Re: [Tails-dev] "machines do not start on USB sticks created…

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Author: Andreas Kuckartz
Date:  
To: The Tails public development discussion list
Subject: Re: [Tails-dev] "machines do not start on USB sticks created using Tails USB Installer, due to a firmware limitation"
intrigeri:
> Andreas Kuckartz wrote (01 Jan 2014 15:51:07 GMT) :
>> The list of known issues contains this section:
>
>> "ThinkPad X220, X230, T430, T520, T530 and E325
>
>> "These machines do not start on USB sticks created using Tails USB
>> Installer, due to a firmware limitation.
> [...]
>> I own a different Lenovo model which might be affected by this issue.
>
> Interesting. I suspect our (experimental) UEFI images would solve this
> issue for you, and would be very interested in the results if you had
> time to test it:
> https://mailman.boum.org/pipermail/tails-dev/2013-December/004538.html


That worked!

Two different USB sticks (one containing an SD card) created with the
Tails Installer ("Clone & Install") boot and I could create a persistent
volume on them.

I used this image:
tails-i386-feature_uefi-0.23-20140104T0920Z-3305611.iso

The laptop used was a Lenovo ThinkPad X130e.

Let me know if you need more details and I will send them by private mail.

BTW: The automatic memory wiping seems to fail - that worked before.

>> The text above seems to indicate that the problem occurs while reading
>> the data on the stick, but I am not sure if that is correct.
>
>> I tried to find more information about the "firmware limitation" but
>> found nothing so far. Can anyone here provide more information?
>
> The limitation is that some crappy pieces of firmware are not able to
> boot in Legacy BIOS mode from a device that has a GPT.


I already downloaded newer firmware but have not yet installed it. I am
also considering migrating to coreboot but I currently do not want to
spend much time on _that_ adventure.

Cheers,
Andreas