[syslinux] Re: Trying to figure out why my Cruzer Micro 512"MB" won't boot.

[Josh Lehan]

Nazo wrote:
> Actually, I had a real purpose for replying, not just to say that.  I
> actually would like to ask for anyone who might know if they can tell
> me if a flashdrive emulating USB-ZIP can be booted under USB-HDD mode.

I believe that it can.  USB-ZIP is simply USB-HDD with stricter 
requirements, I believe.

USB-HDD + use of partition #4 + use of */64/32 geometry = USB-ZIP.

For partition order, it should not matter what one of the 4 partitions 
in the MBR you use, as long as only one is marked as active.

Most MBR assembly code I've seen just scans down the table of 4 
partitions, in order, and honor the first one that has the active byte 
set to 0x80.  The other 3 partitions should have their active bytes set 
to 0x00.

The other USB-ZIP requirement is */64/32 CHS geometry.  End your 
partition on a full cylinder boundary, so that the ending sector CHS 
head and sector numbers are maxed out.

The HP formatter tool doesn't have an option to enable USB-ZIP, 
surprisingly.  Might try to merge them somehow, perhaps using the HP 
formatter first on a blank USB key, and then editing the partition table 
to force it into USB-ZIP compliance, and then see if you have success.

Josh