[syslinux] how to create bootable FreeDOS HDD or USB flash drive?

[Bernd Blaauw]

Op 27-6-2012 19:39, Kenneth J. Davis schreef:

> sys 3.8 is a dual DOS 16bit real mode version for DOS systems (untested but
> may work on OS/2) and windows 32 exe for use on NT (4+ maybe earlier) with
> 9x support to be added before final release.  It has preliminary support
> for generating syslinux menu option for freedos-user using a boot sector
> though I will probably remove it.  After more testing I plan on chain.c32
> being the preferred method (on my future releases at fdos) to boot the
> freedos kernel.

My point in mentioning your experimental SYS was that 
syslinux.com/syslinux.exe/syslinux64.exe could get combined into a 
single binary as well, should that prove interesting. Unifying SYS with 
SYSLINUX installer seems an even more futuristic possibility.

Using syslinux/memdisk/chain.c32 seems doable with only a few drawbacks:
* 386+ required, even for the bootsector. No fallback/safeguard
* extended memory required, thus 2MB system (or 3MB if using modules)
* volume resizing can't adapt bootsector but breaks it, as the syslinux 
bootsector appears to require hardcoded values to point to binary.
* same for defragmenting.
* if config file missing, syslinux hardly usable.

Anyway, I think people here will agree Syslinux is quite a nice addition 
to a removable device instead of only having data or a single operating 
system present.