[arch-general] Help with making a bootable usbkey from arch for ssd drive firmware update

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Mike Cloaked

15 Jan 2013 15 Jan '13

9:57 p.m.

If anyone can help or suggest links to solve the following problem I would appreciate it. I have a new system built with an Intel DQ77KB motherboard with a Crucial mSATA M4 SSD, and a Crucial SATA M4 SSD drive. I want to install arch on this system and indeed preparing a usbkey with the archiso install media using dd to write the usbkey boots just fine. Also the latest PartedMagic iso written to a usbkey also boots fine so that I can format the SSD drives (both of them). Looking at the system profile I can see all the peripherals, including all the RAM and both SSD drives. However before starting the arch install I want to update the firmware on the SSD drives. This is available from the Crucial website either as a Windows 7/8 .exe (which I can't use) or a "manual" firmware update file which is an iso (containing memdisk from syslinux, and a floppy image file boot2880.img) Running the "file" command on the boot2880.img file after loop mounting it gives: # file /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img: x86 boot sector, FREE-DOS Beta 0.9 Bootloader KERNEL.SYS, code offset 0x3c, OEM-ID "FreeDOS ", sectors/cluster 2, root entries 240, sectors 5760 (volumes <=32 MB) , sectors/FAT 9, serial number 0x2b6112fe, label: "BOOTABLE ", FAT (12 bit) Writing the iso to a usbkey won't boot - the screen goes blank and nothing happens when I write the iso to a usbkey with a FAT32 key with the boot flag. I have tried isolinux and that does not seem to work. I have tried a bootable grub2 usbkey and that does not work - all are prepared from a working arch linux laptop. I have following numerous "recipes" for making the usbkey from various sources on the web and none seem to work at all! The odd thing is that for syslinux I can't even get a menu item on the screen when booting the key - nor for grub 2. I have used two different makes of usbkey - both 4GB....same result - and both keys will boot fine with the archiso or PartedMagic. I don't know if I am doing something fundamentally stupid but this is driving me nuts! I have used gparted, as well as fdisk, as well as trying parted to reformat the usbkeys. Nothing I do seems to work! There must be a good step-by-step guide somewhere on how to get a usbkey with sysylinux to boot the firmware updater - which seems to have a floppy image file (boot2880.img) and uses memdisk to boot it - though the version on the iso file is about two year old whereas arch current memdisk in syslinux is up to date. If anyone can help advise on how to make a bootable usbkey to execute this, I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance. -- mike c

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Mauro Santos

15 Jan 15 Jan

10:16 p.m.

New subject: [arch-general] Help with making a bootable usbkey from arch for ssd drive firmware update

On 15-01-2013 21:57, Mike Cloaked wrote:

...

If anyone can help or suggest links to solve the following problem I would appreciate it.

I have a new system built with an Intel DQ77KB motherboard with a Crucial mSATA M4 SSD, and a Crucial SATA M4 SSD drive. I want to install arch on this system and indeed preparing a usbkey with the archiso install media using dd to write the usbkey boots just fine.

Also the latest PartedMagic iso written to a usbkey also boots fine so that I can format the SSD drives (both of them). Looking at the system profile I can see all the peripherals, including all the RAM and both SSD drives.

However before starting the arch install I want to update the firmware on the SSD drives. This is available from the Crucial website either as a Windows 7/8 .exe (which I can't use) or a "manual" firmware update file which is an iso (containing memdisk from syslinux, and a floppy image file boot2880.img)

Running the "file" command on the boot2880.img file after loop mounting it gives:

# file /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img: x86 boot sector, FREE-DOS Beta 0.9 Bootloader KERNEL.SYS, code offset 0x3c, OEM-ID "FreeDOS ", sectors/cluster 2, root entries 240, sectors 5760 (volumes <=32 MB) , sectors/FAT 9, serial number 0x2b6112fe, label: "BOOTABLE ", FAT (12 bit)

This seems to be a FreeDOS floppy. If you can mount that image and have a look inside you can probably find the firmware file itself, the flasher program and probably the command used to launch it (look inside autoexec.bat).

...

Writing the iso to a usbkey won't boot - the screen goes blank and nothing happens when I write the iso to a usbkey with a FAT32 key with the boot flag. I have tried isolinux and that does not seem to work. I have tried a bootable grub2 usbkey and that does not work - all are prepared from a working arch linux laptop.

I have following numerous "recipes" for making the usbkey from various sources on the web and none seem to work at all!

The odd thing is that for syslinux I can't even get a menu item on the screen when booting the key - nor for grub 2.

I have used two different makes of usbkey - both 4GB....same result - and both keys will boot fine with the archiso or PartedMagic.

