1

When booting from a Live USB I'm getting an ISO Linux Error immediately after BIOS POST (Basic Input Output System Power On Self Test): 

ISOLINUX 6.03 20160618 EHDD Copyright (c) 1994-2014 H. Peter Anvin et al

Loading bootlogo...
bootlogo: invalid file format
Error setting up gfxboot
boot:

 (repeats 2 times)

Loading bootlogo...
bootlogo: invalid file format
Error setting up gfxboot
boot:

Hard power-off.

I'm able to create a 4GB FAT32 Partition and 28GB NTFS partition with 512 Byte sectors but after using Startup Disk Creator or DD on the ISO file I end up with 2048 byte sectors that confuses gparted.

Although it's a UEFI machine CSM (Legacy BIOS boot) is enabled in BIOS.

Machine specifics:

  • Dell Inspiron 17R 7720 SE
  • Intel I7 3630QM 2.4 GHz, 3.4 GHz Turboboost
  • 8 GB DDR3 RAM
  • nVidia GeForce GT650M w/2GB RAM
  • Full size 240 GB Sata 3 SSD, Full size Sata 2 500 GB HDD
  • Mini PCIe mSata 128 GB Sata 3 SSD
  • Optical CD/DVD Caddy
  • Four USB 3.0 ports, one of them powered when machine is off.
  • Current BIOS A17
  • Ubuntu Intel Microcode via Additional Software Drivers
  • EUFI and Secure boot turned off

Update 1

$ lsblk -f
NAME   FSTYPE  LABEL             UUID                                 MOUNTPOINT
sda                                                                   
├─sda1 ntfs    System Reserved   FAC07A55C07A1859                     
├─sda2 ntfs    KSX_Win7          2EBA8445BA840B91                     
├─sda3 ntfs    KSX Win 8.1       8C3ADAA93ADA8F96                     
└─sda4                                                                
sdb                                                                   
├─sdb1 ntfs    ST9_Win7          C2F48A08F489FF43                     
├─sdb2 ext4    ST9_Linux         bf80a37d-dfad-4df1-b8b1-a67ef2a9ab66 
└─sdb3 swap                      f7ca38bd-ccf1-4d61-b54b-017b1493d1b4 
sdc                                                                   
├─sdc2 ntfs    F9m_Win7          5824BF4E76D68BE2                     
├─sdc3 ext4    F9m_Linux         d02dc21d-dcb2-478e-9f7d-9a3331931de4 /
└─sdc4 swap                      09606fe6-c131-43fc-9ebc-be05a96e1c1d [SWAP]
sdd    iso9660 Ubuntu 17.04 amd64
│                                2017-01-07-08-08-00-00               
├─sdd1 iso9660 Ubuntu 17.04 amd64
│                                2017-01-07-08-08-00-00               /media/ric
└─sdd2 vfat    Ubuntu 17.04 amd64
                                 21E3-6362                            
sr0

Update 2

Tried creating boot USB using SYSLINUX and same error as above occurs except "SYSLINUX" appears instead of "ISOLINUX" and only one line appears (the very top line).

Then using Rufus under Windows 8.1 created a boot USB with FreeDOS as the OS and this much more detailed error appeared:

Camera 20170111

WinEunuuchs2Unix
  • 105,762

2 Answers2

2

After googling many websites with Dell Inspiron USB Boot Error I found a link to these instructions (pendrivelinux.com - BIOS USB booting tips and tricks) which tells us to unplug all other USB devices:

  • Port 1 had extra power cable for charging USB devices next to laptop.
  • Port 2 had USB bootable flash drive that didn't work.
  • Port 3 had Logitech unifying receiver for K800 backlit keyboard and MX Pro mouse
  • Port 5 had 10 foot USB 3 cable to 7 port powered hub containing printer, UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) communications, cell phone and bluetooth headphone charging.

Unplugging everything except the USB Flash drive made USB boot successful:

DOS boot

WinEunuuchs2Unix
  • 105,762
1

Replying to "Oh BTW still haven't got 17.04 live USB working yet on BIOS format on UEFI machine":

Yesterday (2017-01-10) I zsynced the daily Ubuntu Zesty amd64, cloned it with mkusb-dus (with dd under the hood).

  • It works live in my 3-4 year old Toshiba laptop in BIOS alias CSM mode (InsydeH2O rev. 3.7, System BIOS version 6.10 EC version 6.00). The screenshot illustrates this particular case:

enter image description here

  • It works in UEFI mode too in that computer.

  • It works in my newest computer, an Intel NUC6i3SYH in both BIOS and UEFI modes (Intel Visual BIOS SYSKLi35.86A.0024.2015.1027.2142)

I think what you see in gparted is caused by a bug in gparted. It does not understand hybrid iso files and the system they create in USB drives. But

sudo lsblk -fm

will show the partitions and ISO 9660 file system in a correct way.

So let us find out, if the problem is due to the iso file or the computer (your Dell). Cloning with dd is very reliable (when done correctly with or without help of a 'safety belt' shellscript).

sudodus
  • 47,684