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Live usb trouble

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  • 16-12-2014 11:57am
    #1
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭


    So i was using a live cd up till now in my desktop but ive recently bought a new laptop ,the laptop doesnt have a disk drive.
    so anyway i downloaded unetbootin, i downloaded the iso for my distro of choice, loaded it onto one usb that i had lying around.
    unetbootin worked on that usb then the laptop recognised it when when trying to actually boot the os from the usb it failed, so i tried 3 more distro same error. could not mount filesystem.squashfs and error this is not a typewriter.
    so then i tried with another usb and this time unetbootin wouldnt even put it onto the usb ,for any of the 4 distros i have downloaded, so i tried with 5 more usb sticks and the same problem happened. the original usb stick is the only one that made a live usb but wont boot up.
    The laptop is a lenovo thinkpad, I wanted to completely wipe windows and install peppermint os in its place but wanted to use a live usb to test it first. Am thinking of asking if a repair shop will do it for me but if this is an easy problem to fix then i'd like to do it myself.

    Any thoughts on how to fix this?I also dont want to just go out and buy a new usb stick to do it as i have a really tight budget and theres no gaurantee it will work after my previous testing of usb sticks


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    #2
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    I don't know about your specific hardware, but I suggest checking the BIOS/UEFI and set it to Legacy with Secure Boot to Off ...... it should now boot using the USB.

    Some hardware have specific settings and means to boot USB devices, so the above might not be specific enough for your hardware.

    Also, to ensure the USB drive is actually bootable, you should endeavour to test that it will boot in some other PC.


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    #3
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    Its windows7 so i dont think secure boot is there? the image itself works on every laptop ive ever put it in, havent tried it on another with the usb though, so i'll check that when i go home,


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    #4
    bonzodog2
    Registered Users Posts: 6,210 ✭✭✭bonzodog2


    You might try YUMI as an alternative to unetbootin. Or Rufus


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    #5
    Stuxnet
    Registered Users Posts: 3,735 ✭✭✭Stuxnet


    +1 for Rufus, Win32 Disk Imager never fails me on Windows, its pretty much dd for windows like Rufus
    http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/


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    #6
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    Okay so i tested it in the other 2 computers in the house. Turns out neither of my other 2 computers are able to boot from usb. A computer shop said they'd do it for around 20euro for me and would actually install the os for me. dont really have time to try out too many other applications but ive tried a lot of the recommended usb burning apps and followed instructions to the letter.
    Kinda need it quickly so i'll just bring it to the shop


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    #7
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    EmcD123 wrote: »
    Okay so i tested it in the other 2 computers in the house. Turns out neither of my other 2 computers are able to boot from usb. A computer shop said they'd do it for around 20euro for me and would actually install the os for me. dont really have time to try out too many other applications but ive tried a lot of the recommended usb burning apps and followed instructions to the letter.
    Kinda need it quickly so i'll just bring it to the shop
    the laptop recognised it when when trying to actually boot the os from the usb it failed

    Did it try to boot the USB or was the USB recognised when running another OS?

    Is the BIOS set up to boot from a USB device?

    What about a 'magic key' to bring up the Boot Options just after POST?

    I am unsure what you have actually tried to be honest.


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    #8
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    Did it try to boot the USB or was the USB recognised when running another OS?

    Is the BIOS set up to boot from a USB device?

    What about a 'magic key' to bring up the Boot Options just after POST?

    I am unsure what you have actually tried to be honest.

