If I have got this right you should be able to download this .torrent file which may well automatically start the transmission bittorrent client on your webbook, or you might want to install some other kind of bittorrent client if you have a particularly poorly webbook. Once you have the file which is a fraction over a gig in size you need to write it to a USB stick. Not copy it as a file onto a USB stick, the .img is a complete image of the USB stick including boot sector, partition tables, partition and filesystem so it needs to be placed on the stick in a special way. With a webbook or other linux computer (or perhaps a Mac) you can use the dd command. If you downloaded the image file to your desktop you would open a console, plug in a USB stick (1GB or more in size with nothing on it that you want!) and type something like
alan@webbook:~$ mount|grep disk /dev/sdd1 on /media/disk type vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=hal,shortname=mixed,uid=1000,utf8,umask=07
this is to find out the drive name of your USB drive (the |grep disk bit just filters out the stuff we are not interested in) in this instance we discover it has mounted (opened) /dev/sdd1 which is a device called SCSI Disk D partition 1. We don’t want the drive to be mounted, so we now unmount it
alan@webbook:~$ sudo umount /dev/sdd1 alan@webbook:~$ cd Desktop alan@webbook:~/Desktop$ sudo dd if=intrepid1.img of=/dev/sdd
and that will start copying the data. The interesting thing is where we are copying it to, /dev/sdd not /dev/sdd1. We don’t copy it into the first partition on the USB drive, we copy it to the drive itself. The .img file contains a 1GB partition. After this is done you should be able to remove the stick and reinsert it and browse the new partition. To use it you need to set the bios settings to Boot from the USB stick an SD card would work just as well as it happens. THIS WILL TOTALLY DESTROY EVERYTHING ON YOUR DISK and drop on a new full disk image. After you change the BIOS settings and boot from it there is no “yes to continue” it is totally hands off from that point, as soon as it starts you might as well let it carry on to the end because everything you had before is gone.
If you have Windows then this dd for windows program might do a similar thing. If anyone has a friendlier way to get an image onto a USB stick I would be interested to hear about it – remember it is not just the files it is the bootloader and an active partition that we need.
If this sounds a bit scary then wait for some of the other penguins to jump off the ice and check for seals first 
Alan – I was wondering how I would download this program if my Webbook was not working at all – would I download and transfer to a usb stick on another PC or Webbook or Mac?
I would quite like to have a go at building a desktop computer or a laptop running on Linux. This could be my project for the Xmas holiday.
yes, you could download it onto another computer, µTorrent looks quite good as a downloader for Windows. Bittorrent is good for downloading large files because it can pause and restart, it checks the integrity of the file and also it shares the bandwidth of everyone downloading it, effectively everyone uploads bits of it to each other.
Well, I’m busy downloading it right now – from 1 connected peer (I wonder who that could be, Alan?).
I have a 1GB stick which I can empty onto my pretty webbook, so I think I’ll use that.
Now an interesting question – I have an 8GB pen drive, which I got for £14 (I can also get SD cards for similar prices). Is it possible to make a ‘live’ pen drive (say a 1GB partition running ubuntu, with similar things to the webbook installed) and then have the other 7GB setup as the /home partition of the OS?
If so, I then literally have my computer on a USB stick!
Downloaded, from ‘one peer’ – thanks Alan – and left it to seed for a bit, but no takers. So now for the install.
Umm, perhaps the post should make it clear that this is not just a bootable usb stick with 8.10 on it, but a full blown clean install of 8.10 to the webbook which will wipe your existing system and everything on it.
Docs were backed up, and thank heaven for foxmarks, but that is a virtualbox and xp discimage re-install and the re-assembly of a set of bash alias to occupy my weekend.
ah, yes I was a bit clearer on that point in the previous post. This totally nukes the webbook and drops on a new full disk image.
No biggie – I’d been fiddling so much with the Hardy install that I was looking at a new install anyway, so now I’ve got Intrepid.
Hi Alan
I am going to download the file tonight, however I am not sure that I have a USB stick over IGB at the mo. My webbook install is totally broke (Formatted Hard Drive, after attempting a Vista install,.)
