UNSOLVED - Remaster on usb stick gives "boot error"

[melodie]

Here is he /boot/grub/menu.lst from the usb - it might help.....?

timeout 10
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
gfxmenu (hd0,1)/boot/gfxmenu
default 0

------------------------
title   KDE
kernel (hd0,1)/KDE1/vmlinuz livecd=/KDE1 fromusb root=UUID=cf668e00-3a3b-43ab-b7b0-1c3388dacf74 acpi=on vga=791 quiet splash=silent vmalloc=256M
initrd (hd0,1)/KDE1/initrd.gz
 
title  KDE with Persistence
kernel (hd0,1)/KDE1/vmlinuz livecd=/KDE1 fromusb root=UUID=cf668e00-3a3b-43ab-b7b0-1c3388dacf74 changes_dev=UUID=cf668e00-3a3b-43ab-b7b0-1c3388dacf74 acpi=on fstab=rw,noauto vga=791 quiet splash=silent vmalloc=256M
initrd (hd0,1)/KDE1/initrd.gz
 
title   KDE with Copy to RAM
kernel (hd0,1)/KDE1/vmlinuz livecd=/KDE1 fromusb copy2ram root=UUID=cf668e00-3a3b-43ab-b7b0-1c3388dacf74 acpi=on vga=791 quiet splash=silent vmalloc=256M
initrd (hd0,1)/KDE1/initrd.gz

not sure if the extra empty  line on your menu.lst has something to do with the problem...

Hi,
Extra empty lines in menu.lst don't have any effect whatsoever.

Maurice, could you have your usb stick plugged in and type in root console: "blkid" ? This is just to check that the UUID written in the lines of the menu.lst of the USB stick is the right one.

If it is the right one, something else could be tried after. Such as:

# mount -o loop /path/to/your/iso /mnt

which would mount the iso to /mnt

then you can go to /mnt and just do a copy on the two items:

# cp -R isolinux livecd.sqfs /media/name_of_the_usb_stick

If your remaster is not good, you might get a message error of the type "I/O error" while trying to mount it on the /mnt directory with the "loop" device.

[wedgetail]

Maurice

I guess I am assuming that the last liveUSB also would run on the Dell, this would check the integrity of the install.

My understanding is now that GRUB is installed and trying to boot with the FAT16 on the USB key and eventually may bring up the GRUB boot menu.

Can you try and boot from another USB port. 

[Maurice]

Melodie

blkid
/dev/sdb1: UUID="6CDB-3E25" TYPE="vfat" SEC_TYPE="msdos"
/dev/sdb2: UUID="a2c87e7b-16a3-41c8-8b4c-7f626b3abfb5" TY="ext3"

Beyond this melodie you've lost me, You'll have to take me step by step. Sorry.

[Maurice]

Maurice

I guess I am assuming that the last liveUSB also would run on the Dell, this would check the integrity of the install.

My understanding is now that GRUB is installed and trying to boot with the FAT16 on the USB key and eventually may bring up the GRUB boot menu.

Can you try and boot from another USB port. 

Tried and same non result - ie It appeared on grub menu but failed boot

[melodie]

Melodie

blkid
/dev/sdb1: UUID="6CDB-3E25" TYPE="vfat" SEC_TYPE="msdos"
/dev/sdb2: UUID="a2c87e7b-16a3-41c8-8b4c-7f626b3abfb5" TY="ext3"

Beyond this melodie you've lost me, You'll have to take me step by step. Sorry.

Sure Maurice, I am going to try. If I fail other people here will know how to do that.

First, let's compare the result of your blkid:

a2c87e7b-16a3-41c8-8b4c-7f626b3abfb5

the identifier of the partition for your sdb2 partition is : /dev/sdb2: UUID="a2c87e7b-16a3-41c8-8b4c-7f626b3abfb5" TY="ext3"

Therefore we need to look at what identifier is in the /boot/grub/menu.list in your usb stick and we can now see it is not the same !!!

Here is he /boot/grub/menu.lst from the usb - it might help.....?

timeout 10
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
gfxmenu (hd0,1)/boot/gfxmenu
default 0

title   KDE
kernel (hd0,1)/KDE1/vmlinuz livecd=/KDE1 fromusb root=UUID=cf668e00-3a3b-43ab-b7b0-1c3388dacf74 acpi=on vga=791 quiet splash=silent vmalloc=256M
initrd (hd0,1)/KDE1/initrd.gz
 
title  KDE with Persistence
kernel (hd0,1)/KDE1/vmlinuz livecd=/KDE1 fromusb root=UUID=cf668e00-3a3b-43ab-b7b0-1c3388dacf74 changes_dev=UUID=cf668e00-3a3b-43ab-b7b0-1c3388dacf74 acpi=on fstab=rw,noauto vga=791 quiet splash=silent vmalloc=256M
initrd (hd0,1)/KDE1/initrd.gz
 
title   KDE with Copy to RAM
kernel (hd0,1)/KDE1/vmlinuz livecd=/KDE1 fromusb copy2ram root=UUID=cf668e00-3a3b-43ab-b7b0-1c3388dacf74 acpi=on vga=791 quiet splash=silent vmalloc=256M
initrd (hd0,1)/KDE1/initrd.gz

So you need first to change it. Then retry. Let us know how it goes.

I have more ideas for after if needed.

[Just17]

Maurice,
               You are seeing several different types of error .....  for instance the error in extracting the files from the ISO.
That extraction should be a simple and error free operation.

Also, I am coming to the belief that your BIOS does not like the "structure" of the partitions on the USB stick.

I would like to be certain of the structure ......

I know this is not what you want to hear, but the following is the only way I can be sure of the structure of that USB device.

