# Solved: Headaches with bootable pendrive (Ubuntu)



## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

I've recently decided to switch to Linux, and have expected to have some trouble making the change. And, boy, have I!

My problem is that I am trying to boot Ubuntu onto a new system using a pendrive that was made for me. When I attempt it, I go into the BIOS and change it to boot from USB Zip. However, I get the following errors:

"No configuration file found"
"No default or UI directive found"

As for the latter, I found this advice, but have yet to see if it helps. Part of what confuses me there is that I have both a syslinux and isolinux .cfg file in that folder. Nonetheless, I changed the isolinux.bin to sys.

Assuming that solves the problem, I'm still stumped on the first error message. I'm not sure that this addresses that issue, but I tried it to no avail. Should I change it back?

That is the immediate problem - getting it to boot. But I am also unsure what to do once we clear that hurdle. I will need to install Ubuntu on the disk. I am told that is simple, but I have no experience there. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

There won't be any headache if you use a bootable CD.

I am not sure USB Zip drive is the same as a USB pen drive. If it is the same and your pen drive was loaded and so the essential boot files are missing as claimed then you really get yourself into the deep end by hacking a boot loader when you haven't even use the system before.

My suggestion is use a distro designed for the pen drive like Puppy which will have all the necessary files already configured for you to boot from a pen drive or stick to a Linux Live CD.


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

I don't see how I'm in the deep end as I know exactly what I edited and can change it back, if need be.

Also, what I've got in the USB stick is, for all intents and purposes, a Live CD. Perhaps Puppy boots easier from such a device, but I want Ubuntu.


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

I have not kept myself up to date with the changes in Ubuntu but it was not designed to be bootable from other devices if shipped as an iso AFAIK. I do believe the Ubuntu forum has tutorials to advise booting with a pen drive.

Your first problem is to replace the standard CD bootloader isolinux with one based on hard disk/floppy syslinux. I believe you are at this stage. I couldn't offer any help as I prefer Grub which is a lot simpler.

Your second problem will come after the boot loader works but the loading sequence of the kernel may get into trouble or panic. To access the pen drive the initrd file has to be compiled in a certain way and that is my suggestion to go with one designed for such purpose. Distros like Puppy and Slax arrange all the files compressed into a tar ball but Ubuntu's files are scattered in various directories making access to to them fairly rigid.


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

Seeing as how I am new to Linux, a simple distro like Puppy or Grub might be the way to go, but I am assured that booting Ubuntu like this is doable and common. I feel I am not too far from success with it, though, again, I know next to nothing in regards to it. At any rate, I want to try and solve it, if for nothing else than to have the experience.


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## InterKnight (Oct 19, 2004)

Hello, Katla.

I boot Ubuntu from a pen drive quite often. I actually use it when I work on broken Windows systems. It could be that the pen drive you have may have somehow been mistakenly corrupted somehow (I have had that happen to me in the past).

If all else fails, maybe this will help you (if you have a Windows system with Internet access).

*NOTE:* If you have any important data on your pen drive, make a backup before following the steps below.

1. Download UNetbootin, a program which allows you to create a bootable "Live" USB pen drive.

2. Download the ISO image for Ubuntu, specific to your PC specifications (i.e. 32 or 64-bit) here.

3. Connect your pen drive to the computer.

4. Open UNetbootin and select the Diskimage option.

5. Click the button labeled "..." and browse to where you stored your ISO file. Once you have found the ISO file, click "Open".

6. Once you have done this, make sure that *"Drive"* is set to your USB pen drive.

7. Click "OK", and then wait.

8. Once UNetbootin has finished, you can restart your computer.

When you boot from your pen drive, you will be presented with a menu with various options. You will want to Try the system; you can then install it from there.

I have done this a multitude of times, and I have found UNetbootin to be an invaluable tool, both in Windows and in Linux.

I hope that this helps to answer your question.

If I can be of any further help, please let me know.

Take care.