I will probably have to attempt using Windows to make it bootable using the DD program advised in the post. I may attempt with my Kubuntu 8.10 install on my desktop.
however alan. Is it possible to burn the ISO file to DVD and boot from that (I have external DVD drive.
Also on a side line. I like the Gui setup of Kubuntu and KDE 4.1.2, do you have any plans on attempting a Kubuntu version, I tried it but got stuck with the xorg.conf in Kubuntu as it did not resemble your own xorg.conf in anyway (No subsection at all in Display and Display section was slightly different too.
Regards
Gray
Please take notes on what works if you are creating the USB stick from WIndows. I do plan to do a Kubuntu Intrepid image next.
Hi Alan. Great news on the possible Kubuntu Ibex version. I may chicken out and install 8.10 on my desktop and do it that way. But if I go through the windows route I will keep you posted.
I did try on my Fuji Laptop but cant get wireless working. The Wlan is disabled by default and Fn F1 does not activate the Lan in either Kubuntu or Ubuntu 8.10 to detect it. Even using your LED command line edit.
I will be just so glad to get windows off my webbook.
Thanks for the great site and support. Since getting my webbook, I have shipped most of my customer PC builds with 8.04, (My customers love it, I just need to get used to the OS and using command line a lot more.
Regards
Gray
Hi Alan
I chickened out of the Windows USB route and I am thinking in the long run that may be a bad idea as I seem to be struggling a wee bit (Ok excuse the wee, I am a Scotsman).
I downloaded 8.10 again, Installed it on my desktop, The only thing over 1gb I have is a micro SD card and adaptor.
I have plugged it in and mounted it. Discovered it has an /sdb1 and not sdd suffix. All good so far.
I unmount the drive and then follow your script to start writing to the card and keep getting a Permissions denied message.
The card is formatted in Fat32 mounts and unmounts for me. I can access it etc, just a little confused why your above command does not work.
Are there permissions I need to set etc.
Any help is really appreciated.
Regards
Gray
sorry, my mistake, I missed out a sudo.
sudo dd if=intrepid1.img of=/dev/sdbit is possible to make a live USB but it is a bit slow. I made one simply by inserting the Ubuntu CD in a computer with the USB plugged in and installing to the USB drive as if it was an internal drive. That worked, but not on the webbook because it installed the grub bootloader not syslinux. For some reason the BIOS on the webbook doesn’t like grub on USB devices.
I followed the above instructions (on a new 1GB SD card), and got the following
dd: writing to `/dev/sdb’: No space left on device
1990657+0 records in
1990656+0 records out
1019215872 bytes (1.0 GB) copied, 740.432 s, 1.4 MB/s
I imagine this is a problem?
I suspect this means your 1GB SD card is a slightly smaller device than my 1GB wristvault. There is half a chance that it will still actually work because it might be just some free space at the end of the image of the USB drive that it hasn’t got room for, but if you have something bigger than 1GB you can write to that would probably be best.
I’m using an SD card, and when I run the mount|grep disk command, it shows as /dev/sdb, not /dev/sdb1, so is the sudo dd if=intrepid1.img of=/dev/sdb command still valid, or should it be changed somehow?
I’ve tried twice now, it says it’s completed ok but when I reboot it ignores the memory card and just boots as normal (and I have changed the boot order as described), then will not recognise the card again – I have to plug it into my Windows laptop and format it before it will recognise it again.
It’s a 4GB card so I don’t think it’s an issue of capacity.
I’m beginning to think there’s something wrong with the installation on my webbook as this is the second thing I’ve tried from this blog that hasn’t worked…
that is very strange, and in fact I think it is a particularly interesting and unique situation that I would like to have a look at can you sudo apt-get install x11vnc and I will try to arrange a time with you to have a look at it.
Got it – I’m free for the next hour or so tonight and pretty much from 18.30 onwards tomorrow.
Cheers Alan
Hi Alan. Managed to get the ibex install working on the webbook. Thanks for that.
I now have a wee issue with my 3 USB dongle constantly haning on constant. Both with default profile and removing the password and user name (never got one from three.) tried dynamic DNS and static.
