install to flash not complete

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11-27-2011, 04:23 PM
John Hart

install to flash not complete

I have been trying to install Knoppix 6.7 to a 4GB flash pen drive (Kingston). I have gone through
the procedure many times (>10) and have not been able to get a working system. I have tried the
install with just a single partition on the drive, and with multiple partitions.

Here is what I am seeing when I run flash-knoppix:

1. I get a prompt asking if I want to format the drive. I click yes - okay
2. I get a message that the partition is being formatted.
3. I get a message to the effect that a boot track is being written.
4. I get a message that data is being written. The progress bar goes to 75% and I get the
installation complete prompt.

When I reboot the computer, the drive is not recognized in the BIOS. I assume because the BIOS is
not seeing the device as bootable.

I have the same results when I try to install Knoppix 6.2 . Does anybody have a suggestion that will
help me out. I used to have a working Knoppix 3.6 but it broke. Had no problems when I installed
3.6

Thanks,
John
11-27-2011, 04:43 PM
utu

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Hart

...
When I reboot the computer, the drive is not recognized in the BIOS. I assume because the BIOS is
not seeing the device as bootable.
...

Greetings, John Hart.

One possibility is your computer's priority for booting different media.
If it's set to HDD first, it may never look farther than that, for example.

Usually you can change this priority in 'bios settings'.
11-27-2011, 04:52 PM
Werner P. Schulz

Quote:

When I reboot the computer, the drive is not recognized in the BIOS. I assume because the BIOS is not seeing the device as bootable.

Many computers with old BIOS cannot boot from USB. It is not a fault of Knoppix.
With Knoppix 6.7.1 you can use a bootonly CD; this can find and start your flash Installation. With my scripts you can also obtain a Boot-CD.

Greetings Werner * http://www.wp-schulz.de/knoppix/summary.html
Own Rescue-CD (Knoppix V6.7.1 remaster)
11-27-2011, 05:03 PM
John Hart

Well, in the past, I was able to see the device in the boot priority list. It no longer shows up in that list. I have reset the BIOS to factory defaults but that did not help. I also tried to use the cheat code, knoppix boot=/dev/sdb1 (that is my flash drive), and that did not work. The load continued from the CD. Is there a problem with the fact that the knoppix-flash install only completed 75% ?

One more thing. I tried the flash drive on another computer that DID detect the device, but it would not run.

John
11-27-2011, 05:35 PM
Werner P. Schulz

Perhaps your flash drive is damaged.
11-27-2011, 07:21 PM
utu

Hey again John & Hi, Werner.

1. Was your 3.6 a LiveCD, a full-install or a LiveUSB?

2. If you have allocated a lot of Mb to persistence, Knoppix will take
a long time to prepare this. Is it possible that you aren't waiting
long enough for this to complete?
11-27-2011, 07:30 PM
John Hart

You might be right. I just ran TestDisk, in Windows, and there are several warnings. They warnings and messages are as follows:

Warning: Incorrect number of heads/cylinder 124 <FAT> != 255 <HD>
Warning: Incorrect number of sectors per track 62 <FAT> != 63 <HD>
1 * FAT32 LBA 0 32 33 486 250 20 7821312
Warning: Bad ending cylinder <CHS and LBA don't match>

The * FAT32 would indicate that the drive is bootable, but apparently there is some problem with the installation.
Again I wonder about the fact that when flash-knoppix is writing data it only gets to about 75%. Should it not get to 100% ?
And would a damaged flash pen drive be the cause or might there be a problem with my live CD?
The CD appears to run okay but maybe there is a problem with some part of the CD. Will running knoppix testcd at the boot prompt
detect any problems with the live CD ?

I appreciate the assistance.
John
11-27-2011, 07:34 PM
John Hart

In response to utu , the 3.6 was a LiveCD. After booting it I was able to install to a flash drive. Please see my post regarding warnings when I used TestDisk (Windows) to look at the drive.

Perhaps I should buy a new flash pen drive. It is several years old and may have some problems.
11-27-2011, 07:59 PM
John Hart

It would appear that the flash drive may not be getting formatted correctly so maybe the drive is bad.
I assume that the warnings I referred to earlier are indicating that the device is not properly formatted and so
the bios does not detect it as a "hard drive". Normally the flash disk would show up in the boot list as USB-HDD0.
Guess I will buy a new flash drive and see what happens.

I ran knoppix testcd at the boot prompt and the CD checks out as okay.

John
11-27-2011, 09:42 PM
John Hart

I bought a new USB flash drive. Went through the procedure and have the same results. TestDisk shows essentially the same warnings. The USB
flash drive is not showing up in the boot list as USB-HDD0. At this point I have to assume that something is going wrong with the installation procedure.
Why else would the install only be completing 75% of the data writing? This is really frustrating!

