[syslinux] Booting problem with memdisk + Thinkpad + USB

[Rance Hall]

On Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 3:08 PM, Jan Ploski<jpl at plosquare.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I encountered a booting problem with memdisk 2.83, USB and IBM Thinkpad T61,
> apparently the same issue as described here:
>
> http://syslinux.zytor.com/archives/2008-April/009850.html
>
> The boot process always stops after "Loading boot sector... booting...".
> With debug tracers enabled, the last few output lines are:
>
> Loading boot sector... FR<p>Dbooting...
> FR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p><DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR
> <p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFR<p>DFGDFIDFD
>
> A friend who uses memdisk more frequently also reported seeing the same
> symptoms (hanging after "Loading boot sector...") with desktops and even
> when booting from CDs.
>
> I can see in source code that the 'I' tracer is output when the Invalid_jump
> branch is taken. Simply commenting out the jump instruction didn't fix the
> problem. Also, I didn't manage to capture the tracer output for comparison
> on another (Dell) notebook where memdisk works just fine using the same
> image because it disappeared from the screen too quickly.
>
> Regards,
> Jan Ploski

Jan:

That model thinkpad comes with a securitychip that can be
enabled/disabled in the bios.  I finally had to disable it on my wifes
thinkpad (different model, same problem) because of wierd things.
Disabling the chip in bios fixed them all.

I'm just wondering if that explains your error.  that security chip is
the main difference between the thinkpad that doesnt work, and the
dell that does.

I hope that fixes it.

Rance