Tiny Core Linux
General TC => General TC Talk => Topic started by: bmarkus on January 02, 2012, 02:58:34 AM
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Upon discussion at http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,12235.0.html (http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,12235.0.html) I retested tc-install. test environment:
- CorePlus 4.2 running from CD
- Acer Aspire 5720Z notebook
- 256Mbyte and 4Gbyte USB stick
Following installation types tested:
Frugal / whole disk / VFAT
USB-HDD / whole disk / VFAT
USB-ZIP / whole disk VFAT
Frugal / existing partion / VFAT
In all cases partition was formatted by tc-install and boot installed, as well partion marked bootable in latest case.
USB stick always fails on the Acer notebook with 'Boot error' message, while it always boot on my desktop machine.
USB sticks behaves on the same way except 256MByte stick can't be formatted in USB-ZIP mode, tc-install displays format error while 4G is OK.
It means that I can't create a bootable USB installation in the Acer notebook where all 3rd party installers and other Live Linux systems boots fine.
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At least we learned that is it one machine, an Acer.
The question was does your Acer require a partition-less installation, i.e., USB-FLOPPY ?
What is the BIOS boot option?
We can try to improve the system with good feedback, or we can splinter off with dozens of solution with "it works for me".
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At least we learned that is it one machine, an Acer.
The question was does your Acer require a partition-less installation, i.e., USB-FLOPPY ?
What is the BIOS boot option?
Doesn't require partition-less installations. USB stick is used as USB-HDD.
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Problem is caused by extlinux which is not the right bootloader for FAT. Install syslinux instead of and it will work.
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When tested tc-install usb pendrive by selecting USB_HDD and selecting vfat, syslinux was used as expected.
It would be helpful if you could specify exactly which options you were using that resulted in extlinux.
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When tested tc-install usb pendrive by selecting USB_HDD and selecting vfat, syslinux was used as expected.
It would be helpful if you could specify exactly which options you were using that resulted in extlinux.
You are right, it installs syslinux in this setup, but it doesn't boot. BTW, selecting USB-HDD it repartitions the whole space creating a single FAT32 partition. In frugal mode I can choose partition but than extlinux is used even if I reformat partition to vfat with tc-install.
What is about syslinux in frugal when target partition is FAT?
Anyhow, too late now. Lets go to sleep.
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I can reproduce when trying to install to a existing vfat partition and selecting the option to not format. We will work on fixing this.
You said "extlinux is used even if I reformat partition to vfat with tc-install", I can't reproduce this one, when I try this syslinux is installed and it works correctly. Can you provide some more details on how to reproduce the problem when having tc-install format with vfat?
Thanks,
Brian
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I can reproduce when trying to install to a existing vfat partition and selecting the option to not format. We will work on fixing this.
How could you install to an existing partition? In USB-HDD mode this option is inactive, only 'Whole Disk' is available?
(http://www.hasix.org/tc/tcinst1.jpg)
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You said "extlinux is used even if I reformat partition to vfat with tc-install", I can't reproduce this one, when I try this syslinux is installed and it works correctly. Can you provide some more details on how to reproduce the problem when having tc-install format with vfat?
(http://www.hasix.org/tc/tcinst2.jpg)
(http://www.hasix.org/tc/tcinst3.jpg)
(http://www.hasix.org/tc/tcinst4.jpg)
(http://www.hasix.org/tc/tcinst5.jpg)
(http://www.hasix.org/tc/tcinst6.jpg)
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I can reproduce when trying to install to a existing vfat partition and selecting the option to not format. We will work on fixing this.
How could you install to an existing partition? In USB-HDD mode this option is inactive, only 'Whole Disk' is available?
I was referring to a frugal installation on an existing vfat partition and selecting the option to not format.
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You said "extlinux is used even if I reformat partition to vfat with tc-install", I can't reproduce this one, when I try this syslinux is installed and it works correctly. Can you provide some more details on how to reproduce the problem when having tc-install format with vfat?
(http://www.hasix.org/tc/tcinst6.jpg)
I've done some more testing and I think I've tracked down the problem. Here is what I'm guessing happened: Your sdb1 device had the extlinux install on it to start with, and then you selected to vfat format and install to an existing partition which you already had mounted. The installer isn't able to format a mounted partition so the existing extlinux stuff remained on there. I'll look at adding some error checking to handle a user requested format of a mounted partition.
Thanks for the additional information.
Brian
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You said "extlinux is used even if I reformat partition to vfat with tc-install", I can't reproduce this one, when I try this syslinux is installed and it works correctly. Can you provide some more details on how to reproduce the problem when having tc-install format with vfat?
(http://www.hasix.org/tc/tcinst6.jpg)
I've done some more testing and I think I've tracked down the problem. Here is what I'm guessing happened: Your sdb1 device had the extlinux install on it to start with, and then you selected to vfat format and install to an existing partition which you already had mounted. The installer isn't able to format a mounted partition so the existing extlinux stuff remained on there. I'll look at adding some error checking to handle a user requested format of a mounted partition.
Thanks for the additional information.
Brian
As far as I remember It was formatted before on Windows, but will make a test.
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I freshly formatted a pen drive and then did a tc-install. The drive had not been mounted at all. After the install I mounted and in the boot directory there is the extlinux directory with ldlinux.sys and extlinux.cfg
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Now I can create a bootable FAT formatted USB stick with CorePlus CD manually. Need some testing and I can provide a script.
