[syslinux] Booting

[Barry Fawthrop]

H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> Barry Fawthrop wrote:
>   
>> Question: Is there a way to click a file or exe, which will cause the 
>> machine to reboot pointing to the USB stick (which is already inserted)
>> without:
>>    (a) effecting or modifing the MBR
>>    (b) or the HDD?
>>
>> Some hardware
>>   (1) Will boot from USB no problems
>>   (2) Some you have to change the BIOS order
>>   (3) Others don't know what USB booting is  (TO overcome this)
>>
>> In sequence in mind:
>> Running Windows,
>> Insert the USB stick,
>> Change to F: (or whatever USB stick is)
>> Click a reboot file
>> reboot the machine into the USB stick
>> Work in the USB environment
>> shutdown, removed the USB stick
>> boot back into Windows (totally uneffected)
>>
>> How is this possible? (I'm willing to write my own reboot.exe if it does 
>> not exist already)
>>
>>     
>
> It's not possible except with older versions (95/98/ME) of Windows 
> (where you could use Loadlin) or by using a virtual machine.
>
> 	-hpa
>
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>   

Hi Peter
Thank you for your response
I'm very  keen to understand the whole boot process better
What stops a 2000/XP/ machine?
I know when you install XP (for example)
Phase 1: Your boot the CD (Press any key to boot from CD) and it install 
part 1

Phase 2: Then it reboots and automatically continues
     (even though the CD is in, and does not ask if you want to boot 
from CD)
It continues and then says, please remove all CDs and reboot after part 2

How does it get the end of  part 1 phase 2 right?
Surely it must write to memory or  something, that bypasses bios normal 
order
And then removes this during phase 2 ?
If this makes sense?

Thanks
Barry