can't create usb key with "startup disk creator" for some operating system

[Carla Sella]

When creating a non persistent usb key with "startup disk creator" I get an installation failed message you see in the attached image.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: usb-creator-gtk 0.2.34
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.19-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
Date: Fri Oct 7 19:45:13 2011
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/usb-creator-gtk
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
InterpreterPath: /usr/bin/python2.7
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: usb-creator
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-09-28 (8 days ago)
---
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: usb-creator (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.19-generic 3.0.4
Tags: oneiric running-unity
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-09-28 (8 days ago)
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare video

[Carla Sella (carla-sella)]

I now tried also to create a persistent usb key, same error occurs.

[Carla Sella (carla-sella)]

apport information

[Carla Sella (carla-sella)]

apport information

[Carla Sella (carla-sella)]

apport information

[Carla Sella (carla-sella)]

apport information

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

From the information in your bug report I'm guessing your are trying to create an USB stick of the following operating system - debian-6.0.2.1-amd64-netinst.iso. Is that correct?

The traceback indicates the following:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/usbcreator/install.py", line 143, in run
    self.install()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/usbcreator/install.py", line 581, in install
    self.mangle_syslinux()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/usbcreator/install.py", line 256, in mangle_syslinux
    target_os_ver = debian_support.Version(contents[1])
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/debian/debian_support.py", line 172, in __init__
    super(AptPkgVersion, self).__init__(version)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/debian/debian_support.py", line 91, in __init__
    self.full_version = version
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/debian/debian_support.py", line 117, in __setattr__
    self._set_full_version(str(value))
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/debian/debian_support.py", line 96, in _set_full_version
    raise ValueError("Invalid version string %r" % version)
ValueError: Invalid version string 'GNU/Linux'

Inspecting the usb-creator code it looks to me like it tries to read .disk/info on the ISO to determine the target OS and that 'GNU/Linux' was not an expected response. Could you add the full contents of ".disk/info" from the ISO? Thanks in advance.

[Carla Sella (carla-sella)]

Yes it's correct, but it also happens if I try to create a USB stick from oneiric-desktop-amd64.iso, same error,same message.
I'm attaching the .disk/info file from the debian-6.0.2.1-amd64-netinst.iso.

[Carla Sella (carla-sella)]

Yes it's correct, but it also happens if I try to create a USB stick from oneiric-desktop-amd64.iso, same error,same message.
I'm attaching the .disk/info file from the debian-6.0.2.1-amd64-netinst.iso.

[Carnë Draug (carandraug)]

I can confirm this bug is still on Ubuntu 12.04

[Craig Coleman (ubuntu-insanitarium)]

Looks like this might be a duplicate of bug 722019
One thing to note: according to http://www.debian.org/CD/faq/#write-usb the Debian isos are meant to be written directly to a USB flash drive via something like 'dd' without modifications.