boot from usb key?

[Matt Price]

hi

i'm trying to install ubuntu on a thinkpad x31, which doesn't have a
disk drive.  So i want to do it from a usb key, though i'd accept other
methods if people think they're better.  Anyway, I tried following the
directions on:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LiveUsbPendrivePersistent

but they are for the ubuntu live cd, which won't really run on this
laptop with only 256M RAM.  so i would like to similarly modify the
old-fashioned "alternate" cd. I tried just modifying the instructions
for the files that are found on the alternate cd, but didn't have much
luck -- i did get the initial boot menu, but the kernel didn't seem to
load properly & justl eft me with a blank screen.  

Anyway, i think the issue is that i need to know more about syslinux &
the parameters that need to be passed to it on boot.  does anyone have a
solution for booting a simple ubuntu installer via usb?  and/or, can
anyone explain more about the differences between syslinux and isolinux
& why/how the usb drive needs to differ from a cd?

Thanks as always for your expertise,

matt



-- 
Matt Price
matt.price-H217xnMUJC0sA/PxXw9srA at public.gmane.org
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