[ubuntu-us-mi] boot from Lucid USB partition on internal harddrive

[Robert Citek]

How can I put the USB partition for Lucid onto a hard drive and boot from it?

I created a USB Startup Disk for Lucid and am able to boot my laptop
from it, but I'm experiencing some issues. For example, it's very
slow. As a quick workaround I shrank my linux partition on my
internal drive (/dev/sda) and copied the USB partition (/dev/sdc1) to
it. So now my internal drive has sda1-3 (stuff), sda4 (extended
partition), sda5 (Ubuntu 8.04) and sda6 (USB Lucid). Mounting sda6
shows that all the files appear to be there. I've modified my grub
menu.lst on sda5 to contain this:

title Lucid 10.04 USB
savedefault
root (hd0,5)
chainloader +1

When I boot, grub displays both the Ubuntu 8.04 and Lucid options, and
I can still boot Ubuntu 8.04. However, when I select the Lucid line,
I get this error message:

Starting up ...
Boot error

What do I need to change in order for Lucid to boot? Do I need to
reinstall the boot loader (syslinux or isolinux)? Do I need to modify
a config file? Something else? Is booting this way even possible?

I've done something similar with Knoppix in the past, but used
cheatcodes and such to get it to work.

Regards,
- Robert

[Wolfger]

Off the top of my head, I think the problem here is that grub can't
find a kernel. The LiveUSB is meant to e called straight from bios,
but you've got bios going to grub and grub trying to boot a linux
install rather than a LiveUSB.

Post by Robert Citek
How can I put the USB partition for Lucid onto a hard drive and boot from it?
I created a USB Startup Disk for Lucid and am able to boot my laptop
from it, but I'm experiencing some issues. ?For example, it's very
slow. ?As a quick workaround I shrank my linux partition on my
internal drive (/dev/sda) and copied the USB partition (/dev/sdc1) to
it. ?So now my internal drive has sda1-3 (stuff), sda4 (extended
partition), sda5 (Ubuntu 8.04) and sda6 (USB Lucid). ?Mounting sda6
shows that all the files appear to be there. ?I've modified my grub
title ? ? ? ? ? Lucid 10.04 USB
savedefault
root ? ? ? ? ? ?(hd0,5)
chainloader ? ? +1
When I boot, grub displays both the Ubuntu 8.04 and Lucid options, and
I can still boot Ubuntu 8.04. ?However, when I select the Lucid line,
Starting up ...
Boot error
What do I need to change in order for Lucid to boot? ?Do I need to
reinstall the boot loader (syslinux or isolinux)? ?Do I need to modify
a config file? ?Something else? ?Is booting this way even possible?
I've done something similar with Knoppix in the past, but used
cheatcodes and such to get it to work.
Regards,
- Robert
--
ubuntu-us-mi mailing list
ubuntu-us-mi at lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-us-mi

[Robert Citek]

Actually, I want bios going to grub going to syslinux going to linux.

But I suspect you are right in that grub may be the one throwing the
error and not syslinux.

Will try to work this out in VM instead of a real machine.

Regards,
- Robert

Post by Wolfger
Off the top of my head, I think the problem here is that grub can't
find a kernel. The LiveUSB is meant to e called straight from bios,
but you've got bios going to grub and grub trying to boot a linux
install rather than a LiveUSB.

[Robert Citek]

USB creator doesn't want to install to /dev/sda. <shakes head> And
the VBox OSE version with 8.04 doesn't have a virtual USB device.
<shakes head> And ssh from the guest to the host OS is abysmally
slow. <shakes head>

I know this can be done. It's just a matter of finding the right mojo
to make it work.

But for now that's three strikes, which means it's time to do
something else, e.g. clean the house.

Regards,
- Robert

Post by Robert Citek
Actually, I want bios going to grub going to syslinux going to linux.
But I suspect you are right in that grub may be the one throwing the
error and not syslinux.
Will try to work this out in VM instead of a real machine.
Regards,
- Robert

Post by Wolfger
Off the top of my head, I think the problem here is that grub can't
find a kernel. The LiveUSB is meant to e called straight from bios,
but you've got bios going to grub and grub trying to boot a linux
install rather than a LiveUSB.

[Robert Citek]

Got it to work by imaging and then using install-mbr to install a
simple boot loader into the MBR.

Specifically, I did this in a VBox OSE VM with a 10GB virtual drive
and the Lucid ISO:

booted the ISO
opened a terminal

sudo su -
# partition drive
echo -e "o\np\nn\np\n1\n1\n+2G\na\n1\nt\nb\np\nw" |
fdisk /dev/sda
ssh rwcitek at 10.1.1.101 'sudo dd if=/dev/sdc1 bs=1M' |
dd of=/dev/sda1 bs=1M
apt-get update
apt-get install install-mbr
# install mbr boot loader
install-mbr /dev/sda
poweroff

10.1.1.101 is the IP of the host. /dev/sdc1 is the first partition on
the USB device. When I unattached the ISO and booted the VM, Lucid
booted up as though it was from the USB stick.

What seems necessary that isn't described clearly in the syslinux docs:

1) mbr needs to be installed in the MBR. This simple boot loader
looks for the first "active" partition and loads its VBR.

2) partition needs to be flagged active. Use the "a" command in fdisk
to set the active partition.

Still trying to see if I can move the partition elsewhere, e.g. sda2 or sda6

Regards,
- Robert

USB creator doesn't want to install to /dev/sda. <shakes head> ?And
the VBox OSE version with 8.04 doesn't have a virtual USB device.
<shakes head> ?And ssh from the guest to the host OS is abysmally
slow. <shakes head>
I know this can be done. ?It's just a matter of finding the right mojo
to make it work.
But for now that's three strikes, which means it's time to do
something else, e.g. clean the house.
Regards,
- Robert

Post by Robert Citek
Actually, I want bios going to grub going to syslinux going to linux.
But I suspect you are right in that grub may be the one throwing the
error and not syslinux.
Will try to work this out in VM instead of a real machine.
Regards,
- Robert

Post by Wolfger
Off the top of my head, I think the problem here is that grub can't
find a kernel. The LiveUSB is meant to e called straight from bios,
but you've got bios going to grub and grub trying to boot a linux
install rather than a LiveUSB.