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[help] Use syslinux but can not boot from USB key

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xiebopublic at gmail

Aug 11, 2007, 4:19 AM

Post #1 of 5 (1895 views)
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[help] Use syslinux but can not boot from USB key

I try two ways to use syslinux for USB key (2GB USB key), and one
approach can boot from machine, another approach can not. Could you
review the following steps and tell me why #2 can not boot? Thanks
very much!

approach #1
steps:
mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n USB /dev/sdb -I (pay attention, it uses "-I" here)
syslinux /dev/sdb (pay attention, it is "sdb", not "sdb1" here)
mount usb key and copy linux kernel, initrd.gz to usb key
umount usb key and boot from machine
result: boot OK

approach #2
fdisk /dev/sdb
type d x where x is the partition number (you can simply type d if you
only have one partition), then:
• n to create a new partition
• p to make it primary
• 1 so it is the first primary partition
• Accept the default to start from the first cylinder
• Accept the default to end at the last cylinder
• a to toggle the partition active for boot
• 1 to choose the 1 partition
• t to change the partition type
• e to set it to FAT16
• Finally, type w to write the change to your embedded key
mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n diagnostics /dev/sdb1 (pay attention, it is
"sdb1", not "sdb" here)
syslinux /dev/sdb1 (pay attention, it is "sdb1", not "sdb" here)
mount usb key and copy linux kernel, initrd.gz to usb key
umount usb key and boot from machine
result: boot Failed

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g.esp at free

Aug 11, 2007, 4:49 AM

Post #2 of 5 (1800 views)
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Re: [help] Use syslinux but can not boot from USB key [In reply to]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bo Xie" <xiebopublic [at] gmail>
To: <syslinux [at] zytor>
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2007 1:19 PM
Subject: [syslinux] [help] Use syslinux but can not boot from USB key

> I try two ways to use syslinux for USB key (2GB USB key), and one
> approach can boot from machine, another approach can not. Could you
> review the following steps and tell me why #2 can not boot?
> Thanks very much!

It does depend on bug on certains bios.
I would guess you have an Award bios, that may not like partionned usb key.
Upgrading the bios may help.
This make a difference to me booting from an Asus A7V8X-X motherboard.
Previous to the bios upgrade, only unpartionned and zip-like partition were
working

Gilles

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Hullen at t-online

Aug 11, 2007, 5:01 AM

Post #3 of 5 (1788 views)
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Re: [help] Use syslinux but can not boot from USB key [In reply to]

Hallo, Bo,

Du (xiebopublic) meintest am 11.08.07:

> I try two ways to use syslinux for USB key (2GB USB key), and one
> approach can boot from machine, another approach can not. Could you
> review the following steps and tell me why #2 can not boot? Thanks
> very much!

> approach #1
> steps:
> mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n USB /dev/sdb -I

Superfloppy

> approach #2
> fdisk /dev/sdb

Partitions

There are (at least) 4 types of booting via USB, all depend from the
BIOS:

a) doesn't boot
b) expects superfloppy
c) expects partitions
d) small size: expects superfloppy; big size: expects partitions

Viele Gruesse!
Helmut

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hpa at zytor

Aug 11, 2007, 7:45 AM

Post #4 of 5 (1803 views)
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Re: [help] Use syslinux but can not boot from USB key [In reply to]

Helmut Hullen wrote:
>
> There are (at least) 4 types of booting via USB, all depend from the
> BIOS:
>
> a) doesn't boot
> b) expects superfloppy
> c) expects partitions
> d) small size: expects superfloppy; big size: expects partitions
>

The fact that the BIOS gets involved at all is in itself a BIOS bug, but
probably is impossible to fix.

Sometimes changing the mode to USB-ZIP if there is such a mode helps.

-hpa

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mikes at kuentos

Aug 11, 2007, 9:20 AM

Post #5 of 5 (1807 views)
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Re: [help] Use syslinux but can not boot from USB key [In reply to]

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On 11 Aug 2007 at 7:45, H. Peter Anvin wrote:

Date sent: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 07:45:44 -0700
From: "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa [at] zytor>
To: For discussion of SYSLINUX and tftp-hpa
<syslinux [at] zytor>
Subject: Re: [syslinux] [help] Use syslinux but can not boot
from USB key
Send reply to: For discussion of SYSLINUX and tftp-hpa
<syslinux [at] zytor>
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request [at] zytor?subject=subscribe>

> Helmut Hullen wrote:
> >
> > There are (at least) 4 types of booting via USB, all depend from the
> > BIOS:
> >
> > a) doesn't boot
> > b) expects superfloppy
> > c) expects partitions
> > d) small size: expects superfloppy; big size: expects partitions
> >
>
> The fact that the BIOS gets involved at all is in itself a BIOS bug, but
> probably is impossible to fix.
>
> Sometimes changing the mode to USB-ZIP if there is such a mode helps.
>
> -hpa

Just as a note. On my systems I had to install it on partition 1 of the flash
disk and enable USB legacy support for keyboard / mouse or all devices.
Then if I have the flash install can then change the BIOS to use the flash as
a boot option. It didn't show the USB ZIP option, but some other option I can
not recall at moment.

I did run into a problem where it would boot fine with the USB, and it would
boot with my G4L using the latest syslinux, but with an UPDCAST cd it
would not with the USB legacy set on

The commands I used was:
mkdiskimage -1 /dev/sda 0 64 32
syslinux /dev/sda1

>
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