AOMEI Partition Assistant
Startup Disk Creator Failed? How to Fix Bootloader on USB device?
Users use Startup disk creator to create bootable USB drive, however, when it fails, how can you fix your bootable USB? In this post, we’ll introduce more details of Startup disk creator and how to fix this issue.
By Lucas / Updated on December 20, 2024
What is Startup disk creator?
Startup disk creator is a tool from Ubuntu that allows users to create a bootable USB drive or external storage device. This bootable drive can be used to install or repair the operating system. The tool provides a simple and easy-to-use interface that doesn't require deep technical knowledge to create a bootable USB drive.
It copies the necessary installation files from an ISO file (such as an Ubuntu .iso file) to the USB stick. It also makes the USB drive bootable, so you can use it to install or run the operating system on a computer, even if that computer doesn't have an operating system installed. In short, this tool allows users to specify an ISO file (a disk image of an operating system), which contains the necessary files for installation or rescue.
Why does Startup disk creator fail to create bootable USB?
Startup Disk Creator can encounter errors and fail when creating a bootable USB drive. These failures typically occur due to various factors related to hardware, software, or the USB drive itself.
1. Incorrect or Corrupted ISO File
The ISO file you are using to create the bootable USB might be corrupted or incomplete. A corrupted ISO can prevent Startup Disk Creator from properly copying the installation files to the USB drive.
2. USB Drive Issues
The USB drive you are using may have issues such as physical damage, faulty sectors, or insufficient space. If the drive has a hardware fault, it could cause errors during the creation process.
3. BIOS/UEFI Compatibility Issues
The computer's BIOS/UEFI firmware might not be properly set to boot from a USB drive, or there could be incompatibilities between the USB drive's bootloader and the system's firmware. Some older systems, for example, may not support booting from USB at all, or there may be secure boot settings preventing it.
4. Failure in the Startup Disk Creator Itself
Sometimes the tool itself may have issues or bugs that prevent it from functioning properly. This could be caused by a bug introduced in an update or a missing dependency in the system.
5. Incorrect Disk Format in the ISO Image
Some ISO files are formatted in a way that Startup Disk Creator doesn't handle well. For instance, some distributions might use UEFI-specific partition layouts or require a different bootloader configuration.
Common errors of Bootloader after Startup disk creator failed
Users may need to fix the bootloader on a bootable USB if they encounter issues during the boot process, such as not being able to boot from the USB drive, receiving error messages, or experiencing other boot-related problems.
Normally, you may meet the errors like:
# 1: No Bootable Device Found on USB drive
When you try to boot from the USB, the system displays an error like "No bootable device found," or the system simply skips the USB drive and boots into the operating system on your hard drive. This often indicates that the bootloader is missing, corrupted, or improperly configured. The bootloader is what allows the system to recognize the USB as a bootable device.
# 2: Missing Operating System error
The system boots, but it doesn't detect an operating system on the USB drive. You might see the message "Missing Operating System" or a similar error. The USB drive may have a broken or incomplete bootloader. This can happen if the USB drive was improperly created, the partitioning scheme was wrong, or a necessary bootloader file was not copied correctly.
# 3: Failed to load /boot/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod" or similar messages
When trying to boot from the USB, you might see a specific GRUB error such as "Failed to load /boot/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod," or another specific bootloader error indicating that some essential bootloader components are missing or broken.
This error typically occurs when the bootloader is unable to find necessary modules or files that are crucial for booting the operating system, often due to corruption or incomplete installation of the bootloader.
Quickly fix bootloader on bootable USB device on Windows PC
When you can’t locate the exact location of the error bootloader, it’s not a good idea to choose a traditional Windows built-in tool and run repair commands. Most commands require users to choose a drive that needs to be repaired, but in most cases, users don’t know which drive is the target one. So, in this case, we suggest you directly try a third-party tool to scan and repair the issues quickly.
AOMEI Partition Assistant is an all-in-one utility that allows users to easily manage their hard drives and partitions while also repairing numerous system boot difficulties and restoring the machine to normal.
This sophisticated Boot Repair function allows you to easily generate a bootable USB and then automatically repair it. What’s more, this tool also allows users to create Windows bootable USB or make a repair USB for other PCs.
100% SecureStep 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant. In the Main Tab, please click the "Recover" tab and select "Boot Repair".
Step 2. The Boot Repair tool will pop up. Please click "Next" to start the system’s boot entries scan process.
Step 3. After the process is completed, it will display the scan result: system paths, system versions, and boot status. And, all repairable boot entries will be available to select.
Advanced Settings: Select a location to store the repaired boot entry.
Repair to the current disk: The system will boot from the current disk and ensure the boot files are complete and functioning properly. (By default)
Repair to another disk: This operation will repair the boot entry or create a new system boot entry to ensure the system can boot from the disk you select.
Step 4. Select one/multiple repairable boot entries you want to repair and click the "Repair" button to start the boot repair.
Step 5. Wait for the repair process to finish. Once it is finished, you can check the repair result. If it succeeds, you will get a "Repair Successfully" result.
Conclusion
As a powerful tool, Startup Disk Creator can help users create bootable USB devices for different systems. However, if the bootloader on the USB has problem, you can try AOMEI Partition Assistant to repair your USB bootloader and see if it’s working.
Besides boot repair feature, this tool also supports Disk Clone, Disk MBR/GPT data-safe conversion, move installed apps, etc. Also, there is the Server edition for Windows Server users.
