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USB install can't mount CD rom

Ask for help with issues regarding the Installations of the Debian O/S.
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bryanvick
Posts: 4
Joined: 2010-01-16 06:24

USB install can't mount CD rom

#1 Post by bryanvick »

Used unetbootin to create bootable usb w/ debian-503-i386-netinst.iso image. It boots into the installer fine, but fails at the "Detect and mount CD-ROM" step. There is no CD-Rom in this box. What is the point of a USB install if it can't complete without finding a CD-Rom?

paivakil
Posts: 434
Joined: 2009-02-15 11:57

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#2 Post by paivakil »

Have you tried using the "expert" mode?

IIRC, you should be presented with fall back options if CDROM detection fails.
It's not the software that's free; it's you.

refracta
Posts: 1234
Joined: 2008-10-26 01:46

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#3 Post by refracta »

looks like problems with unetbootin should be reported here - https://bugs.launchpad.net/unetbootin


debian install manual is here - http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/

.

bryanvick
Posts: 4
Joined: 2010-01-16 06:24

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#4 Post by bryanvick »

I have tried expert mode. I have pointed the installer to the device file that is my usb stick, /dev/sdb1. I have tried mounting /dev/sdb1 to a directory I created /usb and pointing the installer at that. I have tried mounting /dev/sdb1 to /media/cdrom0. None of these things work.

I don't think this is a bug with unetbootin, because I boot into the installer fine. The installer not finding a CD-Rom, and then not seeing my USB stick @ /dev/sdb1 is the problem.

bryanvick
Posts: 4
Joined: 2010-01-16 06:24

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#5 Post by bryanvick »

Apparently the installer is looking for the CD-ROM at /cdrom, because when I mount /dev/sdb1 there, it passes the detection process.

Now at the "Load installer components from CD" step, I get a "Failed to copy file from CD-ROM. Retry?". I've also tried to run the CD integrity check which fails.

Why can't the installer copy files from my usb stick mounted at /cdrom?

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aj123
Posts: 94
Joined: 2009-09-19 08:05

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#6 Post by aj123 »


saracen
Posts: 15
Joined: 2010-01-11 01:12

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#7 Post by saracen »

I had the same problem. I have made a mistake when I was downloading initrd.gz and vmlinuz, it turned out that instead of downloading them from ...//cdrom directory i should have done downloaded them from ...//hd-media directory. Double check that you have used correct source directory, it should be ...//hd-media.

bryanvick
Posts: 4
Joined: 2010-01-16 06:24

[SOLVED] USB install can't mount CD rom

#8 Post by bryanvick »

Problem solved by installing Ubuntu server mode w/ unetbootin. Worked just like I expected it would.

refracta
Posts: 1234
Joined: 2008-10-26 01:46

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#9 Post by refracta »

:lol: didn't solve your unetbootin problem when it is trying to install debian though....but close enough I guess...

rocolex
Posts: 7
Joined: 2011-07-08 01:20

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#10 Post by rocolex »

I copy a installable ISO to the USB root directory,
first can't detect and mount the cdrom,

i do : execute a shell, mount the usb to the /cdrom ,
mount /dev/sdb /cdrom
then can pass the step and install sussess

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cthulhu
Posts: 304
Joined: 2009-09-07 12:34

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#11 Post by cthulhu »

I'm having the exact same problem as topic creator bryanvick, and saracen, but since I don't have a wired internet connection, I want to use the full 650 MB CD-iso-file, on a 1 GB USB-stick, in which case the suggestion by aj123 will not work
aj123 wrote:Unetbootin is at fault.
http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/dists/l ... oot.img.gz
http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/5.0 ... etinst.iso
...

