[syslinux] Sysinux 6 will not boot ISOs on BIOS (i.e. pre-UEFI) systems

[Gerardo Exequiel Pozzi]

On 11/23/2013 09:35 AM, Carl Duff wrote:
> -- Re-sent as original may be stuck at awaiting "authorisation" (originally
> sent before I joined the mailing list)
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> It is impossible to boot Linux-based ISOs that use Syslinux 6.02 via CD or
> DVD on older - non-UEFI - systems. Any attempt to do so will result in the
> following error message: ISOLINUX 6.02 ETCDisolinux: Disk error 01, AX =
> 4279, drive FE
> 
> It is still possible to boot / install via USB data-stick, and in a Virtual
> Machine. Where using a newer PC with UEFI, even in Legacy mode (and with
> the UEFI partition completely removed), ISOs using Syslinux 6.02 will still
> go through the UEFI menu.
> 
> I also noticed that (at least some) OSs not using syslinux 6.02 won't
> recognise ISOs that do. For example, the file managers of Mint 13, Windows
> 7, and Windows 8 all wrongly "see" blank discs).
> 
> As a consequence, I am aware that the Manjaro Linux team have reverted to
> using syslinux 4 for their ISOs.
> 
> This is certainly not an issue with corrupted downloads, burning, or dodgy
> computer disc-drives.
> 
> Best Wishes,
> Carl Duff
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> 

Hello guys,

I am the maintainer of archiso (live-iso creator for Arch Linux).

Originally, I was not able to reproduce the issue on my machine. But now
I can do. I made an ISO image that fails to boot.

The weird thing is: that under the same conditions, trying to
simplify/reduce the iso, doing some tests (ie, removing isohybrid-mbr,
eltorito-alt-boot for EFI, etc..) I can not recreate the bad ISO again!

So I have two ISO images with same contents, same versions, same version
of program to generate it, but one works and other does not work!.

Note that the image that does not work on my real hardware works fine
under qemu and VirtualBox! (both using ISO and real dvd-rw device).

When trying to boot the bad iso, I can see the isolinux welcome message
but not complete "ISOLINUX 6.02 ETCD", then reboot inmediatelly.


Comparing the output of dumpet the only relevant diference is:
< 2013.11.23 = BAD
> 2013.11.24 = OK

$ diff <(dumpet -i archlinux-2013.11.23-dual.iso) <(dumpet -i
archlinux-2013.11.24-dual.iso)
13c13
<       Load LBA: 136026 (0x0002135a)
---
>       Load LBA: 22792 (0x00005908)
25c25
<       Load LBA: 136154 (0x000213da)
---
>       Load LBA: 23301 (0x00005b05)

Maybe too high?

Here is the command that mkarchiso uses for make the iso [#1]

https://projects.archlinux.org/archiso.git/tree/archiso/mkarchiso#n373


-------------------------------------------------------------------

My machine is:

Motherboard: Asus M2N32-SLI Deluxe (Firmware: 1603)
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ [ADA5200IAA6CS]
RAM: 4 x 1GB OCZ DDR2 800MHz Platinum Rev 2 (4-4-4-15) [OCZ2P800R21G]
Optical Drive: LG DVD-RW SATA Dual Layer (Fimware IL00) [GH20NS15]

-------------------------------------------------------------------

$ dumpet -i archlinux-2013.11.24-dual.iso
Validation Entry:
        Header Indicator: 0x01 (Validation Entry)
        PlatformId: 0x00 (80x86)
        ID: ""
        Checksum: 0x55aa
        Key bytes: 0x55aa
Boot Catalog Default Entry:
        Entry is bootable
        Boot Media emulation type: no emulation
        Media load segment: 0x0 (0000:7c00)
        System type: 0 (0x00)
        Load Sectors: 4 (0x0004)
        Load LBA: 22792 (0x00005908)
Section Header Entry:
        Header Indicator: 0x91 (Final Section Header Entry)
        PlatformId: 0xef (EFI)
        Section Entries: 1
        ID: ""
Boot Catalog Section Entry:
        Entry is bootable
        Boot Media emulation type: no emulation
        Media load address: 0 (0x0000)
        System type: 0 (0x00)
        Load Sectors: 63488 (0xf800)
        Load LBA: 23301 (0x00005b05)

$ dumpet -i archlinux-2013.10.03-dual.iso
Validation Entry:
        Header Indicator: 0x01 (Validation Entry)
        PlatformId: 0x00 (80x86)
        ID: ""
        Checksum: 0x55aa
        Key bytes: 0x55aa
Boot Catalog Default Entry:
        Entry is bootable
        Boot Media emulation type: no emulation
        Media load segment: 0x0 (0000:7c00)
        System type: 0 (0x00)
        Load Sectors: 4 (0x0004)
        Load LBA: 23079 (0x00005a27)
Section Header Entry:
        Header Indicator: 0x91 (Final Section Header Entry)
        PlatformId: 0xef (EFI)
        Section Entries: 1
        ID: ""
Boot Catalog Section Entry:
        Entry is bootable
        Boot Media emulation type: no emulation
        Media load address: 0 (0x0000)
        System type: 0 (0x00)
        Load Sectors: 63488 (0xf800)
        Load LBA: 23185 (0x00005a91)


-- 
Gerardo Exequiel Pozzi
\cos^2\alpha + \sin^2\alpha = 1

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