Works in Windows fine with no password entered. There is a *99# option in windows but not in Ubuntu. I have not tried my T-Mobile one yet.
I am going to have a look through the other posts here for help.
Keep up the good work.
Regards
Gray
excuse the typing, small keys, that was meant to read constantly hanging on connecting. (IntrepidIbex only. Works Windows)
Hi Alan
You are soon going to be fed up with me.
Creating my bootable USB has caused a little bit of a headache which I am currently trying to resolve. I had to temporarily use an 8GB MicroSD card in a USB adaptor. I have since transfered to a new 2GB USB. However the Webbook created a 1005mb disc image, but has 6.76GB which has not been addressed and not recognised on the system. I have connected the card into a Windows machine and only recognises 1005mb. In the storage management in windows, The 6.76 is unallocated and I am unable to either format the whole disc, delete the separate partitions and then allow the whole card to be formatted or recognised.
Do you know of a way to work round this.
It may be an expensive error if not.
Regards
Gray
Hi Graham,
the size of the partition is to be expected, the file you downloaded is an image of a partition that is 1005MB in size. I am not sure why Windows won’t let you reformat the disk. You certainly can from the webbook, but firstly did it work? do you have a shiny new Intrepid webbook?
then again, just saw in your other post that it did work. You can reformat it from the command line but I think this is worth writing an article about using gparted.
Alan, sorry I only just read your emails, my spam filter caught them for some reason. If you’re up for it I’m free for the rest of the evening.
Ta
Neil
Hi Alan
I am going to try and kill a few points in this post as I dont want my name to appear too many times.
Firstly your Ibex Image is fantastic. Some of the extras added are great. I noticed the create a USB startup disc in Admin. Going to be a bonus for me. I got Skype installed and Pidgin doing my MSN. The webcam works flawlessly. The onboard mic does not seem to work in Skype on any option, but I plugged in the hub from my Skype Keyboard and Ubuntu recognised it as a Logitech Easycall without effort.
I am having connection issues with both my T-mobile (work dongle) and 3 (Personal) hanging on connected. I will be calling them tomorrow as they both work in “spit” “hack” “cough” Windows.
Rythmnbox sorts out my Samsung player. And I will try Kaffine for my DTV tuner tomorrow.
My divx files worked with Totem, I did not even need to go to Gstreamer config.
As for the card not being formatted in Windows thats just gates and baulmer making life difficult.
As I do not know what Gparted is of yet, watch this space, Once I do an article will be had.
I am a command line novice as, with Gutsy Gibbon, and Hardy Heron I very rarly went near it.
I noticed your book review post earlier and have ordered Linux for dummies and another Ubuntu book. I should have them Friday.I have missplaced my Amazon ID but will give you it when the reviews are written.
The Webbook got its real first outing at work today and it did draw a bit of attention, I think one or two chaps were going to CPW after work.
Now I just need to do two things. Sort out the fact my Fuji (Wifes) Li2727 notebook atheros Lan Card Inacive by default and convince my wife Ubuntu is gooooood (she is not a KDE fan) and we will have a house without Windows.
Will keep you posted.
Sorry about the novel this evening, but I just needed to gush, now I have my little marvel doing the things I want it to………almost……
If it was not for this blog, it would have been windows on the thing and put up with the MS conglomerate.
Thanks
Gray
Trying to re-download the image file but no available peers… would any kind people mind seeding it for a little while?
Thanks
I am seeding it still (just checked)
Hi all. Can I just ask whether bluetooth works on this install of intrepid, or where I can get the drivers for it? I have a pretty nice install of 8.10 now but it can’t even find the BT device.
Just saves me starting fresh if I don’t have to.
Next time:
Save the image file itself onto external media in case it all goes wrong…
Personally, I will never “run now”, and will always save a download onto my external hard disk drive before installing it. I never know when I’ll next need to nuke a computer and reinstall the whole damn lot!
Yeah I think it was an issue with the internet connection at work – browsing’s fine but there must be some sort of restriction on downloading. I’ll pop over to my brother’s tomorrow and copy it from his computer again. Will keep you posted on my progress.
