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Old 06-08-2016, 09:50 PM   #16
Gordie
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Well, took another stick and wrote Slackware Live to it then tried this
Code:
bash-4.3# fdisk -l /dev/sdb
Disk /dev/sdb: 7.5 GiB, 8011120640 bytes, 15646720 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x4e174f32

Device     Boot Start     End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1  *        0 6215679 6215680   3G 17 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
bash-4.3#
/dev sdb1 is bootable but I sure as heck didn't make it so with fdisk so writing the iso did it.
Interesting
 
Old 06-08-2016, 10:29 PM   #17
Aritra Kundu
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Why don't you just use the terminal to execute your task.Type the following code and you will be done

sudo dd if="the path of the iso file" of="the path where you want to boot for you it must be /dev/sdb" bs=2M

but first you need to format the usb stick try GParted for executing this task of formatting and format it to fat32!!
 
Old 06-08-2016, 10:38 PM   #18
Gordie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aritra Kundu View Post
Why don't you just use the terminal to execute your task.Type the following code and you will be done

sudo dd if="the path of the iso file" of="the path where you want to boot for you it must be /dev/sdb" bs=2M

but first you need to format the usb stick try GParted for executing this task of formatting and format it to fat32!!
I know how to write an iso to my stick. Do it all the time so I can try live linux systems.

What I want to do is have a bootstick to use to boot my hardrive in case I bugger up lilo. I make these bootsticks regularly (lately) but they just do not work when I try them
 
Old 06-08-2016, 11:47 PM   #19
aaazen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gordie View Post
OK, got home from town and used the same stick for Slackware Live. I booted just fine on two computers.
Just used pkgtool to make a bootstick with the same stick.

Code:
bash-4.3# fdisk -l /dev/sdb
Disk /dev/sdb: 7.5 GiB, 8053063680 bytes, 15728640 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x20ac7dda

Device     Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1       3224498923 3657370039  432871117 206.4G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2       3272020941 5225480974 1953460034 931.5G 16 Hidden FAT16
/dev/sdb3                0          0          0     0B 6f unknown
/dev/sdb4         50200576  974536369  924335794 440.8G  0 Empty

Partition table entries are not in disk order.
bash-4.3#
This looks good! It looks just like mine on my 8GB usb stick.

There really is no "master boot record" as the stick is formatted to only contain a single msdos partition with a volume boot record.

Try it and let us know if it works.
 
Old 06-09-2016, 06:58 AM   #20
bassmadrigal
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gordie View Post
/dev sdb1 is bootable but I sure as heck didn't make it so with fdisk so writing the iso did it.
Interesting
When you write an iso over, it contains the full filesystem, including any bootable flags. So that is why it is marked as bootable without you needing to do anything separate. If you format your own stick, you'd still need to mark it as bootable using fdisk.
 
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Old 06-09-2016, 09:10 AM   #21
Gordie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by comet.berkeley View Post
This looks good! It looks just like mine on my 8GB usb stick.

There really is no "master boot record" as the stick is formatted to only contain a single msdos partition with a volume boot record.

Try it and let us know if it works.
It did not work. Nothing ever works
 
Old 06-09-2016, 09:21 AM   #22
aaazen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gordie View Post
It did not work. Nothing ever works
How do you boot it?

For my computer, I power it up, and then press F12 to get a boot menu.

(For other computers it might be F10 or some other key...)

There I select the device that I wish to boot, given several choices.
Hard disk, USB stick, DVD drive, etc.

If I don't do this then it simply boots up to the hard disk.

Can you access the boot menu of your bios?
 
Old 06-09-2016, 09:40 AM   #23
Gordie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by comet.berkeley View Post
How do you boot it?

For my computer, I power it up, and then press F12 to get a boot menu.

(For other computers it might be F10 or some other key...)

There I select the device that I wish to boot, given several choices.
Hard disk, USB stick, DVD drive, etc.

If I don't do this then it simply boots up to the hard disk.

