> I did try using unetbootin to make a freedos usbkey using freedos from the > standard list in the available options within unetbootin but the key I prepared > would not boot! I don't know if it is critical to put the partition table into the > key in a particular way - but I tried using gparted and making a standard > msdos partition table followed by making a new partition which was fat32 > with boot and lba labels. I have seen some articles which have the old 63 > sector start point for the first partition on the usbkey - but again when I tried > that the key would not get recognised by the arch system when I plugged it > in. > > So is there any magic incantation in formatting the usbkey in the first place > before putting writing the MBR and placing the syslinux boot files and image > files in the key? If using grub2 via grub-install on the key is there any magic > incantation for that ? I guess if I can get freedos to boot on the key I may be > closer to getting something going! (Or getting sysylinux to boot - either > would be a solution) > You remember me when I had to burn Windows7 dvd on a USB key because in the middle of the installation the setup program was suddenly complaining about a missing dvd player driver even if it got loaded fine from the dvd drive! I was in a hurry to find a magic incantation or a magical recipe from the internet to do just that for literally a whole night. Before that, the last time I had to create a bootable disk was back from DOS where everything was simply done with just format /b a: I failed and after a couple of hours of sleep. I decided to take some time to just read grub2 documentation. Just by stopping trying to take shortcuts and just read the grub documentation, I have been able to build my first bootable USB key! I suggest you to do the same. Just half an hour and bootloading won't have any secrets to you anymore. ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY : This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. If you are not a named recipient, please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose the contents to another person, use it for any purpose or store or copy the information in any medium.
