Install too usb. not to pc hard drive or ram.

I want it permanently on usb stick, i thought i mentioned that.

I'll try that thanks. seems promising

Here's crossing my fingers.

if you want debian on a usb stick just take a pc with a dvd drive and a usb port. plug in the usb drive and install debian on sda without a harddisk plugged in. With linux the difference between a usb drive and a harddrive isn't too big.

So if I understand correctly what you want to do these are the steps you could take:
-download the right installer image (debian 6 x64 for example)
-burn the image to dvd/cd
-prepare your pc by unplugging harddrives and inserting the usb drive
-then insert the installer cd and install debian on the first harddrive(this is actually your usb drive).
-install updates and everything you need and you'll have a complete OS on a stick!

what you were doing is not installing debian on the usb drive but making it a usb drive to install debian with.

P.s. there are more ways to acchieve having debian on a usb drive and being able to run it from there.

My laptop im using is asus (m51sn) i386 architecture, but with slacko puppy running on it.

What i did was:

1# head over debian website download zcat boot.img > /dev/sdb1 { it compiled files as a boot, linux sys, ect} made usb stick fat 16 partitioned 1 full drive while booting, later will divide them based on success of installation

2# went and downloaded debian squeeze 6.0.4 i386 32bit mirror 1.1gig, it downloaded as iso file wqith disk symbol, i unmounted all files draged them over to usb stick

3# unmount /dev/sdb1

4 rebooted computer and yay no success lol. i think i need windows preinstalled since when using other 3rd terminal like: cafe, friends computer, ect, using (ubootin) (pendrive) i can use a program burn any linux distro or manually. my laptops 4 years old. i'll get windows 7 and then reinstall linux as back up in future as it's my 13th attempt within last 3 months. i tried ubantu but needs sudo command and with out app to install ubantu learning curves harder doing it manually. debians easier but unable getting to 3rd base.

Tried linux mint that aslo uses sudo command but unable install.

I tried debian gtx knome and debian inst 250mg version no luck. but im very greatful to barry kueller for making puppy linux helped me when i needed it most.

Im super happy about that

Now have some cake "Barry" you deserve it.

You've been told on this thread that '/dev/sdb1' is wrong.

1.1'gig'? If you mean 1.1GB, AFAIK you've got a bad/incomplete d/l. The CD images are mostly about 650MB (and cant really be any bigger than 700MB) and the DVD images are 4.4GB.

If you want it, go ahead, but you dont need windows.

If you have a burner and CD/DVD access on your laptop, why dont you burn your .iso to CD/DVD and install from there, rather than sodding around with USB flash drives?

You dont need sudo.........

I would guess that you keep looking at 'how to make a bootable USB flash drives' guides on the net, and a lot of them are written by ubuntu users. So they just list comamnds with 'sudo' because that is the ubuntu way. Using 'su' means you dont have to use sudo at all, you can just leave that part of the comamnd out.

If you are trying to use that '/dev/sdb1' command its not going to work AFAIK, no matter what version you use.

Then what you are doing is totally wrong.

What you are actually doing is putting the installer .iso onto a USB flash drive, not installing to USB flash drive.

@cascade9 the live images are 1.1G I have debian live image also.
http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/...86/iso-hybrid/

@scribsyd

unetbootin will put the live-iso on the drive, but it won't be persistant, I gave you a link for persistant usb.
If you just want the live usb, make unetbootin executeable, click the box next to disk image to search for the iso location & select your usb to install to.
See the image that I included & look at mouse pointer

Attached Thumbnails

 

My usb stick automatically lists it's self each time i place it to usb socket as sdb1 infact it does it with all my usbs then changes to sdc1, sda1, sdd1.

I cannot use ubootin i did before from another computer puppy isn't able search for logical drive on usb stick except harddrive. but i have puppy in ram save.

My optical drives not working on my laptop. i could try asking friend 3rd time burn it again to disk on their windows but i want it on usb.

So am i suppose to carry debian iso file over to usb stick? i thought i do; so where does it go then. the boot image goes on usb stick that im sure but what about debian.iso is there path to installing it to sandisk 4gig cruzer.

Debian gnomes 1.1gig

In that image you posted down below near usb opposite to that is drive. it doesn't list anything on drive while on slacko puppy but works on windows it really does but it's matter luck getting it installed i guess.

Oh, yeah, the 'live image', I never use them so I tend to forget about them. Nice catch.

That doesnt make using /dev/sdb1 correct.

If you are trying to install debian to your USB flash drive, you will need to install from either CD/DVD or from a 2nd flash drive. You cannot install to the media your live image is running from.

@scribesyd download the image to hard drive that is where unetbottin searches for the image.
For instance mine would be found at Computer//home/user/Downloads
Most likely you haven't made unetbootin executeable

Finding image is fine. downloading it is fine. pretty much anything else any body else says is fine but my USB STICK DOES NOT GET DETECTED WHEN USING ANY PROGRAM (unetbootin)(universal installer)(pandora pendrive thingy)

As i said it works on windows it lists all virtual drives on laptop and usb stick that usually becomes listed as c: but on puppy slacko it does nothing.

As i said it's matter luck and when i do have debian set up for install mode it's because Windows.

Im surprised no body in here's saying: "it's puppy slacko that's problem" rather making me walk in circles since it's really not cool :'(''

You have been pointed in a straight line numerous times in this thread.
Maybe you have one leg shorter than the other?

I just booted a PuppyLinux 4.20 (I don't have a 5.3) USB stick and, in the bottom left of the screen, I have a stack of 5 icons representing the internal and USB drives on my system. Running df -H from the console lists all the drives and their sizes also.
If your problem is that puppy isn't seeing the USB drive what have you done to look for it?
What does display when the USB drive you want to use is plugged in?