per block size, really?!? I use 5k just in case. Someone else please confirm if it works. I'll try later on.

[kmoore134]

Seems a bit much, i use 1MB block size here and it works just fine

[bebuxe]

hehehe,
I figured as much but I want to verify if that's even possible, esp. with the many MLC SDDs out there and their haywire MBR on them.

[Jackrat]

I'm planning to download and try out PC-BSD on a 8 Gb USB drive.

1. can I use unetbootin like I do in Linux?
2. will it be bootable (like in "live" Linux cd's/dvd's)?
3. where on the website is there a list of apps that come stock with the download? i.e. office, games, editors, etc.
4. does it include an installer app within the DVD so if I like it I can install it without wiping out one of my Linux installs?

If it's a "live" I can run it and see if I like it before installing.

[Zplay]

I'm using the FreeBSD method

# dd if=PCBSD[...].img of=/dev/daX bs=10240k conv=sync

daX is your external device usb

I was using dd before I found cat could also be used.

"cat usb-image > /dev/da0"

[Beanpole]

I'm planning to download and try out PC-BSD on a 8 Gb USB drive.

1. can I use unetbootin like I do in Linux?
2. will it be bootable (like in "live" Linux cd's/dvd's)?
3. where on the website is there a list of apps that come stock with the download? i.e. office, games, editors, etc.
4. does it include an installer app within the DVD so if I like it I can install it without wiping out one of my Linux installs?

If it's a "live" I can run it and see if I like it before installing.

2) If you download the Live image you should be able to run PCBSD in "Live" mode. If the image is not labeled as a "Live" image, you will have to install before running it. All the different images are available at www.pcbsd.org

3) The "default" applications are dependant upon the desktop environment (DE) you choose to include.
For example (web browser and file manager): KDE includes konqueror and dolphin, GNOME includes epiphany and nautilus, LXDE includes Midori and PCmanFM, XFCE includes (something) and Xfe.
What is more unique about PC-BSD is that you can choose to install any/all of the available DE's to gain access to an alternate DE's built-in applications, even without running that desktop environment.
No matter which DE you choose, you will also have access to the AppCafe, which allows you to add/remove self-contained programs (PBI's) which allow you to tailor your desktop just the way you want without interfering with the base system in any way.

4) Yes, if you run PC-BSD in Live mode there should be desktop icon that will allow you to install to the hard drive.

[bebuxe]

I was using dd before I found cat could also be used.

"cat usb-image > /dev/da0"

Good idea. Just be sure that it does not cat asci but binary, like cat should.

You deserve +50 points.