Carl Duff
2013-Nov-23 14:30 UTC
[syslinux] Sysinux 6 will not boot ISOs on BIOS (i.e. pre-UEFI) systems
It occured with every BIOS system I tested on (none of them Dell): 1. HP G62 laptop (i3) 2. Samsung RV520 (i3) Don't know what system Philip Muller uses; have copied him in as he has far more technical knowledge than I do. Syslinux tested from Arch and Manjaro (an Arch derivative). Basically found then when creating latest ISO images. I may be missing something as well about the FMs. Just didn't have this problem with Syslinux 4... Carl On 23 November 2013 13:49, Ady <ady-sf at hotmail.com> wrote:> > It is impossible to boot Linux-based ISOs that use Syslinux 6.02 via CD > or > > DVD on older - non-UEFI - systems. Any attempt to do so will result in > the > > following error message: ISOLINUX 6.02 ETCDisolinux: Disk error 01, AX > > 4279, drive FE > > Is this happening on "every" system? Or are we talking about specific > models or with specific characteristics? Is this behavior seen by any > chance in a Dell? Or only in some specific brand? > > I am assuming that all c32 files where updated too, and that at least > ldlinux.c32 is included in the ISO together in the same location as > isolinux.bin, right? > > Are you testing with Syslinux 6.02 from kernel.org? Or is this from > latest Arch Linux [testing]? > > > > > It is still possible to boot / install via USB data-stick, and in a > Virtual > > Machine. Where using a newer PC with UEFI, even in Legacy mode (and with > > the UEFI partition completely removed), ISOs using Syslinux 6.02 will > still > > go through the UEFI menu. > > > > I also noticed that (at least some) OSs not using syslinux 6.02 won't > > recognise ISOs that do. For example, the file managers of Mint 13, > Windows > > 7, and Windows 8 all wrongly "see" blank discs). > > Are you sure that seeing blank discs is related to the version of > Syslinux? That behavior seems more related to optical media, the > specific optical drive, the burning software, or the tool to build > the ISO image, or... > > I wonder if perhaps there is some issue regarding isohibrid. > > Regarding file / archive managers reading ISO files, I don't see how > it could be related to the version of Syslinux, but perhaps I am > missing something here. > > Regards, > Ady. > > _______________________________________________ > Syslinux mailing list > Submissions to Syslinux at zytor.com > Unsubscribe or set options at: > http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux > Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic. > >
Philip Müller
2013-Nov-23 14:44 UTC
[syslinux] Sysinux 6 will not boot ISOs on BIOS (i.e. pre-UEFI) systems
Hi Ady,
I'm the developer of manjaroiso, the tool we use to build our install
medias for Manjaro Linux.
During our testings we found out, that syslinux6 won't work on older
hardware. I've a new Lenovo i7 notebook which booted up our images just
fine. Even with syslinux6. On my other PCs I got similar error messages
as Carl got.
Here is the code I'm using for either syslinux6 or syslinux4:
# Prepare /isolinux
make_isolinux() {
if [[ ! -e ${work_dir}/build.${FUNCNAME} ]]; then
echo -e -n "$_r >$_W Prepare ${install_dir}/iso/isolinux \n
$_n"
cp -Lr isolinux ${work_dir}/iso
if [[ -e ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/ ]]; then
cp
${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/isolinux.bin
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp
${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/isohdpfx.bin
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/ldlinux.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/gfxboot.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp
${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/whichsys.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/mboot.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/hdt.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/chain.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp
${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/libcom32.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/libmenu.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/libutil.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/libgpl.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
else
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/isolinux.bin
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/isohdpfx.bin
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/gfxboot.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/whichsys.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/mboot.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/hdt.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/chain.c32
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/
fi
sed "s|%MISO_LABEL%|${iso_label}|g;
s|%INSTALL_DIR%|${install_dir}|g;
s|%ARCH%|${arch}|g" isolinux/isolinux.cfg >
${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/isolinux.cfg
: > ${work_dir}/build.${FUNCNAME}
echo -e "$_g >$_W done $_n"
fi
}
In manjaro-testing we have currently syslinux 6.02-6 but we tested it
with syslinux 6.02-4.
