On Fri, 14 Apr, 2017, 11:13:43 +0000, Jethro Tull via Syslinux wrote:> On Fri, 14 Apr, 2017, 0:05:05 +0000, Ady Ady via Syslinux wrote: > [ ... ] > > The suggested command to write to the MBR area is to first _unmount_ > > all the devices related to the physical device you want to write to, > > and then execute the 'dd' command as described at: > > > > http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/Mbr#Write > > > > Beware: use the correct "sdx" device for your case / OS; writing to > > 'sda" if the device you are aiming at is a different one will cause you > > much more problems. > > > > I would also add the 'sync' command, after dd'ing the mbr.bin file to > > the desired output device and/or after finishing any write operation to > > a portable device you are about to disconnect. > >[ ... ]> > > > I would suggest repeating the procedure with the FAT fs, this time > > using dd to write the MBR. > >[ ... ]> > Ady. >[ ... ]> As for the device file, if you read back my email you'll notice that I indeed > took that care about the difference in naming of devices and partitions in > linux.[ ... ]> I will repeat the procedure with using dd for writing the mbr and sync > afterwards.Here it is, I tried following your procedure, i.e. using : $dd if=mbr.bin of=/dev/sdx bs=440 count=1 conv=notrunc $sync where "sdx" is my device. I repeat I indeed used the device file and not any partition file. I took care of using the right device. Mind that hadn't I do so previously, I would have ended up in failing to boot with both computers. This time I only tested with FAT partitions, so I used syslinux command, and I tried both primary and logical partitions. I didn't tell it previously but in my previous tests I had also tried with both primary and logical partitions. The results were the same. I'm trying to make a multi-boot usb hard drive, i.e. hosting several boot programs to be booted upon user choice. Using logical partitions gives more flexibility as for the number ofboot images that I can install on the drive. But I've only tested with one so far. Back to my new tests with use of "dd" and "sync" to copy syslinux bin.mbr to the device's mbr. I got a slighly different result but still it failed on the same computer. The other one booting properly as expected and as previously. This time the failing computer does not reboot, I get the message : "Missing operating system." "Operating System not found" and keep still ... I can reboot the computer with Ctrl + Alt + Del.
> > "Missing operating system." > "Operating System not found" > > and keep still ... I can reboot the computer with Ctrl + Alt + Del.A simple search in the Syslinux wiki (or even a web search) would tell you that you are probably lacking the "boot" (aka "active") flag enabled on the adequate (primary) partition. After trying that, I would suggest, based on comments you previously posted, for you to start by trying a simple one-and-only FAT partition, on a simple USB flash drive, using one (live) distro, and only one. Using multiple partitions, with the possibility of multiple different distributions / tools while having enough compatibility with multiple different systems at the moment seems to be (much) further down the road. Moreover, there are auxiliary tools that can help less-knowledgeable users, instead of doing all the steps manually. If you have some Windows OS, there are even more auxiliary tools to choose from, and with them, many web sites / forums dedicated to the matter. Additionally, I would suggest reading, a lot. Just a basic page would be the page about USB devices on the sysrescuecd site. Regarding the system that is not booting, you might probably want to check whether it is a UEFI system. Finally, please consider that the specific directories in which you install SYSLINUX and the location of specific files (and their versions) are also part of the troubleshooting process. Regards, Ady.
On Fri, 14 Apr, 2017, 19:04:42 +0000, Ady Ady via Syslinux wrote:> > > > "Missing operating system." > > "Operating System not found" > > > > and keep still ... I can reboot the computer with Ctrl + Alt + Del. > > > A simple search in the Syslinux wiki (or even a web search) would tell > you that you are probably lacking the "boot" (aka "active") flag > enabled on the adequate (primary) partition.Right, that probably why I have already highlighed the point on boot flag in one of my previous email.> After trying that, I would suggest, based on comments you previously > posted, for you to start by trying a simple one-and-only FAT partition, > on a simple USB flash drive, using one (live) distro, and only one.yeah, why not ... I'll try.> Using multiple partitions, with the possibility of multiple different > distributions / tools while having enough compatibility with multiple > different systems at the moment seems to be (much) further down the > road.Not so ... As I stated in one of my previous emails my first attempt was successful on both computers. It was using a FAT partition and syslinux but without using mbr.bin for the hard drive's mbr.> Moreover, there are auxiliary tools that can help > less-knowledgeable users, instead of doing all the steps manually. If > you have some Windows OS, there are even more auxiliary tools to choose > from, and with them, many web sites / forums dedicated to the matter.I know many tools that can make a usb pendrive bootable. I don't like using such magic tools.> Additionally, I would suggest reading, a lot. Just a basic page would > be the page about USB devices on the sysrescuecd site.I know about this page, several methods are provided, most using specific scripts, and the latest using the same thing as I'm doing here. I'll probably have a look at their scripts.> Regarding the system that is not booting, you might probably want to > check whether it is a UEFI system.In my previous email I mentionned the failing laptop was about ten years old. I think at that time I had never heard of UEFI. Also I dumped all the needed information about the BIOS of both computers I have in the email opening this thread, yesterday.> > Finally, please consider that the specific directories in which you > install SYSLINUX and the location of specific files (and their > versions) are also part of the troubleshooting process.There are an infinite number of issues that could make something not working. I reported in my previous emails all the commands I'm trying to have my job done and which distro I tried. I also mentionned that one of the two computers I have has always booted fine with all my attempts. Also as mentionned earlier in this email that the failing one did not fail until I used mbr.bin. There's this page "http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Hardware_Compatibility" discussing about broken systems. I have often met odd behaviours with uncommon boot methods mostly pxe and usb, this is the exact reason I came here i.e. to discuss about whether my computer has some old badly designed BIOS, question for which I dumped the info I could gather about the BIOSes I have as soon as my initial email in this thread, but not to point syslinux as faulty. The latter would seem strange as I repeatedly pointed all along this thread that one of the two computers I have at hand currently is booting as expected.> > Regards, > Ady.