chrx Ubuntu install/boot error

[JohnSandel]

Seconding another user's thanks for chrx. This is a terrific tool for a newbie like me.

And I'd like to request a way to install Elementary OS (latest) via chrx. I hope you can find the time to make that possible.

I'm testing distros on an Asus Chromebox—Panther, Haswell @1.4GHz—which chrx makes a snap. (Using a live USB on this machine is a series of headaches … it's much easier to install distros from the internet.)

With chrx I've succeeded in installing Gallium, Lubuntu & Fedora—all using your commands verbatim.

Ubuntu appears to install—chrx reports "no errors"—then fails to boot, every time, immediately after the GRUB screen. I've had variants on the error message 3 times now:

ash: write error: No such device

ash: write error: No such device
[ 4.942123] usb 1-4: string descriptor 0 read error: -22

ash: write error: No such device
[ 5.369873] usb 1-4: string descriptor 0 read error: -22

To be scrupulous, I did a recovery from USB of Chrome OS between all installs of Linux. Later, I tried variants on your command, for releases 15.04 ("No longer supported"), 15.10 (same), 16.04 and 16.10. No dice—same error message.

Any suggestions how I can get Ubuntu to install &/or boot properly using chrx?

JS

[reynhout]

Hi, thanks for your report!

I am not sure what's going wrong with the install -- it's been a while since my last test of full Ubuntu.

It should be 100% safe and reliable to simply reinstall with chrx on top of a previous chrx install. No need to go all the way back to ChromeOS first. Saves a few minutes between tests, at least. I appreciate your scrupulousness though, clean tests are always helpful.

I will give full Ubuntu another try, hopefully this coming weekend, and get back to you.

Re: elementaryOS: Unfortunately, it's very unlikely without someone's help. I don't know whether the eOS folks would be supportive of the effort or not, but I would be glad to include them in chrx. I don't see myself having the time to do the work though.

[JohnSandel]

Thanks, Andrew! I'm a big fan of chrx; it's a clever tool. I'll get ahold of the Elementary kids & ask them if they're open to chrx.

Please do have a look at your install routine for Ubuntu … ignorance prevents me from critiquing what's going on.

[reynhout]

@JohnSandel I had some time and a spare machine last night, so I did a full Ubuntu install.

It was a Braswell machine, so the internal keyboard doesn't work on Ubuntu (requires a kernel patch from GalliumOS), but otherwise the system seemed to work properly. Booted, could log in, suspended, etc.

I also have a Haswell Chromebox that I can test (ZAKO, very similar to your PANTHER). It might take a couple days to free it up from its other tasks, but I'll get there. :)

[JohnSandel]

Thank you for turning your mind to this. Do the error messages I posted mean anything to you?

[reynhout]

Those error messages are typical on working machines as well. The problem will likely lie somewhere else.

[JohnSandel]

Following up here for lack of a more direct way to message you. @cassidyjames, one of the Elementary principals, told me on Twitter that they're provisionally open to your making Elementary available for install via chrx:

"We have to see how it's distributed [i.e., how chrx would make their OS available]. My initial thought's that it is OK. Be sure to consult elementary.io/brand."

So, not the last word—& you may not have the time or inclination to include Elementary—but I wanted to make you guys aware of each other. (Elementary is pretty popular with Chromebook/-box owners.) BTW, I was plain on Twitter that I don't work with you or speak for you.

If you have any news on the chrx implementation of Ubuntu 16.x, let me know. Thank you!

[reynhout]

@JohnSandel Thanks for the follow-up. I have received a few requests for elementaryOS, so I know there's interest.

I'm still waiting for a chance to test on my ZAKO here (it isn't strictly a test device), but I'll let you know when I do. I have successfully tested full Ubuntu on a PEPPY (also Haswell). The differences are minimal but not zero.

[JohnSandel]

I leave it to you. Is GitHub the best place to message you? Are you on, e.g., Twitter or somewhere else?

[reynhout]

Not Twitter, but general chrx questions/support/discussion often happen on the old ChrUbuntu subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/chrubuntu/

[reynhout]

I cannot repro this on ZAKO. Ubuntu seems to work properly for me. Something might have changed in their packaging since the issue was reported? I'm running full/UEFI firmware on this device, so it's possible that has an effect.

(I have no news on elementaryOS either, it remains interesting but realistically not imminent. There's an eOS-specific ticket open at #27.)

I'm going to close this ticket for now. If the problem persists for you on PANTHER, please re-open and tell me as much as you can about your install environment so I can try again to repro. Thanks!

[izk8]

I just had the same issue as @JohnSandel's original issue. After reboot after completely 'successful' installation of ubuntu via chrx, I get the following error:
ash: write error: No such device

Well, to get a successful build, I changed the -r 16.04 to -r 16.04.5, as the 16.04 generated url doesn't resolve.

I had gallium installed via chrx and working well for over a year; just wanted to try out ubuntu.

Computer:
ASUS Chromebook Flip
C302CA-DHM4 12.5-Inch Touchscreen Intel Core m3 with 64GB storage and 4GB RAM
Cave model

Run notes:

Installing to /dev/mmcblk0p7...
Preparing installation root directory /tmp/chrxroot

    Installing
      operating system:   linux 
      distribution (-d):  ubuntu 
      environment (-e):   standard 
      release (-r):       16.04.5 
        version:          16.04.5 (CAUTION: untested!)
      architecture (-a):  amd64 
      mirror (-m):        primary unknown, will use primary
      target_disk (-t):   /dev/mmcblk0
      packages (-p):      “admin-misc 

    System Configuration
      hostname (-H):      littledaddy
      username (-U):      isaac
      locale (-L):        en_US.UTF-8
      timezone (-Z):      America/New_York

Press [enter] to confirm and continue: 

Fetching Ubuntu core image file...
HTTP GET http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-base/releases/16.04.5/release/ubuntu-base-16.04.5-base-amd64.tar.gz

May try some different target disks next.

[jacobhq]

Well, to get a successful build, I changed the -r 16.04 to -r 16.04.5, as the 16.04 generated url doesn't resolve.

That was super helpful. Thanks!!