John
11-27-2011, 09:47 PM
John Hart

Is there an alternate procedure for installing Knoppix 6.7 to my flash drive? Perhaps the Knoppix-install program is not functioning correctly.

John
11-27-2011, 11:15 PM
Werner P. Schulz

Quote:

Again I wonder about the fact that when flash-knoppix is writing data it only gets to about 75%. Should it not get to 100% ?

It ends nearby 96%; after it you'll see for about 4 seconds the message "Finished. You can now remove device from drive".

Quote:

Will running knoppix testcd at the boot prompt
detect any problems with the live CD ?

Yes!

Quote:

Perhaps the Knoppix-install program is not functioning correctly.

No!
Please mount your flashdrive within your Knoppix live session and test it with

Code:

ls -R -la /media/sda1

and compare the output with mine

Code:

/media/sda1: insgesamt 44 drwxrwxrwx 4 knoppix knoppix 4096 1. Jan 1970 . drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 0 27. Nov 22:02 .. drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 boot drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 KNOPPIX -r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 32256 27. Nov 21:55 ldlinux.sys /media/sda1/boot: insgesamt 12 drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 . drwxrwxrwx 4 knoppix knoppix 4096 1. Jan 1970 .. drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 syslinux /media/sda1/boot/syslinux: insgesamt 10240 drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 . drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 .. -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1474560 27. Nov 21:55 balder.img -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 93 27. Nov 21:55 boot.msg -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1353 27. Nov 21:55 f2 -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1318 27. Nov 21:55 f3 -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 256 27. Nov 21:55 german.kbd -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 210445 27. Nov 21:55 grub.exe -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 3688752 27. Nov 21:55 linux -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 3955456 27. Nov 21:55 linux64 -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 18186 27. Nov 21:55 logo.16 -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 20052 27. Nov 21:55 memdisk -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 124648 27. Nov 21:55 memtest -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 951242 27. Nov 21:55 minirt.gz -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 2750 27. Nov 21:55 syslinux.cfg /media/sda1/KNOPPIX: insgesamt 706012 drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 . drwxrwxrwx 4 knoppix knoppix 4096 1. Jan 1970 .. -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 367798 27. Nov 21:55 background.jpg -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 7849 27. Nov 21:55 index_de.html -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 7410 27. Nov 21:55 index_en.html -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 9082 27. Nov 21:55 index_es.html -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 8195 27. Nov 21:55 index_fr.html -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 8136 27. Nov 21:55 index_it.html -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 722417225 27. Nov 22:00 KNOPPIX -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 2642 27. Nov 22:00 Knoppix67-wallpaper.flame -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 257 27. Nov 22:00 Knoppix67-wallpaper-README.txt -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 9276 27. Nov 22:00 knoppix-cheatcodes.txt -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 32073 27. Nov 22:00 knoppix-logo-medium.png -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 15797 27. Nov 22:00 knoppix-logo-small.png -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 18487 27. Nov 22:00 LICENSE.txt drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 modules -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 4153 27. Nov 22:00 README_Security.txt -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 694 27. Nov 22:00 sha1sums -rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1205 27. Nov 22:00 SOURCES.txt /media/sda1/KNOPPIX/modules: insgesamt 8 drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 . drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 27. Nov 22:00 ..
11-27-2011, 11:47 PM
John Hart

contents are somewhat different

Werner,

I am attaching the disk info as gotten using ls -R -la /media/sdf1 (that is my drive designation).

As you can see the files are in a different order and there are other differences. HMMMM!
Again, when I install the data writing only goes to 75%.

Quote:

/media/sdf1:
total 44
drwxrwxrwx 4 knoppix knoppix 4096 Jan 1 1970 .
drwxr-xr-x 9 root root 0 Nov 27 16:30 ..
drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 KNOPPIX
drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 boot
-r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 32256 Nov 27 13:41 ldlinux.sys

/media/sdf1/KNOPPIX:
total 703416
drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 .
drwxrwxrwx 4 knoppix knoppix 4096 Jan 1 1970 ..
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 719760360 Nov 27 13:44 KNOPPIX
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 257 Nov 27 13:44 Knoppix67-wallpaper-README.txt
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 2642 Nov 27 13:44 Knoppix67-wallpaper.flame
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 18487 Nov 27 13:44 LICENSE.txt
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 4153 Nov 27 13:44 README_Security.txt
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1205 Nov 27 13:44 SOURCES.txt
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 367798 Nov 27 13:41 background.jpg
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 7849 Nov 27 13:41 index_de.html
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 7410 Nov 27 13:41 index_en.html
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 9082 Nov 27 13:41 index_es.html
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 8195 Nov 27 13:41 index_fr.html
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 8136 Nov 27 13:41 index_it.html
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 9276 Nov 27 13:44 knoppix-cheatcodes.txt
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 32073 Nov 27 13:44 knoppix-logo-medium.png
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 15797 Nov 27 13:44 knoppix-logo-small.png
drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 modules
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 2185 Nov 27 13:44 sha1sums

/media/sdf1/KNOPPIX/modules:
total 8
drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 .
drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 ..