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

Thanks, Knight. I'll give that a try later today when I've got some time. Hopefully when I next reply to this thread it will be from my new computer using Ubuntu.


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

Well, I replaced the stuff I had on my pendrive with the stuff listed above, completely clean, and still got the exact same error messages as before. I tried booting it in all sorts of ways, using every USB option given in the menu. 

I hadn't yet tried it out with the edits from the link in my first post (changing "iso" to "sys"), so I may do that. Also, I'd read somewhere that a similar problem was solved by changing the format of the pendrive from FAT32 to FAT. I looked into that, but the only option I've got other than FAT32 is exFAT. 

Beyond that, the only thing I can think of is that I should use the 32-bit install, but I'm putting it into a machine with an Athlon64x2, so I don't know how that could help.

One thing is for sure: I've become quite adept at switching out CPU rigs between reboots. 

Anyway, any suggestions are welcome.


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## DVOM (Jun 21, 2002)

I'd suggest trying a different brand of pen drive. Alternately, I'd try a different program to load it onto the pen drive. I use LinuxLive USB:

http://www.linuxliveusb.com/


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

I'll give that program a shot out of desperation. It could be that the first one I was using was the same as the 2nd, or at least close enough that the issue was repeated. I have my doubts that a 3rd will be much different, seeing as how the previous two worked for others with no problems, but will keep my fingers crossed. 

If that doesn't work I'll invest in a new pendrive. And if that doesn't work I'll defenestrate my computer. Heh.


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

In this thread I reported how to put several distros in one DVD and then put the same in a pen drive.

I did it when the Unetbootin wasn't available as I have to convert the isolinux configurations to Grub's menu.lst.


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## arochester (Jan 17, 2007)

... There is also "How To Boot 10 Different Live CDs From 1 USB Flash Drive" at http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/39747/how-to-boot-10-different-live-cds-from-1-usb-flash-drive/


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## InterKnight (Oct 19, 2004)

Katla,

Forgive me if I missed this, but what kind of pen drive are you using (i.e. make, model, and capacity--1 GB, 2 GB, etc)?


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

I'm using a pendrive called ZAP Slider, 4GB. 

It is now loaded with the Linux Live program DVOM suggested. Am about to give it a shot. While not exactly optimistic, I am hopeful that I can avoid the usual error messages with it as it is a different set-up than the previous two I had tried.


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

I'm still getting the two exact same error messages, followed by a "boot:" prompt. This time around I naively typed in everything I could thing of: run, start, boot, go, enter, aiiiugh!!!, and so forth. 

It is possible, of course, that the pendrive is defective. After using 3 different programs it is logical to suspect the device itself. But it seems to be functioning well enough. No harm in trying another one, but I have strong doubts that the issue will be resolved that way. But what else could it be? The first program loaded onto it was done by a guy who works as a programmer and has used the same set-up many times himself. The other two I downloaded and installed to the letter. It isn't a computer issue, as I get the same error on either this old one or the new one I'm attempting to get started. But I just don't see how the flash drive would selectively read files like that


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

Out of desperation I've reformatted the pendrive to NTFS. Unable to use the Linux Live installation with that, so am going back to UNetbootin to try it out. I honestly don't see how it'll help, but I've come across a few sources online where people with my problem got past it that way.


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

Well, I am at a complete loss. I tried the NTFS format alone, and also tried it by changing the "iso" folder/files names to "sys". Same errors. Will get my hands on another pendrive, I suppose. It's the only thing left I can think of.


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

If you intend to store a Linux on a pen drive it must have

either Fat16 or Fat32 filing system if the iso compresses the system files, like in Puppy or Slax. In operation the kernel will read the compressed source and expand them into the ram.

or Ext2/3/4 filing systems where the kernel can read every individual file it has to load.

Standard Pen drives are formatted to Fat16 if l< 2Gb and Fat32 if >2GB. Go with the flow and don't do things unexpected.


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## InterKnight (Oct 19, 2004)

Katla,

I am very sorry that you are having to go through so much trouble with this.