I don't know if I am doing something fundamentally stupid but this is driving me nuts! I have used gparted, as well as fdisk, as well as trying parted to reformat the usbkeys. Nothing I do seems to work!

There must be a good step-by-step guide somewhere on how to get a usbkey with sysylinux to boot the firmware updater - which seems to have a floppy image file (boot2880.img) and uses memdisk to boot it - though the version on the iso file is about two year old whereas arch current memdisk in syslinux is up to date.

If anyone can help advise on how to make a bootable usbkey to execute this, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

You could try downloading freedos, installing it to a usbkey and check if it boots, if it does it is a matter of adding the flasher program, the firmware file and launch it the same way it is launched in the original image. -- Mauro Santos

Mike Cloaked

10:35 p.m.

New subject: [arch-general] Help with making a bootable usbkey from arch for ssd drive firmware update

On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 10:16 PM, Mauro Santos wrote:

...

...
Running the "file" command on the boot2880.img file after loop mounting it gives:

# file /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img: x86 boot sector, FREE-DOS Beta 0.9 Bootloader KERNEL.SYS, code offset 0x3c, OEM-ID "FreeDOS ", sectors/cluster 2, root entries 240, sectors 5760 (volumes <=32 MB) , sectors/FAT 9, serial number 0x2b6112fe, label: "BOOTABLE ", FAT (12 bit)

This seems to be a FreeDOS floppy. If you can mount that image and have a look inside you can probably find the firmware file itself, the flasher program and probably the command used to launch it (look inside autoexec.bat).

I guess that is possible - though I would have to look up how to open up the img file.

...

You could try downloading freedos, installing it to a usbkey and check if it boots, if it does it is a matter of adding the flasher program, the firmware file and launch it the same way it is launched in the original image.

I did try using unetbootin to make a freedos usbkey using freedos from the standard list in the available options within unetbootin but the key I prepared would not boot! I don't know if it is critical to put the partition table into the key in a particular way - but I tried using gparted and making a standard msdos partition table followed by making a new partition which was fat32 with boot and lba labels. I have seen some articles which have the old 63 sector start point for the first partition on the usbkey - but again when I tried that the key would not get recognised by the arch system when I plugged it in. So is there any magic incantation in formatting the usbkey in the first place before putting writing the MBR and placing the syslinux boot files and image files in the key? If using grub2 via grub-install on the key is there any magic incantation for that ? I guess if I can get freedos to boot on the key I may be closer to getting something going! (Or getting sysylinux to boot - either would be a solution) Thanks -- mike c

Mauro Santos

11:10 p.m.

New subject: [arch-general] Help with making a bootable usbkey from arch for ssd drive firmware update

On 15-01-2013 22:35, Mike Cloaked wrote:

...

On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 10:16 PM, Mauro Santos wrote:

...
...
Running the "file" command on the boot2880.img file after loop mounting it gives:

# file /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img: x86 boot sector, FREE-DOS Beta 0.9 Bootloader KERNEL.SYS, code offset 0x3c, OEM-ID "FreeDOS ", sectors/cluster 2, root entries 240, sectors 5760 (volumes <=32 MB) , sectors/FAT 9, serial number 0x2b6112fe, label: "BOOTABLE ", FAT (12 bit)

This seems to be a FreeDOS floppy. If you can mount that image and have a look inside you can probably find the firmware file itself, the flasher program and probably the command used to launch it (look inside autoexec.bat).

I guess that is possible - though I would have to look up how to open up the img file.

Have you tried to just mount that /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img file? Try with 'mount -o loop /mnt/iso/boot/isolinux/boot2880.img /path/to/mountpoint'

...

...
You could try downloading freedos, installing it to a usbkey and check if it boots, if it does it is a matter of adding the flasher program, the firmware file and launch it the same way it is launched in the original image.

I did try using unetbootin to make a freedos usbkey using freedos from the standard list in the available options within unetbootin but the key I prepared would not boot! I don't know if it is critical to put the partition table into the key in a particular way - but I tried using gparted and making a standard msdos partition table followed by making a new partition which was fat32 with boot and lba labels. I have seen some articles which have the old 63 sector start point for the first partition on the usbkey - but again when I tried that the key would not get recognised by the arch system when I plugged it in.

So is there any magic incantation in formatting the usbkey in the first place before putting writing the MBR and placing the syslinux boot files and image files in the key? If using grub2 via grub-install on the key is there any magic incantation for that ? I guess if I can get freedos to boot on the key I may be closer to getting something going! (Or getting sysylinux to boot - either would be a solution)

I really meant installing freedos to the usbkey, no syslinux involved there. You can probably do the install step from a virtual machine by allowing it access to the whole usbkey. Then you just need to copy the flasher program and the firmware file to the root and run it from there. -- Mauro Santos

LANGLOIS Olivier PIS -EXT

11:11 p.m.

