Problems with booting from LiveUSB
 

Hello everybody,

I am having an old desktop PC with the following specifications;

Intel celeron 2.4 GHZ, 1GB RAM, 40GB HDD, Linux LXLE OS.

A brief history regarding my the origin of my problem: This was a Windows XP PC earlier. The CD drive of the PC is damaged. I installed Linux mint 17.2 with the help of a LiveUSB, that I had created on my another system, a Laptop with latest specifications with Linux-Mint 17.2 cinnamon as OS. But the Linux-Mint 17.2 cinnamon OS that I installed on the old PC, had problems starting Cinnamon. It could be due to lack of adequate graphics hardware on the old PC. So I thought of installing a lightweight Linux OS. I chose LXLE. I installed that one too with the help of 'LXLE-LiveUSB' created on the Laptop. But I found that this OS too was a bit heavy on the old PC. Moreover I too didn't like the OS initially. So I thought of changing to Bodhi-Linux. I created the LiveUSB for Bodhi-Linux on my another system, the Laptop as usual.

The problem: When I tried to boot with the 'Bodhi-Linux LiveUSB' as usual [I had booted several times with the LiveUSB earlier], the system did not boot from the USB. I changed the BIOS settings. But even that didn't help. I checked the 'Bodhi-Linux LiveUSB' on my Laptop, to check if the LiveUSB is working. The LiveUSB booted normally on the Laptop. I even tested the Bodhi-Linux OS, there. Now I have tried booting from USB on the old PC, several times again and again. But I am not able to boot from USB.

My issue: Now since the system is old and there are signs that the LXLE OS is also a bit heavy for it. I could face problems at any time. And one day if the PC fails to work, I cannot boot from the Live USB and take back control of my PC.

What is the solution now?

My questions:

• Can my PC be made to boot from Live-USB again? What has gone wrong with it?

• I was thinking of installing another small Linux system like PuppyLinux or Tinycore or something like that, on the old PC. And also install some bootloader, so that if in future the main OS [now LXLE or later Bodhi-Linux] fails and the PC fails to boot from LiveUSB too, then the boot loader would let me boot into the small Linux OS like the Puppy or Tinycore. And from there I could re-install the main OS and get my PC working again. I would have to install another Linux OS, from the current Linux OS itself, considering the fact that I can not boot from USB and there is no CD drive. I don't know how to do that. I searched the web, but didn't find any guidance.

• I have read about GRUB & GRUB2. But I have also read that it is risky to install them, because I could mess with the MBR. I am new to Linux. I don't know how to install & handle GRUB/GRUB2. I have come across guides on the web that help install GRUB/GRUB2. But I don't comprehend most of those suggestions and I am paranoid about messing with the MBR. So please can someone help me in this regard?

I would appreciate any help extended.

Thank you

Regards

What happens when you try booting the USB drive? Any error messages? Have you tried other distributions besides bodhi?

Did you download a 64 bit ISO instead of 32 bit?

MX is another good distribution to run on older PCs.
http://www.mepiscommunity.org/download-links

grub is boot loader and no poses no more risk then any other. The act of installing a new operating system will almost always require changes to the MBR (partition table or boot loader) so nothing to fret about. The installer for any distribution you are probably going to try will make all the necessary changes to the MBR.

You can back up your mbr and reinstall it. See this post: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ommand-362506/

True, but only a small part of grub lives in the MBR. If it gets messed up just restoring the MBR via dd may not be sufficient to repair vs reinstalling grub.

+1

If you're able to boot to other drives on the old PC, and can boot from this drive on the new PC, then it's likely something mis-matched between the two. I'd vote for this.

Thanks for coming, michaelk.

When I try to boot from USB, initially I see a command prompt on the black screen. It keeps blinking for a minute or so, then the command prompt jumps down a couple of lines/spaces, I suppose. Then nothing happens. The command prompt keeps blinking. I have waited for 15 minutes to see if anything happens. But nothing happens. No error messages, nothing. Then if I force shutdown the PC, remove the USB and restart, the PC boots into LXLE OS, nicely.

Yes, I tried to boot from Linux-Mint LiveUSB, again. The same thing happened.

No I have not downloaded a 64 bit version ISO. It is 32 bit.

Thanks for the link for MX. I will look into it.

