DOS USB Boot, DSL Run

Forum: USB booting
Topic: DOS USB Boot, DSL Run
started by: iolaus

Posted by iolaus on July 19 2005,19:18

I am currently able to boot to DOS with my USB flash drive and would like to keep it that way (for the purposes of BIOS flashing, etc) but would also like to be able to run DSL off the USB flash drive via the DOS prompt. Is there any way to accomplish this?

Thanks,
Ryan

Posted by cbagger01 on July 19 2005,19:44

Yes, it can be done.

Last year I did it with FreeDOS and loadlin

You can create a config.sys or autoexec.bat menu and then have one of your choices be to start DSL via the loadlin program. The other choice should be a DOS prompt.

< http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....25;st=0 >

Posted by iolaus on July 19 2005,20:33

cbagger01,

That sounds like EXACTLY what I would like to do. Could you give me any tips on setting up loadlin or better yet maybe a copy of the batch file you used?

Thanks,
Ryan

Posted by cbagger01 on July 20 2005,12:35

Unfortunately,

I have long since wiped the usb drive and replaced with a different configuration.

However, I did perform an image backup before I nuke the drive so it's around here somewhere.

As for tips, here are a few:

1) Do not load any DOS extended or high memory drivers if you wish to use loadlin

2) Get a more recent version of loadlin (1.6c, i think) that can support the booting of 2.4.x version linux kernels

3) Use a loadlin.par config file to store your kernel boottime parameters. You can steal the DEFAULT boottime parameters from the syslinux.cfg or isolinux.cfg file that comes with the DSL livecd boot or with the bootfloppy.

4) The rest of the installation is just a normal DSL poorman's install, IE: Copy the \knoppix\knoppix file over to your usbdrive.