Changlog you can find here:
https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit/packages.git/log/trunk?h=packages/syslinux
kind regards
Phil
On 11/23/2013 03:30 PM, Carl Duff wrote:> It occured with every BIOS system I tested on (none of them Dell):
>
> 1. HP G62 laptop (i3)
> 2. Samsung RV520 (i3)
>
> Don't know what system Philip Muller uses; have copied him in as he
> has far more technical knowledge than I do. Syslinux tested from Arch
> and Manjaro (an Arch derivative). Basically found then when creating
> latest ISO images.
>
> I may be missing something as well about the FMs. Just didn't have
> this problem with Syslinux 4...
>
> Carl
>
>
>
>
> On 23 November 2013 13:49, Ady <ady-sf at hotmail.com
> <mailto:ady-sf at hotmail.com>> wrote:
>
> > It is impossible to boot Linux-based ISOs that use Syslinux 6.02
> via CD or
> > DVD on older - non-UEFI - systems. Any attempt to do so will
> result in the
> > following error message: ISOLINUX 6.02 ETCDisolinux: Disk error
> 01, AX > > 4279, drive FE
>
> Is this happening on "every" system? Or are we talking about
specific
> models or with specific characteristics? Is this behavior seen by any
> chance in a Dell? Or only in some specific brand?
>
> I am assuming that all c32 files where updated too, and that at least
> ldlinux.c32 is included in the ISO together in the same location as
> isolinux.bin, right?
>
> Are you testing with Syslinux 6.02 from kernel.org
> <http://kernel.org>? Or is this from
> latest Arch Linux [testing]?
>
> >
> > It is still possible to boot / install via USB data-stick, and
> in a Virtual
> > Machine. Where using a newer PC with UEFI, even in Legacy mode
> (and with
> > the UEFI partition completely removed), ISOs using Syslinux 6.02
> will still
> > go through the UEFI menu.
> >
> > I also noticed that (at least some) OSs not using syslinux 6.02
> won't
> > recognise ISOs that do. For example, the file managers of Mint
> 13, Windows
> > 7, and Windows 8 all wrongly "see" blank discs).
>
> Are you sure that seeing blank discs is related to the version of
> Syslinux? That behavior seems more related to optical media, the
> specific optical drive, the burning software, or the tool to build
> the ISO image, or...
>
> I wonder if perhaps there is some issue regarding isohibrid.
>
> Regarding file / archive managers reading ISO files, I don't see
how
> it could be related to the version of Syslinux, but perhaps I am
> missing something here.
>
> Regards,
> Ady.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Syslinux mailing list
> Submissions to Syslinux at zytor.com <mailto:Syslinux at
zytor.com>
> Unsubscribe or set options at:
> http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux
> Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic.
>
>
Philip Müller
2013-Nov-23 15:05 UTC
[syslinux] Sysinux 6 will not boot ISOs on BIOS (i.e. pre-UEFI) systems
Hi there, since I didn't had the time to test, this might be the solution for the issue Arch-based distros faced: https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit/packages.git/plain/trunk/syslinux-6.02-fix-chainloading.patch?h=packages/syslinux This is included in the latest syslinux package you find in testing/unstable at Manjaro. kind regards Phil On 11/23/2013 03:44 PM, Philip M?ller wrote:> Hi Ady, > > I'm the developer of manjaroiso, the tool we use to build our install > medias for Manjaro Linux. > During our testings we found out, that syslinux6 won't work on older > hardware. I've a new Lenovo i7 notebook which booted up our images > just fine. Even with syslinux6. On my other PCs I got similar error > messages as Carl got. > > Here is the code I'm using for either syslinux6 or syslinux4: > > # Prepare /isolinux > make_isolinux() { > if [[ ! -e ${work_dir}/build.${FUNCNAME} ]]; then > echo -e -n "$_r >$_W Prepare ${install_dir}/iso/isolinux \n $_n" > cp -Lr isolinux ${work_dir}/iso > if [[ -e ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/ ]]; then > cp > ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/isolinux.bin > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp > ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/isohdpfx.bin > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp > ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/ldlinux.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp > ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/gfxboot.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp > ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/whichsys.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/mboot.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/hdt.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/chain.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp > ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/libcom32.