[syslinux] floppy image issues

[Carl Karsten]

As long as I am bothering to post this, maybe now's the time to get some 
help on some things.

 > label pxesmb
 > # SMB on pxe TCP/IP stack
 >         kernel memdisk
 >         append initrd=smb/pxesmbboot.IMA keeppxe

This took some doing to get everything to fit into memory.  I couldn't 
do it with himem.sys, so I pulled out QEMM386.sys.  I never had the 
problem with dedicated nick drivers (like the dell V333 below.) Anyone 
have any advice for getting everything loaded?  Here is config/autoexec:

root at shaz:/var/lib/tftpboot/smb/pxesmbboot # cat config.sys
DEVICE=\qemm\QEMM386.SYS ram FR=NONE
DOS=HIGH,umb
files=12
buffers=1
stacks=0,0
FCBS=1
DEVICE=\net\ifshlp.sys

root at shaz:/var/lib/tftpboot/smb/pxesmbboot # cat autoexec.bat
path=\qemm;\dos;\net
\net\net initialize
if errorlevel 1 pause
\net\netbind.com
\net\umb.com
\net\tcptsr.exe
\net\tinyrfc.exe
\net\nmtsr.exe
\net\emsbfr.exe
\net\net logon carl abc /yes

Yes, I went nuts with Loadhigh and all. I removed all that once qemm 
opened up enough upper mem for some of these things to use automaticaluy 
I guess.  If someone would give me a one line descritpon of what the 
/net/ commands do, that would be great.  whe could put it on the wiki.

Also, this works on my toshiba 6100, but not a dell v333 with etherboot 
floppy - QEMM throws an exception error.  Is there an etherboot list?

 >
 > label sbm-floppy
 > # smart boot manager - menu of all bootable devices on the local box
 >         kernel memdisk
 >         append initrd=util/sbm.img

This works better when I expanded it to a 1.4 flopy image.  at least one 
thing didn't like the HD shell game, but was fine with the floppy swapping.

 >
 > label menu
 > # makes a menu out of this file, allows editing the options on the client
 >         kernel menu.c32

Has issues when I edit default and re-run menu.c32, like it sees the new 
  "lables" but not changes to kernel lines or something. is this expected?

 >
 > label memtest86
 > # test memory of local box
 >         kernel memtest
 >
 > label memtest86+
 > # a better version?
 >         kernel memtest1

Anyone know why the old version is still around?

 >
 > label tomsrtbt
 > # Linux on one floppy (doesn't work with pxe - help?)
 >         kernel memdisk
 >         append initrd=linux/tomsrtbt.raw pause

linux boot loader loads, kernel loads, but when it goes to mount the 
floppy the floppy light comes on and it can't find the image.  I have a 
feeling this is Tom's "problem"

 >
 > label linux
 > # ubuntu instaler
 >         kernel ubuntu-installer/i386/linux
 >         append vga=normal initrd=ubuntu-installer/i386/initrd.gz
 > ramdisk_size=13318 root=/dev/rd/0 rw  --

Ubuntu rocks.


 >
 > label image
 > # hard disk imager, will burn multipe CD's on a local burner
 >         kernel memdisk
 >         append initrd=BootItNG/image-exe.img
 >
 > label dosimage
 > # hard disk imager, will burn multipe CD's on a local burner
 >         kernel memdisk
 >         append initrd=BootItNG/dosimage.IMA

I haven't tried it in a while, but I think it runs, but when it goes to 
actually read the HD errors and aborts.  Never tried a real floppy 
image, so not sure what was going on.


And a long shot: Win98, format a: /s, something.sys and mscdex.exe, boot 
on a box with  a DVD drive.  it will read CD's but freaks out on DVD's. 
  Is this expected?  I was hoping to put a 3.5 gig ghost.exe image on a 
DVD and be able to install it back to the HD, but no such luck.  So I 
leave the files on an samba server.

Carl Karsten