[syslinux] interesting problem...

[Bernd Blaauw]

ishwar ramani schreef:
> So far I have been successful in loading the DOS environment, required for
> my flashing program (awdflash.exe), using memdisk. But once i start running
> the exe, it starts loading the boot image and pauses. Even when i ignore the
> dire warnings of not to reboot the machine and do it, the old bios is
> intact.
I've never attempted BIOS flashing any other way than local diskette, 
due to lack of (working) spare parts,
so I don't know if MEMDISK would be a problem. If AWDFLASH might be a 
problem, then try UNIFLASH.
Version 1.40 and higher (if any) are GPL nowadays, so you should be able 
to see if it requires having nothing in memory.

To my knowledge (I work a lot with [Free]DOS), when DOS starts from 
Memdisk you're (back) in real-mode until loading your memory managers
(himem/emm386 or similar)
> i have heard that some BIOS flashing programs need to run in real mode to
> work. Does memdisk by DEFAULT go into protected mode? Where/how does it
> store the floppy image in memory?
Image is somewhere in (extended) memory. I don't know if it loads in top 
of memory, and I don't know if it can partially load in conventional memory.
(for example Syslinux + Memdisk + 360KB image on a 1024KB machine). 
Probably won't work

I also don't know if in VMware you can do BIOS dumping and flashing.

Bernd