Bootmgr missing Bodhi Linux install attempt from thumb drive/laptop already has win7 and xubuntu installed

farnam4 · 08-31-2018, 05:30 PM

I have an Asus eee pc with a dual boot win 7 and Xubuntu installed. It works great. I was trying to make a bootable flash drive to use on another pc (old emachine with XP) by using unetbootn and the latest bodhi 5 linux version. I formatted the flash drive, used unetbootn to select the iso image, and let it finish. When I reboot my eee pc, and press ESC to go to the boot menu, I have the option between my hard drive or the Kingston flash drive that I'm using. If I select the Kingston flash drive, I get a message reading Bootmgr missing. If I take the flash drive out, and simply boot my eee pc, I still get the selection between win 7 and Xubuntu. I tried booting the flash drive on the intended pc, and I get the same message, Bootmgr missing. And if I take the flash drive out, it boots just fine to XP (I was just using the eee pc for creating the bootable linux to install on the other pc). I've used unetbootn many times before and have created bootable flash drives just like this, but I am having the above issue this time. I tried reinstalling unetbootn, and also re-downloading the bohdi 5 linux iso just in case something was wrong there. I've tried this 4 times now with the same result. Ideas? Much appreciated!

hemlocktree · 08-31-2018, 06:47 PM

i never had any luck with unebootin and i have heard many others also have issues with it. I do not recall what the exact reason(s) were for it not working but that is all i can help you with.

syg00 · 08-31-2018, 07:06 PM

And I have never used it IIRC. From your Xubuntu system you can simply use dd - which has always worked for me, on all distros. Just be very sure you overwrite the USB, and not your real system.

hemlocktree · 08-31-2018, 07:13 PM

buy a cheapo $32 usb writer reader for cd/dvd and burn an iso that way. I use that and i never had an issues. 2 of my laptops have no optical drive in them. My wife does have one built in hers.

yancek · 09-01-2018, 06:29 AM

The Bootmgr is missing error is windows specific. The windows bcd bootloader looks for a specific file named 'bootmgr' and if it isn't found, you get the error. You might check your BIOS to see if you have different options for the KIngston, maybe under HDD rather than usb. Doesn't make sense to get that error on the xp machine as it doesn't have a 'bootmgr' file. Have you ever booted a usb on the older xp machine, is it capable of booting from a usb?