/media/sdf1/boot:
total 12
drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 .
drwxrwxrwx 4 knoppix knoppix 4096 Jan 1 1970 ..
drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 syslinux

/media/sdf1/boot/syslinux:
total 10140
drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 .
drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 27 13:44 ..
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1474560 Nov 27 13:41 balder.img
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 93 Nov 27 13:41 boot.msg
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1335 Nov 27 13:41 f2
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1324 Nov 27 13:41 f3
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 256 Nov 27 13:41 german.kbd
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 210445 Nov 27 13:41 grub.exe
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 3641600 Nov 27 13:41 linux
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 3898352 Nov 27 13:41 linux64
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 18186 Nov 27 13:41 logo.16
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 20052 Nov 27 13:41 memdisk
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 124648 Nov 27 13:41 memtest
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 951146 Nov 27 13:41 minirt.gz
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 2750 Nov 27 13:41 syslinux.cfg
11-27-2011, 11:55 PM
John Hart

Werner,

By the way, my version of Knoppix is 6.7.0 . If you are using 6.7.1 that may account for some of the differences.

John
11-27-2011, 11:56 PM
John Hart

Werner,

By the way, my version of Knoppix is 6.7.0 . If you are using 6.7.1 that may account for some of the differences.

John
11-28-2011, 10:01 AM
Werner P. Schulz

Quote:

The progress bar goes to 75% and I get the installation complete prompt.

Quote:

Again, when I install the data writing only goes to 75%.

The display of such gauge doesn't always offer real values and may depend how quick your computer works. If you have seen the installation complete prompt, the script have done the job without an error. In your list all the important things are available and the sizes seems to be alright.

Perhaps you to try other settings of BIOS.
11-28-2011, 03:32 PM
John Hart

I have gone through my BIOS many times. I have reset to factory defaults and then set the values as they should be. I have cleared the CMOS several times.
Just can't seem to get it working. I will keep trying and will let you know if I get it working. Thanks for your help.
11-28-2011, 04:01 PM
John Hart

Interestingly enough, when I look at my hardware in Windows XP Device Manager, the USB flash drive shows up as a hard drive. I ran TestDisk and it shows that the USB flash drive is bootable. HMMM! Surely appears to be a BIOS problem but I sure can not see what is wrong. I have tried contacting the motherboard manufacturer but have gotten no response. I will keep working on it because it has now become an obsession! LOL!
11-28-2011, 04:30 PM
John Hart

I found a solutio although not the one I wanted. As I had stated before, the USB flash drive used to show up in the boot list, but no longer does. I have not found a solution to that problem. However, it turns out the my BIOS can recognize a large USB device as a USB-ZIP drive. I selected USB-ZIP as my first boot device and SHAZAM , it booted the USB flash drive. I will continue trying to solve the mystery as to why the BIOS no longer sees the USB-FLASH as USB-HDD0, but for now I have a bootable system.
11-28-2011, 05:10 PM
Werner P. Schulz

Hallo John,
nice to hear, that you can boot with your flash drive. By the way, doesn't your BIOS offer the ability for example with F8 or F12 to select the boot-device?

Greetings Werner
11-28-2011, 05:41 PM
John Hart

Werner,

I access the BIOS by hitting the DEL key. Once in the BIOS there are no actions available with
the F8 or F10 key. Once in the BIOS I can select Advanced BIOS Features > Boot Sequence and Floppy Drives and then see the options

> Hard Disk Boot Priority
> First Boot Device
> Second Boot Device
> Third Boot Device

The selections for Boot Device do NOT include USB HD or USB Flash.

In the past, when things were working correctly, the USB Flash would show up in the Hard Disk Boot Priority list as USB-HDD0 . For some reason it no longer shows the device in the Boot Priority List.
Very Strange.

I am going to town later today to buy a USB Hard Drive and will install Knoppix on that drive. I once
before had a Samsung S2 portable drive with Knoppix installed, but the drive crashed (probably a user
error). I like having the system on a hard drive because it boots so much faster and I have plenty of
room to install the Apache Server (LAMPP) and all of my web site files. Much easier to do development
with a hard drive. Hope I don't have problems installing on the USB HD.

Again, thanks for all your help. If I have further problems I will post.

John
11-28-2011, 06:58 PM
Werner P. Schulz

Quote:

I access the BIOS by hitting the DEL key. Once in the BIOS there are no actions available with
the F8 or F10 key.

Hallo John,
I doesn't mean F8 or F12 within the BIOS setup. Many BIOS displays in the startup sequence for a very short time which key to use to alter the boot-device sequence.