Can't install Ubuntu 12.04 from USB

[Allenph]

GRRR!!! Still nothing. It should not be this complicated. :'(

[darkod]

What do you mean still nothing more precisely, do you get the grub boot menu at least or not?

If you are not getting it, you are not booting from the stick or grub is not installed on it.

If you are getting the grub menu but it doesn't boot ubuntu, then there is an error in the syntax of the entry.

Please specify.

It's actually not very complicated and is easily done on a linux machine but obviously you don't have one to work with it. On windows it can be sometimes little bit more complicated since windows wants only the windows way.

I'll try to find and attach the exact files I used since the GUI didn't look like the screen you posted. Maybe that will help.

[darkod]

OK, try these files.

First, format the stick as a single FAT32 partition.

Download the attached grubinst.zip and extract it, there will be a folder grubinst. In that folder, start the grubinst_gui.exe but use right-click Run As Administrator on win7, not double click.

At the top in the Device section select Disk and the usb in the drop down box. According to the size of the disks in the list you can easily find the usb stick. IMPORTANT: Make sure you select the stick because if you select your hdd it will install the grub bootloader over your windows bootloader!!!
Click the Install button on the bottom. As far as I remember (because I haven't used this a while, you don't need to select anything else in the options, just the disk where you want grub to be installed.

Once that is done, from the grubinst folder copy the grldr and menu.lst files to the stick.

After that extract the ubuntu ISO to the stick. Extract it, don't just copy the ISO file.

That's it. Try to boot with the stick and you should see a menu with Try Ubuntu, Command line and Reboot options. Selecting Try Ubuntu should start loading the live desktop. Once it loads and you can confirm it works on your hardware, you can install with the Install icon on the live desktop.

I adjusted the menu.lst for you, and used root(hd0,0). In case your computer doesn't consider the stick as hd0 it might not work but in any case you should see the boot menu at least. We will adjust the menu.lst later if needed, that depends on the computer.

[Allenph]

Well the command prompt when I press install on the program says "grubinst: Unknown image type
Press <ENTER> to continue..."

Is that would should be happening?

[darkod]

Well the command prompt when I press install on the program says "grubinst: Unknown image type
Press <ENTER> to continue..."

Is that would should be happening?

I don't think so.

So, you are staring the grubinst_gui.exe with Run As Administrator right? And the window opens, you select the Disk option and the stick. You press Install and you get that error?

[Allenph]

Yep. I have already tried to use this utility before and got the same error. I tried anyway still the same error. No operating system found. TO answer your previous question no I haven;t even been able to get into grub. The USB does boot up at all.

[r0n d0n]

I had this very same problem. The Sandisk flash drive I was using had something called a launch pad installed on it. You have to get this tool ---> http://drivers1.sandisk.com/DriverDo...padremoval.zip in order to remove it, then format and write the image and you should be good to go.

I hope this helps you out.

[Allenph]

I had this very same problem. The Sandisk flash drive I was using had something called a launch pad installed on it. You have to get this tool ---> http://drivers1.sandisk.com/DriverDo...padremoval.zip in order to remove it, then format and write the image and you should be good to go.

I hope this helps you out.

Thanks but...This program isn't doing anything. All it says is "Please insert a U3 Smart drive." Are you sure this isn't a virus?