Hi Peter,
Here are the details of a problematic ThinkPad model (an R50e):
BIOS version: 2.06 (1WET86WW)
BIOS date (YYYY-MM-DD): 2005-11-15
Embedded controller version: 1.04
System-unit serial number: 1834-S5 GL3-BRGZL
System board serial number: 1ZB6L5AC1E3
CPU Type: Intel Celeron M
CPU Speed: 1.40 GHz
Installed memory: 512 MB
Booting FreeDOS via current memdisk from an USB HDD (pendrive) fails
with (approximately, from memory):
- InitDiskERROR in config.sys line
On the other hand, qemu -hda /dev/sda boots FreeDOS via memdisk;
issuing sys c: there makes the pendrive boot straight into FreeDOS:
- InitDiskWARNING: using suspect partition Pri:1 FS 0e: with
calculated values 0-0-50 instead of 0-1-1
C: HD1, Pri[ 1], CHS= 0-0-50, start= 0 MB, size= 1950 MB
The above doesn't really support my theory, but would it be hard or
possible to add a memdisk option which hides every other drive
(eg. the pendrive itself) from DOS?
--
Cheers,
Feri.
Ferenc Wagner wrote:> Hi Peter, > > Here are the details of a problematic ThinkPad model (an R50e): > > BIOS version: 2.06 (1WET86WW) > BIOS date (YYYY-MM-DD): 2005-11-15 > Embedded controller version: 1.04 > System-unit serial number: 1834-S5 GL3-BRGZL > System board serial number: 1ZB6L5AC1E3 > CPU Type: Intel Celeron M > CPU Speed: 1.40 GHz > Installed memory: 512 MB > > Booting FreeDOS via current memdisk from an USB HDD (pendrive) fails > with (approximately, from memory): > > - InitDiskERROR in config.sys line > > On the other hand, qemu -hda /dev/sda boots FreeDOS via memdisk; > issuing sys c: there makes the pendrive boot straight into FreeDOS: > > - InitDiskWARNING: using suspect partition Pri:1 FS 0e: with > calculated values 0-0-50 instead of 0-1-1 > C: HD1, Pri[ 1], CHS= 0-0-50, start= 0 MB, size= 1950 MB > > The above doesn't really support my theory, but would it be hard or > possible to add a memdisk option which hides every other drive > (eg. the pendrive itself) from DOS?It should be possible... not really sure how much work it would be. I have a question: if you use an external USB keyboard, does it work while in Syslinux? Grub? Linux proper? I'm wondering if this is possibly related to the A20 issue... -hpa