[syslinux] syslinux: Please provide -m and -a options on Linux

[H. Peter Anvin]

On 09/01/2010 02:27 PM, Daniel Baumann wrote:
> Hi,
>
> this is a forward from the debian bug tracking system,
> http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=595170:
>
> "syslinux for Windows provides the options -m (write an MBR) and -a (make
> partition active).  These options make it easy to provide instructions
> for Windows users to make a bootable USB drive: just run "syslinux -m
> -a" on the drive, then drop some files on the drive including a
> syslinux.cfg.  However, those same instructions won't work on Linux,
> because syslinux for Linux doesn't provide the -m or -a options.  As a
> result, instructions for making bootable USB drives need to have extra
> steps for Linux users, to write an MBR and to make sure the partition
> has the bootable flag set.
>
> Please consider adding support for the -m and -a options.
>
> (Also, if they don't already, please consider making the -m and -a
> options check for a valid partition table first to avoid mangling
> "superfloppy" partitionless USB drives.)"
>
> it would be nice if you could add said functionality.
>

Yes, it would.  It is very complex, however, because of the flexibility 
that Linux provides.

	-hpa