Linux Making Bootable Pendrive ! Help needed

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

Dark Star

Innovator
Well I have been acting very lazy these day neither i have updated my Bios nor I am finishing linuxforyou and linux-magazine article request...

I have messed my partition table but thankfully mandriva read it .. but it doesn't seems testdisk will be doing the job this time..So I had to take backup and format whole thing :@

Now I am not here to ask help abt restoring table.. I was thinking of updating my BIOS as of now.. I have never done iit but have got a lot of help http://www.techenclave.com/cpu-mobo-corner/updating-mb-bios-134345.html

The problem is that I have never created any bootable usb in Linux so I am pretty unaware, nor the solution listed in the above thread is available for Linux.. Is there a way of creating all those mentioned thing in Linux . easy steps would be appreciated. :P

So before I get started I want to finish this BIOS mess and fix the screen tearing issue , the new BIOS will provide value added options, so please help me if you know the steps..Ohh BTW my MB supports booting from pen drives and other external drives so thats not an issue !

I see there are options in gparted to format to FAT but no flags to make it MS-DOS bootable ...

Any help would be appreciated .. I can't do windows installation atm.. Partition table is corrupted and USB didn't get detected in Vbox :| So please guide me so that I can finish off things...

Regards
 
You have the almighty grub. Here's some steps.. Make a fat partition on ur pen drive. Install grub for dos, make some win98 bootimage to boot from grub ( it will identify fat partition so keep bios file and awdflash on usb ), just run the awdflash and flash ur bios.

edit: In ubuntu u can also make a usb startup disk ( all automated in ubuntu ) and then just edit the menu file to give option for booting your dos image file . http://www.justlinux.com/forum/showthread.php?t=150643 . dont forget to make parition on usb active .
 
rapt0r said:
You have the almighty grub. Here's some steps.. Make a fat partition on ur pen drive. Install grub for dos, make some win98 bootimage to boot from grub ( it will identify fat partition so keep bios file and awdflash on usb ), just run the awdflash and flash ur bios.

edit: In ubuntu u can also make a usb startup disk ( all automated in ubuntu ) and then just edit the menu file to give option for booting your dos image file . How to put Grub into floppy, pen drive, hard disk or CD/DVD - JustLinux Forums . dont forget to make parition on usb active .
Click to expand...
Correct me if I am wrong. Just simplifying for understanding..

1. Create 2 partitions..
2. Install Grub.. Either only grub or install a distro in one of the partitions..? grub for dos ? :S
3. Win98 bootable image ? what is this ?
4. I didn't understand except the grub part !

vishalrao said:
Isn't "unetbootin" what you need? I thought I saw you post about this tool before...
Click to expand...

Bump..

Here is what I am thinking ...

1. Install Linux on one of the partitions..
2. Copy the bios file in other..
3. How am I suppose to boot from files then ? Add a path in grub ?
 
OK Darky I did some googling for you - lazy bum :P

See FreeDOS : Boot Disk Create USB

and Acer Aspire One - Updating the BIOS | Artiss.co.uk

I think your BIOS: http://www.jetway.org.uk/downloads/bios/HA07A06.zip (make sure its the right one for your model and read all the docs/readmes/warnings)

Follow the steps (mainly 2nd link above) except instead of copying Acer BIOS files you copy the HA07 "A06" files extracted from the zip...

As I understand the steps will be something like this:

1. Run unetbootin and select "FreeDOS" from the distribution list. It might download or you need to download the files from the first link yourself.

2. Create bootable FreeDOS USB image (hopefully this works from linux also).

3. Copy the extracted BIOS files for Jetway HA07A06.zip.

4. I believe you need to disable in BIOS flash protect?

5. Boot from the USB.

6. Run the HAxxx.BAT file not the EXE.

7. This should flash your MB BIOS :)

Fingers crossed, hope it works well for you without the need for Windows...

PS: I know my Intel MB provides ISO images for easy flashing independent of OS :) If MB manufacturers start making USB images life will be easier for people like us...
 
Ok looks like you can download fbbasecd.iso from FreeDOS | Files and point unetbootin to it...select "diskimage" radio button and "iso" in the drop down....let us know how it goes...
 
No need for partitioning the USB just remount the USB after running unetbootin then copy the jetway files to / then reboot from the USB.

Update: I tried out partial steps, for unetbootin you EITHER select the distribution as FreeDOS v 1.0 and it automatically downloads the image, or you point it to the ISO link above :)

Good luck!
 
Another update (sorry for multiple posts)

[strike]You need to unmount the usb before running unetbootin (note down the device for me its /dev/sdb) then run unetbootin, then mount and copy jetway files, then reboot from USB...[/strike]

edit: my bad, it must be mounted first before running unetbootin, i got confused since there were old kubuntu files on my usb :)

edit2: and yet another update: i think you should just select the distribution menu autodownload, avoid the ISO since it launches FreeDOS installer...

edit3: problem - i followed the steps and tried booting option 5 (called "freedos live cd only") on my old amd tablet and got an "invalid opcode" error - looks like it is using some intel specific CPU instruction... hope it works on your CPU...
 
All set :D

Lets go ! Lemme try this :) Have read all the warnings and to do .. hoping this time I update it :D

Edit : I downloaded 8mb ISO of FREE DOS .. Made bootable usb from unetbootin, copied the BIOS files and now its not booting :| I even made external drives #1 so that it may boot from USB instead main HDD :|

Ohh I couldn't find Flash part in the BIOS where it is located ?
 
Not sure where the "flash protect" option is in your BIOS, maybe its not there...

Try setting the USB device to USB-HDD or USB-Floppy or USB-xxxx that you mentioned earlier then see if it boots?

And there may be other items you can make #1 or higher than normal HDD like "removable devices" in addition to "USB" in the boot order...
 
^ USB device should be set to USB-HDD in bios, for it to boot properly. Did you try pressing F9-F10 (whatever key gives ur mobo's boot menu ) . From there u can select ur USB drive, if it's showing in list.
 
No ! If I make a bootable usb using ubuntu or mandriva tools and applying same settings in BIOS it did work,,, But this unetbootin isn't working :( atleast with FREE DOS 8mb ISO that I downloaded :(

Lemme see if it work after making a mandriva 2009.1 live usb.
 
Something's wrong, because unetbootin+FreeDOS USB boot worked for me...

Try again, but this time avoid the ISO, just select the first "distribution" dropdown and select FreeDOS version 1.0 and LET IT DOWNLOAD FreeDOS automatically (not using the ISO)... does that work?
 
Ok ! For some reason USB created from unetbootin is not working with my Mb :(

Will try testing it again with Ubuntu USB creator and Mandriva seed
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom