How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

[[mfk]]

Hi people,
I'd like to install Kubuntu 7.10 (i386) on my external HD (USB - 6gb).

I've seen my BIOS (AwardBIOS v.1002 - a version of the August 2002) hasn't got the USB-HDD choice into the BOOT SEQUENCE, to boot on my USB-HDD.

What have i to do?

I've read the solution is the "Ultimate Boot CD" but cannot understand how to use this solution.

Could be another solution to update the BIOS? I've found on the ASUS website (my motherboard is an ASUS P4-B533-E) the BIOS v.1014 and the v.1015 (the v.1015 is a beta and i wouldn't install it).
How can i know if the v.1014 support the boot on USB-HDD?

Thank you all,
[mfk]

ps. Kubuntu or die!

[Qqmike]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

email the ASUS tech support and ask them; first, search their FAQ & documentation;

with recent Intel BIOS, on the Boot page, there is an option called "Enable USB booting." Also, with your external USB HDD connected and turned ON, when you turn on the PC and enter BIOS setup, BIOS should list that external drive in its list of drives somewhere and also on the main hardware page somewhere;

[[mfk]]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

Thanks for the reply.

I've asked to the Asus support but they seem absent. I've read that a guy uploaded the BIOS v.1014 but he has got the same problem.

I believe the only solution is the Ultimate Boot CD or am i wrong?

Any others ideas?

Thanks,
[mfk]

[Qqmike]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

Never looked at UB CD.

Also, have not tried this, but others have and report success:
If your BIOS does not support booting from USB, see this:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootFromUSB

Basically, you build a CD boot disk to do the USB booting for you.

[[mfk]]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

Hello amte,
thank you, i've printed the pages and when i have a blitz of time i'll read it. Hope it won't be difficult cause i haven't experience in Linux

[mfk]

[losmurfs]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

FYI - to all - if you install to USB-HDD grub will usually be set up to boot off of hd(2,0) but then when you tell your BIOS to boot from USB your USB-HDD becomes hd(0,0) (common 'feature' of most BIOSs) so you will have to edit your /boot/grub/menu.lst on your USB-HDD and change it's boot lines from hd(2,0) to hd(0,0).

Another fun detail about installing to a USB device from Kubuntu is that let's say you boot a live cd on a Windows PC to install to a USB-HDD: The boot loader won't be written to the USB-HDD and will overwrite your Windows Boot Loader.

After installing to a USB-HDD you will have to manually use grub to set up the MBR of the USB-HDD if you intend on booting from it.

If you want to add the option to boot off of a USB-HDD from grub when your BIOS does not allow USB boot, you just have to add the appropriate entry into /boot/grub/menu.lst for hd(2,0)

In summary, to boot off of USB-HDD when your BIOS is not set to boot off of USB: hd(2,0)
to boot off of USB-HDD when your BIOS is set to boot off of USB: hd(0,0)

Above two lines refer to boot order: Example: Internal SATA, then Internal IDE, then USB vs USB, then Internal SATA, then IDE, etc....

Here's an example, when your BIOS launches GRUB from PATA or SATA hd, the first three entries boot off of /dev/sda4 (4th partition of IDE HD) and the last three boot off of USB microSD adapter (/dev/sdc1):

title Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=7eb4293b-aefa-4f13-9e37-dc3afcb088b6 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=7eb4293b-aefa-4f13-9e37-dc3afcb088b6 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic

title Ubuntu 7.10, memtest86+
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

title Ubuntu 7.10, microSD, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
root (hd2.0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=8vt9874d-faea-f456-55e78-8b63afcb08dc ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 7.10, microSD, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd2.0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=8vt9874d-faea-f456-55e78-8b63afcb08dc ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic

title Ubuntu 7.10, microSD, memtest86+
root (hd2,0)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

[[mfk]]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

I've installed Ubuntu 7.10 using Wubi, it installed also the program on the boot to switch operative system, but when i switch on Ubuntu (..dunno why Ubuntu if i've installed Kubuntu) it give me error..and for what i've read it's normal if my bios doesn't recognoize the BOOT on USB-HDD.

@Qqmike: I've printed and read the link you pasted me but the first method:

root (hd0,0)

.and so on, but it doesn't work.

I haven't understand in truth the way to create the BootUp from CD (but i haven't linux so i can't access to it to create the bootable cd!)

