[syslinux] "isolinux.bin missing or corrupt" when booting USB flash drive in old PC

[David Christensen]

On 03/19/2017 11:28 PM, David Christensen via Syslinux wrote:
> I will try to do an install later, and will report the result.

Booting the USB flash drive I prepared, the Debian installer runs:

Select a language		English

Select your location		United States

Configure the keyboard		American English

Detect and mount CD-ROM

Incorrect CD-ROM detected

The CD-ROM drive contains a CD which cannot be used for installation.

Please insert a suitable CD to continue with the installation.


I tried disconnecting the optical drive -- same result.


So, I guess the first part of the Debian installer is in the initrd.gz I 
copied from 8.7.1-i386-xfce-CD-1.iso to the root of the USB flash drive, 
the rest is somewhere in debian-8.7.1-i386-xfce-CD-1.iso, and I am 
missing whatever tricks are required to invoke the remaining contents of 
debian-8.7.1-i386-xfce-CD-1.iso (?).


Then again, putting an "isohybrid" image on a USB flash drive and trying 
to patch it into working seems back-asswards; I should be building a 
bootable Linux USB flash drive with the Debian installer on it.


Is there a WWW page/ article/ site, printed article/ book, or any other 
document that explains, in technically complete and accurate detail, how 
an i686-era (circa 2003) x86 personal computer boots from a USB device? 
And, how to build a bootable Linux USB flash drive for such a machine?


Should I be asking on the debian-boot or debian-cd mailing lists?


David