[syslinux] USB boot problems on Gigabyte GA-M55Plus-S3G

[Ronald F. Guilmette]

In message <16222645049513725239 at scdbackup.webframe.org>, 
"Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup at gmx.net> wrote:

>I currently understand that a set active/bootable flag prevents the
>USB stick from showing up in BIOS,

yes.

>and that without that flag it
>begins to boot but fails with files not found.

Well, for this case, it has appeared to me to fail in various different ways.

>> After that, if anyone wants to produce a test image that I can simply
>> download and directly dd to a USB stick,
>> [other mail]
>> Well, I now have a _minimal_ install of ArchLinux
>
>If you installed Archlinux from an ISO image, then this is probably
>a test candidate for USB stick. 

OK, I have the file "archlinux-2014.01.05-dual.iso" and I have just now
dd'd it to a 8GB Patriot brand stick I have here.  (I used bs=1m.  I'm
not sure if that is the a proper block size to use or not when doing
stuff like this, but I believe it is.)

Just for the sake of clarity, now, fdisk on my FreeBSD system reports
this for the stick:

==========================================================================
******* Working on device /dev/da1 *******
parameters extracted from in-core disklabel are:
cylinders=973 heads=255 sectors/track=63 (16065 blks/cyl)

parameters to be used for BIOS calculations are:
cylinders=973 heads=255 sectors/track=63 (16065 blks/cyl)

Media sector size is 512
Warning: BIOS sector numbering starts with sector 1
Information from DOS bootblock is:
The data for partition 1 is:
sysid 0 (0000),(unused)
    start 0, size 1081344 (528 Meg), flag 80 (active)
        beg: cyl 0/ head 0/ sector 1;
        end: cyl 527/ head 63/ sector 32
The data for partition 2 is:
sysid 239 (0xef),(EFI System Partition)
    start 248, size 63488 (31 Meg), flag 0
        beg: cyl 1023/ head 254/ sector 63;
        end: cyl 1023/ head 254/ sector 63
The data for partition 3 is:
<UNUSED>
The data for partition 4 is:
<UNUSED>

==========================================================================

Humm... well... son-of-a-gun!!  This stick *does* show up in the
Boot Priority list on the GA-M55Plus-S3G, and ... wait for it...
it *does* boot up to the Archlinux start screen!

Yipee!  *Something* actually works!

OK, so now what?

Now that I know that this motherboard isn't totally hopeless, I'm a bit
more willing to try to provide more help to you guys, as you work to iron
out whatever problems have prevented Clonezilla and UBCD and OpenELEC from
booting on this motherboard.


>> I, as an ordinary end-luser, shouldn't
>> have to employ specializsed install tools,
>
>>From the user point of view you would indeed be best off if you
>returned the board to the seller and demand a different one.

hehe

Now, *that* isn't going to happen.  I first purchased this board at
least several years ago.

>But we bystanders are interested in learning how to succeed
>even with this miserable hardware.

I understand, am sympathetic, and want to be helpful, if I can be.  But
there have to be limits.  I only have so much time that I can invest
in this.

>One never knows when one
>of our users steps into the same puddle.
>So we use you as probe, as long as you are willing to boldly
>go where no human has gone before.

Yes.