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I'm trying to install Ubuntu 12.04 Server (32bit) on a machine here using a USB stick. I used the Universal-USB-Installer-1.8.9.4 which has support for 12.04 server to get the ISO onto the USB drive.

  1. The computer boots up the installation process ok.
  2. It gets through the Ubuntu language, locale and keyboard selection.
  3. Then starts loading additional components. At this point it gets about a quarter of the way through then throws big error message saying:

[!!] Load installer components from CD

There was a problem reading data from the CD-ROM. Please make sure it is in the drive. If retrying does not work., you should check the integrity of your CD-ROM.

Failed to copy file from CD-ROM. Retry?

cd rom error with purple background

Retrying obviously fails as well. Have tried re-running again and installing again onto the USB but no change. Have tried checking for CD-ROM integrity errors and it breaks on this error:

[!] Check the CD-ROM(s) integrity

Integrity test failed

The ./pool/main/l/linux/fs-secondary-modules-3.2.0-23-generic-pae-di_3.2.0-23.36_i386. file failed the MD5 checksum verification. Your CD-ROM or this file may have been corrupted.

enter image description here

Have also tried the Ubuntu-Server 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin) daily build. No go there. Even checked the iso SHA1 hashes and they match.

Have tried LinuxLive USB Creator 2.8.11 and unetbootin-windows-575 to see if it was an image with the USB drive software but still no go.

Any ideas?

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  • 2
    This bug also affects ubuntu-12.04.2-server-amd64.iso and there is a bug filed in bugs.launchpad.net/debian-installer/+bug/1130381 Apr 24, 2013 at 12:01
  • 3
    I encountered this problem whilst trying to install ubuntu-12.04.2-server-amd64. A solution that worked for me was to use Win32 Disk Imager to write the ISO to the USB flash drive. When I opened the ISO image in 7-zip, or mounted it using Daemon Tools and viewed the contents in Windows Explorer, both showed the files in /pool/main/l/linux with truncated names.
    – NickG
    Jun 22, 2013 at 15:59
  • 1
    NickG's solution worked for me as well (had used UNetbootin under Windows first which apparently didn't work).
    – gablin
    Aug 2, 2013 at 11:10
  • I experienced the same issue but with 13.10. Turns out the problem was not with the installer but the motherboard's BIOS settings (GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3). I was unable to install from USB and ended up cloning an existing server installation and boot the computer with it. Neither the USB ports nor the Ethernet card would work. Once the BIOS settings were changed everything started working. See askubuntu.com/questions/276788/… for details
    – hknust
    Dec 11, 2013 at 4:27
  • I tried the solutions below and none of them worked for me. Seems to be an issue with versions above 13.04. I was able to install Ubuntu Server 13.04 64bit without any issues. Here is a link to 13.04 raring ringtail old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/13.04
    – Kyle Coots
    Jun 16, 2015 at 5:25

7 Answers 7

25

This was my solution with a Ubuntu 12.04 LTS server installation from a USB Pendrive:

  • Run the installer.
  • Open a shell (ALT + F2).
  • Create the directory cdrom directly on the root of the file system:

    mkdir /cdrom
    

    (If you got problems making the directory /cdrom, disable the CD-rom player in BOIS or disconnect the cable)

  • Mount the USB as if it is a CD-ROM:

    mount -t vfat /dev/sdb1 /cdrom 
    

    Where sdb1 is your USB device.

That's all.

4
  • 6
    Once you've remounted, you can get back to the install screen by pressing Alt-F1.
    – jevon
    May 27, 2013 at 5:41
  • Mounting /dev/db1 on /cdrom failed : Device or resiyrce busy
    – themihai
    Jan 9, 2015 at 20:52
  • I suppose you have to mount /dev/sdb1. Are you sure /dev/db1 is your USB device? Check it by watching your /dev/ directory and unplug the USB device and see what devices removes.
    – Rob Groen
    Jan 10, 2015 at 8:19
  • Thanks it works also with 14.04.3 LTS server installation
    – ad3luc
    Oct 1, 2015 at 11:03
23

It seems there are some naming errors with the files under \pool\main\l\linux (I found false extensions *.ude instead of *.udeb there) and a MD5-Checksum error with ./install/netboot/ubuntu-installer/i386/pxelinux.cfg/default). After fixing these errors I'm able to install the 32-bit Server Edition.

