[syslinux] Problem booting from CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives using syslinux

[c.lee111 at gmail.com]

I've run into a rather odd problem. It seems that I can format and make 
bootable CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives under Windows 98SE and MS-DOS 
6.22 that will boot to a A: prompt on my system.


But when I try making the same CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives bootable 
under linux using syslinux I get nothing, not even a error message. It's
like the syslinux bootloader doesn't even exist on the CF/SD cards and 
USB Flashdrives.

I've looked at the CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives using Gparted and it 
says the cards using syslinux are bootable, so that's not the problem.

I'm pretty sure the CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives aren't being 
formated as USB-ZIP under Win98se and MS-DOS 6.22, so why can I create
bootable CF/SD cards and USB Flashdrives under Win98se and MS-DOS 6.22, 
but not under Linux using syslinux?

Am I overlooking something here?

Here's a look at my motherboard and BIOS.

*-core
       description: Motherboard
       product: D845GVSR
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 0
       version: AAC45439-302
       serial: BTSR44406009
       slot: Audio Line In
     
*-firmware
          description: BIOS
          vendor: Intel Corp.
          physical id: 0
          version: VA84510A.86A.0050.P18.0409222329 (09/22/2004)
          size: 64KB
          capacity: 448KB
          capabilities: pci pnp apm upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect edd
          int13floppynec int13floppytoshiba int13floppy360 
          int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen 
          int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video acpi usb agp 
          ls120boot zipboot biosbootspecification netboot