Ubuntu 12.04 issues with new usb-creator - IMPORTANT

[fragadelic]

I have come across an issue with an update to usb-creator that is causing isos to not be bootable from usb.

I haven't had the time to investigate this fully yet to see if there is a problem with the way remastersys creates iso files(they work fine on real cd/dvd media though).  It may be something with usb-creator or syslinux as there was a recent update to them.

For the time being you cannot put them on usb flash.

[fragadelic]

UPDATE - there is a fix for this but it is manual.

If you use usb-creator(Startup Disk Creator) you must put the usb key back in after it finishes and do this at the command line:

sudo syslinux --install /dev/sdb1

Where sdb1 is the usb key partition you are installing it to.

Apparently it is using syslinux-legacy(3.63) which is very limited and remastersys iso's need the new syslinux(4.05)

[fragadelic]

SECOND UPDATE - found the issue

The new usb-creator checks the ubuntu version from the .disk/info file from the iso.  What I have done for the new remastersys that will be released in a few days is that I took the first word from the LIVECDLABEL and then DISTRIB_RELEASE from /etc/lsb-release as it needs to see the ubuntu version from position 2 of the info contents.

I will be doing some testing over the next few days to ensure this works properly and then I'll release an update.

[garbuck]

What I've found works is to add a Step 9 just before creating $CUSTOMISO.md5. Step 9 is to run isohybrid on the image ($WORKDIR/$CUSTOMISO).

Then I copy the finished image to the flash drive using, for instance,

dd if=foo.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=20M oflag=direct

That reliably produces a bootable stick.

I am using a system with a Fluxbox GUI built up from the Ubuntu 12.04 command-line alternate install.

[jhutson456]

I see that this is an older post but that it's not locked and not marked as solved. I've been having issues getting my iso to boot. I've only tried USB Sticks as I have no CDs or DVDs at the moment.

I'm starting with the Ubuntu 12.04 mini.iso and using Mate 1.4 as the DE.

Is there any new info on this issue?

[fragadelic]

This issue happens if you change the lsb-release info from Ubuntu's to your own.  If you do this, you have to make changes to usb-creator in order for it to work.

My suggestion is to leave the lsb-release info to be the default ubuntu values.

[jhutson456]

alright, I'll give that a try. A friend tried using a DVD and said that everything worked, so that's good to know.

Thanks