[SOLVED] Live LM21 USB .iso won 't boot

[majpooper]

I am trying to install LM21 Cinnamon on my PC.
I created a live LM21 USB. It boots on a test laptop but will not boot on my PC.
When I set the BIOS to boot from the USB I get

Code: Select all

error: file '/boot/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod not found
Entering rescue mode . . . 
grub rescue >

However /boot/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod definitely exists on in the boot dir on the live USB

System Info:

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majpooper@1150z:~$ inxi -Fxz
System:
  Kernel: 6.0.0-5-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    Desktop: Cinnamon v: 5.4.12 Distro: Debian GNU/Linux bookworm/sid
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Hewlett-Packard product: h8-1150z v: N/A
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Gigabyte model: 2AC8 v: 1.2 serial: <superuser required> BIOS: AMI
    v: Ang_713 date: 12/29/2011
CPU:
  Info: 8-core model: AMD FX-8150 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Bulldozer rev: 2
    cache: L1: 384 KiB L2: 8 MiB L3: 8 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 1415 high: 1472 min/max: 1400/3600 boost: enabled cores:
    1: 1400 2: 1401 3: 1401 4: 1399 5: 1399 6: 1457 7: 1398 8: 1472
    bogomips: 57456
  Flags: avx ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD Turks PRO [Radeon HD 6570/7570/8550 / R5 230] vendor: Pegatron
    driver: radeon v: kernel arch: TeraScale-2 bus-ID: 01:00.0 temp: 48.0 C
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.4 driver: X: loaded: radeon
    unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa dri: swrast gpu: radeon resolution:
    1: 1920x1080~60Hz 2: 1920x1080~60Hz 3: 1920x1080~60Hz
  API: OpenGL v: 4.5 Mesa 22.2.4 renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 15.0.5 256 bits)
    direct render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: AMD SBx00 Azalia vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel bus-ID: 00:14.2
  Device-2: AMD Turks HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 6500/6600 / 6700M Series]
    vendor: Pegatron driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 01:00.1
  Device-3: Philips s SAA7231 vendor: Hauppauge works driver: N/A
    bus-ID: 04:00.0
  Sound API: ALSA v: k6.0.0-5-amd64 running: yes
  Sound Server-1: PulseAudio v: 16.1 running: yes
  Sound Server-2: PipeWire v: 0.3.61 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: Ralink RT5390 Wireless 802.11n 1T/1R PCIe driver: rt2800pci
    v: 2.3.0 bus-ID: 06:00.0
  IF: wlp6s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
    vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: r8169 v: kernel port: d000 bus-ID: 07:00.0
  IF: enp7s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-1: virbr0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 4.84 TiB used: 236.73 GiB (4.8%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Intel model: SSDSA2BW160G3H size: 149.05 GiB
  ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Intel model: SSDSA2BW160G3H size: 149.05 GiB
  ID-3: /dev/sdg type: USB vendor: Western Digital model: WD My Book 1130
    size: 931.48 GiB
  ID-4: /dev/sdh type: USB model: Flash Disk size: 249.6 MiB
  ID-5: /dev/sdi type: USB vendor: Hitachi model: HDS721010CLA332
    size: 931.51 GiB
  ID-6: /dev/sdj type: USB vendor: Hitachi model: HUS724030ALE641
    size: 2.73 TiB
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 144.71 GiB used: 8.84 GiB (6.1%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb1
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 976 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) dev: /dev/sdb5
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 31.8 C mobo: N/A gpu: radeon temp: 48.5 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 237 Uptime: 1h 38m Memory: 15.6 GiB used: 1.97 GiB (12.6%)
  Init: systemd target: graphical (5) Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 Packages: 1802
  Shell: Bash v: 5.2.2 inxi: 3.3.23

[linux-rox]

For reasons unknown, there are lots of reports lately of users having trouble burning ISOs to USB drive. (Used to be a common problem, then settled down.) Try again using another tool. For example, if you used Mint's app, try Etcher and/or Rufus (the latter is Windows only, though).

[Maxwell-J]

I'd create a ventoy usb and just copy your iso's to it

http://www.ventoy.net

[motoryzen]

There is also Unetbootin. The windows version within Windows has never failed me, I have not yet confirmed, however, the Linux version within Linux Mint.

[trytip]

i would download mint 21.1 beta test that. it's beta but still bugs fixed from version before. mint 21 destroyed my UEFI windows boot, don't know if you use MBR but that might be issue

[linux-rox]

... don't know if you use MBR but that might be issue

Yes, says so in the Machine section of the System Report. That is, if not, where it says BIOS would say UEFI or UEFI (legacy).

[Jo-con-Ël]

When I set the BIOS to boot from the USB I get

Code: Select all

error: file '/boot/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod not found
Entering rescue mode . . . 
grub rescue >

However /boot/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod definitely exists on in the boot dir on the live USB

IMO that error doesn't come from GRUB on Linux Live USB but from another GRUB installed on any other disk MBR or PBR, most probably next drive on boot order.

As per inxi report it is sure Debian on sdb1 is installed on BIOS mode and your system is setup to boot on that BIOS legacy mode only.

As it is said before, It would be a good idea to create Linux Mint 21 Live USB again with another tool as indicated (IMO ventoy is a good choice).

There is also Unetbootin. The windows version within Windows has never failed me, I have not yet confirmed, however, the Linux version within Linux Mint.

I do prefer Rufus on Windows. You can use unetbootin on Linux(apt install unetbootin). Only be sure that USB is previously formatted, in this case to boot/install on BIOS legacy mode, with MBR partitioning scheme and create only one FAT32 partition on it (that is what Linux Mint USB stick formatter tool will do by default).

Then mount that partition (with file browser or Disks) and run unetbootin (Menu>Administration>UNetbootin).
Check DiskImage and search for ISO file where ever you have placed it. Be sure about USB drive and partition and click on OK.

Notice in theory you can create an USB live with persistence (casper-rw file) but I'm not sure it works on current Mint 21.X editions (It didn't when I tried, but there is a tricky way to create a persistence partition but it is off-topic).

It will take a loooong time on extracting and writing /casper/filesystem.squashfs (it will look it hangs on 92-93%) also if you choose creating persistence file, but don't worry it will finally end.

[majpooper]

Well this is embarrassing
In the BIOS I had UEFI disabled - I have always used Legacy mode on this PC . . . for years and Debian testing live USB was booting up in Legacy mode.

I woke up in the middle of the night and realized I had UEFI disabled once I enabled it . . . .

THX all - I am good2go

[linux-rox]

Don't be too hard on yourself. It shouldn't matter which boot mode you use, BIOS vs UEFI. The ISO is designed to work either way. You only ran into trouble because the burn-to-USB process has become flaky again.

[majpooper]

THX - And here I thought it was me not keeping up - good to know