Flashed a snapshot image to a USB drive but can't boot it!

[gbhollr]

Lately, I've been building a MX Linux installation loaded with over 200GB worth of games with the intent of creating a live-boot image to flash into a high-capacity drive
to take with me and play during my travels. (Yes, I know I can just carry a normal gaming installation. I just want a liveboot gaming image because it's nice to have one and only make permanent changes when I want).

So I created a snapshot and flashed it to a 500GB mSATA SSD (in an enclosure) but when I tried to boot it up, it didn't work.
I tried again on a 256GB USD flash drive but I had the same result.

Here's a photo of the error I got.


And here's my latest QSI.

Code: Select all

Snapshot created on: 20250401_1852
System:
  Kernel: 6.13.8-4-liquorix-amd64 [6.13-9~mx23ahs] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0 parameters: audit=0
    intel_pstate=disable amd_pstate=disable BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.13.8-4-liquorix-amd64
    root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash slab_nomerge slub_debug=FZ init_on_alloc=1 init_on_free=1
    page_alloc.shuffle=1 pti=on vsyscall=none debugfs=off oops=panic loglevel=0 spectre_v2=on
    spec_store_bypass_disable=on tsx=off tsx_async_abort=full,nosmt mds=full,nosmt l1tf=full,force
    nosmt=force kvm.nx_huge_pages=force ipv6.disable=1 apparmor=1 security=apparmor
    random.trust_cpu=off intel_iommu=on amd_iommu=on efi=disable_early_pci_dma
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.5_ahs_x64 Libretto September 15  2024 base: Debian GNU/Linux
    12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 20AWS0UN00 v: ThinkPad T440p serial: <superuser required>
    Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: 20AWS0UN00 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: LENOVO v: GLET80WW (2.34 )
    date: 07/23/2015
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5-4300M bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Haswell gen: core 4 level: v3
    note: check built: 2013-15 process: Intel 22nm family: 6 model-id: 0x3C (60) stepping: 3
    microcode: 0x28
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 smt: disabled cache: L1: 128 KiB desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB
    L2: 512 KiB desc: 2x256 KiB L3: 3 MiB desc: 1x3 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 1947 high: 2594 min/max: 800/2601 boost: enabled scaling:
    driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: ondemand cores: 1: 2594 2: 1300 bogomips: 10376
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX unsupported
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT disabled
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Unknown: No mitigations
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines; IBPB: always-on; IBRS_FW; STIBP: disabled; RSB
    filling; PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics vendor: Lenovo ThinkPad T440p
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-7.5 process: Intel 22nm built: 2013 ports: active: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1, DP-2, HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2, VGA-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0416 class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: crocus gpu: i915 display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1366x768 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 362x204mm (14.25x8.03") s-diag: 416mm (16.36")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: LG Display 0x045e built: 2014 res: 1366x768 hz: 60 dpi: 112 gamma: 1.2
    size: 310x174mm (12.2x6.85") diag: 355mm (14") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1366x768
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 24.2.8-1mx23ahs renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio vendor: Lenovo ThinkPad T440p
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:03.0 chip-ID: 8086:0c0c class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Lenovo ThinkPad T440p
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:8c20 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.13.8-4-liquorix-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Ethernet I217-LM vendor: Lenovo ThinkPad T440p driver: e1000e v: kernel
    port: 3080 bus-ID: 00:19.0 chip-ID: 8086:153a class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.03 TiB used: 199.94 GiB (19.0%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 860 EVO 1TB size: 931.51 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 4B6Q scheme: MBR
  ID-2: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Transcend model: TS128GMTS430S size: 119.24 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: V3PD
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 931.26 GiB size: 915.57 GiB (98.31%) used: 199.94 GiB (21.8%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 256 MiB size: 252 MiB (98.46%) used: 412 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 1 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 4 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 file: /swap/swap
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 34.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): fan-1: 0
Repos:
  Packages: 4211 pm: dpkg pkgs: 4140 libs: 2230 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 71
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
    1: deb https://debian.drdteam.org/ stable multiverse
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security/ bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb https://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
    2: deb https://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm ahs
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/signal-xenial-added-by-mxpi.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt xenial main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscodium.list
    1: deb [ signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/vscodium-archive-keyring.gpg ] https://paulcarroty.gitlab.io/vscodium-deb-rpm-repo/debs/ vscodium main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/extrepo_librewolf.sources
    1: deb [arch=amd64 arm64] https://repo.librewolf.net librewolf main
Info:
  Processes: 227 Uptime: 2m wakeups: 3 Memory: 15.51 GiB used: 1.1 GiB (7.1%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: UEFI

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[CharlesV]

What did you use to "Flash" the iso ? MX Live USB ?

And your kernel params ... if they are also set on the startup of the USB drive.. I dont think will work. ( the root= param especially)

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root=UUID=<filter> 

[gbhollr]

Hi. So I used the "Live USB Maker".

As the the startup params, which ones should I remove to ensure it does boot up properly?
Thanks.

[CharlesV]

I would start with that root=xxxxxxx that is going to have trouble on any machine that doesnt have that hard drive. (or if it was re-partitioned).

[gbhollr]

I'm checking the /etc/default/grub file.
How to remove root=xxxxxxx?

It doesn't seem to be in the boot parameters but it looks like it's under
GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true so I uncommented it then ran update-grub.

One look at my QSI afterwards, however, and I still see the root=UUID=<filter>.
Help please?

[CharlesV]

If you look in mx Boot Options, it should have a list of your current kernel params .. if it lists that root=xxx in there, then take note of it (ie write it down incase you need it again!! ) , then remove that one param and reboot. It should be ok.

if that is all good, then create the snapshot again.

I *believe* you could also start the current snapshot, edit the grub entry with that param, remove it and then continue to boot and it should work. But - I have not tried it on that param so ???

[fehlix]

I would start with that root=xxxxxxx that is going to have trouble on any machine that doesnt have that hard drive. (or if it was re-partitioned).

The QSI shown is from the installed system not from the LiveBooted. and the live boot grub menu would not have this root= boot parameter normally.

I'm checking the /etc/default/grub file.
How to remove root=xxxxxxx?

It doesn't seem to be in the boot parameters but it looks like it's under
GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true so I uncommented it then ran update-grub.

One look at my QSI afterwards, however, and I still see the root=UUID=<filter>.
Help please?

You should not change this, please revert to have this line commented out:

Code: Select all

#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

otherwise you will got other issues in the future.
and rerun to correct

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sudo update-grub

My suggestions:
1st) Run from LiveBoot menu "Check Live media"
which would try to verify the linuxfs file is not corrupt.

2.) do remove all of the additional live boot parameter,
which you have carried over from the installed system, b/c they may (or not) the reason for the failure.
Appears to me you somehow have installed a safety lockdown tool into the installed system,
which generated all those boot parameter, and maybe liveBoot may suffer - but admit haven't tried those boot parameter..

[DukeComposed]

I'm checking the /etc/default/grub file.
How to remove root=xxxxxxx?

You should not change this

I concur with this. Tinkering with your /etc/default/grub is a one-way trip to having an unbootable system. If you have to ask how to edit GRUB, you are not ready to start editing GRUB.

[CharlesV]

Thank you to @fehlix for that!

[gbhollr]

You should not change this, please revert to have this line commented out:

Code: Select all

#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

otherwise you will got other issues in the future.
and rerun to correct

Well, I already uncommented it.
So should I switch it to false? Otherwise, I reckon commenting it again will still leave it treated as "true". Right?