I understand. But since now I am not able to boot from USB, and if I mess up with current MBR while installing GRUB, I thought I would loose total control of my PC. I won't be able boot into the PC again. Neither will I be able to boot into the current working LXLE OS, nor will I be able to re-install an OS, because the PC already doesn't boot from USB.

Thank you for the concern MichaelK

Regards

Thanks for coming, AwesomeMachine.

Thanks for the link. Forgive my ignorance. I was intimidated by what was mentioned in the link. I think that would be adventurous for a newbie like me.

Thank you for your concern, AwesomeMachine.

Regards

Thanks for coming, urbanwks.

Sure, I was able to boot to other Live-USBs before I had installed LXLE. But not now. After the LXLE installation I am not able to boot with any Live-USBs.

I suppose the installation of the LXLE OS changed something, which is preventing the PC to boot from USB. I don't know. You experts need to diagnose.

Moreover, the BodhiLinux-LiveUSB has "Bodhi-3.2.1-legacy.iso" on it. "Legacy" comes only in 32bit.

Thanks for the concern, urbanwks.

Regards

Long shot. Have you tried using another USB stick?

Also, using another USB port on the PC.

Thanks for coming, Hydrurga.

I did it now.

I had a memory-card and a card reader. I created a "Tinycore-Live-USB". And then checked it to see if it boots properly on the Laptop. Yes, it booted up nicely. Then I tried to boot the old-PC. It did not boot.

I changed the USB port and checked for both the OSs, "Tinycore-Live-USB" and the earlier 'Bodhi-Linux LiveUSB' on the pendrive. But still nothing happened. The PC didn't boot.

Thanks for your concern, Hydrurga.

Regards

Member response
 

Hi,

Simple question, you did go back into BIOS to see if the USB is recognized as the boot device. Or possibly use a hot key such as Fn key on your keyboard to select the boot device.

Maybe restore your BIOS to default then make your selections after doing such.

Hope this helps.
Have fun & enjoy!
:hattip:

out of curiosity, does the lxle liveUSB still boot (if you still have it that is)?

also, you likely already installed grub with lxle, so I wouldn't bother trying to mess with your boot loader. Let your next chosen installer deal with that.

it is possible that the usb system on your machine is damaged. Can you open the stick (or your memory card device) on the machine in question as a storage device?

if you have fiddled with any bios settings, you might check to see if your usb stick shows up as a harddisk rather than a usb device. I have a desktop that does this.

also, if you can, please confirm if your usb ports are usb 1.1 or usb 2.

Thanks for coming, Onebuck.
The BIOS setup key on my PC is the 'Del' key. I did as suggested. First I reset the BIOS to defaults, then save & exit. I restarted the PC with the Bodhi-Linux-LiveUSB. It didn't boot. Then I changed the boot priority settings to USB first [By default removable device was the first priority. And among the removable devices, Floppy drive was first and Kingston Datatraveller was second. I tried giving first priority to both options.]. Then too the PC didn't boot.

Thanks for you concern, Onebuck.

Regards

Thanks for coming, dolphin_oracle.

I have the LXLE iso. I had seen then, that after installing LXLE, even the LXLE-LiveUSB didn't boot. Now just to recheck again, I recreated the LXLE-LiveUSB, on the Bodhi linux pendrive with Unetbootin on Linux17.2 Laptop. And tested the LXLE-LiveUSB, first on the Laptop. It booted nicely on the Laptop. But when I tried to boot the LXLE-LiveUSB, on the PC, it didn't boot.

No, the grub is not installed by default during the installation if LXLE. And I haven't installed it manually. Is this causing the problems?

The USB system and the USB are not damaged. I checked by inserting the USB as storage device, after booting LXLE OS from HD. It recognises both the pendrive and the memory card. I could browse the folders on them.

I checked in the BIOS setup. The BIOS setup recognises the pendrive as 'Kingston Datatraveller'. It is shown among the removable devices.

I found the method to find the version of the USB ports, on the web. I gave the command 'lsusb' in the terminal. Below here is the output.

Attachment 22316

Thank you for your concern, dolphin_oracle.

Regards

Have you tried checking your memory (ram)? If you can't boot to check try an external dvd/cd player, if you have one available or take it out and check it in another system, ie run memtest from another install disk/usb or even the same one, it is often present on an install disk (memtest, that is).

Fred.