Hello
I think syslinux is great and just downloaded 2.00 and will start using it
in a couple of days.
1.
We use an IDE<->compactflash-adapter in our target-system. We use a
USB-compact-flash reader/writer(SanDisk/ImageMate) on our linux-host to
write the flash. It appears in the Linux-system as '/dev/sda', and we
can
use syslinux and mount for copying kernel, syslinux.cfg and our
initial-ramdisk. This works very elegant.
If we try the same technic on a Win2k-system, the USB-compact-flash
reader/writer appears as a non-permanent-disk and I can read/write kernel,
syslinux.cfg and our initial-ramdisk as expected, but syslinux.com reports
an error trying to write to bootsector(most likely a permission-problem).
In the user-notes for syslinux, it says that this can be ignored and that it
is likely to work anyway. I have now tried on 3 different systems without
luck(Win2k/sp2).
Has anybody made a version of syslinux.com that works on win2k on flashdisks
??
2.
Is it possible to setup syslinux.cfg for some kind of safeboot, so for
instance you could have 2 labels for kernel and if the system don't
properly from the first, then boot from the other on next boot ?? This could
be made with some kind of a flag in memory and a small utility to be called
from linux to clear this flag, if boot succeded.
We see this as a nice feature, if you want to install a new bootfile etc...,
remotely via network.
Sorry if these subjects have been discussed before, but I haven't seen
anything about it, when I looked in the FAQ-archive.
best regards
ole at danelec.dk
* danelec electronics a/s
* Blokken 44
* DK-3460 Birkeroed
* DENMARK
* Phone: +45 45821879
* Fax: +45 45821979
* Email: ole at danelec.dk
* http://www.danelec.dk
* ftp://ftp.danelec.dk
* Radio call sign: oz1jru
***************************************************************
* If you seek luck, luck will strike you ..... 8o) *
***************************************************************
H. Peter Anvin
2002-Oct-25 22:27 UTC
[syslinux] syslinux tool for Win2k and 'safeboot' option
Ole Hansen wrote:> > 2. > Is it possible to setup syslinux.cfg for some kind of safeboot, so for > instance you could have 2 labels for kernel and if the system don't > properly from the first, then boot from the other on next boot ?? This could > be made with some kind of a flag in memory and a small utility to be called > from linux to clear this flag, if boot succeded. > We see this as a nice feature, if you want to install a new bootfile etc..., > remotely via network. > > Sorry if these subjects have been discussed before, but I haven't seen > anything about it, when I looked in the FAQ-archive. >This is all but impossible to do locally, simply because I don't believe there is anywhere to store this flag. I believe Microsoft has been pushing BIOS vendors into making some location in the CMOS available for this purpose. There *is* one way you could do it, but it would involve server-side hacking (and thus is beyond the scope of pxelinux, but perhaps something to consider for tftp-hpa): When the client requests a configuration file, give it the standard configuration file and change a setting on the server so that the next request will give a different -- the "safeboot" configuration file. Once Linux has booted, send a reply to the server letting it know that the server should change back to the normal response. This requires a TFTP server which can perform an action after a request, in addition to delivering files. -hpa
Hello
I think I expressed myself badly.
I wnated to upload a newkernel/initrd via network and then use syslinux to
boot from flash.
best regards
ole at danelec.dk
* danelec electronics a/s
* Blokken 44
* DK-3460 Birkeroed
* DENMARK
* Phone: +45 45821879
* Fax: +45 45821979
* Email: ole at danelec.dk
* http://www.danelec.dk
* ftp://ftp.danelec.dk
* Radio call sign: oz1jru
***************************************************************
* If you seek luck, luck will strike you ..... 8o) *
***************************************************************
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Patrick J. LoPresti [mailto:patl at curl.com]
> Sent: 26. oktober 2002 16:45
> To: syslinux at zytor.com
> Subject: Re: [syslinux] syslinux tool for Win2k and 'safeboot'
option
>
>
> "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa at zytor.com> writes:
>
> > There *is* one way you could do it, but it would involve server-side
> > hacking (and thus is beyond the scope of pxelinux, but
> perhaps something
> > to consider for tftp-hpa):
> >
> > When the client requests a configuration file, give it the standard
> > configuration file and change a setting on the server so
> that the next
> > request will give a different -- the "safeboot"
configuration file.
