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Harold_1556
January 2nd, 2015, 03:35 AM
As I posted before (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2258822) my toshiba Satellite a205-s4597 is having issues ever since a large update a few months back. Freezes, gray outs, etc.

I wanted to try and format the hard drive over and reinstall 14.04 fresh. My problem is I've just discovered my DVD drive is dead. So I went about creating a usb installer. I tried using this page: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-mac-osx (http://hdiutil convert -format UDRW ~/Users/enamoredink/Desktop/ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-i386.iso /dev/disk1 bs=1m)

I ran into problems at step three. I tired using this command:


hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o ~/dev/disk1 bs=1m ~/Users/username/Desktop/ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-i386.iso

What I get back is:


MY-imac:~ username$ hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o ~/dev/disk1 bs=1m ~/Users/username/Desktop/ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-i386.iso
hdiutil: convert: only a single input file can be specified
Usage: hdiutil convert -format <format> -o <outfile> [options] <image>
hdiutil convert -help

I'm not experienced at all using terminal commands. I got the usb location by watching this Youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mndO508xq08). By using the command diskutil list you find the usb location. It sounded good but it doesn't seem to be working.

Any idea where I'm going wrong?

The Ubuntu iso is on my desktop and the USB is attached to a hub that is connected into the back of the machine. I'm using a 2011, 27" iMac, with an i7 processor and 8gigs of ram and OSX 10.9.4. The USB stick is 4 gigs.

Bucky Ball
January 2nd, 2015, 04:57 AM
As I mentioned in the other thread, use UNetbootin or Universal USB Creator (I think it's called). Not positive they'll work with Mac but they work with Windows, so it's possible.

BTW: Isn't your Toshiba Sat a 64bit machine? You have the 32bit ISO.

Harold_1556
January 3rd, 2015, 01:09 AM
Sorry Bucky I missed that. I'll look for those programs and see if there's a mac version.

I don't think so. Here are the system specs. I forget the command I used to get them but it outputted a file called MySpecs.html




id:
cpu:0


description:
CPU


product:
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo CPU T2350 @ 1.86GHz


vendor:
Intel Corp.


physical id:
4


bus info:
cpu@0


version:
6.14.12


serial:
0000-06EC-0000-0000-0000-0000


slot:
U2E1


size:
1867MHz


capacity:
2048MHz


width:
32 bits


capabilities:
boot fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe nx constant_tsc arch_perfmon bts aperfmperf pni monitor est tm2 xtpr pdcm dtherm cpufreq


configuration:


id
=
0

yancek
January 3rd, 2015, 01:49 AM
Sorry Bucky I missed that. I'll look for those programs and see if there's a mac version.

Right at the top of the unetbootin page is a link to download for Mac OSX.

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

Harold_1556
January 3rd, 2015, 01:57 AM
I found unetbootin and made my usb installer but now you have me paranoid. I tried the one you gave me Bucky, lspci, but I didn't see anything that plainly said, your computer is a 32 bit machine. It seemed like the information was all about controller cards.

So I looked up a command to check specs. I found and ran, uname -i, and it gave me back i686. So what the heck does THAT mean? I found this:

On askubuntu.com (http://askubuntu.com/questions/444394/what-is-the-meaning-of-i686-in-ubuntu) I found this:

Notice the i686 in the code, that means your machine is 32-bit.
UPDATE:
Type in the following in the terminal;

uname -m
It will give you either x86_64, which is 64-bit, or something else, which is 32-bit.

I tried uname -m and it gave me the same thing: i686

But I am further confused. Does this mean my hardware is 32 bits or my software is 32 bits? If you look at the askubuntu page I linked to some of the responces say software and others say hardware.

Bucky Ball
January 3rd, 2015, 02:06 AM
32bit hardware so you install 32bit software (i.e. a 32bit operating system). You need the 32bit version of whichever release you are going for. You are almost there! ;)

Harold_1556
January 3rd, 2015, 02:47 AM
OK, then I should be good. I all ready downloaded the 32 bit version of Ubuntu. I'll put it on tomorrow or the next day and post the results. Thanks for the help :-)

Bucky Ball
January 3rd, 2015, 03:30 AM
Good luck. Any issues, just ask. Look forward to the update. ;)