One pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers - single-boot dual-boot multi-boot

[Raymond Petit]

Holy Crap, I know I said I wouldn't do anything else today, but I couldn't resist. Tried booting the 64 bit version, no go! Tried 'Virtualize this Key' and got the blue crash screen, lol! So then I remade the pen drive again and fired up VirtualBox. Threw no errors like before. It's cycling through those buttons, but won't boot. Progress!

Spoke too soon, it's throwing errors, but l should be able to capture those logs! Oh, yeah, gotta put this down or I won't get anything else done today, lol!

[sudodus]

Thanks for sharing

Maybe you will also get some tips from other people who try to do the similar things with the same hardware.

Good luck

[Raymond Petit]

Thanks for sharing

Maybe you will also get some tips from other people who try to do the similar things with the same hardware.

Good luck

Funny thing! Running Virtual Box will throw errors. This time I tried "Virtualize this Key (32 bit version)" and I actually made it to the " Try Ubuntu Install" options screen. I chose to 'try without making any changes' and the progress wheel is just spinning, at least 8 minutes now with no progress that I can see. Update: That failed too. I'll try attaching some logs! I will have to upload to my Dropbox. Will do later. Will you read them?

[sudodus]

I can read the logs, but can't promise that I understand them. There are other people who know much better how to understand log files. I'm afraid that you would need help from one of those people to understand them.

On the other hand: Before you reach to the screen shown in post #43, there is a screen with two small 'icons' at the bottom. When you are there, please press a key (for example the spacebar or enter key), and you should arrive at another menu, where you should be able to select boot options. Try those boot options, and you might be able to continue

It is also possible the computer has too little RAM size or CPU or GPU horsepower for standard Ubuntu to run in VirtualBox. Maybe you have better luck with Lubuntu or Xubuntu or Ubuntu MATE.

[Raymond Petit]

I can read the logs, but can't promise that I understand them. There are other people who know much better how to understand log files. I'm afraid that you would need help from one of those people to understand them.

On the other hand: Before you reach to the screen shown in post #43, there is a screen with two small 'icons' at the bottom. When you are there, please press a key (for example the spacebar or enter key), and you should arrive at another menu, where you should be able to select boot options. Try those boot options, and you might be able to continue

It is also possible the computer has too little RAM size or CPU or GPU horsepower for standard Ubuntu to run in VirtualBox. Maybe you have better luck with Lubuntu or Xubuntu or Ubuntu MATE.

Will try your suggestions. Having trouble posting logs.

EDIT: Finally got them changed to .ODT something this forum can load. Please, anyone who can read and interpret these, I'd appreciate it!

[sudodus]

I looked at the logs, and I'm sorry, but I really can't use them to help you solve your problem.

Maybe we can find someone who can help you, if you make an own thread with a copy of your post (#45) with the two attached log files in the virtualisation subforum. Please make a good descriptive title and add a post with a good description of the computer and the setup of VirtualBox, and what you are trying to run in it.

[Raymond Petit]

I looked at the logs, and I'm sorry, but I really can't use them to help you solve your problem.

Maybe we can find someone who can help you, if you make an own thread with a copy of your post (#45) with the two attached log files in the virtualisation subforum. Please make a good descriptive title and add a post with a good description of the computer and the setup of VirtualBox, and what you are trying to run in it.

OK, thanks!

[sudodus]

Test results with mk-grub-n-iso-s which is built into mkusb 10

I have been able to boot ToriOS that uses an old Ubuntu 12.04 LTS non-pae kernel (not forcepae, not fake-pae, really non-pae) in UEFI mode. I did it with mkusb version 10 with a modified grub-n-iso installer added to create persistent live USB drives. This system does not boot directly from grub and an iso file, but from a copy of the iso file cloned into partition #2. Partition #1 is the boot partition (and EFI partition). Partition #3 is a casper-rw partition. The idea is to add persistence and make it a more complete tool for the Ubuntu family and some community re-spins with similar boot structure. Booting via grub from a cloned copy of the iso file into partition #2 makes it work with some re-spins that do not boot from an iso file (at least I cannot do it).

sdf                                                sdf    119,2G
├─sdf1 vfat    ToriOSdaily      /media/ToriOSdaily ├─sdf1  59,3G
├─sdf2 iso9660 torios-live      /media/torios-live ├─sdf2   645M
└─sdf3 ext4    live-rw          /media/live-rw     └─sdf3  59,3G

This version of mkusb (10.0.1) needs testing before even getting into the unstable PPA, and you find the way to get it via this link: Re: Howto make USB boot drives post #120

---

Boot alternatives in the grub menu:

• "distro - persistent live"
• "distro - live"
• "distro - recovery mode"

The following distros are tested and work

The whole Ubuntu family's desktop iso files work: Kubuntu, Lubuntu, standard Ubuntu, Xubuntu, ...

