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Topic: USB Boot no workie...argh..., Multiple tries USB boot: no work.

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quagmyer11 Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 8
Joined: Mar. 2005

Posted: Mar. 25 2005,19:18

Hi all,

First, I must say how awesome I think DSL is...and a big thanks needs to be expressed to the folks that have spent so much time making it what it is: Damn Cool.

I'm trying like crazy to get DSL to boot/work off of my 64MB usb stick, and so far...to coin a phrase from "JohnM" in the "frugal strikes again!, bootable USB install" discussion it's causing me "some serious coffee and ciggy time" and I don't even smoke.

I have a 64MB stick. I've read the stuff about making sure my drive is formatted properly. A `fdisk /dev/sde` shows this:

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sde: 65 MB, 65536000 bytes
16 heads, 32 sectors/track, 250 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 512 * 512 = 262144 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sde1 * 1 249 63728 6 FAT16

Command (m for help):

After this, I'd make sure the stick is *not* mounted, make sure I've run `modprobe ehci-hcd` and can see via lsmod that I've got the following:

- usb-storage
- ehci-hcd
- usb-uhci
- usbcore

...loaded up. Then, I go into the menu's and right click on the desktop then Apps > Tools > Install to USB Pendrive. Everything seems to work and there's no errors. If I mount the drive when done I can see these files:

-rwxr-xr-x 1 root users 110 Mar 23 13:39 boot.msg*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root users 1592 Mar 23 13:39 f2*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root users 1675 Mar 23 13:39 f3*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root users 256 Mar 23 13:39 german.kbd*
dr-xr-xr-x 2 root users 2048 Mar 23 13:39 knoppix/
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root users 7836 Mar 23 13:39 ldlinux.sys*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root users 994807 Mar 23 13:39 linux24*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root users 7367 Mar 23 13:39 logo.16*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root users 248090 Mar 23 13:39 minirt24.gz*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root users 2045 Mar 23 13:39 syslinux.cfg*

...yet everytime I try and boot off the drive: no soap. My box just complains that there's nothing to boot off of despite the fact my bios sees the USB stick and I definitely have files written to the stick.

Can anyone think of what I'm missing? I've tried multiple times and end up having the same thing happen..and can't believe the folks that write in with messages about how easily their install went? Sheesh!

Thank you for your time reading this...

sbrown
Unregistered

Posted: Mar. 25 2005,21:12

Try grabbing the usb boot floppy image off one of the mirrors. If that doesn't work, make sure you're plugging the drive into the mobo.

quagmyer11 Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 8
Joined: Mar. 2005

Posted: Mar. 25 2005,22:02

Thank you for your quick reply....

So do you think I've done everything right but despite the fact my bios is set to boot off of the key (and when in the bios settings I can see the key) I should try booting with a boot floppy? As in maybe there' nothing wrong with the install on the USB key?

I can try a boot floppy, but I'm striking out on how-to/where-to go and get the goodies to make one.

Thanks!

quagmyer11 Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 8
Joined: Mar. 2005

Posted: Mar. 25 2005,22:58

HOLD UP!!!!

IT WORKS! IT WORKS!!!!!

I took the same key to a different machine, plugged it in the usb slot and told it to boot execting disappointment.....POOF!!! The Penguin!!!

EYAAAHAHAHAH!!!

I guess not all machines work well booting from usb devices despite listing them in the bios as an option.

Thanks!

cbagger01

Group: Members
Posts: 4264
Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: Mar. 26 2005,18:48

There is no standard "USB Boot" method that works for all computers.

Some computer BIOSes expect to see a USB floppy or superfloppy formatted device to use.

Others expect a USB zip drive device.

Some expect a USB hard drive device.

Some BIOSes have multiple choices for type of boot device.

So there is no one-size-fits-all answer except for the USB boot floppy.

My advice is to try and find a USB key boot utility program from your computer manufacturer and to use the save methods that are used by this utility. For example, Dell and HP both have USB bootable drive format utility programs available.

4 replies since Mar. 25 2005,19:18

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