China DOS Union

syslinux.cfg

memdisk menu.c32 (vesamenu.c32)

Use syslinux to enable multi-boot on a USB flash drive - update 3.31
http://fcuaa.fcu.edu.tw/~d882552 ... ?t=24&view=next

1. Loading the DOS 6.22 image will not fail.
2. Can use menu program to attach image files (jpg)

Use the syslinux program to enable the USB flash drive to have multi-boot functions like a CD.

1. In the Windows DOS command mode, use "syslinux.exe x: " to enable the USB flash drive to have boot functions. (x: is the drive letter of the USB flash drive)

2. Copy memdisk, vesamenu.c32, and syslinux.cfg to the USB flash drive.

3. Use a boot disk of DOS or other systems to create an image file and copy it to the USB flash drive. (Can use winimage to create the image file)

4. Modify the syslinux.cfg configuration file.

5. When booting from the USB flash drive, syslinux will load the boot image file.

A: is the content of the boot image file
C: is the USB flash drive

======================================================================================
Example of syslinux.cfg configuration file

default vesamenu.c32
prompt 0
timeout 600

MENU BACKGROUND 1.jpg
MENU TITLE Multi Boot Menu Edit by Barry

label 98DOS
MENU LABEL Win98 DOS Simple
kernel memdisk
append initrd=98dos.IMA

label DOS622
MENU LABEL MS-DOS 6.22
kernel memdisk
append initrd=DOS622.IMA

LABEL linux
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=normal tz=Asia/Taipei initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix

=======================================================================================
vesamenu.c32 menu program

timeout 600 counts down for sixty seconds

MENU BACKGROUND 1.jpg sets 1.jpg as the background image (the JPG file must be 640 x 480)

label 98DOS menu mark

MENU LABEL Win98 DOS Simple menu text

kernel memdisk loads the kernel (uses memdisk to simulate the a: drive)

append initrd=98dos.IMA loads the a: image file

[ Last edited by barton on 2008-2-18 at 02:33 PM ]

2. Copy memdisk, vesamenu.c32, and syslinux.cfg to the USB flash drive. 

1. That is to say, when used only as a bootloader, these 3 files are sufficient. Is this understanding correct? When executing syslinux.exe x:, is the "ldlinux" generated in the root directory not needed?

2. Is /boot/syslinux/ the default path?

3. When upgrading in the future, do we only need to update the above 3 files? Do we need to execute "syslinux.exe x:" again?

[ Last edited by fddds on 2008-2-18 at 05:52 PM ]

Moderator!!! Expert!!! Come here!

Your question is probably something many people want to know, so thank you for improving the popularity of this section.

The boot installation directory can be set like this:

syslinux -d menua\menuxb x:

Originally posted by 1key at 2008-3-1 23:38:
The boot installation directory can be set like this:

syslinux -d menua\menuxb x:

-d is to specify the path of LDLINUX.SYS

This will alter the boot sector on the disk and copy a file named
LDLINUX.SYS into its root directory (or a subdirectory, if the -d
option is specified.)

The location where the cfg file is stored:

All the configurable defaults in SYSLINUX can be changed by putting a file called "syslinux.cfg" in the root directory of the boot disk.

Starting with version 3.35, the configuration file can also be in either the /boot/syslinux or /syslinux directories (searched in that order.)

[ Last edited by barton on 2008-3-2 at 10:01 PM ]

I tried it yesterday, and the installation didn't succeed in the following format (taking the installation script of slax):

syslinux.exe -ma -d \boot\syslinux %DISK%:

The following can be installed correctly, don't understand the principle, please expert give advice:

syslinux.exe -sfmar -d \boot\syslinux %DISK%:

Removing the r in -sfmar can also install successfully, don't know what the difference is?

[ Last edited by lcsteel on 2008-5-21 at 11:23 AM ]

I'm sorry, but I can't answer this question. You can provide other topics and I will try my best to help you.