[syslinux] Can't boot a kernel from usb drive

[H. Peter Anvin]

Brett wrote:
> I have been trying to boot a kernel I compiled. I tried 2 different USB
> thumb drives. I tried win32 syslinux 3.31 and 3.36 with no luck. I even
> tried another known good kernel for testing purposes. After syslinux
> starts I get "Invalid or corrupt kernel image" but I don't think it is
> even really trying to run it. The last time I built a kernel about 1-1/2
> years ago you could put a custom kernel on a floppy disk and just boot
> your kernel from there. Since newer kernels are now larger than a floppy
> and that kind of booting is no longer supported in the kernel itself I
> hoped I could do this with syslinux. I basically just want to boot my hard
> drive from a usb drive like I used to be able to do with a floppy. Should
> I be able to do this with modern kernels and Syslinux?
> 
> Thanks,
> Brett

Yes, but a lot of systems are broken in various ways when it comes to 
booting off USB media.  We get that class of questions all the time.

It would help to know if SYSLINUX is using CBIOS or EBIOS.  Furthermore, 
if your BIOS has multiple settings for USB media (USB-HDD, USB-ZIP, 
etc.) try different ones -- USB-HDD is the correct one, but some BIOSes 
have been known to only boot in USB-ZIP mode.

	-hpa