[syslinux] Advice/directions to users of Syslinux

[Ady]

> I meanwhile united the section "USB Miscellenous" with
>   http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/Hardware_Compatibility#USB-Geometry
> Now it is a bit too long but does not show an artificial
> separation of general statements and examples.
> It is a vague as needed and as tangible as possible, i think.
> 
> Please have a look and criticize. Any objection is welcome.
 
Most user-friendly partitioning tools are actually "hiding" the CHS 
values of each partition from the user. They are using MB values 
instead.

I personally don't like this "hiding", but I understand their reasons 
to do so.

I think that the "USB-Geometry" section in the wiki should try to 
point to the same kind of users.

Those who understand the matter already, don't really need more 
detailed explanations in the Syslinux wiki. For those that want to 
learn about it, there are better places than the Syslinux wiki.

In the USB-Geometry section in the Syslinux wiki, IMHO we should 
point to those that are having a problem and, for some reason, are 
thinking that Syslinux is the problem (which, is not).

So, in the same line of user-friendly partitioning tools, I think 
that a very basic description and generic steps are OK, but getting 
into details about where to start the partition, where to end it, 
which alignment to use... I think that it makes it more scary than 
anything else.

Once the user chooses the partitioning tool, he has to change the 
geometry to make it adequate. Whether the alignment is one or the 
other, it shouldn't matter (in the context of the Syslinux wiki, and 
trying to improve bootability). Alignments are more about efficiency 
and capacity.

One typical problem for users: they forget to set the partition as 
"active". So then they don't understand why their USB drive is not 
booting.

In a very broad view, there are effectively two options so to improve 
bootability:
_ Nx255x63, one-and-only partition with MiB alignment
_ ZIP-like geometry, optionally / alternatively using the fourth 
partition only.

IMHO, getting into more details with specific CHS values and examples 
might derail and/or discourage users, who, after all, just want to 
boot their USB and move on.

 *** 

At some point there was a question about Windows-based users (for 
example in relation to mkdiskimage). There are enough (GUI) tools 
available for Windows users to operate on the MBR / partition table 
of a USB drive, and then format the resulting partition.

I would say that for Windows users the problem might be, 
independently of the geometry, discovering that the USB drive might 
contain additional partitions in 
the first place (note: Windows normally won't let the user see more 
than one 
partition in USB removable flash drives).

Regards,
Ady.