• Install KDE Partition Manager
  Launch it, and select the USB drive from the list.
  
  
• On its menu select Device - New Partition Table
  This will wipe everything from the USB device, so be sure you have selected the correct device.
  
  
• Next create a 100MB FAT partition, followed by an ext4 partition to the full extent of the remaining space. Mark (flag) the FAT partition as bootable. Can be done through Partitions - Properties.
  
  
• Apply the changes to the device.
  
  
• Withdraw and reinsert the USB stick.
  
  
• Now go into PCC - Local Disks - Manage Disk Partitions
  
  
• Select the USB device
  
  
• Select each of the two partitions and Format them .....  the first as FAT and the second as ext4.
  
  
• Finish out - select Done at the bottom right.
  
  
• Safely remove and withdraw the USB stick.
  
  
• Now run the LiveUSB Creator application and use the KDE Mini ISO.
  
  
• Reboot and test.

Each step would have to be followed.

If you decide to try this please let me know.

regards.

NOTE:  Using KDE Partition Manager should cause the partitions to be aligned with sectors and not MB .....  unless it has been updated recently.
This cured a somewhat similar problem I had here with one USB stick and one particular PC.

[melodie]

Also, I am coming to the belief that your BIOS does not like the "structure" of the partitions on the USB stick.

I would like to be certain of the structure ......

Hi Just18,

You have not read me yet : blkid. Please read the post I wrote just before you.

[Just17]

Melodie

blkid
/dev/sdb1: UUID="6CDB-3E25" TYPE="vfat" SEC_TYPE="msdos"
/dev/sdb2: UUID="a2c87e7b-16a3-41c8-8b4c-7f626b3abfb5" TY="ext3"

Beyond this melodie you've lost me, You'll have to take me step by step. Sorry.

Maurice ........  can you do that command again please  (blkid)  and copy and paste every thing that is displayed in the terminal?

When you do the command please ensure that the USB device is plugged in.

EDIT:
            Please also do the following command

Code: [Select]

blkid -c /dev/null
and copy and paste that output also.

Thanks.

[wedgetail]

/dev/sdb1: UUID="6CDB-3E25" TYPE="vfat" SEC_TYPE="msdos"
/dev/sdb2: UUID="a2c87e7b-16a3-41c8-8b4c-7f626b3abfb5" TY="ext3"

I have 42 blkid lines but I don't think I have ever noticed that TYPE was not spelt fully? I have no idea of the implications. Since the install ran fine on the DELL 820 perhaps nil. (Actually after adding the FAT partition Maurice has not confirmed that the new install worked on the DELL either, I asked a couple of times  )

If there is a question mark over the blkid should that not have made the install fail on the DELL820?  A sanity check on a new install would be to immediately check on the DELL820 after completion because we know that the USB key works here.

So if it does not work on the DELL there is no point in trying on the DG33FB   

[Just17]

/dev/sdb1: UUID="6CDB-3E25" TYPE="vfat" SEC_TYPE="msdos"
/dev/sdb2: UUID="a2c87e7b-16a3-41c8-8b4c-7f626b3abfb5" TY="ext3"

I have 42 blkid lines but I don't think I have ever noticed that TYPE was not spelt fully? .........

The only explanation I have is that the post was not a copy/paste but typed in .......  which is why I specifically asked for a copy/paste of the two commands. 

[melodie]

The only explanation I have is that the post was not a copy/paste but typed in .......  which is why I specifically asked for a copy/paste of the two commands.  

I thought the same when I read your answer.

Maurice, doing a copy paste from console is easy if you use a console such as konsole, and most modern consoles (not xterm). You can select the whole content of the console with the left click of the mouse, and with a right-click on the selection get a menu in which there is the choice "copy", then you can paste it here.

[Old-Polack]

Maurice:

Don't know if this helps, but my working grub stanza from my USB hard drive is below. Other than the partition number, directory and livecd= names needing to be edited, I would think it should work.

title KDE2012 ##
root (hd0,12)
kernel /kde2012/vmlinuz livecd=kde2012 initrd=initrd.gz fromusb root=/dev/rd/3 acpi=on vga=791 splash=verbose fstab=rw,auto,noatime
initrd /kde2012/initrd.gz

Note: No UUID in the root= option. Edited to fit your installation, it looks like this;

title KDE  ##
root (hd0,1)
kernel /KDE1/vmlinuz livecd=KDE1 initrd=initrd.gz fromusb root=/dev/rd/3 acpi=on vga=791 splash=verbose fstab=rw,auto,noatime
initrd /KDE1/initrd.gz
 
Leave the two ## characters after the title name, and copy/paste the stanza into your menu.lst, below the original first stanza. That way you can tell which to try when the boot menu appears, without changing the existing stanza.

If it works, you can edit your other stanzas accordingly.

[Just17]

I don't see the benefit of changing the menu.lst entries if - as I understand it - the USB device is ignored and not being booted in that machine, while it does boot in another machine and apparently the OS boots from the menu.lst entry.

Of course I may be misunderstanding the situation as it is now ......

[Maurice]

Well - I can't quote anybody from that swag of replies.

But wedgetail - I did actually reply to your query whether it worked on the Dell - posts 103 and 108. The boot menu appeared but it didn't boot.

I'm still going through all the suggestions and counter suggestions and will try and follow as many as I can but it will take time so please bear with me.

Don't know how the Ty-Type mis-spelling happened. I always do copy-paste commands but the command blkid was hardly worth copy-pasting.

And thanks all for sticking with this. Much appreciated.

[Just17]

Maurice,
                It seems I was misunderstanding the situation .......

On the problematic PC, you can start to boot with the USB stick and get to a grub page with boot options.

Is this correct?

When you select to boot the Mini OS from that boot page what happens?