>
> Wouldn't this be fundamentally flaky, since TFTP is not a reliable
> protocol? That is, the client could request the file, then the server
> would send it, then the client might request it again because a packet
> got dropped?
>
> If so, it is probably not even worth adding. Better to use TCP to
> communicate with the server after the client has booted...
>
> - Pat
> _______________________________________________
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> Unsubscribe or set options at:
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>
Josef Siemes
2002-Oct-28 19:30 UTC
[syslinux] syslinux tool for Win2k and 'safeboot' option
Hi, Ole Hansen <ole at danelec.dk> schrieb am 25.10.02 23:24:40:> 1. > We use an IDE<->compactflash-adapter in our target-system. We use a > USB-compact-flash reader/writer(SanDisk/ImageMate) on our linux-host to > write the flash. It appears in the Linux-system as '/dev/sda', and we can > use syslinux and mount for copying kernel, syslinux.cfg and our > initial-ramdisk. This works very elegant.note that linux uses this device as /dev/sdX, just like any other disk drive.> If we try the same technic on a Win2k-system, the USB-compact-flash > reader/writer appears as a non-permanent-disk and I can read/write kernel, > syslinux.cfg and our initial-ramdisk as expected, but syslinux.com reports > an error trying to write to bootsector(most likely a permission-problem). > In the user-notes for syslinux, it says that this can be ignored and that it > is likely to work anyway. I have now tried on 3 different systems without > luck(Win2k/sp2). > > Has anybody made a version of syslinux.com that works on win2k on flashdisks > ??Are you sure that W2K treats the 'removable device' it reports as a plain disk drive, or that the driver of the USB reader interferes with the MBR? Did you try this (just for confirmation) with the IDE-CF adaptor attached to the W2K machine? This would prevent changing the CF card while W2k is booted, though ... I think there's something wrong with accessing the MBR in the CF reader, and so syslinux fails. Regards, Josef ________________________________________________________________ Keine verlorenen Lotto-Quittungen, keine vergessenen Gewinne mehr! Beim WEB.DE Lottoservice: http://tippen2.web.de/?x=13
Hello Josef Thanks for replying.> Hi, > > Ole Hansen <ole at danelec.dk> schrieb am 25.10.02 23:24:40: > > 1. > > We use an IDE<->compactflash-adapter in our target-system. We use a > > USB-compact-flash reader/writer(SanDisk/ImageMate) on our > linux-host to > > write the flash. It appears in the Linux-system as > '/dev/sda', and we can > > use syslinux and mount for copying kernel, syslinux.cfg and our > > initial-ramdisk. This works very elegant. > > note that linux uses this device as /dev/sdX, just like any > other disk drive.Yes, but Linux allow you to access any devices according to /dev/xxxx - permissions Windows NT/2K/XP does not allow that.> > > If we try the same technic on a Win2k-system, the USB-compact-flash > > reader/writer appears as a non-permanent-disk and I can > read/write kernel, > > syslinux.cfg and our initial-ramdisk as expected, but > syslinux.com reports > > an error trying to write to bootsector(most likely a > permission-problem). > > In the user-notes for syslinux, it says that this can be > ignored and that it > > is likely to work anyway. I have now tried on 3 different > systems without > > luck(Win2k/sp2). > > > > Has anybody made a version of syslinux.com that works on > win2k on flashdisks > > ?? > > Are you sure that W2K treats the 'removable device' it > reports as a plain > disk drive, or that the driver of the USB reader interferes > with the MBR?No, I guess it treats it as a SCSI-harddisk... ??> > Did you try this (just for confirmation) with the IDE-CF > adaptor attached to the > W2K machine? This would prevent changing the CF card while > W2k is booted, > though ...This is same problem. It is the way SysLinux tries to gain access to 'raw'-device that makes the problem. I mean, when other tools like PartitionMagic can, it should be possible...