8
  • 1
    Thanks! Yeah they are definitely in the ISO image like that. Strangely I managed to get it working by simply burning to DVD even without renaming the files to their proper extension. Installing from USB though must pick up the errors.
    – zuallauz
    Apr 30, 2012 at 11:41
  • 1
    Kudos @hre1. There have been issues with USB installs for several years. No one has really fixed this or fully identified them. The only work around, for those few machines that always stalled during install, was to use a CD-ROM instead.
    – david6
    Jun 3, 2012 at 0:04
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    MAYBE: If the USB is stick created under the same Ubuntu release as the target, then this will often work (even when a 'Universal' created stick fails). eg. using 12.04 LTS 'desktop' to create USB install for 12.04 LTS 'server'. The bugs need to be fixed, but this minimises them ..
    – david6
    Oct 25, 2012 at 8:14
  • 1
    I don't have any *.ude file instead of *.udeb in \pool\main\l\linux
    – Open SEO
    Dec 27, 2012 at 15:53
  • 1
    just changing the extension works, look for them. I found them and just renamed the extension and everything worked like a charm. Jan 2, 2013 at 17:21
8

The solution is to use the Startup Disk Creator. I have try it on my USB key and I have installed Ubuntu Server 12.04 LTS 32 bits without trouble. I use Ubuntu Desktop 12.04 LTS in order to create my USB Startup Disk. See this article for details about Startup Disk Creator: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/help/create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu

3
  • 1
    I just tried this method, and it does indeed work, so +1 for that... However, I wouldn't call this the solution, as there's clearly a problem with either the Ubuntu disc image or the Universal USB Installer program. May 8, 2012 at 16:11
  • This method is quite valid. But, I am concerned that this (quietly) forces a workaround. These are still a few machines out there (older BIOS, chip) where the SDC/USB method does NOT work, and one has to resort to a CD install.
    – david6
    Jun 3, 2012 at 0:06
  • This isn't a solution if you only have a windows box
    – Open SEO
    Dec 27, 2012 at 15:54
8

For me it was enough to change those extensions (*.ude to *.udeb) under \pool\main\l\linux.

2
  • For me too. I'm glad I found this thread before pulling all of my hair out. Oct 24, 2012 at 21:29
  • 2
    cd into the pool/ directory and run find . -name "*.ude" -exec mv {} {}b \; to fix them all. :)
    – gertvdijk
    Aug 28, 2013 at 18:10
7

I found another solution to this. Follow the steps:

  • create the bootable pendrive as using Universal-USB-Installer-1.8.9.4
  • also copy the same iso file to the pendrive
  • reboot the system and select Execute shell command
  • run the following command (mind the device/pendrive name):

    mount -o loop /dev/sdb1 /cdrom
    exit
    
  • select the option load configuration from cdrom

  • a list of options will be shown; select the 3rd,4th and 5th which are related to loading iso
  • now on main menu select option load iso from disk
  • a list of disks will be shown, select the one corresponding to your pendrive
  • the iso file will be shown select this and you are done
  • follow the rest of onscreen options
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  • Aha! -- There it is. Filenames are truncated at 64 characters. The solution by Ajay worked for me.
    – user67984
    Jun 2, 2012 at 23:02
  • This got me on the right track. I ended up mounting the iso manually. At the 'select language' screen, press alt-F2create the mount directories, then mount -o loop /dev/sda1 /usb_drive and mount -t iso9660 -o loop "/usb_drive/<image_name>.iso" /cdrom Then return to the wizard with alt-f2
    – Aaron
    Feb 23, 2016 at 3:32
2

Here the issue (broken installer image on usb for 10.04 64b server) was solved by using the startup disk creator on an existing 12.04 installation (edu i386). The startup disk creator on Ubuntu 10.04.4 LTS 64b, caused the damaged startup-usb and does not seem to be compatible (enough) to create a 12.04 installation usb-stick.

1

I used the current version of PendriveLinux for windows (1.8.9.6) and I also had this problem. Creating the bootable usb stick with the Startup disk creator solved my issuse.

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