Yeah I usually do, this was a bit if a funny situation though – basically I’ve sacked off Virgin Media after 2 years of them cocking up my account, and with no BT line my internet needs are now taken care of by an Orange dongle. I only get 3GB of download allowance per month, and have already pretty much used that up.
Orange charge £15 per GB outside their download allowance, so it would have worked out very expensive (albeit a lot easier) to download it myself. Instead I got my brother to download it for me on his computer, then went round to his, copied it onto a USB stick from his computer and put it onto mine. However, as Alan found out after nearly an hour of mucking about on my webbook via x11vnc last night, the file got corrupted somewhere along the line hence the need to re-download it…
Sorry, there is no bluetooth hardware present in the webbook. There is indeed a bluetooth symbol on the F2 key, but there is no hardware for it to control.
I know that T-Mobile has a 3GB allowance, but they are nice enough to not charge you if you go over the limits…
I could pop it onto a DVD and post it if you like? I’ve not tried it, but I assume it’s all looking good!
Alan – remember that mail order usb stick idea…?
Hi Alan.
I get the same as Simon:
1990657+0 records in
1990656+0 records out
1019215872 bytes (1.0 GB) copied, 740.432 s, 1.4 MB/s
I have tried booting of the stick and it seems to complete without any errors but when I boot from hard drive I get :
Grub
Error 2
I have tried two different sticks and the same happens with both of them. Also I have formatted the sticks and used Ubuntu on one of my other Pc’s to create a USB startup disk and they wont boot and I just get a message saying “Boot:”.
Any idea?
Hi- I’m trying to download the image file, but there are no available peers…I would really apprecate it if any kind souls out there would be prepared to seed it for a little while?
Also – here’s a good program for transfering iso files to memory sticks!
http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
Cheers.
thanks for the link, I will have a play with that. I started seeding the file again.
Sorry unetbootin won’t work with your image file and the Webbook because it loads the ISO into memory and even with an upgrade there’s not quit enough space. Other than that it’s a great program for smaller ISOs.
cheers
dear allan i had finally downloaded and got a usb stick but i cant seem to get past the first hurdle with finding the (driver?) name for the usb stick that i am using (still a newbie to Linux), every time that i type in the mount|grep command in either console or terminal there isn’t anything returned am i missing a really obvious command for it the usb stick has been renamed in windows as photoalbum or could be i need to have a directory in /dev as i have tried media and desktop
sorry for bugging u in the Christmas season
ps when intrepid is installed will i have to reinstall the via drivers to get compiz up and running
Hi Alan. I have been trying to download the intrepid 8.10 for a couple of days, but no one is seeding.
Is there any way i can buy a dvd with it already on, or can we purchase a 1gb wristvault with it already installed.
I do have one question, is this exactly the same as described in the step by step factory reinstall with 8.04 but just with the latest version.
Thanks Dan
Hi,
No problem at all installing 8.10, thanks for that. A question though. Is the video driver in this version capable of the compiz functions etc, or will we have to install Via drivers again? It’s nice not to have to worry about kernel upgrades at the moment.
no, sadly it is not capable of Compiz, and even more sadly Via have failed to come up with the goods on a 3d driver after repeated emails.
Hi Alan
Previously you advised you were working on a kubuntu install for the webbook.
Hows that coming along.
If its quite far off, do you have any idea on how I get the display to work on the webbook as the xconfig differs greatly from the ubuntu one.
Oh and the wireless card, as the standard install of Kubuntu 8.10 does not activate it.
Failing that, I will get back with Ubuntu Ibex Install.
I haven’t played much with Kubuntu after my early try with an Intrepid beta. I expect I will give it another go, but not for a few weeks.
Cool Cool, I am liking the KDE4 enviro.
Looks like I will be downloading the Ubuntu Image and installing it tonight.
I assume that the 3d drivers are still a no go.
Oh and belated happy new year.
Glad to see you got the server going.
Hi Alan
I have just tried to download the image, but there does not seem to be anyone seeding it.