Syslinux - Sep 2010 - syslinux: Please provide -m and -a options on Linux

Hi,

this is a forward from the debian bug tracking system,
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=595170:

"syslinux for Windows provides the options -m (write an MBR) and -a (make
partition active).  These options make it easy to provide instructions
for Windows users to make a bootable USB drive: just run "syslinux -m
-a" on the drive, then drop some files on the drive including a
syslinux.cfg.  However, those same instructions won't work on Linux,
because syslinux for Linux doesn't provide the -m or -a options.  As a
result, instructions for making bootable USB drives need to have extra
steps for Linux users, to write an MBR and to make sure the partition
has the bootable flag set.

Please consider adding support for the -m and -a options.

(Also, if they don't already, please consider making the -m and -a
options check for a valid partition table first to avoid mangling
"superfloppy" partitionless USB drives.)"

it would be nice if you could add said functionality.

Regards,
Daniel

-- 
Address:        Daniel Baumann, Burgunderstrasse 3, CH-4562 Biberist
Email:          daniel.baumann at panthera-systems.net
Internet:       http://people.panthera-systems.net/~daniel-baumann/

On 09/01/2010 02:27 PM, Daniel Baumann wrote:
> Hi,
>
> this is a forward from the debian bug tracking system,
> http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=595170:
>
> "syslinux for Windows provides the options -m (write an MBR) and -a
(make
> partition active).  These options make it easy to provide instructions
> for Windows users to make a bootable USB drive: just run "syslinux -m
> -a" on the drive, then drop some files on the drive including a
> syslinux.cfg.  However, those same instructions won't work on Linux,
> because syslinux for Linux doesn't provide the -m or -a options.  As a
> result, instructions for making bootable USB drives need to have extra
> steps for Linux users, to write an MBR and to make sure the partition
> has the bootable flag set.
>
> Please consider adding support for the -m and -a options.
>
> (Also, if they don't already, please consider making the -m and -a
> options check for a valid partition table first to avoid mangling
> "superfloppy" partitionless USB drives.)"
>
> it would be nice if you could add said functionality.
>
Yes, it would.  It is very complex, however, because of the flexibility 
that Linux provides.

	-hpa