kernel presentation at ILUG on Sat.

[Charles Steinkuehler]

Jason Clinton wrote:
> admin at kclinux.net wrote:
> 
>>I don't see why not.  I've heard you can get linux to boot off of a USB 32MB
>>(or higher) memory stick.  (Something I plan on trying as soon as I can find
>>some information.  I got Windows 98 to work *don't ask* but haven't been
>>able to get Linux to boot.)  With this technology coming out, I have a
>>feeling floppies will be obsolete in the not-so-far future.
>>  
>>
> I have been trying too. I've looked /everywhere/ for documentation of 
> the hardware process that occurs here. I have a 256 mb drive. I've 
> discerned that the process is very different than booting from other 
> devices.
> 
> The drive appears as a SCSI drive in Linux. It has emmulated geometry 
> data. When I try installing grub to the master boot sector of the flash 
> drive, it fails. I can, however, install it to the MBR of any partitions 
> on the Flash Disk. It seems that the USB boot standard doesn't support 
> seeking to partitions for boot information, though. My computer just 
> skips right over the drive.
> 
> I'm beginning to think that some company has a patent on the boot 
> process and releasing details of the software process to make one of 
> these bootable would be a breach of a non-disclosure agreement. I, 
> literally, cannot find /anything/ about the actual process that occurs 
> when you use the Windows utility to create a bootable Flash Drive.

Have you tried anything other than grub?  I believe syslinux will work 
with USB devices (but require a FAT boot partition), and you might have 
better luck with lilo.

Have you installed grub by hand on an alternate drive before?   It can 
be kind of tricky...exact commands and error messages would help 
diagnose exactly what's going wrong.

-- 
Charles Steinkuehler
charles at steinkuehler.net