I am trying to create a bootable USB stick with Ubuntu, KUbuntu or Fedora on it. I have a desktop running windows XP, one running ubuntu, and one with a blank harddrive that was formatted to ext2.

Whenever I use UNetbootin on either the ubuntu machine or windows and try to boot from the USB stick, I get "Boot error".

I have tried downloading the .iso, letting UNetbootin download the .iso, booting a number of different machines with the USB stick and never get passed the "Boot error".

I managed to get puppy linux to boot into the rc.sysinit script but then it lost the keyboard and mouse and could not continue.

Anybody seen this? Any advice?

Issues are :

A usb device that just won't easily work. Use hp usb tools maybe or flip bit.

Wrong bios setup or bad bios. Power down system and then install usb. Boot to bios and see if the usb shows up under the hard drive selection. Move it up as first boot choice. I find this most common of all. It is rare that I select an external or usb device.

Bad download. Check it with md5 or shal or such.

Borrow a friends usb that is known to work or ask them to try yours.

If the usb is large enough you can use the creator in ubuntu or (carefully) install to usb drive just like a normal drive. Be sure you know what you are doing.


See pendrivelinux.com for some other tools and tips.