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I have install ISO file firmware-10.4.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso, 4GB long. I would like to make my usb drive partition ("say sdb1) to be bootable. I have followed the official debian documentation: https://www.debian.org/releases/wheezy/amd64/ch04s03.html.en. But they say I can have partition of length 1GB, but that is not sufficient for the ISO file. What I have done so far (assuming my usb is /dev/sdb):

  1. # dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb #zeroed the whole device including the partition table MBR
  2. # fdidk /dev/sdb #made new partition /dev/sdb1, 4GB long with bootable flag on
  3. # install-mbr /dev/sdb #make new partition table on the device

Now, I should continue with the manual to make filesystem mkdosfs /dev/sdb1, syslinux /dev/sdb1, mount that partition and copy 2 files: vmlinuz and initrd.gz which I do not have (I have only ISO file downloaded from debian.org). So instead, I have made this to boot the partition:

  1. # dd bs=4 if=firmware-10.4.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso of=/dev/sdb1 status=progress && sync #copy the ISO file to that partition

If I try to boot from the usb, will I be able to make new partition in partition phase for root directory on the same usb?

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  • How big is your pen-drive? – Isaac Jul 11 '20 at 11:27
  • 15.5GB. But I am not sure If I want to use Live ISO. Now I have installed the "normal" version (see the file) – Herdsman Jul 11 '20 at 11:29
  • A bootable ISO is an ISO, any ISO should work. – Isaac Jul 11 '20 at 11:30
  • Now, to topic, If I make (or made) partition table to zero-ed drive, partition it for 4GB and then dd there the iso, will I be able to boot from that partition (and then make new partition for root dir in installation?) – Herdsman Jul 11 '20 at 11:32
  • (1) You only need to zero the first megabyte of the disk, nothing more. Zeroing more is just wasting the live of you pendrive (assuming it is a flash drive). (2) if you zero and partition you have an usable pendrive. If you dd to /dev/sdb, you DESTROY the partitioning already done, and a new one appears (the one inside the ISO). (3) Yes, the pendrive should boot, but no information of the partitions you did would be available (because you overwrite them, and them are destroyed). – Isaac Jul 11 '20 at 11:41

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