How to create a bootable Solaris 11 USB?

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knubbze

Member
Jun 13, 2013
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Because I need the ZFS encryption feature of ZFS v31, I need to use Solaris 11 (+ napp-it) as the OS on my HP N40L Microserver. Because all of the hard drive slots are populated by disks, I need to run Solaris from a fast bootable USB flash drive. What is the best way to do this? Do I just make a new install of Solaris and use this USB flash drive as the destination drive? Or can I use Oracle's Live USB image file?
 

ci4ic4

New Member
Jun 14, 2013
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You have to use 'usbcopy', part of distribution-constructor package. However, you will have to run it on an existing Solaris11 system (if you use 'usbcopy' on, say, OpenIndiana, it will copy the image, but not be able to write the boot blocks).
 

knubbze

Member
Jun 13, 2013
35
0
6
You have to use 'usbcopy', part of distribution-constructor package. However, you will have to run it on an existing Solaris11 system (if you use 'usbcopy' on, say, OpenIndiana, it will copy the image, but not be able to write the boot blocks).
What I mean is that I want to install Solaris 11 TO a USB drive, so that the full installation runs from this drive (not a bootable USB 'live' version).
 

ci4ic4

New Member
Jun 14, 2013
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Of course you can install it on an external USB drive, using the live .iso file *or* the bootable live USB version, to which the previous comment applied.
 

metiche

New Member
May 9, 2015
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Because I need the ZFS encryption feature of ZFS v31, I need to use Solaris 11 (+ napp-it) as the OS on my HP N40L Microserver. Because all of the hard drive slots are populated by disks, I need to run Solaris from a fast bootable USB flash drive. What is the best way to do this? Do I just make a new install of Solaris and use this USB flash drive as the destination drive? Or can I use Oracle's Live USB image file?
Making usb bootable for Solaris from Windows.
Lets go. stop waisting time.

format usb FAT (not FAT32 OR NTFS)
Go Oracle Solaris 11.2 Downloads - Installation from CD/DVD or USB and download x86 usb live media
Go to Tools for OSForensics - ImageUSB - Write an image to multiple USB Flash Drives an download imageusb
Install imageusb software
When open
Step 1 choose the usb unit you want make bootable
Step 2 SELECT THE ACTION TO BE PERFOMED. Choose option WRITE TO USB DRIVE
Step 3 SELECT THE IMAGE. when browse to find file image choose the extension option ALL FILES to find your file with extension *.usb
Step 4 click WRITE and wait until the process finish.
Thats it.
reboot the computer and if everything went ok you are done.
 

ari2asem

Active Member
Dec 26, 2018
745
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The Netherlands, Groningen
old topic making alive by me...i am trying to install openinidiana on hp microserver gen8.

but i cann't. i get errors. what i have done, using windows 10:

- downloaded latest version openindiana (usb-file and iso-file)
- used win32 disk image writer to usb3 16gb stick Win32 Disk Imager

- used imageusb program as @metiche said
- used rufus
- used both iso and usb files
- tried 2 different usb3 sticks
- microserver can boot from usb2 port, e.g. any other linux live cd/usb image
- tried with and without 2.5 inch sata ssd connnected.


but i always get error, like this: cant find boot/loader or /boot/zfsloader.

even tried OmniOs CE. but still the same error.


EDIT: i even have tried with iodd-2541 device and dvd-iso file, but no luck...iodd-2541 mimics virtual cd/dvd rom if you put iso file in _iso folder.
also tried with usb2 stick. still same problems

EDIT 2: mounting live dvd iso inside virtualbox works great. installed OpenIndiana as a VM inside virtualbox....next step (for tomorrow) is trying minimal-usb image as a normal install on microserver gen8

EDIT 3: tried with minimal install usb file and yet the same problem. i cann't boot from usb stick (usb-3, 16gb stick).


EIDT 4: also tried with OpenSolaris live usb creator (Installation From USB Stick), but still problem. this time i see only grub-cli. no install menu, nor grub menu

i can think off 2 reasons:
- i cann't make proper usb stick for solarish under windows 10
- or i dont know which command to use to get into install menu (or boot-menu)
 

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