Cannot Boot from USB

[bobw]

I've now managed to solve this:

I created a live Linux Mint 17.3 USB using Startup Disk Creator, which booted successfully.  The boot process wasn't entirely straightforward - I encountered an error message "vesamenu.c32: not a COM32R image".  At this point you have to key "live" (without inverted commas) and enter.

From the live system, I deleted the first 3 disk partitions (details in 1st post) in GParted and created three Ext4 partitions - two of 25GB and a large partition occupying the remaining space to be used as a shared data partition.

I installed Mint as the secondary OS in /dev/sda2, booting from dev/sda in Legacy mode.

I then went through stage 1 again with LL3.0 and istalled it in dev/sda1, again booting from dev/sda.

Sorted!  I hope this helps anyone with the same problem.


UPDATE:
Unfortunately, it seems I haven't solved this after all.  I experienced what seemed to be an unrelated problem - I couldn't install updates.  I eventually came to the conclusion that this was caused by the installation, as I could find no other explanation and I had the same problem when I installed LL2.8 in place of 3.0.  I have now reinstated the original partition structure and installed Linux Mint on the laptop, as it supports UEFI.  I still use LL as the primary OS on my desktop PC.

[firenice03]

@firenice03 could the usb format (eg fat32) be a required for older systems to recognize the USB during bootup?

I have an older intel board 2.8GHz that I was forced to use a portable dvd drive(usb) to get LL3 to install. I think I had this problem as well.

Possibly for older Windows based, the UEFI stuff is a different bios utilizes secure boot (keeps from booting to other devices) and gpt vs. MBR...

[LinuxNoob]

@firenice03 could the usb format (eg fat32) be a required for older systems to recognize the USB during bootup?

I have an older intel board 2.8GHz that I was forced to use a portable dvd drive(usb) to get LL3 to install. I think I had this problem as well.

[firenice03]

I have bought a Dell Inspiron laptop with Ubuntu 14.04 already loaded (and booted via UEFI).  I want to install LL as the primary OS, but the machine will not boot from the live USB.  I have tried both LL3.0 and LL2.8.

I have changed the boot mode from UEFI to Legacy in the BIOS and set USB as the first boot priority.  It appears to be booting normally into LL, displaying the LL feather screen, but it then opens a live version of Ubuntu 14.04 (not the installed version that I have modified).

I have run Boot-Repair and allowed it to make the recommended repair, without venturing in to the advanced options where I am out of my depth.  A copy of the text report produced after the repair is attached.  Boot-Repair also displayed the following message:
"The boot files of [The OS now in use - Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS] are far from the start of the disk. Your BIOS may not detect them. You may want to retry after creating a /boot partition (EXT4, >200MB, start of the disk). This can be performed via tools such as gParted. Then select this partition via the [Separate /boot partition:] option of [Boot Repair]."

Sounds like the USB tries to boot but then fails and reverts to a Ubuntu Safe Mode (installed OS) of sorts..
Check if BIOS has a secure boot option as well and disable that..

Boot repair more than likely will not fix anything as LL is not installed (just the original OS's on the disk).

Once the LL live environment boots, there are a few caveats to installing. Make sure you read up by searching UEFI from the main forum as well as glancing the manual.

Let us know it it goes 

[bobw]

It doesn't sound like your USB drive was created properly.  Try checking the MD5Sum of the image file and recreating it or using a DVD instead.  Or to make sure your bootable media was properly created, see if another computer can boot to it.

Thanks for the suggestions, but I think the USB is OK.  MD5Sums were checked and I've recreated the USB several times, using both Startup Disk Creator and UNetbootin.  I did boot my desktop PC from one of them.  The laptop doesn't have an optical drive.

[torreydale]

It doesn't sound like your USB drive was created properly.  Try checking the MD5Sum of the image file and recreating it or using a DVD instead.  Or to make sure your bootable media was properly created, see if another computer can boot to it.

[bobw]

I have bought a Dell Inspiron laptop with Ubuntu 14.04 already loaded (and booted via UEFI).  I want to install LL as the primary OS, but the machine will not boot from the live USB.  I have tried both LL3.0 and LL2.8.


I have changed the boot mode from UEFI to Legacy in the BIOS and set USB as the first boot priority.  It appears to be booting normally into LL, displaying the LL feather screen, but it then opens a live version of Ubuntu 14.04 (not the installed version that I have modified).


There are 4 partitions on the HD:
- a 500MB FAT 32 EFI system partition labelled ESP
- a 3.2GB FAT 32 partition labelled OS, which is not mounted
- a 454GB Ext 4 partition
- a 7.8GB swap partition.


I have run Boot-Repair and allowed it to make the recommended repair, without venturing in to the advanced options where I am out of my depth.  A copy of the text report produced after the repair is attached.  Boot-Repair also displayed the following message:
"The boot files of [The OS now in use - Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS] are far from the start of the disk. Your BIOS may not detect them. You may want to retry after creating a /boot partition (EXT4, >200MB, start of the disk). This can be performed via tools such as gParted. Then select this partition via the [Separate /boot partition:] option of [Boot Repair]."


I haven't tried this suggestion at present - I don't mind losing the present OS installation completely when I am confident that I can successfully install other OSs, but until then I don't want to risk corrupting it and being left with nothing.


Can anybody help?