USB boot issues

[barnics]

Installed microwatt 8 from USB. now I can't boot from USB, even though I haven't changed any BIOS settings. It's like the distro has messed with something somewhere. Anyone know how to rectify this?

[barnics]

anyone?

[teedee]

Booting from USB shouldn't be affected by any installation on HD because it happens before even single bit is taken from HD.

Don't feel offended but still most of problems like this come from simple errors or coincidences so you might have already tried my suggestions.

I would try:
- checking BIOS settings especially USB enable/disable
- checking boot order (USB should be before HD)
- testing USB stick on another PC

USB sticks fail from time to time, BIOS batteries also.

How do you know, that you cannot boot from USB?
What do you want to run from USB?

[barnics]

The BIOS settings are exactly the same as they were when I installed microwatt OS. The USB drive is the first in the order. I know the ISO is working on the USB, as I have tried it on another computer.

I know that I can't boot from USB because it's randomly stopped working. It was working right up until I installed microwatt.

I'm trying to run another OS.

[teedee]

Yes, it looks like you did your homework

I don't think wattOS can change anything in BIOS by itself. If not, nothing can be modified until first part of OS has been loaded. This happens after BIOS chooses where to take bootstrap record from.

So your problem is not, that it doesn't boot from USB but it doesn't successfully boot up.

The only thing that comes on my mind now is power management I had problem with recently. wattOS has built in functionality to shut USB ports down when on battery power. Do you boot up when on battery or AC power?

[barnics]

AC power.

It's weird. The manufacturer logo comes up, the screen then goes black and has a static cursor, it quickly flashes green, then just hangs on a black screen with a flashing cursor. It's as if it's starting to boot from the USB and then something disables it.

[teedee]

It's as if it's starting to boot from the USB and then something disables it.

That is good point I believe. So the problem is not that it doesn't boot up from USB but something happens afterwards.
Next bunch of questions/suggestions
- does it happen on all USB ports? some pc's prefer one port over another to boot up
- have you tested USB port you are booting from?
- have you reset BIOS settings? I know you didn't touch them but it is always worth a try to do hard reset including battery removal

[barnics]

I tried your recommendations, but, unfortunately, I'm still getting the same result.

Initially, I had been trying to get the computer to boot from the USB port I used to install microwatt

[blaze]

This other OS, what is it? Did the md5 sum check out ok? What method did you use to put it on the usb stick? What kind of hardware is it?

[barnics]

I've tried a range of different distros, including linux lite, kubuntu, peppermint, and lxle.

I've used Unetbootin, Live USB, and Universal USB Installer to load the ISOs onto the USB. Also, I've checked the ISOs on another computer, and they all boot up fine.

I'm running an emachines 355-n571gs5ikk.

[teedee]

I ran out of ideas
I've got very similar netbook. Mine is Aspire One A150. A bit older but also Atom processor and the same manufacturer. I never suffered any problems on it while testing different distros of Linux. I installed wattOS twice without any problems.
One more idea.. have you tried different stick?

[teejay]

An online search for    debian wheezy boots to black screen    gets (sadly) a large number of hits.
Sorting a little, eliminate the ones which don't fit, such as black screen during install.
The aromas which are left are often X server doesn't start  and  of course "graphics cards".    As like as not, you will find your way to this page   http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1613132  (even though you started at debian), or this page   http://debianelectronics.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/nomodeset-to-correct-nouveau-driver.html     In both cases, the emphasis is on adding nomodeset as a boot code. 

Hope that provides a slightly different direction to look for an answer.

[barnics]

Shout outs to everyone who took the time to try and help me here. It's much appreciated. Teedee's cracked it though. I tried installing from a different USB and it worked. So, thank you so much for that. I've now been able to rid myself of the steaming pile of operating system shit that is Microwatt OS 8.

[teedee]

I'm happy being able to help you! and thank you for posting working solution.

This makes another prove for me to test the simplest solutions first. Sometimes things break by themselves and we connect wrong dots leading to wrong conclusions.

I call it "fly effect" because it recalls an old joke about a scientist testing a fly. He put a fly on a table and commanded it to go.. so fly walked and he made a note "after commanded to go, a fly walked". Then he removed one leg of it and commanded it to go again.. fly went so he made a note "after removing one leg, fly went". He repeated observations one leg after another until a fly has been left with one leg only. Then he commanded it to go and fly went with a lot of effort.. so he made a note "with one leg left, fly hardly went". Finally he removed sixth and last leg and commanded fly to go but it did nothing. Our scientist made a note of observation "after removing six legs, a fly became deaf". 

[blaze]

I've now been able to rid myself of the steaming pile of operating system shit that is Microwatt OS 8.