[syslinux] Boot failed

[Scott Haskin]

When I use syslinux version 1.75 to boot from floppy I get "Boot failed".

The system specs are as follows:
Manufacture : IBM
Model : 4695-324
Bios: SurePath BIOS  version GV3.030US
Bios Date: 08/21/2000
Processor : AMD K6 II 300mhz
RAM : 64MB

This is an IBM Point of Sale terminal.

I can get IBM DOS 5.0 and MS DOS 6.22 to boot from floppy with no problems.
I have also booted a linux 2.4.x kernel placed at sector zero on a floppy with no issues.
I can boot using syslinux 1.75 from the HARD DISK with no problems.

I believe the issue is that when the system comes up on floppy syslinux is fooled into thinking that it has come up on the hard disk and tries to read ldlinux.sys from the hard disk.

I have gotten syslinux 1.75 to boot from a floppy but I had to hack ldlinux.asm. I zeroed out dl just before it is tested to always force the system to floppy 0. This works for me because I am only using syslinux to boot from floppy. However I was wondering if there was a better way.

If you need any more information please don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks,
Scott Haskin

P.S. Incidentally dl is 0xFC when I boot from floppy.

Also, I have included an explanation of the hack I made below.

In file ldlinux.asm:
ORIGINAL
----> starting at line 284 <-----
...
;
; DS:SI may contain a partition table entry.  Preserve it for us.
;
                mov cx,8                ; Save partition info
                mov di,sp
                rep movsw

                mov ds,ax               ; Now we can initialize DS...

                mov [di+bsDriveNumber-FloppyTable],dl
                and dl,dl               ; If floppy disk (00-7F), assume no
                js harddisk             ; partition table
...

MODIFIED
----> starting at line 284 <-----
...
;
; DS:SI may contain a partition table entry.  Preserve it for us.
;
                mov cx,8                ; Save partition info
                mov di,sp
                rep movsw

                mov ds,ax               ; Now we can initialize DS...

                xor dl,dl               ; HACKED ADDED
                mov [di+bsDriveNumber-FloppyTable],dl
                and dl,dl               ; If floppy disk (00-7F), assume no
                js harddisk             ; partition table
...