[syslinux] USB key: CBIOS line printed, nothing else

[Rory Vieira]

Josh,

On 9/6/06, Josh Lehan <jlehan at scyld.com> wrote:
> My BIOS has 2 choices: USB-ZIP and USB-HDD.  Both seem to do the exact
> same thing, for me, reaching the "boot:" prompt in SYSLINUX but not
> finding the SYSLINUX.CFG file (so I can't continue).
My own system has three: USB-FDD, USB-ZIP and USB-HDD.
The first is definatly different to the others when I'm using my usb key...
On my test system I have NO options at all, but I can clearly see it's
being used as a floppy.
On my company's server it too has only one, but it's a hdd there...

> That's another SYSLINUX suggestion for debugging: print the device byte
> received from the BIOS, either 0x00 (diskette) or 0x80 (fixed disk), so
> we can know this.
>
> > I do have to admit that I never saw that CBIOS prompt at all.
> > I do however get the message that the kernel "Linux" could not be
> > found, when the key is FAT32 and detected as floppy (the bios has no
> > other option for me).
>
> That's strange to not get the CBIOS prompt.  Usually, you get one line
> of text containing the string "CBIOS" (or "EBIOS").
My apologies for not being clear... all systems I have used my key on,
show EBIOS... again, my excuses for the mishaps

> > PS: I recreated my own usb key with FAT16, and those problems
> > disappeared...
> > Hope this helps...
>
> Interesting.  I'd prefer to not have to use FAT16, since it's grossly
> inefficient, and will totally break down once I scrape the money
> together to buy a USB key larger than 2GB.  (Someday I'd love to put the
> Knoppix *DVD* on a bootable USB key, not just the CD!)
hehe don't we all :)

> As for your FAT16 partition, what is its type?  Is it 0x06 (FAT16 CHS)
> or 0x0E (FAT16 LBA)?  I'm assuming cluster size was left at the defaults
> for whatever size your partition is?
I have to be honest that I haven't got a clue... I simply format the
disk using wxp

Examples of my situations:
A: Using FAT32 with sysresccd on key properly installed... (kinda like knoppix)
Works on personal system
Works on company server
It shows EBIOS, and No Linux Found on test system

B: Using FAT16, content is the same...
Works on all systems without a glitch

Now I'm almost positive, my test system should boot the key without
problems, as one of our customers system also sees my disk as fdd, and
it boots perfectly...
I'm still in the blue about all this...

Cheers,
-- 
Rory Vieira
rory dot vieira at gmail dot com