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp > ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/libmenu.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp > ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/libutil.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/libgpl.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > else > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/isolinux.bin > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/isohdpfx.bin > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/gfxboot.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/whichsys.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/mboot.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/hdt.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > cp ${work_dir}/root-image/usr/lib/syslinux/chain.c32 > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/ > fi > sed "s|%MISO_LABEL%|${iso_label}|g; > s|%INSTALL_DIR%|${install_dir}|g; > s|%ARCH%|${arch}|g" isolinux/isolinux.cfg > > ${work_dir}/iso/isolinux/isolinux.cfg > : > ${work_dir}/build.${FUNCNAME} > echo -e "$_g >$_W done $_n" > fi > } > > In manjaro-testing we have currently syslinux 6.02-6 but we tested it > with syslinux 6.02-4. > Changlog you can find here: > https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit/packages.git/log/trunk?h=packages/syslinux > > kind regards > > Phil > > On 11/23/2013 03:30 PM, Carl Duff wrote: >> It occured with every BIOS system I tested on (none of them Dell): >> >> 1. HP G62 laptop (i3) >> 2. Samsung RV520 (i3) >> >> Don't know what system Philip Muller uses; have copied him in as he >> has far more technical knowledge than I do. Syslinux tested from Arch >> and Manjaro (an Arch derivative). Basically found then when creating >> latest ISO images. >> >> I may be missing something as well about the FMs. Just didn't have >> this problem with Syslinux 4... >> >> Carl >> >> >> >> >> On 23 November 2013 13:49, Ady <ady-sf at hotmail.com >> <mailto:ady-sf at hotmail.com>> wrote: >> >> > It is impossible to boot Linux-based ISOs that use Syslinux >> 6.02 via CD or >> > DVD on older - non-UEFI - systems. Any attempt to do so will >> result in the >> > following error message: ISOLINUX 6.02 ETCDisolinux: Disk error >> 01, AX >> > 4279, drive FE >> >> Is this happening on "every" system? Or are we talking about specific >> models or with specific characteristics? Is this behavior seen by any >> chance in a Dell? Or only in some specific brand? >> >> I am assuming that all c32 files where updated too, and that at least >> ldlinux.c32 is included in the ISO together in the same location as >> isolinux.bin, right? >> >> Are you testing with Syslinux 6.02 from kernel.org >> <http://kernel.org>? Or is this from >> latest Arch Linux [testing]? >> >> > >> > It is still possible to boot / install via USB data-stick, and >> in a Virtual >> > Machine. Where using a newer PC with UEFI, even in Legacy mode >> (and with >> > the UEFI partition completely removed), ISOs using Syslinux >> 6.02 will still >> > go through the UEFI menu. >> > >> > I also noticed that (at least some) OSs not using syslinux 6.02 >> won't >> > recognise ISOs that do. For example, the file managers of Mint >> 13, Windows >> > 7, and Windows 8 all wrongly "see" blank discs). >> >> Are you sure that seeing blank discs is related to the version of >> Syslinux? That behavior seems more related to optical media, the >> specific optical drive, the burning software, or the tool to build >> the ISO image, or... >> >> I wonder if perhaps there is some issue regarding isohibrid. >> >> Regarding file / archive managers reading ISO files, I don't see how >> it could be related to the version of Syslinux, but perhaps I am >> missing something here. >> >> Regards, >> Ady. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Syslinux mailing list >> Submissions to Syslinux at zytor.com <mailto:Syslinux at zytor.com> >> Unsubscribe or set options at: >> http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux >> Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic. >> >> >
Ady
2013-Nov-24 03:34 UTC
[syslinux] Sysinux 6 will not boot ISOs on BIOS (i.e. pre-UEFI) systems
