Is there a way to install Vector Linux on an external hard drive?

[blackbelt_jones]

I'm living on a budget, big time.  I have an otherwise decent computer that my neighbor threw out, and I guess the IDE controller doesn't work.  Or so i am told.  I don't actually know what an IDE controller is, so I use USB devices.  It works fine with some distros (running Kubuntu right now) but when I try to install Vector, it tells me that it can't detect a hard drive, and aborts the installation.  Am I out of luck?

[lagagnon]

Check the following, for your IDE problem, in this order:

1) open the case and ensure the data cable and power cables to the hard drive are firmly slotted and correctly oriented
2) ensure the drive jumper pin is set to MASTER.
3) immediately upon boot get into the BIOS setup and use the BIOS to detect the hard drive. If it doesn't detect the HD then either the HD is dead, the cables are still not correctly installed or the IDE bus is dead.
4) you can test the HD with something like the UltimateBootCD.

[caitlyn]

You can do a hosted install from within Kubuntu using the vinstall script on the iso.  I've done that and seen it correctly detect USB devices.  I'd use VL 6.0 rc3.  The newer the kernel the greater the variety of supported hardware.

[blackbelt_jones]

I'm finally getting around to trying this, and my immediate problem is that I'm getting an error message telling me I'm not logged on as root when I am logged on as root. 

Code:

root@siduxbox:~/vinstall# ./vinstall-iso VL5.9-STD-Gold.iso
Install a Vector Linux ISO-file from a Linux host

ERROR: must run as root

Please login as root or call su first

root@siduxbox:~/vinstall#

Any idea what that's about?

[caitlyn]

Sounds like an issue with the hosting distro (Sidux?) rather than a VL issue.  vinstall-iso is a bash script so you can edit it with your favorite text editor and comment out the section near the top that checks to see if you're root.  It might just work

Why are you installing 5.9 at this point?  6.0 release is imminent (as in maybe today or tomorrow or the next day) so I'd wait on that.  You've waited this long...

[blackbelt_jones]

Sounds like an issue with the hosting distro (Sidux?) rather than a VL issue.  vinstall-iso is a bash script so you can edit it with your favorite text editor and comment out the section near the top that checks to see if you're root.  It might just work

Why are you installing 5.9 at this point?  6.0 release is imminent (as in maybe today or tomorrow or the next day) so I'd wait on that.  You've waited this long...

Well, if I was smart, I guess I would wait, but on the other hand, I'm sitting here with a formatted external HD, so what have I got to lose?   I want to see if the hack works.    If it doesn't, I'll leave it alone for a few days.  Thanks for the release tip, and yeah, it probably is Sidux. 

[blackbelt_jones]

Okay, well, I now have a kubuntu system installed, and I'm getting the same exact error message.  Could it have something to do with the fact that I'm working from a system that is also installed on an external hard drive?

Is there any reason to hope that VL6, unlike VL5, will install on the external hard drive from a CD in the usual way?  Maybe I'll give that a shot.  If not, I've got an old computer that might just be the thing I need.