UBCD on a 8Gb USB drive -> Boot error

Message

VinZz · #1 Post by **VinZz** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:02 am

Hello,
I am trying to install UBCD onto my 8 Gb USB drive.
After the install process, all was OK.
The USB drive boot.
But when I add some of .IMG into the "custom" folder, unable to boot onto the USB drive. I have that message "Boot error"
The solution : Install all UBCD at new.

I have test on an 256 Mb drive and all was OK.

Is that caused to the size ?
Have I to cut the drive at 2048 Mb ?

Thanks.

#2 Post by **Icecube** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:11 am

I don't think that it has something to do with the drive size. I have the same problem when I add some files to my thumb drive. You have just to reinstall syslinux on it (no need to run the ubs2usb.bat).
Download syslinux from http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/.
Extract syslinux.exe from /win32

Run the following form the command prompt (Start ==> Run as ... ==> cmd)
(Drag and drop the extracted syslinux.exe in cmd and complete with the following)

Code: Select all

syslinux.exe -ma -d syslinux x:

Replace the x: with the appropriate drive letter for your usb thumb drive Recheck it to see that it is indeed the correct drive letter!

Now your stick will boot again.

VinZz · #3 Post by **VinZz** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:00 am

Thank you for your help.
But it doesn't work

Code: Select all

Microsoft Windows XP [version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\vinzz>cd \

C:\>cd win32

C:\win32>syslinux -ma -d syslinux e:

C:\win32>

and I have always the "Boot error" message.

#4 Post by **Icecube** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:39 am

Are you sure that syslinux.exe is in c:\win32?

These are the options common to all versions of Syslinux:
-s Safe, slow, stupid; uses simpler code that boots better
-f Force installing
-d Install in subdirectory
These are only in the Windows version:
-m Mbr; install a bootable MBR sector to the beginning of the
drive.
-a Active; marks the partition used active (=bootable)

You can try :

Code: Select all

syslinux -sfma -d syslinux e:

VinZz · #5 Post by **VinZz** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:56 am

Thank you

Yes, I have just copy the win32 folder to C: and y have the syslinux.exe (and the 4 others files).

I have try "syslinux -sfma -d syslinux e:"
but I have always the "Boot error" message ...

Just a comment, I have the syslinux-3.63 version.

VinZz · #6 Post by **VinZz** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 4:12 am

Another strange fact.
When I create a directory and put some files into, the files are good copied but when I disconnect / reconnect the stick, there is the folder but no more files into.
(I have good disconnect the stick with the windows disable tool)

I have launch a chkdsk but no issue.

#7 Post by **Icecube** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 4:53 am

Place the custom .img already in the unpacked ubcd folder so it will be copied with the other files.

Reformat it with the ubcd2usb.bat script again.

VinZz · #8 Post by **VinZz** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:32 am

Ok.
I have all put into the ubcd dir and run usb2usb and it works.

I have to do that everytime to add some apps ?

Can I do 2 partitions onto the stick without to be erased by the usbd2usb script ?

#9 Post by **Icecube** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:46 am

No normally you just can add stuff. But for some reason "ldlinux.sys" sometimes gets moved on the disk and the boot loader in de mbr can't find the start of ldlinux.sys (hard coded offset).
The syslinux trick should normally work. Maybe you have to remove ldlinux.sys from the syslinux folder of your usb stick first. After executing the syslinux command, ldlinux.sys will be again in the syslinux folder if everything goes well.

In theory it is possible to have to partitions on your usb thumb drive, but I think that windows won't always work very good with this because it assigns 2 drive letters to the usb thumb drive when you insert it and I think (not sure) that when you do a save removal of 1 drive letter, the other gets removed unsafe. But you can try it. Search the web

I don't use Windows any more. I use Ubuntu (linux), which doesn't has this problem.

#10 Post by **Icecube** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:56 am

You can also try SIBLO, a derivate of syslinux. http://simplux.org/siblo/index.html

Format your usb stick with "HP format tool" in FAT32.
Install SIBLO on you stick (installed in the hidden part, so it doesn't get overwritten when you add files)
rename syslinux.cfg to siblo.cfg

I just found it, I didn't test it yet but now adding files to your thumb drive won't ruin the boot capabilities of your thumb drive.

VinZz · #11 Post by **VinZz** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:09 am

Icecube wrote:No normally you just can add stuff. But for some reason "ldlinux.sys" sometimes gets moved on the disk and the boot loader in de mbr can't find the start of ldlinux.sys (hard coded offset).
The syslinux trick should normally work. Maybe you have to remove ldlinux.sys from the syslinux folder of your usb stick first. After executing the syslinux command, ldlinux.sys will be again in the syslinux folder if everything goes well.

I have try that but I have no ldlinux.sys file into the syslinux folder.
When I launch the ubcd2usb at new, ldlinux.sys was at the root folder.[/quote]

Icecube wrote:In theory it is possible to have to partitions on your usb thumb drive, but I think that windows won't always work very good with this because it assigns 2 drive letters to the usb thumb drive when you insert it and I think (not sure) that when you do a save removal of 1 drive letter, the other gets removed unsafe. But you can try it. Search the web

I don't use Windows any more. I use Ubuntu (linux), which doesn't has this problem.

When an external hard drive has 2 or more partition, it works great (on windows), why not with an usb stick ?
Yes, I know that Linux was the better way but we have no choise sometimes

I want to do 2 partitions to have one for the UBCD and one for the apps install. (To have a compete rescue / install stick)

I have another new bug.
I have add some of files onto the stick and I now, I can't go into the "custom" menu. I have that message : "Boot failed - Please change disks".

Icecube wrote:You can also try SIBLO, a derivate of syslinux. http://simplux.org/siblo/index.html

Format your usb stick with "HP format tool" in FAT32.
Install SIBLO on you stick (installed in the hidden part, so it doesn't get overwritten when you add files)
rename syslinux.cfg to siblo.cfg

I just found it, I didn't test it yet but now adding files to your thumb drive won't ruin the boot capabilities of your thumb drive.

Thank you.
I am going to test it.

VinZz · #12 Post by **VinZz** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:20 am

A little feedback onto mu topic :
I have cut my USB stick in 2 partitions (by using the Hitachy Win XP driver).
I have do one 2048 Mo in FAT 16 and the rest in FAT 32.
FAT 32 ad isolinux caused problems with the ldlinux.sys file.

So now, all was OK.

Thank you for all.