Hi, I am trying to create a bootable linux usb drive using syslinux command as given below but I am getting error as given below syslinux4.exe -maf G: Return code : 1 Output : Error : Could not write the whole boot sector I have tried to do this with syslinux4, syslinux5, syslinux6 with the same error message. The usb drive is formatted to FAT32 drive system and has a capacity of 4GB. The OS that I am using is Windows XP SP3. What may be the reason behind this error? And how do I resolve it? ------------------------------ Thanking you in advance, Amardeep
> Hi, > I am trying to create a bootable linux usb drive using syslinux command as given below but I am getting error as given below > > syslinux4.exe -maf G: > Return code : 1 > Output : > Error : Could not write the whole boot sector > > I have tried to do this with syslinux4, syslinux5, syslinux6 with the same error message. The usb drive is formatted to FAT32 drive system and has a capacity of 4GB. The OS that I am using is Windows XP SP3. > > What may be the reason behind this error? And how do I resolve it? > ------------------------------ > Thanking you in advance, > AmardeepHave you downloaded these exe files as part of the official (zip) archives from kernel.org? Or from somewhere else? You might have your USB device opened by some other process, or perhaps you have not used administrator permissions to run syslinux.exe. By any chance, are you using some "modified" Windows XP, such as "LiveXP, "BartPE" or some similar "light" edition? Have you tried the "syslinux64.exe" installers? These are only rhetorical questions, for you to search where the problem is. For simplicity, I would suggest: 1_ close any other programs that are accessing the USB device; 2_ "safely eject" the USB device; 3_ wait a few seconds (or even a minute); 4_ plug in the USB device again. Now, instead of executing the syslinux.exe command (or the syslinux64.exe variant), perhaps you might want to try one of the GUI auxiliary tools to install SYSLINUX. *Some* of them (with no particular preference and in no particular order) are: _ RUFUS _ RMPrepUSB _ Bootice and several others that are focused on "installing" (Linux) ISO images on USB devices (Unetbootin, UniversalUsbInstaller, SARDU...). There are also GUI auxiliary tools for multiboot, but since you are having problems to install SYSLINUX, these other tools would be "too much" for your current situation. Regards, Ady.> _______________________________________________ > Syslinux mailing list > Submissions to Syslinux at zytor.com > Unsubscribe or set options at: > http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux >
> > syslinux4.exe -maf G: > Return code : 1 > Output : > Error : Could not write the whole boot sector >In addition to my comments in my prior email in this same email thread, (FWIW and for other readers) I should add that for latest version 4.xx and onwards, a more-adequate command should had been: syslinux[64].exe -mai <drive_letter>: and reflecting the original command, this would be: syslinux.exe -mai g: See http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/Install Regards, Ady.> _______________________________________________ > Syslinux mailing list > Submissions to Syslinux at zytor.com > Unsubscribe or set options at: > http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux >
Hi,
I tried the command with the option "-maif
<driveLetter>" and I got the error message "Could not
write the whole boot sector"
I am using standard Windows XP SP3 32 bit which came pre installed with
my laptop. I am not using the BartPE or LiveXP or any such light or variant of
windows XP.
The syslinux that I am using came as part of programs like Linux live USB
or Unetbootin. I have not downloaded syslinux from kernel.org.
I am running syslinux command with administrative privileges. The process
I follow is as follows
1) Log into windows XP with a normal, non administrative user.
2) open a command window, by using the command cmd.exe.
3) in the command window give the following command
runas /user:%computername%\admin "cmd.exe"
Over here "admin" is a administrative user with
administrative privileges. This command opens up a new command window.
4) in the new command window opened up in step 3, give the command
"syslinux4 -maif g:", "syslinux5 -maif g:",
"syslinux6 -maif g:"
This results in the error "Could not write the whole boot
sector"
I have not tried the auxiliary tools which you have mentioned. I will try them
and update this thread.
I have checked in MS Process explorer, there is no application or program or
executable which is using the USB flash drive/stick. I have no explorer window
opened when I try to run the syslinux command.
Apart from trying out the auxiliary tools is there something else which I
can do to resolve this issue? Most of the GNU or Linux commands have a -verbose
or logging option, I could not find any such option with syslinux. Is there some
way to get this ability? So that we come to know what can be the issue?
----------------
Have a nice day
Amardeep
Amardeep Verma via Syslinux <syslinux at zytor.com> writes:> syslinux4.exe -maf G: > Return code : 1 > Output : > Error : Could not write the whole boot sector > > I have tried to do this with syslinux4, syslinux5, syslinux6 with the > same error message. The usb drive is formatted to FAT32 drive system > and has a capacity of 4GB. The OS that I am using is Windows XP SP3.You mean you tried with syslinux.exe from the current Syslinux 6.03, and it gave the above error message? Most strange, I only found the "Could not write the whole boot sector" message in the code, not the other bits. An idea: disable all antivirus and similar programs. Or even better, boot a live Linux system, download the current Syslinux and install with the Linux tools. You'll probably get better support for those. -- Regards, Feri.
Hi,
Your post about anti virus and firewall was right on spot. I booted into
safe mode and then tried the steps. This time syslinux ran without any issue.
Thanks a lot.
---------------
Have a nice day
Amardeep