@losmurfs: Thank you a lot for all those infos but try to understand that i'm coming from WindowsXP, so it's quite a drastic change For what I've understood you're telling to make the boot from grub (as you read my aswer to Qqmike my pc can't see the USB-HDD connected (i see just my primary master (hd0,0) and my secondary master (hd0,1)

Thanks,
[mfk]

[Qqmike]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

[mfk], you are correct that * your BIOS must support Boot from USB * before you can do anything here -- unless you made that CD (in the link), And you are also right that it might take a bit of Linux tools/experience to do that. (Actually, you could probably do the work from a Live Linux CD, I 'm not sure as I haven't done it).

[[mfk]]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

God Qqmike, I'm really a dull!

I'll try to make the job from a Live CD!

Every distribution of a Live CD will work or I need the Kubuntu one?

Thanks,
[mfk]

EDIT: i've read on that link that the distribution of the Live CD should be the one you're trying to mount on USB.

[Qqmike]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

In theory, perhaps any live CD; but practically speaking, I'd use Kubuntu as it has all sorts of tools with it, and perhaps that Edit you added also says it right.

While working in the live CD, you may find that you need some packages installed (like extra tools). Of course, that's OK, you can do it -- same as you would usually: K > System > Adept Manager then enter the name of the package in the window there, and it should come up (after some seconds). Then expand it by clicking the > on the left, then click Request Install, then click Apply to get it installed..
AND, of course, when you finish THAT particular live session, everything will be lost when you exit the session and eject the live CD. Not a problem, just a matter of fact. If you were booting from a live * persistent * Kubuntu flash drive, then--in that case--you could download programs and they'd be saved for the next session.


(For future reference (I'm not suggesting it is something you'd want to mess with right now), here's my how-to on building a Live persistent Kubuntu flash drive:

Build a LIVE Kubuntu Flash Drive, How-To
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...089474.new#new
Step-by-step

-- with Persistence -- using GRUB all the way (i.e., no Syslinux): Reply #7 )

[[mfk]]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?

Hello Qqmike,
i'm totally confused.

Actually here my situation:
- i've installed Kubuntu 7.10 throught Wubi then formatted the external hd where installed Wubi and disinstalled Wubi (NOTE: disistalling Wubi I've solved my problems with the MBR, actually my MBR is come back at the original state)
- my pc doesn't support the bootup on USB devices (my external HD)

Here what i want to do:
1)I want to try to reinstall manually Kubuntu 7.10, is there any guide to do this? I haven't find it until now.

2)I want to install it on my USB harddisk

Questions:
3) When I'll reinstall Kubuntu 7.10, where I've to reinstall Grub, according to the fact that I'll reinstall it on an external HD and my pc doesn't support the bootup on USB devices? (hd0) is my primary master hd, instead sdb1 is the USB external hd, should i change it from (hd0) into (sdb1) during the installation?

4) The procedure is this?

- Installing kubuntu on my external HD, being sure where to install the bootloader
- Creating a bootable CD or floppy to permit to launch Kubuntu

5) Other questions:

- Installing the GRUB on my external HD (sdb1), does Kubuntu start when the bootable CD/Floppy is into the pc at the boot? So if there's no bootable CD/Floppy inserted, will not be any operative system's choice at the boot, right?

- When everything will be full installed and configured, is there the possibility to use a disk clone tool like Norton Ghost, to make a full backup of the Kubuntu?

Thank you all for you time mate, gently answer me to every question.

a disperated user
[mfk]

ps. at the end of this I'll promise to make a guide on "How to install Kubuntu 7.10 on external HD if your BIOS doesn't support the bootup on USB devices, if it's your first time with Kubuntu and Linux in general and especially if you're coming from Windows XP"! Promised!!!

[Qqmike]

Re: How to do if my BOOT SEQUENCE hasn't got the USB-HDD?


I haven't read through this for quite awhile, but I know it works because someone at Ubuntu used it with success. The key here: I would work through it, carefully, from top to bottom.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootFromUSB

As for cloning it, I wouldn't worry about that yet, but I see no reason why you couldn't clone it just like anything else. Partimage (free) is another option as is dd command, and maybe even GParted.

I'm not familiar with Wubi.

Here's how I installed Kubuntu to an external drive, HOWEVER, it assumes the BIOS is ready to go, and so you can simply put GRUB in the MBR of that drive and use BIOS to select that drive as first in boot order WHEN the drive is connected and turned ON!!! Many, many assumptions, and I've learned that (1) a user's BIOS may function very differently, and (2) on some PC's, the BIOS is simply buggy (i.e., has problems).

This might be a lot of work. And even afterwards, if it works, you might still have some “issues” with actually using it—I'm not sure since I've not actually done it myself. I would give it a try (the BootFromUSB tutorial, if it works, Great! if not, then either just use a live CD or try the live persistent Kubuntu on a flash drive for awhile (until you upgrade the PC).