Hi, everyone,
I’m trying to make a bootable usb flash drive using dosbootdisk package in SUSE 11.0. I succesfully created it using command:
dosbootdisk /dev/sdb1
However, when trying to boot, I get the following error:
Invalid or damaged bootable partition
I tested it on two different computers, the result is the same.
Maybe the problem is in the flash drive? I use KINGSTON 1GB.
I’d try reformating the whole pendrive, as it is accusing error, then make it bootable.
From Installing SuSE on External USB Drive - openSUSE
Bootable flag
Seems like even on an USB stick, a partition have to get the “bootable flag” in the USB key partition table to be bootable by GRUB or syslinux, so use any fdisk utility to verify this (it may be dangerous to trust YaST for such unusual task)
Probably this is also true of DOS, considering the way MS does things 
Also see topic “When USB booting fails” in the link above. It is for installing opensuse on a pen drive, but it may help.