[syslinux] Problem booting from CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives using syslinux

[Rui Santos]

c.lee111 at gmail.com wrote:
> I've run into a rather odd problem. It seems that I can format and make 
> bootable CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives under Windows 98SE and MS-DOS 
> 6.22 that will boot to a A: prompt on my system.
>
>
> But when I try making the same CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives bootable 
> under linux using syslinux I get nothing, not even a error message. It's
> like the syslinux bootloader doesn't even exist on the CF/SD cards and 
> USB Flashdrives.
>
> I've looked at the CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives using Gparted and it 
> says the cards using syslinux are bootable, so that's not the problem.
>
> I'm pretty sure the CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives aren't being 
> formated as USB-ZIP under Win98se and MS-DOS 6.22, so why can I create
> bootable CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives under Win98se and MS-DOS 6.22, 
> but not under Linux using syslinux?
>   
Could be a BIOS issue. My BIOS (ASUS) always assumes that any device
under 512MB is a USB Floppy and above it assumes is a USB HDD. For a USB
PEN/CF/SD under those 512MB to be detected as a USB HDD, there is an
option ( BIOS ) that forces it to behave like one.

Also, have you tried to issue syslinux with -ma options ?

Hope it helps,
Rui Santos


> Am I overlooking something here?
>
> Here's a look at my motherboard and BIOS.
>
> *-core
>        description: Motherboard
>        product: D845GVSR
>        vendor: Intel Corporation
>        physical id: 0
>        version: AAC45439-302
>        serial: BTSR44406009
>        slot: Audio Line In
>      
> *-firmware
>           description: BIOS
>           vendor: Intel Corp.
>           physical id: 0
>           version: VA84510A.86A.0050.P18.0409222329 (09/22/2004)
>           size: 64KB
>           capacity: 448KB
>           capabilities: pci pnp apm upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect edd
>           int13floppynec int13floppytoshiba int13floppy360 
>           int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen 
>           int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video acpi usb agp 
>           ls120boot zipboot biosbootspecification netboot
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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