Install successful but won't boot from USB-ZIP

Forum: USB booting
Topic: Install successful but won't boot from USB-ZIP
started by: Shagbag

Posted by Shagbag on June 24 2006,15:16

I have a 1GB Kingston DataTraveler 2.0 pendrive.
I installed DSL using Apps > Tools > Install to USB Pendrive > For USB-ZIP Pendrive

It seemed to work okay. I had no reported problems and I checked to see that all of the following were installed:

boot.cat
boot.msg
f2
f3
german.kbd
KNOPPIX
ldlinux.sys
linux24
logo.16
minirt24.gz
syslinux.cfg

which they were.

The USB pendrive has the following filesystem:

Disk /dev/sda: 1026 MB, 1026555392 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 978 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 = 1048576 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 50 51184 6 FAT16
/dev/sda2 51 978 950272 b W95 FAT32

I used 'USB-ZIP' because my Phoenix AwardBIOS shows USB-ZIP as a boot option but there is no boot option for 'USB-HDD'. Despite this, I did try Apps > Tools > Install to USB Pendrive > For USB-HDD Pendrive as well. Nothing worked for me.

My motherboard is a VIA EPIA N10000 (that's 'N' not 'M'). It's the nano-ITX form factor mobo.

Can anyone help me out here please?

Posted by roberts on June 24 2006,15:28

On some machines, you have to enable usb keyboard even if you don't have one. Also, sometimes you have to have the pendirve in a rear usb port and not a front port or usb hub. It has been reported on some machines, you cannot have fast boot enabled either.

HTH

Posted by Shagbag on June 24 2006,20:18

Quote

On some machines, you have to enable usb keyboard even if you don't have one.

Thanks, I had already noticed that on the forum. I had tried it and it didn't solve the problem, unfortunately.

Quote

Also, sometimes you have to have the pendirve in a rear usb port and not a front port or usb hub.

I tried it in every USB port I've got. Still no joy.

Quote

It has been reported on some machines, you cannot have fast boot enabled either.

I disabled fast POST but, again, to no avail.

Any further thoughts, or do you think my BIOS is just really gimp? btw, I am running the current BIOS from VIA.

Posted by Someone on June 25 2006,08:23

If you have floppy and usb on some pc then try to boot with usb-bootfloppy, if that works then the problem is not on usb.

Posted by humpty on June 26 2006,17:27

usb pendrive booting is never clear cut. you have to try all sorts of combinations.

some bios's have a sub menu for hdd (since they treat the usb drive as a hard disk) and you can change the hdd boot order in there, see if 'usb-hd0' truns up there.