> > I think there's something wrong with accessing the MBR in the > CF reader, > and so syslinux fails.No, it gets a permission error. There is a message saying that a program tried to gain access to the device raw, and the choices: ignore or cancel. If I choose ignore, it only copies the bootloader on to the flash, but does not setup a pointer to it !! best regards ole at danelec.dk * danelec electronics a/s * Blokken 44 * DK-3460 Birkeroed * DENMARK * Phone: +45 45821879 * Fax: +45 45821979 * Email: ole at danelec.dk * http://www.danelec.dk * ftp://ftp.danelec.dk * Radio call sign: oz1jru *************************************************************** * If you seek luck, luck will strike you ..... 8o) * ***************************************************************
Luis.F.Correia
2002-Oct-30 08:30 UTC
[syslinux] syslinux tool for Win2k and 'safeboot' option
For syslinux to work as you want under Win 2000/XP, you will need to write a 'kernel' driver for direct access. Since the USB driver is already a 'kernel' driver, I don't think you can get away with it. I have syslinux'ed my CF with plain old dos with my IDE<->compactflash adapter. But remember, once the CF is syslinux'ed, you can copy and replace all content with the USB adapter. That's how I do backups now :) -----Original Message----- From: Ole Hansen [mailto:ole at danelec.dk] Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 8:08 PM To: 'syslinux at zytor.com' Subject: RE: [syslinux] syslinux tool for Win2k and 'safeboot' option Hello Josef Thanks for replying.> Hi, > > Ole Hansen <ole at danelec.dk> schrieb am 25.10.02 23:24:40: > > 1. > > We use an IDE<->compactflash-adapter in our target-system. We use a > > USB-compact-flash reader/writer(SanDisk/ImageMate) on our > linux-host to > > write the flash. It appears in the Linux-system as > '/dev/sda', and we can > > use syslinux and mount for copying kernel, syslinux.cfg and our > > initial-ramdisk. This works very elegant. > > note that linux uses this device as /dev/sdX, just like any > other disk drive.Yes, but Linux allow you to access any devices according to /dev/xxxx - permissions Windows NT/2K/XP does not allow that.> > > If we try the same technic on a Win2k-system, the USB-compact-flash > > reader/writer appears as a non-permanent-disk and I can > read/write kernel, > > syslinux.cfg and our initial-ramdisk as expected, but > syslinux.com reports > > an error trying to write to bootsector(most likely a > permission-problem). > > In the user-notes for syslinux, it says that this can be > ignored and that it > > is likely to work anyway. I have now tried on 3 different > systems without > > luck(Win2k/sp2). > > > > Has anybody made a version of syslinux.com that works on > win2k on flashdisks > > ?? > > Are you sure that W2K treats the 'removable device' it > reports as a plain > disk drive, or that the driver of the USB reader interferes > with the MBR?No, I guess it treats it as a SCSI-harddisk... ??> > Did you try this (just for confirmation) with the IDE-CF > adaptor attached to the > W2K machine? This would prevent changing the CF card while > W2k is booted, > though ...This is same problem. It is the way SysLinux tries to gain access to 'raw'-device that makes the problem. I mean, when other tools like PartitionMagic can, it should be possible...> > I think there's something wrong with accessing the MBR in the > CF reader, > and so syslinux fails.No, it gets a permission error. There is a message saying that a program tried to gain access to the device raw, and the choices: ignore or cancel. If I choose ignore, it only copies the bootloader on to the flash, but does not setup a pointer to it !! best regards ole at danelec.dk * danelec electronics a/s * Blokken 44 * DK-3460 Birkeroed * DENMARK * Phone: +45 45821879 * Fax: +45 45821979 * Email: ole at danelec.dk * http://www.danelec.dk * ftp://ftp.danelec.dk * Radio call sign: oz1jru *************************************************************** * If you seek luck, luck will strike you ..... 8o) * *************************************************************** _______________________________________________ SYSLINUX mailing list Submissions to SYSLINUX at zytor.com Unsubscribe or set options at: http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux