Issues Booting Full Linux Install From USB Flash Drive

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parityboy

Limp Gawd
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Nov 13, 2010
Messages
390
Background
I created an installation of Linux Mint 18 KDE onto a 16GB Kingston DataTraveler 102 (full install, not Live CD). The default Mint installer doesn't like using a USB flash drive as an installation target (Lord knows why), so I created a basic installation in VirtualBox, converted the virtual disk into a raw file, then imaged the raw file onto the thumb drive.

Issues
It boots successfully from my own laptop, an IdeaPad Yoga 13. However, it's not recognised as bootable by a 2010 Mac Book Pro or a Late 2009 24" iMac, and it causes a friend's laptop (white Sony 14", 320GB HDD, 3GB RAM, AMD Turion) to freeze at the BIOS screen, even though it actually booted successfully once on that machine.

Has anyone run into this kind of issue with thumb drives before?
 
So are you trying to install Mint on a machine or are you trying to make a live install USB that you can boot from using any machine and run Mint directly of the USB stick?

Furthermore, have you tried disabling secure boot for legacy boot?
 
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I believe that you can't convert a virtualbox image and expect it to boot just like that on a mac. What you should have done is write the iso image on the usb using dd or use unetbootin to create a bootable usb. You have to order the mac to boot from the usb stick on bootup, it won't do it automatically.

Why would you want to install a linux on usb but not use a live version? That's what the live version is for.

If you're looking for something to run entirely out of USB, get puppy linux.
 
BulletDust said:
So are you trying to install Mint on a machine or are you trying to make a live install USB that you can boot from using any machine and run Mint directly of the USB stick?

Furthermore, have you tried disabling secure boot for legacy boot?
Click to expand...

None of the laptops I've mentioned have Secure Boot (AFAIK). Also, as mentioned clearly in my OP, I'm attempting to create a full bootable install of Linux (NOT live environment) on a USB stick, in the same way people do for FreeBSD/CentOS/Ubuntu Server (for NAS machines).


B00nie said:
Why would you want to install a linux on usb but not use a live version? That's what the live version is for.
Click to expand...

Live environments are non-persistent. A full install on a flash drive gives me a secure, persistent environment I can carry with me anywhere.
 
B00nie said:
I believe that you can't convert a virtualbox image and expect it to boot just like that on a mac. What you should have done is write the iso image on the usb using dd or use unetbootin to create a bootable usb. You have to order the mac to boot from the usb stick on bootup, it won't do it automatically.

Why would you want to install a linux on usb but not use a live version? That's what the live version is for.

If you're looking for something to run entirely out of USB, get puppy linux.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this... There are several installs you can throw on a stick with persistence.
 
parityboy said:
None of the laptops I've mentioned have Secure Boot (AFAIK). Also, as mentioned clearly in my OP, I'm attempting to create a full bootable install of Linux (NOT live environment) on a USB stick, in the same way people do for FreeBSD/CentOS/Ubuntu Server (for NAS machines).




Live environments are non-persistent. A full install on a flash drive gives me a secure, persistent environment I can carry with me anywhere.
Click to expand...

Puppy is probably the fastest and most portable distro for this need. Also you should be able to do a 'full install' on a bootable usb stick, just not by copying virtualbox but making an install directly on the usb.
 
B00nie said:
Puppy is probably the fastest and most portable distro for this need. Also you should be able to do a 'full install' on a bootable usb stick, just not by copying virtualbox but making an install directly on the usb.
Click to expand...

Attempting to place a full install on a USB stick (using the installer) was the first thing I tried, but the stick ended up not being bootable - is writing a bootloader to a USB stick really that difficult? VirtualBox was a last resort manoeuvre. Also, what's special about Puppy Linux? Surely any distro should boot from any bootable block-addressable device?
 
parityboy said:
Attempting to place a full install on a USB stick (using the installer) was the first thing I tried, but the stick ended up not being bootable - is writing a bootloader to a USB stick really that difficult? VirtualBox was a last resort manoeuvre. Also, what's special about Puppy Linux? Surely any distro should boot from any bootable block-addressable device?
Click to expand...
Puppy runs 100% from ram and it's designed to be portable. It has a storage space on USB for persistent changes.

You're not only trying to boot from USB but also boot using Mac and USB linux. There are far more unknown variables when you introduce a mac in the play.

Here's a guide with video on how to install Ubuntu on USB: http://www.fernhilllinuxproject.com/guidesandhowtos/installubuntutousbdrive.html
 
@thread

Quick update. The Sony doesn't have a "legacy boot mode" (or Secure Boot) in its BIOS. I imaged the Kingston Data Traveler onto a 64GB USB 3.0 Lexar Jumpdrive - same result, an inconsistent detection for boot. I then swapped that for a Transcend 32GB USB 2.0 flash drive; crap write speeds but booted the Mint 18 KDE install consistently from all four USB 2.0 ports on the Sony,

Considering the fact that the Kingston and the Lexar boot consistently on my own Lenovo IdeaPad, I would say that the Sony simply doesn't like them, for whatever reason.
 
parityboy said:
@thread

Quick update. The Sony doesn't have a "legacy boot mode" (or Secure Boot) in its BIOS. I imaged the Kingston Data Traveler onto a 64GB USB 3.0 Lexar Jumpdrive - same result, an inconsistent detection for boot. I then swapped that for a Transcend 32GB USB 2.0 flash drive; crap write speeds but booted the Mint 18 KDE install consistently from all four USB 2.0 ports on the Sony,

Considering the fact that the Kingston and the Lexar boot consistently on my own Lenovo IdeaPad, I would say that the Sony simply doesn't like them, for whatever reason.
Click to expand...

That is interesting, what a PITA. Compatibility issues with USB sticks, while rare, can be annoying.
 
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