[syslinux] "isolinux.bin missing or corrupt" when booting USB flash drive in old PC

[Thomas Schmitt]

Hi,

David Christensen wrote:
> I see the source code for the error message:
>         .ascii  "isolinux.bin missing or corrupt.\r\n"

The riddle is why the MBR code does not get to see the expected bytes.


> Figuring out why debian-8.7.1-i386-xfce-CD-1.iso works on CD, but doesn't
> work on USB, 

The immediate reason is that from CD the program isolinux.bin is loaded
and started by the BIOS (without checksum verification), whereas from USB
stick, the MBR code has to load and start the program.


> Is there a way I can build live 32-bit Debian GNU/Linux USB images without
> isohdpfx.S and syslinux.bin?

You could try
  https://www.debian.org/releases/jessie/i386/ch04s03.html.en#usb-copy-flexible

This looks like what Ady proposed by:
> > or I would be partitioning and formatting the USB device


Have a nice day :)

Thomas