> I'm the developer of manjaroiso, the tool we use to build our install > medias for Manjaro Linux. > During our testings we found out, that syslinux6 won't work on older > hardware. I've a new Lenovo i7 notebook which booted up our images > just fine. Even with syslinux6. On my other PCs I got similar error > messages as Carl got.(snip)> > In manjaro-testing we have currently syslinux 6.02-6 but we tested it > with syslinux 6.02-4. > Changlog you can find here: > https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit/packages.git/log/trunk?h=packa > ges/syslinux > > kind regards > > Phil > > On 11/23/2013 03:30 PM, Carl Duff wrote: > It occured with every BIOS system I tested on (none of them Dell): > > 1. HP G62 laptop (i3) > 2. Samsung RV520 (i3)(snip)> > > It is impossible to boot Linux-based ISOs that use Syslinux 6.02 > via CD or > > DVD on older - non-UEFI - systems. Any attempt to do so will result > in the > > following error message: ISOLINUX 6.02 ETCDisolinux: Disk error 01, > AX > > 4279, drive FE(snip)> > > > It is still possible to boot / install via USB data-stick, and in a > Virtual > > Machine. Where using a newer PC with UEFI, even in Legacy mode (and > with > > the UEFI partition completely removed), ISOs using Syslinux 6.02 > will still > > go through the UEFI menu. > >I have several comments, which might not solve the issue, but perhaps they are a starting point. 0_ Giving the current context, in the following comments when I refer to version 6.02, I mean the latest version available in Arch Linux (6.02-6 as I am writing this). This is relevant not only because Manjaro is based on Arch, but because the Syslinux package in Arch already contains patches that are not yet included in the official upstream archives for version 6.02 in kernel.org. 1_ Since you take the Syslinux files from the /bios/ subdirectory, and some mix up seems to happen in some EFI systems under "Compatibility Support Module" (CSM, aka Legacy BIOS mode), then at least one test should be performed without adding *any* EFI-related "stuff". Such testing ISO image should not contain grub-related booting files, nor Syslinux efi files, nor any of the EFI-related paths. In other words, a test with Syslinux 6.02 BIOS files (and paths) *only*. 2_ Since the same problematic systems seem to be booting OK from USB drives, the basic testing ISO should be ISOLINUX-only, not isohybrid. Avoiding isohybrid on this testing ISO could reduce the chance that somehow the normal ISOLINUX boot sectors might be screwed up. 3_ When building the ISO image, only one set of boot parameters should be used; those for ISOLINUX only. So, only one "eltorito_boot_image", no "eltorito-alt-boot", no "-eltorito-platform"... In other words, build the testing ISO for a BIOS-only system with ISOLINUX 6.02 BIOS files only. 4_ The only purpose of this testing ISO is to identify whether ISOLINUX 6.02 behaves differently than ISOLINUX 4.07, specially in those problematic systems. So isolinux.cfg should be as basic and simple as possible; no menus (e.g. no gfxboot, no [vesa]menu), no automatic boots (use 'prompt 1', no timeouts), no automatic 'DISPLAY' nor 'SAY' directives and the like, no screen resolutions in special / specific graphic mode... The initial screen should be able to display a copyright and version line regarding ISOLINUX and a "boot:" prompt; that's all. We all might have more comments / questions, depending on the results with such basic image. It may depend on the optical media used (CD vs. DVD), burning speed (I suggest 4x; for a minimal testing ISO, using higher speeds is not necessary and might produce bad results), and the condition of the hardware (old optical drives might produce bad optical media). My point is, we could narrow down the problem, depending on the result of a _minimal_ ISOLINUX 6.02 BIOS-only ISO / media in comparison with an equivalent ISOLINUX 4.07 ISO / media tested on the same problematic system. @Phil, Could you please also post which exact systems are failing with the "Disk error 01, AX = 4279, drive FE" (or similar) error? Thank you and Best Regards, Ady. PS: As others have mentioned, A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text, especially the archives of mailing lists. Q: Why is Top-posting such a bad thing? "No one ever says, 'I can't read that ASCII(plain text) e-mail you sent me.'"
H. Peter Anvin
2013-Nov-24 04:59 UTC
[syslinux] Sysinux 6 will not boot ISOs on BIOS (i.e. pre-UEFI) systems
On 11/21/2013 02:50 AM, Carl Duff wrote:> Hi All, >> It is impossible to boot Linux-based ISOs that use Syslinux 6.02 via > CD or DVD on older - non-UEFI - systems. Any attempt to do so will > result in the following error message: ISOLINUX 6.02 ETCDisolinux: > Disk error 01, AX = 4279, drive FE >Error 01 is unsupported operation, 42xx is read, so something is really really wonky as the machine you are on is reporting that the read command doesn't exist. Most likely it is something that is being misinterpreted as an error indication, but *what* is the big question. The very early code that emits this message is *identical* between Syslinux 4 and Syslinux 6. The biggest difference is the size of isolinux.bin, so it is possible that that might be the source of the problem. -hpa
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