Portable Apps on usb creates 'Boot Error'

Message

uio · #1 Post by **uio** » Mon 18 Jan 2016, 19:53

Hello,
I had been happily using tahrpup on a usb when, one day, while using a Windows Machine (secured BIOS, thus unable to boot Puppy very unfortunately), I installed two portable applications on the same usb. These were a LaTeX editor and Geany. Then, trying to boot the usb later I received the error message 'Boot Error'. It looks like the same font as that of a regular Puppy boot, thus I think that the usb is still bootable, but something seems to be going wrong. I was able to copy the savefile to a new usb and so can access my files, but I would like to find out what went wrong, and to repair the problem.
Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
:::uio

Semme · #2 Post by **Semme** » Mon 18 Jan 2016, 23:15

Depending on the file system(s) in question and how Pup's installed, run a file system check with auto-repair.

uio · #3 Post by **uio** » Wed 20 Jan 2016, 15:01

Thanks for the reply Semme,
How would one do this ? With terminal commands ?
:::uio

Semme · #4 Post by **Semme** » Wed 20 Jan 2016, 18:49

My choice, yes.. And either from a live boot or a hard drive installed OS.

uio · #5 Post by **uio** » Wed 20 Jan 2016, 22:07

Hi Semme,
Would you be able to give some step-by-step instructions on this ?
Thanks !
:::uio

Semme · #6 Post by **Semme** » Wed 20 Jan 2016, 23:23

"Depending on the file system(s) in question and how Pup's installed.."

In other words, give me factual information I can work with.

uio · #7 Post by **uio** » Thu 21 Jan 2016, 01:38

I installed Tahrpup 6.02 on a usb. The Portable Apps involve an .exe file... Hmmm.... what other information would be useful ?
Thanks,
:::uio

Semme · #8 Post by **Semme** » Fri 22 Jan 2016, 11:29

Still here UIO?

uio · #9 Post by **uio** » Fri 22 Jan 2016, 16:38

Hi !
Yes, still here. I am was just wondering what information I should provide so that you have facts you can work with. I'm not quite sure just what is relevant...
Thanks,
:::uio

Semme · #10 Post by **Semme** » Fri 22 Jan 2016, 17:09

OK, installed to USB I know. Now, *HOW* is what I'm asking....

Did you use a Windows program like Rufus, Universal USB Installer or YUMI?

If yes, from *which* version of Windows did you use it with.. Possibly Win7?

OR, did you use Tahr's own boot-flash installer?

Who makes this flash stick.. Manufacturer?

Did you let one of these programs format the stick or was it done w/Windows?

When you're posting, it's while running *which* operating system?

I realize it's not as easy as it might seem asking for help.

uio · #11 Post by **uio** » Sun 24 Jan 2016, 01:37

OK, installed to USB I know. Now, *HOW* is what I'm asking.... : I used Unetbootin in Lubuntu if I recall correctly.

Who makes this flash stick.. Manufacturer? : Sandisk Cruzer Fit

Did you let one of these programs format the stick or was it done w/Windows? : I believe I formatted it to FAT32

When you're posting, it's while running *which* operating system? : Right now I am posting from a Windows7 machine, but I also have posted from another Tahrpup USB (made in a similar fashion)

I think that the puzzling point is that this Sandisk USB was working well until I installed a Portable App .exe on it (using a Windows Machine).

Thanks for helping you help me !

:::uio

Semme · #12 Post by **Semme** » Sun 24 Jan 2016, 02:40

Quick question if you're still around.. You gonna be here again late tmrw or in and out during the day?

Let me add, there's no need to repeat my questioning.

I questioned in bullet format, you respond the same -- Bullet answers.

We can do this because we're not idiots.

==

PS -- The key I was looking for is FAT32. That may be the stick itself, but the format Pup's working from may be ext2.

Do you know how to run fdisk from Windows and tell me what it reports?

uio · #13 Post by **uio** » Sun 24 Jan 2016, 04:02

Hello Semme,
Attached is an image of the fdisk information. Is this the information you were looking for?
:::uio

bigpup · #14 Post by **bigpup** » Sun 24 Jan 2016, 07:37

trying to boot the usb later I received the error message 'Boot Error'

Exactly when in the boot process do you get this error?
Do you see the Tahrpup boot screen?
Does any of the Puppy boot process info statements show?

Semme · #15 Post by **Semme** » Sun 24 Jan 2016, 10:10

You can answer Bigpup.

As for last nights suggestion, I remember Windows doesn't *natively* see Linux partitions.

What you probably can do, provided there's more than one USB port, is boot off the good stick, then plug the bad one afterwards.

Pup should detect and tell us how it looks after opening a terminal and running:

Code: Select all

fdisk -l

That's a "dash/lowercase 'L'" I've got there.

If copy'n paste gives you trouble, pipe the info to a file in your /root directory:

Code: Select all

fdisk -l > /root/my_fdisk.txt

What have we got?

==

If possible, a screenshot. This, how Pmount might display your drives..

uio · #16 Post by **uio** » Mon 25 Jan 2016, 02:37

Bigpup, the boot error is the only thing that appears. Nothing else. Now, the splash screen never appeared normally because I disabled it. But no other Puppy text appears. It is immediately after booting.

Semme output of fdisk.

root# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40007761920 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4864 cylinders, total 78140160 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xcccdcccd

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 17545215 8772576+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 17547262 78139391 30296065 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 17547264 73949182 28200959+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 73949184 78139391 2095104 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 4007 MB, 4007657472 bytes
124 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1018 cylinders, total 7827456 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x20ac7dda

This doesn't look like a partition table
Probably you selected the wrong device.

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 ? 3224498923 3657370039 216435558+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2 ? 3272020941 930513678 976730017 16 Hidden FAT16
/dev/sdb3 ? 0 0 0 6f Unknown
/dev/sdb4 50200576 974536369 462167897 0 Empty

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdc: 31.3 GB, 31260704768 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 3800 cylinders, total 61056064 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 * 32 61056063 30528016 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)

Attached is the Pmount screenshot.

Thanks !

:::uio

Semme · #17 Post by **Semme** » Tue 26 Jan 2016, 00:32

Semme · #18 Post by **Semme** » Tue 26 Jan 2016, 00:33

You've got mail UIO.. Check your inbox.

==

Uh, NOW I think I've got it.

You put Tahr on USB via UNetbootin = Check!

Then you placed two Window binaries on this stick and ran them from your Win7 install, right?

This guy >> http://portableapps.com/apps/development/geany_portable

And which LaTeX? This one I can't find..

The main point of my post in BOLD, correct?

If I am correct <and I sure think I am> run that cmd I sent and reboot.

Semme · #19 Post by **Semme** » Tue 26 Jan 2016, 02:50

Hold on, that Windows job screwed the bootsector. I think it's Syslinux that needs a repair.

Post a screen-shot of the contents of your borked stick.. Let's get a look @ what's on there..

uio · #20 Post by **uio** » Fri 29 Jan 2016, 02:52

Hi Semme,
Sorry for the late reply, busy week.
What command did you send that you are suggesting that I run ? I didn't see it in the inbox...
Attached are the contents of the problem usb.
Thanks !
:::uio

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Portable Apps on usb creates 'Boot Error'

Portable Apps on usb creates 'Boot Error'