[syslinux] Failure booting CD on elderly gateway

[Lee Winter]

The current Debian distribution (AKA "lenny") install CD verstion "netinst"
for i386 fails on an elderly gateway (details below) with the following
message:
------------------
ISOLINUX 3.71 Debian-2008-09-06 isolinux: Loading spec packet failed, trying
to |<-- screen wrap
wing it ...
isolinux: Failed to located CD-ROM device; boot failed.
See http://syslinux.zytor.com/sbm for more information.
------------------

The CD media appears to be working because I have used it to install on
other systems.  The machine appears to be working (in some sense) because I
cannot get it to fail when using DOS and mscdex.  In fact under DOS I can
see the contents of the CD's filesystem (although I only did a cursory
test).

I changed the CD drive (from a Mitsumi FX120T to an Acer CD-912E/ATK) and
got the same result.  I changed all of the BIOS settings that might possibly
affect the CD BIOS and got the same result.  So it appears to me that there
is a severe incompatibility between the machine and SYSLINUX.

The machine is a Gateway P5-133 model BATC with BIOS version 1.00.03.CN0T
(cn<zero-not-oh>t).  Thre is no BIOS update available (that I can find).

The "common problems" area does not mention anything related or useful in
this regard.  Nor does the "hardware compatibility" area.  Searching all of
zytor.com yielded no results related to "Gateway BATC" or "Gateway P5-133".

I report these facts for the following purposes:
1.  For the record (I was unable to determine how to reports SYSLINUX bugs)
2.  For the benefit of the developers if they prefer to pursue the issue
(I'm willing to help).
3.  To solicit assitance in the form of previous experience, suggested
workarounds, or just ideas as to coping with the problem.

Lee Winter
NP Engineering
Nashua, New Hampshire