[syslinux] Where's the formal syntax?

eas lab lab.eas at gmail.com
Thu Jun 22 14:52:17 PDT 2017


I've been using linux:TC from a USBstik in order to not break the M$ capability,
as previously always happened. Since TC runs in RAM, it has many extra
problems; like reinstalling all the apps and your private settings at each boot.
The sample isolinux.cfg which I've been emailed by the oficianado
is very unfamiliar and worrying.    Where is the official syntax ?
--
Without knowing if/how the sample gets mangled in email, he sent:--
   LABEL Corepure64
   MENU LABEL Corepure64
   TEXT HELP
   Boot Corepure64
   onbootpure64.lst
   ENDTEXT
   KERNEL /tce/boot/vmlinuz64
   APPEND initrd=/boot/rootfs64.gz,/boot/modules64.gz loglevel=3 waitusb=5:LABEL
="USB16G" noswap
   tce=LABEL="USB16G"/corepure64/tce opt=LABEL="USB16G" home=LABEL="USB16G"
---

Are these parameters part of syslinux syntax, or just extras which
are handled by <initrd> :
  noswap, waitusb=5,
  loglevel=3,
  tce=LABEL="USB16G"/corepure64/tce
??
The comma after the "APPEND initrd.." entry seems very <irregular>.
Previously I though the "waitusb=5" was a general wait and not
particularly associated with a specific device.   My *.cfg looks like:--
LABEL tcPREmultivt
MENU LABEL Boot TinyCorePure64-PREmultivt
TEXT HELP
Boot TinyCorePure64 with Embedded X/GUI extensions.
Boot media is removable. Use TAB to edit options for specific needs.
ENDTEXT
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz64
INITRD /boot/corepure64.gz
APPEND loglevel=3 cde vga=788 multivt
<><><>   Are there any obvious errors there?

Where is the proper formal syntax listed?

A previous mail sounds interesting/applicable:
>.....
> If the _firmware_ is UEFI x64, then use the adequate syslinux.efi file,
> plus ldlinux.e64. With that bootloader, you should be able to load a
> (CONFIG_EFI_MIXED-enabled) Linux kernel for x86 (IA32) or for x86_64
> (X64).

> If the _firmware_ is UEFI x64, then the syslinux.efi file for x86
> (IA32) won't boot in such system (and it is not needed, nor intended
>  for such platform).

> BTW, it is possible to use a mix of SYSLINUX (for BIOS) and
> syslinux.efi in the same (USB) device, especially with 6.04-pre1 (or
> newer), which automatically supports 'syslx64.cfg' and 'syslia32.cfg'.
.........

Isn't this the recommended way to go?

BTW. this TC isolinux USBstik booter CAN boot a different
[Debian7] USBstik when I edit an appropriate *.cfg entry.

But I don't think the Laptop's firmware showed the
USB-to-IDE\SATA disks. It's all very complex, and disruptive
to reboot just to test/answer that!

== Thanks for any advise.


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