Can you access the boot menu of your bios?
Good info. I just hit the power button and it boots up to lilo and then I have to hit enter. My computer has usb as the first choice to boot and the hd as the last choice. At no other time or instance is that a problem. I use live usb sticks all the time and they boot right up on the stick

OK. Just took a look and only have two choices there. Have to press F9 and the choices are internal CD/DVD or Notebook Hardrive

Last edited by Gordie; 06-09-2016 at 09:48 AM. Reason: Add info about boot menu
 
Old 06-09-2016, 02:52 PM   #24
aaazen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gordie View Post
Good info. I just hit the power button and it boots up to lilo and then I have to hit enter. My computer has usb as the first choice to boot and the hd as the last choice. At no other time or instance is that a problem. I use live usb sticks all the time and they boot right up on the stick

OK. Just took a look and only have two choices there. Have to press F9 and the choices are internal CD/DVD or Notebook Hardrive
I suspect the stick is good since you see the syslinux boot record and the normal files on the stick.

My system boot menu sees both a USB stick and an EFI usb stick. The elilo code on the stick makes the EFI version work.

For now lets try something else.

One user, Sargent67, found a work around in this thread:

Quote:
Here is what did work: Boot your machine and enter the BIOS config. Turn off boot security and enable legacy support. Go into your boot order and disable all but legacy devices. Reboot the machine with the thumb drive in.
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop...1272919/page/2
 
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Old 06-09-2016, 03:18 PM   #25
kjhambrick
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Gordie --

There was an update today, including a new usbboot.img ...

I am not sure how 80.make-bootdisk works, nor where it gets an image.

And this is a WAG but ... Maybe updating and then making a new USB Boot Image will help ???

-- kjh

Today's entry in ChangeLog.txt:

Code:
Thu Jun  9 18:13:44 UTC 2016
a/e2fsprogs-1.43.1-x86_64-1.txz:  Upgraded.
ap/groff-1.22.3-x86_64-2.txz:  Rebuilt.
  Use correct app-defaults directory.  Thanks to DarkVision.
kde/kdelibs-4.14.20-x86_64-1.txz:  Upgraded.
x/xf86-video-intel-git_20160601_b617f80-x86_64-1.txz:  Upgraded.
  Rolling the git dice one more time since there are reports that this version
  fixes video corruption and freezes after resume.  Please let me know quickly
  if it causes any regressions.
isolinux/initrd.img:  Rebuilt.
  Rebuilt to update e2fsprogs.
usb-and-pxe-installers/usbboot.img:  Rebuilt.
  Rebuilt to update e2fsprogs.
+--------------------------+
New usbboot.img is here:

Code:
# ls -la usb-and-pxe-installers

total 47060
drwxr-xr-x  2 4015 4015     4096 Jun  9 12:47 ./
drwxr-xr-x 12 4015 4015     4096 Jun  9 13:28 ../
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015    31203 Mar 21  2011 README_PXE.TXT
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015     9197 Sep 24  2013 README_USB.TXT
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015      574 Mar 26  2013 pxelinux.cfg_default
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015 48112640 Jun  9 12:47 usbboot.img
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015    16045 Mar 29 02:41 usbimg2disk.sh
 
Old 06-10-2016, 05:32 AM   #26
kjhambrick
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Gordie --

Maybe this ...

The SysLinux HowTo says to make your USB Bootable.

http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=HowTos

Some Machines won't allow you to select the USB if it's not bootable.

Some Hp's are among that category ...

I made a boot disk via pkgtools 80.make-bootdisk to a USB on /dev/sde ( yours is /dev/sdb ).

When I looked at the partition tables on my new /dev/sde, they're not marked bootable ( the same as your /dev/sdb )

The session below my sig followed my pkgtools make-bootdisk session.

In a nutshell, I went into fdisk to mark the USB Drive bootable via the 'a' command.

Fdisk was confused about the bootable flag on /dev/sde1 ???

When I typed a on the 'unbootable' /dev/sde1 fdisk said it marked the partition unbootable !

So I pressed 'a' and 1 again and saved & exited the fdisk session via the w flag ...

And now /dev/sde1 is marked bootable !

Maybe you could try 'one more thing' ...

Make a new USB boot disk via pkgtool and then leave your USB Drive plugged in and continue ...

These are the commands I typed to mark my USB Drive as bootable ( The #-strings are comments ; DO NOT TYPE the comments ):
Code:
fdisk /dev/sdX            # your USB was /dev/sdb 
p                         # print partition table ; note sdX1 is not marked bootable
a                         # toggle bootable flag ...
1                         # ... on partition 1  ; note fdisk says bootable flag is disabled now !!! ???
a                         # toggle bootable flag again ...
1                         # ... on partition 1 ; note fdisk says bootable flag is enabled now
p                         # print partition table ; note sdX1 IS marked bootable now
w                         # save and exit
fdisk -l /dev/sdX         # note that partition 1 has a bootable flag now ...
Try booting the USB now ?

