Re: Write an install image to a flash drive?

[Ron Georgia <netverbs%gmail.com@localhost>]

I would grab either 9BETA image or current. Get the image that ends with .img.gz. For example:
 http://nycdn.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD-daily/netbsd-9/latest/images/NetBSD-9.0_BETA-amd64-install.img.gz

Then, according to the NetBSD guide (page 5 if you printed out all 365 pages, as I did) you find a section labeled "Booting the install system from USB." Section 2.2.6.1 to be exact. Once the image is downloaded, from the command line prompt:

$ gunzip NetBSD-9.0_BETA-amd64-install.img.gz
$ dd if=NetBSD-9.0_BETA-amd64-install.img of=/dev/sd0 bs=2m

Of course, substitute /dev/sd0 with whatever your USB device is. I noticed that the manual uses a block size of 2m instead of one; however, I do not believe using bs=1m or bs=2m will make a difference. 

What platform are you using to create the USB install device? Mac? Linux? NetBSD (my personal favorite)?

On 8/20/19, 7:19 PM, "Bob Bernstein" <netbsd-users-owner%NetBSD.org@localhost on behalf of poobah%ruptured-duck.com@localhost> wrote:

    I want to use a flash drive instead of a CD to upgrade from an 
    old 'current' to our latest. This is being done on an ancient 
    emachine amd64:
    
    NetBSD nebby 8.99.35 NetBSD 8.99.35 (GENERIC) #0: Wed Mar 13 06:27:34 UTC 2019  mkrepro%mkrepro.NetBSD.org@localhost:/usr/src/sys/arch/amd64/compile/GENERIC amd64
    
    I am new to flash drives. I did the following with a new 
    Kingston 64GB right out of its FedEx mailing envelope:
    
    dd if=boot.iso of=/dev/rsd1d bs=1m
    
    The boot.iso was: 
    http://nycdn.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD-daily/HEAD/latest/amd64/installation/cdrom/boot.iso 
    
    Rebooting the emachine, it gave me a choice to boot from the 
    Kingston, but there was no joy in Mudville. All attempts reverted 
    to booting normally from the hd.
    
    Trying 'mount /dev/sd1' /mnt yielded "bad superblock." (Pretty 
    sure; I am typing these results from memory.)
    
    I _can't imagine_ how many stupid things I just did, but could 
    someone please tell me how to get that install image onto the 
    flash drive in a form that will boot?
    
    Thank you
     
    
    -- 
    What can be asserted without evidence can be 
    dismissed without evidence.
                                 Hitchens' Razor