Install, Boot using USB drive

QNX USERS QNX2 and QNX4
1

Using the QNX4.25 2010 install suite, it is now possible to install the OS onto a USB drive.
Extra steps are needed:

  • plug in a USB key
  • ensure that the BIOS is set to boot from CD drive first, USB key second, HDD third.
  • power on the system, and boot from the install CD.
  • on startup of the install program, hit a key then hit F7 to “Use USB stack”.
  • press spacebar to continue.
  • after scanning for system hardware, select Add… (F5)
  • from the first drop box, select Category = Disk Controllers
  • from the second drop box, select Hardware Driver = USB mass storage device.
  • OK, then F2 to continue
  • etc.
    Then, on the “Choose a Target for the QNX Filesystem” display, choose the USB file system, and install QNX onto it. Installation proceeds as per normal. On completion, remove install CD and reboot.

Using a Transcend JV V33 (2 GB) thumb drive QNX starts up but does not get beyond:
“Press Esc for Alternate OS…”

Anyone else tried this?

2

I doubt this would work because it would required the .boot file to contain usb drivers, I’m not sure the CD can create such a boot file.

3

I didn’t try it that way. I built everything manually. It still didn’t work. Oddly, an older version DID work, possibly thanks to a smaller io-usb file.

-James Ingraham
Sage Automation, Inc.

4

I switched to a Kingston DataTraveller 4G USB drive, and it now boots QNX.

5

Experience shows that an industrial grade USB flash disk (“fixed disk” types are bootable, “removeable” types are not) is a better choice than a commercial grade. Enhanced error correction schemes found in industrial grade USB flash disks improve reliability, prevent file corruption.