[syslinux] USB-FDD

Adam Wysocki via ArcaBit gophi at arcabit.pl
Wed Jan 18 22:04:36 PST 2006


19.01.06 aj at getopenlab.com wrote:

> While this is true, it's only a partial truth, I know for a fact that many of 
> them DONT keep the partition table in the writable flash, opting instead for 
> a read-only fake partition table, hardwired onto the control-board, that 
> presents only one partition back to the OS. 

Strange :) Well, both disks I'm working on have a real MBR, I've modified 
their partition tables and even installed a custom MBR.

> There are at least two major variants of USB flash drives, one lot has no 
> partitions and to mount them under unix you must mount the device itself as 
> you would e.g. do for a floppy or cdrom,

Does Windows see them as an ordinary removable disks?

> USB floppy drives use the same architecture as the first type of flash drives 
> - presenting the floppy directly so it gets read as a device NOT a partition.

Yeah, now I understand.

While searching the archives, I've also found this: 
http://syslinux.zytor.com/archives/2005-February/004799.html
It's an utility than can put the FAT bootsector to the MBR while still 
keeping space for the partition table. I'll try it too, but I'm worried 
about how Windows will handle it :(

Regards,

-- 
[ Adam Wysocki :: www.gophi.rotfl.pl :: +48889004440 ]
[ Software Development Department, ArcaBit Sp. z o.o ]
[ Ul. Fortuny 9 :: 01-339 Warszawa :: www.arcabit.pl ]




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