xtra-pc problem

M.T.D

Hi,
I have one of these linux on usb sticks to use in old laptop. All was well until I tried to clone it. Now it will no longer boot. I tried to be careful not to change any files/partition structure etc. but as it no longer works, not carefully enough. Is any one here familiar with these?
The idea was to have a stick that would boot anywhere, i.e. no need to take my computer away with me. The aim is to have 3 partitions, Partition 1 (b) fat32 so windows can read it as well to exchange files, Partition 2 (83)linux, Partition 3 (82) swap with partition 2 set as boot.

Do I need a autorun.inf in the windows partition, if so what should be in it.
fstab in etc/ on the linux partition could be the problem

Any help would be appreciated.

Johnboy1951

What distribution was on the stick?

Do you have a Linux install you can use?

Have you contacted xtra-pc to see if you can get an ISO to burn to the USB stick?

M.T.D

Hi Johnboy,
no idea - it is still on the stick, just won't boot
yes i have ubuntu 16.04 on an old desk top so I can access all the files, partitions, etc.
no i have not contacted them yet. It comes with a lot of software already installed 15G

I haven't actually "lost" the distribution, but might have done something like

update-grub
grub-install /dev/sd......

to the original stick rather than the clone I was making.
It was still running with out any problem, I only realised I had done damage when it came time to reboot.
So I am hoping it is just a matter of correcting any files I changed in error.

Johnboy1951

M.T.D wrote: »

Hi Johnboy,
no idea - it is still on the stick, just won't boot
yes i have ubuntu 16.04 on an old desk top so I can access all the files, partitions, etc.
no i have not contacted them yet. It comes with a lot of software already installed 15G

I haven't actually "lost" the distribution, but might have done something like

update-grub
grub-install /dev/sd......

to the original stick rather than the clone I was making.
It was still running with out any problem, I only realised I had done damage when it came time to reboot.
So I am hoping it is just a matter of correcting any files I changed in error.

OK, it does seem like you have mis-configured Grub.
Do you know which Grub version is being used? Grub-legacy or Grub 2?

I am not familiar enough with Grub 2 to provide the commands needed to re-do Grub so that it boots properly again.
Probably the same commands you already used, but with the correct device & partition specified.
If Grub-legacy that is simple enough to do.

M.T.D

the ubuntu I have installed won't do the command chroot due to it being x86_64
I have looked online for solutions but they do not make any sense to me.
Is there an alternative command?
I'll have a look and see if I have a live cd that I can use instead.

M.T.D

Hi,
Got it sorted. I had not mounted the partition on the clone properly. So any "updates" after that were to the original copy.
This gave me 2 none booting sticks.
As the "clone" was correct, just incomplete. Using another computer with Linux, I finished the installation on the clone. Then rebooting from the clone I corrected the damaged files on the original.

I made the first partition on the clone a 30G dos so any files I save there will be accessible to windows, if I put the stick in a pre-booted windows machine, and available to linux if booted from the stick.