New subject: [arch-general] Help with making a bootable usbkey from arch for ssd drive firmware update

...

I did try using unetbootin to make a freedos usbkey using freedos from the standard list in the available options within unetbootin but the key I prepared would not boot! I don't know if it is critical to put the partition table into the key in a particular way - but I tried using gparted and making a standard msdos partition table followed by making a new partition which was fat32 with boot and lba labels. I have seen some articles which have the old 63 sector start point for the first partition on the usbkey - but again when I tried that the key would not get recognised by the arch system when I plugged it in.

So is there any magic incantation in formatting the usbkey in the first place before putting writing the MBR and placing the syslinux boot files and image files in the key? If using grub2 via grub-install on the key is there any magic incantation for that ? I guess if I can get freedos to boot on the key I may be closer to getting something going! (Or getting sysylinux to boot - either would be a solution)

You remember me when I had to burn Windows7 dvd on a USB key because in the middle of the installation the setup program was suddenly complaining about a missing dvd player driver even if it got loaded fine from the dvd drive! I was in a hurry to find a magic incantation or a magical recipe from the internet to do just that for literally a whole night. Before that, the last time I had to create a bootable disk was back from DOS where everything was simply done with just format /b a: I failed and after a couple of hours of sleep. I decided to take some time to just read grub2 documentation. Just by stopping trying to take shortcuts and just read the grub documentation, I have been able to build my first bootable USB key! I suggest you to do the same. Just half an hour and bootloading won't have any secrets to you anymore. ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY : This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. If you are not a named recipient, please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose the contents to another person, use it for any purpose or store or copy the information in any medium.

Mike Cloaked

16 Jan 16 Jan

10:22 a.m.

New subject: [arch-general] Help with making a bootable usbkey from arch for ssd drive firmware update

On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 11:11 PM, LANGLOIS Olivier PIS -EXT < olivier.pis.langlois@transport.alstom.com> wrote:

...

...
I did try using unetbootin to make a freedos usbkey using freedos from the standard list in the available options within unetbootin but the key I prepared would not boot! I don't know if it is critical to put the partition table into the key in a particular way - but I tried using gparted and making a standard msdos partition table followed by making a new partition which was fat32 with boot and lba labels. I have seen some articles which have the old 63 sector start point for the first partition on the usbkey - but again when I tried that the key would not get recognised by the arch system when I plugged it in.

So is there any magic incantation in formatting the usbkey in the first place before putting writing the MBR and placing the syslinux boot files and image files in the key? If using grub2 via grub-install on the key is there any magic incantation for that ? I guess if I can get freedos to boot on the key I may be closer to getting something going! (Or getting sysylinux to boot - either would be a solution)

You remember me when I had to burn Windows7 dvd on a USB key because in the middle of the installation the setup program was suddenly complaining about a missing dvd player driver even if it got loaded fine from the dvd drive!

I was in a hurry to find a magic incantation or a magical recipe from the internet to do just that for literally a whole night. Before that, the last time I had to create a bootable disk was back from DOS where everything was simply done with just format /b a:

I failed and after a couple of hours of sleep. I decided to take some time to just read grub2 documentation. Just by stopping trying to take shortcuts and just read the grub documentation, I have been able to build my first bootable USB key!

I suggest you to do the same. Just half an hour and bootloading won't have any secrets to you anymore.

Yes - good idea - I will go and re-read the grub docs.... -- mike c

Christian Hesse

6:56 a.m.

New subject: [arch-general] Help with making a bootable usbkey from arch for ssd drive firmware update

Mike Cloaked on Tue, 2013/01/15 21:57:

...

[...] If anyone can help advise on how to make a bootable usbkey to execute this, I would really appreciate it.

I do have the same drive and I updated the firmware booting the image off grub. All just need is a working grub (2.0 here) installation and syslinux (for memdisk). (Though doing it with syslinux should work as well.) The grub.cfg should have a config section that looks like this: menuentry "Update Crucial M4" { set root='(hd0,1)' linux16 /memdisk floppy initrd16 /boot2880.img } If the files are in place (probably in /boot/) the image should boot and you can successfully update the drives firmware. Mounting the boot image, modifying it or installing freedos is not necessary. -- main(a){char*c=/* Schoene Gruesse */"B?IJj;MEH" "CX:;",b;for(a/* Chris get my mail address: */=0;b=c[a++];) putchar(b-1/(/* gcc -o sig sig.c && ./sig */b/42*2-3)*42);}

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Christian Hesse
LANGLOIS Olivier PIS -EXT
Mauro Santos
Mike Cloaked