Code: Select all

zcat boot.img.gz > /dev/sdb
Mount and copy the iso over to the usb drive. Do not mix the above.
according to the debian manual, since that only works for iso-files < 256 MB:
Note that, although convenient, this method does have one major disadvantage: the logical size of the device will be limited to 256 MB, even if the capacity of the USB stick is larger. You will need to repartition the USB stick and create new file systems to get its full capacity back if you ever want to use it for some different purpose. A second disadvantage is that you cannot copy a full CD image onto the USB stick, but only the smaller businesscard or netinst CD images.
Q1: Maybe I'm missing something, but is it really as easy as the manual says:
The CD or DVD image you choose should be written directly to the USB stick, overwriting its current contents. For example, when using an existing GNU/Linux system, the CD or DVD image file can be written to a USB stick as follows:

Code: Select all

# cat debian.iso > /dev/sdX
# sync
Then why mess about with boot.img, and vmlinux-this-and-that?
Q2: Should the usb-stick be mounted when you use the cat command? (manual doesn't say)
Q3: What is the purpose of the sync command?
Q4: Doing as in Q1, will it affect the size/partitioning of my usb-stick? Will I have to re-partition/format the device after I'm done?

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aj123
Posts: 94
Joined: 2009-09-19 08:05

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#12 Post by aj123 »

cthulhu wrote:I'm having the exact same problem as topic creator bryanvick, and saracen, but since I don't have a wired internet connection, I want to use the full 650 MB CD-iso-file, on a 1 GB USB-stick, in which case the suggestion by aj123 will not work
aj123 wrote:Unetbootin is at fault.
http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/dists/l ... oot.img.gz
http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/5.0 ... etinst.iso
...

Code: Select all

zcat boot.img.gz > /dev/sdb
Mount and copy the iso over to the usb drive. Do not mix the above.
according to the debian manual, since that only works for iso-files < 256 MB:
Note that, although convenient, this method does have one major disadvantage: the logical size of the device will be limited to 256 MB, even if the capacity of the USB stick is larger. You will need to repartition the USB stick and create new file systems to get its full capacity back if you ever want to use it for some different purpose. A second disadvantage is that you cannot copy a full CD image onto the USB stick, but only the smaller businesscard or netinst CD images.
Q1: Maybe I'm missing something, but is it really as easy as the manual says:
The CD or DVD image you choose should be written directly to the USB stick, overwriting its current contents. For example, when using an existing GNU/Linux system, the CD or DVD image file can be written to a USB stick as follows:

Code: Select all

# cat debian.iso > /dev/sdX
# sync
Then why mess about with boot.img, and vmlinux-this-and-that?
Q2: Should the usb-stick be mounted when you use the cat command? (manual doesn't say)
Q3: What is the purpose of the sync command?
Q4: Doing as in Q1, will it affect the size/partitioning of my usb-stick? Will I have to re-partition/format the device after I'm done?
Q1: Debian is now a hybrid ISO. My previous advice is no longer needed. Cat or DD work now on all debian ISO's from netinst to desktop versions.

Code: Select all

# cat debian.iso > /dev/sdX
# sync
or

Code: Select all

# dd if=debian.iso of=/dev/sdX
Q2. Leave it unmounted.
Q3. Makes sure everything is written since you did it manually from CLI. DD doesn't need this.
Q4. It will destroy all partitioning on your usb drive and set up everything automatically. E.g. 1GB flash drive will have a 700MB partition with the Debian installer or Livecd and then you will have 200-300MB space to create another parition.

petcomp
Posts: 2
Joined: 2012-06-23 17:20

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#13 Post by petcomp »

I made a mistake when trying to format an sd card that I use to but an image put on it by unetbootin. Instead of formating the drive I formatted that partition but without an mbr. So, when I tried to bootup the sdcard with an updated image, which used to work, I got similar message about not being about mount with the "loopback".

I then took my sahara flash drive and put an image on it with unetbootin & it worked. So I went into the disk utility and noticed it had an mbr whereas the sd card did not. I unmounted the sdcard & recreated the partition with an mbr as well as formatted the partition as fat. There appears as if there is no fat32 option, but Ubuntu puts fat32 on it anyways.

