[syslinux] syslinux installation issues

[Bernd Blaauw]

Op 11-11-2009 21:36, Shao Miller schreef:
> Just to verify: This DOS 7.10 boot-disk is a 1.44 MB floppy image 
> which you are attaching to the VM as a floppy disk using VMware's 
> methods for doing so, right?  Or are you booting this floppy image as 
> a MEMDISK or RAM disk via some other means?  I ask only to rule out 
> INT 0x13 business.

plain http://www.q8linux.net/download/windows_stuff/boot98sc.exe  1.44MB 
floppy (physical diskette) with win98 bootdisk content extracted onto it.

> What does this mean?  How did you get a "FAT32" partition, but not 
> formatted?

Run Fdisk, create primary FAT32 partition, set active, reboot, but don't 
format it yet.

>> msdos 7.10, C: (fat32) exists, formatted by FORMAT C: (not FORMAT C: /S
>> so no system files transferred): sector read error
>>
> What DOS did you use to format with FAT32?  What was your 'FORMAT.COM' 
> command-line?

Win98 MSDOS 7.10 still, FORMAT C: (no switches like /U for 
unconditional, or /S for transferring system files)

>> msdos 7.10, C: (fat16) exists, not formatted: "sector read error"
>>
> Not sure what FAT16 with "not formatted" means here.  Did you manually 
> put a partition type code into the MBR?  Are you referring to an 
> 'FDISK.EXE' option somewhere?  I think you'll have best results 
> running 'SYSLINUX C:' on a formatted partition.

Same, fdisk but no format c: yet. I'd expect any program accessing C: 
without it being formatted to trigger 'abort/retry/fail'. Syslinux.com 
doesn't do this, strangely enough.

> I'm confused as to how you are getting a FAT32 partition.  Are you 
> using the same DOS floppy image to run 'SYSLINUX.COM C:' that you used 
> for the 'FDISK' and the 'FORMAT'?  Are you running any anti-virus or 
> terminate'n'stay-resident programs before trying the 'SYSLINUX.COM C:' 
> command?  It's best to have _nothing_ loaded by DOS' CONFIG.SYS nor 
> AUTOEXEC.BAT for SYSLINUX installation, in my experience.

Fdisk from win98 asks if you want to enable FAT32 support, if answering 
no, you're limited to fat16 partitions. Not running any programs etc, 
the win98 bootdisk only loads an ATAPI cdrom driver.
And yes it's the same physical diskette, just deleted SCANREG.EXE (some 
win98 file taking up too much space) and copied ldlinux.sys/bin and 
syslinux.com to A:

> If 'SYSLINUX.COM C:' is working on FAT16 but not FAT32, it would be 
> good to know why.  Would you possibly share the exact command-line and 
> the exact output from your 'SYSLINUX.COM C:' attempt?
Like said, for fat16 it's blank output, for fat32 I get 'sector read 
error' upon doing SYSLINUX C:

> I usually have a 1.44 MB FAT12-formatted floppy with some version of 
> DOS' system files on it (IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, perhaps) as well as 
> FDISK.EXE, FORMAT.COM, SYSLINUX.COM.  I do the 'FDISK.EXE', I reboot, 
> I do the 'FORMAT C:', then maybe 'LOCK C:' (for Win98, for example), 
> then 'SYSLINUX.COM C:'.
>
> By the way, don't move or overwrite LDLINUX.SYS by copying in your own 
> version.  I believe it needs to be installed by SYSLINUX.COM into 
> wherever it's going to stay.

yeah, Syslinux is copied to hardcoded location by the installer due to 
bootsector trickery. I didn't do any LOCK C: though, shouldn't be needed

Bernd