    Okay i'll explain what i did as best i can,
    so the os is actually installed on the usb ,i checked it to make sure it wasnt corrupted or anything and its fine.
    then i put it into the laptop ,go into boot order,select to boot from usb and it brings up a list of options with unetbootin which are, install peppermint,try it without installing etc. so i click try live version ,the peppermint logo comes up and starts loading the starting up bar then it cuts out of that and goes to like a console view where it gives an error, mainly about that file called filesystem.squashfs after that it stays in that view and i have to power off the laptop with the power button


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    #9
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    EmcD123 wrote: »
    Okay i'll explain what i did as best i can,
    so the os is actually installed on the usb ,i checked it to make sure it wasnt corrupted or anything and its fine.
    then i put it into the laptop ,go into boot order,select to boot from usb and it brings up a list of options with unetbootin which are, install peppermint,try it without installing etc. so i click try live version ,the peppermint logo comes up and starts loading the starting up bar then it cuts out of that and goes to like a console view where it gives an error, mainly about that file called filesystem.squashfs after that it stays in that view and i have to power off the laptop with the power button

    From your description, the USB stick boots properly in the laptop.

    What happens is that the OS on the USB stick fails to complete booting.
    This could be due to any of several reasons .....

    1. The original files (ISO) was corrupted
    2. The copying of the ISO contents to the USB stick caused some corruption of the file/s
    3. The OS (Peppermint) has a problem with some hardware on the laptop .... unlikely it seems nased on your info.
    4. The filesystem on the USB stick was not clean/uncorrupted and so copying the files to it caused corruption.


    So, in short, it seems the laptop is ok; the USB stick is bootable; and the USB stick actually boots.

    I know nothing of Peppermint, so my comments are general.

    Confirm the md5sum of the ISO.
    Try a different OS release to see if that will boot.
    Try a different application to write the LiveUSB.
    Try the LiveUSB in some PC that is capable of booting from USB.


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    #10
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    From your description, the USB stick boots properly in the laptop.

    What happens is that the OS on the USB stick fails to complete booting.
    This could be due to any of several reasons .....

    1. The original files (ISO) was corrupted
    2. The copying of the ISO contents to the USB stick caused some corruption of the file/s
    3. The OS (Peppermint) has a problem with some hardware on the laptop .... unlikely it seems nased on your info.
    4. The filesystem on the USB stick was not clean/uncorrupted and so copying the files to it caused corruption.


    So, in short, it seems the laptop is ok; the USB stick is bootable; and the USB stick actually boots.

    I know nothing of Peppermint, so my comments are general.

    Confirm the md5sum of the ISO.
    Try a different OS release to see if that will boot.
    Try a different application to write the LiveUSB.
    Try the LiveUSB in some PC that is capable of booting from USB.

    I also tried xubuntu and lubuntu which got the exact same reaction as peppermint. whats the md5sum?im a bit of a noob when it comes to this stuff


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    #11
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    EmcD123 wrote: »
    I also tried xubuntu and lubuntu which got the exact same reaction as peppermint. whats the md5sum?im a bit of a noob when it comes to this stuff

    It is one form of 'checksum' which is used to verify that a downloaded file is exactly correct.
    It is usually provided along with an ISO file by the distro.
    There are other 'checksum' files such as 'sha'.
    Either way the integrity of the downloaded file should be checked against the provided checksum.
    HTH. ;)
    I also tried xubuntu and lubuntu

    Because those have the same 'base' distro, I would suggest trying another, not related, distro just to see if your problems are connected with the 'base' distro.

    Others might be
    Fedora
    Suse
    Mageia
    PCLinuxOS


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    #12
    croo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,333 Mod ✭✭✭✭croo


    EmcD123 wrote: »
    it gives an error, mainly about that file called filesystem.squashfs after that it stays in that view and i have to power off the laptop with the power button

    Is this the exact message
    (initramfs) mount: mounting /dev/loop0 on //filesystem.squashfs failed: Invalid argument
    Can not mount /dev/loop0 (/cdrom/casper/filesystem.squashfs) on //filesystem.squashfs
    If so have aread of this and if not it might help if you posted the exact message!


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    #13
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    croo wrote: »
    Is this the exact messageIf so have aread of this and if not it might help if you posted the exact message!

    that quote you linked is the exact error message


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    #14
    spynappels
    Registered Users Posts: 53 ✭✭spynappels


    Did you try what that thread suggested?


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    #15
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    I was getting nowhere with it so i borrowed an external disc drive from a friend and installed it with that. im now using peppermint os


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