I have been reading various pages online, and it could be possible that the ISO image you downloaded may have somehow been corrupted. The three main components that could be the problem in this situation are:

(1) The computer
(2) The pen drive
(3) The Ubuntu ISO file

Sometimes files just do not download properly as they should, and pieces of the file could end up missing or being corrupted during the download.

You are actually able to test the integrity of your downloaded Ubuntu ISO using its md5sum. You can do this within Windows, and it is relatively easy. I know that it is added hassle to your situation, and I apologize for it, but it is always best to try all possible scenarios, just to make sure that all ground is covered.

There is a Ubuntu Documentation page called HowToMD5SUM which shows you how to check the integrity of your ISO download. If you are using Windows, you can find the walkthrough for doing this under the "MD5SUM on Windows" section further down the page.

Once again, I am sorry that this is giving you so much trouble. Further on, when you get Ubuntu installed, you will look back on all of this and laugh. It is a big learning experience. It was for me as well when I first started to try Linux back in 2005. As I look back and recall all the mistakes which I made, and all of the different problems that arose (most fo which were due to the fact that I had some faulty hardware  ), I can honestly say that it was all worth the while.

Take care, and I hope that this is of some help.


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## DVOM (Jun 21, 2002)

At the boot prompt type "live".


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

It's certainly frustrating, but it is also a good learning experience. I might not take it in stride so much if I didn't have this old Windows machine to use in the meantime, but I figure sooner or later I'll get the new one working and it will feel like a real accomplishment. Which is probably a little sad, but so it goes.

DVOM, I'll try your suggestion tomorrow. It is getting late and I'm in no mood to switch out computers just now to test anything. It'd be funny if that works, though.

To everyone: thanks for your continuing help. We may not have made much progress, but it is nice to get some ideas back and know I'm not alone.


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## Hughv (Jul 22, 2006)

I've done this many times and never had a single problem, so I'd assume your Pen drive wasn't created properly.
Follow the instructions here and all should be well.
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

Hughv said:


> I've done this many times and never had a single problem, so I'd assume your Pen drive wasn't created properly.
> Follow the instructions here and all should be well.


That's the most frustrating part, as by all accounts this is a very simple procedure. But like I've said, the pendrive was given to me pre-loaded by a guy who knows his Linux. Of course there was a chance that it was a bad copy. I've since loaded two other programs (including the one you've linked) on to it a total of three times, with the same results. There is always room for error, but I've followed instructions to a T (and it's not like these things are confusing).

I'm trying it out with a new pendrive this afternoon. Should that not work, I will be at a real loss as to what the problem could be.


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

Same error message with a new pendrive. I just don't get it.


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

Have started over again from scratch, using a different installer. everything else is the same (new copies). However, this time around, I am being told that both the syslinux/syslinux.cfg and syslinux/txt.cfg files are not being copied, and that it will not boot as a result. 

I have seen both of those files in previous installs, but am now wondering if they were corrupted. You'll recall that in the OP I'd had suspicions about both of those files, as I'd read that some people needed to rename them in order for the boot to function. I'd tried that, to no avail. 

So assuming something is continually messing with the copies of those files, regardless of program, what could be causing it or how do I work around it? When I'm making these things I'll set my anti-virus to not monitor, as I was thinking earlier that maybe it is to blame. It would give me nagging warnings about the autorun files.

Edit: I'm an idiot. Forgot I'd reformatted that pendrive to NTFS out of desperation. Changed it back to FAT32 and no problems. So much for that angle.


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## Katla (Dec 21, 2003)

It is solved. Finally.

I formatted the pendrive to FAT and tried it using only the programs endorsed on the Ubuntu site. That worked, It booted and I installed it. 

Thank you for the help.


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## InterKnight (Oct 19, 2004)

Glad to hear it, Katla!

I have never heard of the Universal USB Installer (mentioned on the Ubuntu download page). I have always used UNetbootin for this task, but I am really glad that everything worked out for you. 

I hope you enjoy your new Linux system!


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