[DrPepper]

Hi

I've been trying the Linux USB Stick with the Crystal HD, and I must say that XBMC is running much smoother and I have no more issues regarding dropped frames or anything similar.

Therefore I would like to install Linux on a separte USB Harddrive which I than connect to the aTV ,preferably with the Crystal HD drivers included.

Since i am quite a linux noob, is there someone that can guide me or help me to do so please, and I am quite sure, other fellow users would appreciate as well.

Thanks in advance

DrPepper

[ngok]

you can refer to this guide to create a bootable partition in your usb hd.
http://code.google.com/p/atv-bootloader/...USBPenBoot

note that you need a linux machine to accomplish this task.and you need to compile a special version of the tool "parted" to make the hfsplus partition bootable on ATV.

after your usb hd booted,the rest is simple.
you just need to create an ext3 partition and a swap partition,copy all the files from the working "Linux USB Stick with the Crystal HD" into your new bootable usb hd,and edit some uuid in a boot script and the fstab file then you should be good to go.

[davilla]

you can refer to this guide to create a bootable partition in your usb hd.
http://code.google.com/p/atv-bootloader/...USBPenBoot

note that you need a linux machine to accomplish this task.and you need to compile a special version of the tool "parted" to make the hfsplus partition bootable on ATV.

after your usb hd booted,the rest is simple.
you just need to create an ext3 partition and a swap partition,copy all the files from the working "Linux USB Stick with the Crystal HD" into your new bootable usb hd,and edit some uuid in a boot script and the fstab file then you should be good to go.

ATV-USB-Creator contains atv-bootloader which has all the tools required to do partitioning and formating. Just rename/remove the patchstick.sh script and it will boot to a penbuntu prompt, username/password is root/root. Needs a wired connection to the AppleTV and then you can telnet in.

[DrPepper]

@davilla

and once i've done that ?

how do i get an ubuntu on it running xbmc and crystal hd ?

thanks

DrPepper

[TeknoJnky]

I have found the easiest way is, with 2 usb sticks and a 4 port usb hub:

a) create the bootloader usb stick (according to the bootloader guides on the googlecode page)
b) create a standard usb installer of your preferred distro (ubuntu normally)
c) boot with the bootloader stick, format the internal drive according to the googlecode guide.
d) pull the bootloader stick and make sure the internal drive will boot and get to the telnet server
e) insert the ubuntu usb stick and reboot the atv:
-- the internal drive's bootloader, not having anything installed on the internal drive will search for attached drives and find the ubuntu sticks grub loader and boot to it.

f) install ubuntu to the existing pre-formatted partitions that you made on the internal drive, making sure you do not reformat them. If you get asked where to install grub, install it to the root partition (I think it was /dev/sda4 if you partition according to guide, not the MBR).
g) once ubuntu (or whichever distro you install) is finished, remove the usb stick and it should boot into the bootloader, then the bootloader finds the grub menu.lst and boots the distro.

using the above way, you don't have to try to manually type or figure out all the kexec parameters, the necessary info will be pulled from the installers menu.lst.

after your install is good, you can reformat the usb stick used for the install. I would recommend keeping the bootloader stick and not modify it in case you need to reformat/partition or otherwise mess up the internal drive booloader.