After that, I put another image on the sdcard with unetbootin & now it boots into the image.

So that is what appears to be the issue. You need to check that the partition was created with an mbr by using the disk utility in Ubuntu......

BTW url of unetbootin ubuntu install is: http://ubuntuguide.net/how-to-install-u ... -in-ubuntu

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craigevil
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Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#14 Post by craigevil »

petcomp wrote:I made a mistake when trying to format an sd card that I use to but an image put on it by unetbootin. Instead of formating the drive I formatted that partition but without an mbr. So, when I tried to bootup the sdcard with an updated image, which used to work, I got similar message about not being about mount with the "loopback".

I then took my sahara flash drive and put an image on it with unetbootin & it worked. So I went into the disk utility and noticed it had an mbr whereas the sd card did not. I unmounted the sdcard & recreated the partition with an mbr as well as formatted the partition as fat. There appears as if there is no fat32 option, but Ubuntu puts fat32 on it anyways.

After that, I put another image on the sdcard with unetbootin & now it boots into the image.

So that is what appears to be the issue. You need to check that the partition was created with an mbr by using the disk utility in Ubuntu......

BTW url of unetbootin ubuntu install is: http://ubuntuguide.net/how-to-install-u ... -in-ubuntu
1) Please do not resurrected old threads
2) This isn't Ubuntu
3) unetbootin is a pos
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petcomp
Posts: 2
Joined: 2012-06-23 17:20

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#15 Post by petcomp »

1. Ubuntu has its origins from Debian.
2. If you have spent hours trying to find a solution you take what you get.
3. I could well have kept info to myself and not bothered.
4. A thankyou might have helped....but thx for throwing the book at me........!

:( :( :( :shock: :shock: :shock:

charles1510
Posts: 1
Joined: 2012-07-11 04:30

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#16 Post by charles1510 »

If you have any problem with usb storage/pendrive instalation of Debian with Unetbootin - the simplest solutionu. You need:
1. PC/virtualPC with Windows
2. HDD Low Level Format Tool
3. HP USB Storage Format Tool
1st you need to format pendrive with HDD Low Level Format Tool - it will erase everything (MBR, partition table), but BIOS will see pendrive as Removable Device. Format it witch HP USB Storage Format Tool and BIOS will see it as USB-HDD/HDD and then make Debian installer with Unetbootin - works like a charm :D

rufong
Posts: 4
Joined: 2010-09-27 02:07

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#17 Post by rufong »

rocolex wrote:I copy a installable ISO to the USB root directory,
first can't detect and mount the cdrom,
terminal

Code: Select all

mount /dev/sdb /media/cdrom



worked for me as well, thx rocolex!

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phenest
Posts: 1702
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Location: The Matrix

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#18 Post by phenest »

I'm getting the same problem installing Wheezy from an SD card. I put the ISO on the SD card using:

Code: Select all

dd if=debian.iso of=/dev/mmcblk0
It boots ok, but fails finding a cd-rom drive. Probably because my Compaq Mini doesn't have one.
This method worked fine for Squeeze.
ASRock H77 Pro4-M i7 3770K - 32GB RAM - Pioneer BDR-209D

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phenest
Posts: 1702
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Location: The Matrix

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#19 Post by phenest »

I tried again but this time from an external hard drive. I could then tell it to use sdb as the cdrom, and it continued without a problem. So does my SD card not show as /dev/mmcblk0 any more?
ASRock H77 Pro4-M i7 3770K - 32GB RAM - Pioneer BDR-209D

lolinux
Posts: 2
Joined: 2013-01-20 14:37

Re: USB install can't mount CD rom

#20 Post by lolinux »

Hey, thank you!

I was trying to install debian i386 from a USB-connected CD-ROM and it kept telling me it was unable to mount the cdrom.
I mounted /dev/cdrom under /cdrom and everything went fine afterwards!

Cheers!
(I hope I didn't revive an old-already-closed thread, just had to create an account to say thanks!)

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