[syslinux] question

[Ady]

> Sunday, 13 jan 13: 
>  
> [1]
> Changed the line 
> from default vesamenu.c32 PROMPT 1 to 
> DEFAULT vesamenu.c32
> PROMPT 1
> On restart found as follows: Syslinux 5.00 EDD"-"
> with "-" keeps on blinking as earlier.(i.e. NO change in the 
> message.)
> [2]
> moved those *.c32 from "O:\*.c32" into "O:\syslinux\*.c32".
> [3]
> moved Syslinux.cfg to O:\syslinux\
> [4]
> On Restart >Received as >
> Syslinux 5.00 EDD 2012-12-06 Copyright(c) 1994-2012 H. Peter Anvin et at
> with "-" keeps on blinking.
>  
> [5]
> >Win98se is the running OS.
>  
> mkdir o:\syslinux
> cd C:\Unzipped\syslinux-5.00\DOS
> syslinux -d syslinux o:
>  
> Passes remark >illegal operation and will be terminated.
>  
> On Restsrt, 
> >Syslinux 5.00 EDD"-"with "-" keeps on blinking.
>  
> Your Next instructions Please.
>  
> With best Regards,
>  
> Prof S W Damle

Now I'm confused. I've seen you post the "mkdir" command before, but 
I thought you just unnecessary "copy-paste"-ed from a previous email 
of this thread. Now that you repeat it yet again with the old (and 
inadequate) command, I must ask; why are you running again "mkdir 
o:\syslinux" and the failing "syslinux -d syslinux o:"? Are you 
starting over again?


Regarding the "blinking -", I was expecting a "boot:" prompt instead 
:(. Is there any "boot:" prompt being displayed? Or is it just the 
blinking "-"?

I would like to suggest a different approach, for troubleshooting 
purposes:

1_ Please back up "O:\syslinux\SYSLINUX.CFG" as 
"O:\syslinux\SYSLINUX.CF1" (note the final number "one" instead of 
the original "G"). It is important that in "O:" no file would be 
named "syslinux.cfg" (whether lower case or upper case), and also no 
such file name would be located in ANY subdirectory, including 
"O:\syslinux\" and in any other subdirectory of that drive.

2_ Now that there is no "syslinux.cfg" anywhere in the "O:" drive, 
please delete all "O:\syslinux\*.c32". It is important to leave the 
directory itself, since it must exist before performing the 
installation command for Syslinux (in some Syslinux installers, there 
is no message when the destination directory doesn't exist).

3_ Under Windows XP, using the Win32 installer, please run:
syslinux --directory /syslinux --install O:
If there is any message, please report back.

4_ Without adding any SYSLINUX.CFG file nor any additional c32 
module, please boot with this "O:" drive to test it. Evidently, since 
there is no "syslinux.cfg" file anywhere in any (sub)directory in 
"O:" (we have either deleted it or changed its name), we should 
receive a message that no CFG file was found. Please test this and 
report back.

5_ After testing the above step #4, please go back to WinXP. Under 
XP, please copy anew the same *.c32 files you had before from 
syslinux 5.00 into "O:\syslinux\*.c32". Please note that they shall 
be located in the "O:\syslinux\" subdirectory ONLY and nowhere else 
in the "O:" drive, and that you should NOT overwrite ldlinux.* in 
that subdirectory.

6_ From step #1 above, you have "O:\syslinux\SYSLINUX.CF1". Copy it 
to "O:\syslinux\SYSLINUX.CFG". Please note that it shall be located 
in the "O:\syslinux\" subdirectory ONLY and nowhere else in the "O:" 
drive.

7_ Please boot with this "O:" drive to test it. Since our "PROMPT 1" 
is still there in the "O:\syslinux\SYSLINUX.CFG" file, we should 
expect a "boot:" prompt (not a menu). If we get to this "boot:" 
prompt, then we can continue with more steps so to get to see the 
boot menu instead of this "boot:" prompt.

If there is any doubt, or if I wasn't clear in any of the above 
steps, please don't hesitate to ask. Or if what we expect to see 
(specially in steps #4 and 
#7) is not what you see, please stop the additional steps and report 
back.

According to your next report, we'll see how to continue further.

Thank you and Best Regards,
Ady.