• ubuntu-14.04.2-desktop-amd64.iso
• wily-desktop-amd64.iso ...

The following linux distros based on Ubuntu are also tested and work

• bento-trusty-rc2-i386.iso
• bodhi-2.4.0-64.iso
• extix-14.2-64bit-isoh-persistent-836mb-141024.iso
• linuxmint-17.2-cinnamon-64bit.iso
• lxle-12044-32.iso (not isohybrid, current versions of LXLE have hybrid iso files)
• ToriOS-beta.iso (based on Ubuntu 12.04 i386 non-pae)

The following distros boot but persistence fails

The computer boots but cannot get persistence. (Debian advices to clone and add an ext partition with the label live-rw. It boots but I can not make persistence work with Ubuntu systems and not with Debian Wheezy and Jessie that way either.)

• debian-live-8.0.0-i386-gnome-desktop.iso
• obi_Trusty-nonpae-txt5-9w.iso (based on Debian Wheezy)

Complete failure

No Ubuntu/Debian based distro has failed completely yet, but for example Mageia does not work at all. The boot structure is not recognized. You must edit the file 'boot/grub/grub.cfg' in the first partition.

• Mageia-4.1-LiveDVD-GNOME-x86_64-DVD.iso

I think that cloning is still the best method. It is the standard method of mkusb.

Cloning works also for distros with different boot structure as long as the iso file is treated with isohybrid. And most modern linux distros are, so cloning makes a working live session also for most of these linux distros, and I think that it is still the best method. Most of the time there is no need for persistence, and a tool for Ubuntu need not work for all other distros. But it should be very reliable for the Ubuntu family of operating systems.

Fine-tuning in mkusb 10.0.3

A new version (able to create 'live only' as well as 'persistent live' USB drives) is uploaded and available via the unstable PPA and phillw.net

See this link https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb/gui

mkusb version 10.2

• has a clean[er] GUI interface and
• a 'wipe menu' with several useful options and
• it can create persistent live drives with the Ubuntu family operating systems for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers.

The bleeding edge version of mkusb is available for testing from phillw.net

and 10.2 (which is rather well tested now) is available from from the unstable PPA

[sudodus]

A compressed image file with a persistent live system of Lubuntu 14.04.3 LTS (32-bit) and mkusb version 10.4

Installed Ubuntu based systems in UEFI mode can use mkusb to create 'any' system by cloning, where the installed system depends only on the contents of the iso file or compressed image file. But the method to create persistent live systems is limited to UEFI mode (with and without secure boot).

In order to provide an alternative that works in BIOS mode, this compressed image file was created. It contains a persistent live system of Lubuntu 14.04.3 LTS i386 (32-bit) and mkusb version 10.4. And this system is a very good booter in 32-bit as well as 64-bit PC (Intel/AMD) computers in BIOS mode and UEFI mode. But it does not work with secure boot. So this way it is possible to create a persistent live system that boots in BIOS mode (with 32-bit as well as 64-bit PCs) from a computer running in UEFI mode.

It is easy to add another iso file to /isodevice, link boot menu entries to it and run other Ubuntu based operating systems in the same system. Download any iso file of a current version and flavour of Ubuntu via the official web-sites, for example http://releases.ubuntu.com/ where you also find the corresponding md5sums. After that you use the desktop icons links2check and links2update to link boot menu entries. (The last icon can also be used to update the current developing version's daily iso files.)

The current version of the One pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers compressed image file can be downloaded from this link

dd_lubu-14.04.3-desktop-i386_one-pendrive_7.8GB.img.xz

and has the following md5sum

d001805e78369dba97f1183e5d31da6b  dd_lubu-14.04.3-desktop-i386_one-pendrive_7.8GB.img.xz

Use mkusb in linux or 7-zip and Win32 Disk Imager in Windows to expand and {copy/clone/flash/burn/restore/install} it into a USB pendrive, a flash memory card or a hard disk drive or SSD with at least 8 GB.

---

These posts (6, 7, 8, 10, 11) describe similar 'grub-n-iso' systems, that can boot 32-bit and 64-bit Ubuntu family operating systems in BIOS and UEFI mode. (None of these systems works with secure boot.)

Post #6. A smaller and simpler pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers - 'grub-n-iso' - Lubuntu 32-bit

Post #7. Multiboot pendrive system for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers

Post #8. Build your own single boot or multiboot pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers

Post #10. Create or download a portable system with a small footprint with a potential for isotesting

Post #11. Manage the daily built iso files of your choice

Post #12. Comments and tips

[haoz2]

That's awesome. UEFI&BIOS images I download from http://phillw.net/isos/linux-tools/uefi-n-bios/ can work on Surface Pro 3, except for keyboard.
I was trying to upgrade kernel however it seems impossible for live USB.
So I wonder if there is 15.10 Ubuntu UEFI & BIOS image file we can download? Thanks.