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I freshly formatted a pen drive and then did a tc-install. The drive had not been mounted at all. After the install I mounted and in the boot directory there is the extlinux directory with ldlinux.sys and extlinux.cfg
Did you select to format with a ext2, ext3, or ext4 filesystem? If so, extlinux would be installed by design. Was there any problem when booting the pen drive?
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Now I can create a bootable FAT formatted USB stick with CorePlus CD manually. Need some testing and I can provide a script.
Here are the 2 issues identified and which we are working on fixing:
-If you select to format and install to an existing partition that is already mounted, the partition isn't formatted.
-If you select to use an existing vfat partition without formatting, extlinux is installed instead of syslinux.
Are you seeing any other issues other than these 2?
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Did you select to format with a ext2, ext3, or ext4 filesystem? If so, extlinux would be installed by design. Was there any problem when booting the pen drive?
Both 256M and 4G sticks boot OK created in USB-HDD / format ext4 mode.
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Now I can create a bootable FAT formatted USB stick with CorePlus CD manually. Need some testing and I can provide a script.
Here are the 2 issues identified and which we are working on fixing:
-If you select to format and install to an existing partition that is already mounted, the partition isn't formatted.
-If you select to use an existing vfat partition without formatting, extlinux is installed instead of syslinux.
Are you seeing any other issues other than these 2?
Yes. The core issue we are discussing from the beginning.
Installing on USB stick where no any existing partitions are mounted in
- USB-HDD mode
- formatting to FAT
repartitions drive, formats with mkdosfs, installs syslinux and copies files but created stick doesn't boot, results
'boot error' which indicates faulty or missing boot record.
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Find attached a sript which creates a working, bootable USB stick on a system booted from CorePlus CD (target partition is configured in the beginning of script, change it to fit your system).
Result is OK as long as partition is formatted on WINDOWS. Formatting on TC with mkdosfs before running script result is 'boot error'. So there is a FAT incompatibility somewhere.
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Your script doesn't install syslinux's mbr?
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Your script doesn't install syslinux's mbr?
No, with Windows formatted drives it was not necessary. I dropped everything and kept only those which really needed to have a basis to work on :)
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I freshly formatted a pen drive and then did a tc-install. The drive had not been mounted at all. After the install I mounted and in the boot directory there is the extlinux directory with ldlinux.sys and extlinux.cfg
Did you select to format with a ext2, ext3, or ext4 filesystem? If so, extlinux would be installed by design. Was there any problem when booting the pen drive?
The USB flash drive was formatted with Windows and was empty. it *did* boot.
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Here are the 2 issues identified and which we are working on fixing:
-If you select to format and install to an existing partition that is already mounted, the partition isn't formatted.
-If you select to use an existing vfat partition without formatting, extlinux is installed instead of syslinux.
Are you seeing any other issues other than these 2?
My yesy had a vfat partition and extlinux was used.
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I freshly formatted a pen drive and then did a tc-install. The drive had not been mounted at all. After the install I mounted and in the boot directory there is the extlinux directory with ldlinux.sys and extlinux.cfg
Did you select to format with a ext2, ext3, or ext4 filesystem? If so, extlinux would be installed by design. Was there any problem when booting the pen drive?
The USB flash drive was formatted with Windows and was empty. it *did* boot.
What formatting option did you choose within the installer?
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Find attached a sript which creates a working, bootable USB stick on a system booted from CorePlus CD (target partition is configured in the beginning of script, change it to fit your system).
Result is OK as long as partition is formatted on WINDOWS. Formatting on TC with mkdosfs before running script result is 'boot error'. So there is a FAT incompatibility somewhere.
I'm not able to reproduce. On my hardware, booting from CorePlus 4.2 CD and installing to a partitionless pen drive using USB-HDD with vfat formatting results in a bootable, working pen drive.
I also tried the same in VirtualBox and it also produces a working installation there as well.
Can you please try this on other hardware and see if you experience the same there?
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I already explained, that it boots on my desktp and doesn't boot on the Acer Aspire 5720Z notebook. Can't tell you more.
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4.2.1 result
Using frugal mode and existing partition formatted to FAT on WINDOWS previously, without formatting by tc-install created USB stick now boots :)
Using the same setup except formatting partion to FAT with tc-install results 'boot error'.
In all other modes no change.
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4.2.1 result
Using frugal mode and existing partition formatted to FAT on WINDOWS previously, without formatting by tc-install created USB stick now boots :)
Using the same setup except formatting partion to FAT with tc-install results 'boot error'.
In all other modes no change.
Let us know if you ever find a way to format FAT within Linux and then have it be bootable on your Acer.
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I already explained, that it boots on my desktp and doesn't boot on the Acer Aspire 5720Z notebook. Can't tell you more.
I just posted an updated version of syslinux - I saw the release notes mentioned something about fixing a bug to do with booting on acer machines...
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This is what I wanted to see, but no change. In my case what causing issue formatting with TC. Windows preformatted stick works.
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Or from another POV, your Acer's bios is wrong and won't boot a standard USB-HDD, no? ;)
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Or from another POV, your Acer's bios is wrong and won't boot a standard USB-HDD, no? ;)
Well, it boots when stick is created in Windows with core2usb, unetbootin or other tools. Also works if installed with tc-install using native linux file system.
Anyhow, why I'm curious do not have time to investigate what is behind as I can install USB on Windows.
I see many forum notes referring to similar Acer related issues. Also tried SLAX to install on LINUX and got same fauilure while SLAX WINOWS installation is also OK.