-- kjh

p.s. having said all that ... the file system on the USB Drive is not really in a partition, it is on /dev/sdX.

This fdisk business is an attempt to trick your BIOS into including the USB Drive in the bootable medium list.

p.p.s. This was my fdisk session ...

Code:
[root@kjhlt6 ~]# fdisk /dev/sde

Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.27.1).
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.


Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/sde: 7.5 GiB, 8006074368 bytes, 15636864 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x20ac7dda

Device     Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sde1       3224498923 3657370039  432871117 206.4G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sde2       3272020941 5225480974 1953460034 931.5G 16 Hidden FAT16
/dev/sde3                0          0          0     0B 6f unknown
/dev/sde4         50200576  974536369  924335794 440.8G  0 Empty

Partition table entries are not in disk order.

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-4, default 4): 1

The bootable flag on partition 1 is disabled now.

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-4, default 4): 1

The bootable flag on partition 1 is enabled now.

Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/sde: 7.5 GiB, 8006074368 bytes, 15636864 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x20ac7dda

Device     Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sde1  *    3224498923 3657370039  432871117 206.4G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sde2       3272020941 5225480974 1953460034 931.5G 16 Hidden FAT16
/dev/sde3                0          0          0     0B 6f unknown
/dev/sde4         50200576  974536369  924335794 440.8G  0 Empty

Partition table entries are not in disk order.

Command (m for help): w
The partition table has been altered.
Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
Syncing disks.

[root@kjhlt6 ~]#
 
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Old 06-10-2016, 05:54 AM   #27
Gordie
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Location: Nolalu, Ontario, Canada
Distribution: Slackware64-Current
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kjhambrick View Post
Gordie --

Maybe this ...

The SysLinux HowTo says to make your USB Bootable.

http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=HowTos

Some Machines won't allow you to select the USB if it's not bootable.

Some Hp's are among that category ...

I made a boot disk via pkgtools 80.make-bootdisk to a USB on /dev/sde ( yours is /dev/sdb ).

When I looked at the partition tables on my new /dev/sde, they're not marked bootable ( the same as your /dev/sdb )

The session below my sig followed my pkgtools make-bootdisk session.

In a nutshell, I went into fdisk to mark the USB Drive bootable via the 'a' command.

Fdisk was confused about the bootable flag on /dev/sde1 ???

When I typed a on the 'unbootable' /dev/sde1 fdisk said it marked the partition unbootable !

So I pressed 'a' and 1 again and saved & exited the fdisk session via the w flag ...

And now /dev/sde1 is marked bootable !

Maybe you could try 'one more thing' ...

Make a new USB boot disk via pkgtool and then leave your USB Drive plugged in and continue ...

These are the commands I typed to mark my USB Drive as bootable ( The #-strings are comments ; DO NOT TYPE the comments ):
Code:
fdisk /dev/sdX            # your USB was /dev/sdb 
p                         # print partition table ; note sdX1 is not marked bootable
a                         # toggle bootable flag ...
1                         # ... on partition 1  ; note fdisk says bootable flag is disabled now !!! ???
a                         # toggle bootable flag again ...
1                         # ... on partition 1 ; note fdisk says bootable flag is enabled now
p                         # print partition table ; note sdX1 IS marked bootable now
w                         # save and exit
fdisk -l /dev/sdX         # note that partition 1 has a bootable flag now ...
Try booting the USB now ?

-- kjh

p.s. having said all that ... the file system on the USB Drive is not really in a partition, it is on /dev/sdX.

This fdisk business is an attempt to trick your BIOS into including the USB Drive in the bootable medium list.

p.p.s. This was my fdisk session ...

Code:
[root@kjhlt6 ~]# fdisk /dev/sde

Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.27.1).
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.


Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/sde: 7.5 GiB, 8006074368 bytes, 15636864 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x20ac7dda

Device     Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sde1       3224498923 3657370039  432871117 206.4G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sde2       3272020941 5225480974 1953460034 931.5G 16 Hidden FAT16
/dev/sde3                0          0          0     0B 6f unknown
/dev/sde4         50200576  974536369  924335794 440.8G  0 Empty

Partition table entries are not in disk order.

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-4, default 4): 1

The bootable flag on partition 1 is disabled now.

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-4, default 4): 1

The bootable flag on partition 1 is enabled now.

Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/sde: 7.5 GiB, 8006074368 bytes, 15636864 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x20ac7dda

Device     Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sde1  *    3224498923 3657370039  432871117 206.4G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sde2       3272020941 5225480974 1953460034 931.5G 16 Hidden FAT16
/dev/sde3                0          0          0     0B 6f unknown
/dev/sde4         50200576  974536369  924335794 440.8G  0 Empty

Partition table entries are not in disk order.

Command (m for help): w
The partition table has been altered.
Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
Syncing disks.

[root@kjhlt6 ~]#
Trust me when I tell you I have done this numerous times
 
Old 06-10-2016, 05:55 AM   #28
Gordie
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Location: Nolalu, Ontario, Canada
Distribution: Slackware64-Current
Posts: 871

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Quote:
Originally Posted by kjhambrick View Post
Gordie --

There was an update today, including a new usbboot.img ...

I am not sure how 80.make-bootdisk works, nor where it gets an image.

And this is a WAG but ... Maybe updating and then making a new USB Boot Image will help ???

-- kjh

Today's entry in ChangeLog.txt:

Code:
Thu Jun  9 18:13:44 UTC 2016
a/e2fsprogs-1.43.1-x86_64-1.txz:  Upgraded.
ap/groff-1.22.3-x86_64-2.txz:  Rebuilt.
  Use correct app-defaults directory.  Thanks to DarkVision.
kde/kdelibs-4.14.20-x86_64-1.txz:  Upgraded.
x/xf86-video-intel-git_20160601_b617f80-x86_64-1.txz:  Upgraded.
  Rolling the git dice one more time since there are reports that this version
  fixes video corruption and freezes after resume.  Please let me know quickly
  if it causes any regressions.
isolinux/initrd.img:  Rebuilt.
  Rebuilt to update e2fsprogs.
usb-and-pxe-installers/usbboot.img:  Rebuilt.
  Rebuilt to update e2fsprogs.
+--------------------------+
New usbboot.img is here:

Code:
# ls -la usb-and-pxe-installers

total 47060
drwxr-xr-x  2 4015 4015     4096 Jun  9 12:47 ./
drwxr-xr-x 12 4015 4015     4096 Jun  9 13:28 ../
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015    31203 Mar 21  2011 README_PXE.TXT
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015     9197 Sep 24  2013 README_USB.TXT
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015      574 Mar 26  2013 pxelinux.cfg_default
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015 48112640 Jun  9 12:47 usbboot.img
-rw-r--r--  1 4015 4015    16045 Mar 29 02:41 usbimg2disk.sh
Really does not apply here
 
Old 06-10-2016, 02:39 PM   #29
aaazen
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Posts: 358

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Quote:
Originally Posted by kjhambrick View Post
Gordie --

Some Machines won't allow you to select the USB if it's not bootable.

Some Hp's are among that category ...

I made a boot disk via pkgtools 80.make-bootdisk to a USB on /dev/sde ( yours is /dev/sdb ).

When I looked at the partition tables on my new /dev/sde, they're not marked bootable ( the same as your /dev/sdb )
There is no bootable partition on the stick made by 80.make-bootdisk as there are no partitions.

The script writes a volume boot record starting at the beginning of the stick and writes over the master boot record (mbr).

So, maybe we need to change the script to create an mbr with one partition and activate it for booting...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update 2016-06-10 23:48 UTC

I found a machine to test on that gives the same symptoms as you have, an Intel D510 system. I built a usb stick while installing to the D510.

The stick fails (quietly) on the D510, but works fine on my slightly older desktop.

I will let you know when I have something else to try...

Last edited by aaazen; 06-10-2016 at 06:47 PM. Reason: Found a machine to test on
 
Old 06-11-2016, 01:43 AM   #30
aaazen
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Posts: 358

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Ok now I have something to try.

Attached is an alternate script called setup.81.make-mbr-bootdisk.txt

Simply copy it to /var/log/setup/setup.81.make-mbr-bootdisk (remove the .txt bit).
Then run pkgtool.

It will show up right next to the old setup.80.make-bootdisk script.

Test and let me know how it goes.

Be careful though. Since it is "new" it might be buggy...

Just to recap:
setup.80.make-bootdisk - Create a USB stick like a floppy disk.
setup.81.make-mbr-bootdisk - Create a USB stick like a hard drive.
Attached Files
File Type: txt setup.81.make-mbr-bootdisk.txt (9.4 KB, 40 views)
 
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