CompactFlash USB/IDE Switcheroo?

Forum: HD Install
Topic: CompactFlash USB/IDE Switcheroo?
started by: DSL Guy

Posted by DSL Guy on Dec. 06 2006,19:14

This topic started in "Other Help Topics" concerning DSL's ability to recognize my multi-format Memory Card Reader (it does not) and evolved into the need to change the audience and post it here.

I want to create a frugal installation of DSL on a 64Mb CompactFlash card for use in a Compaq IA-1.

In a perfect world, I would own an CF-IDE adapter recognizable to DSL and proceed with a frugal installation. I have a USB memory-card reader that is visible to WinXP but not to DSL.

The switcheroo is that I want to create a bootable USB pendrive and copy its files to a CF card. The CF card will be accessed via IDE in the IA-1.

So here is where it gets interesting ...

Using DSL 3.1, I created a USB-HDD pendrive (using a garden-variety USB 64 Mb flashdrive) and can boot from it. DSL sees the pendrive as /dev/sda.

Using WinXP, I formatted the 64Mb CF card (FAT16) and copied all the files from the pendrive to the CF card (see file list below). Then I ran "syslinux G:" where G: is the CF card. I used syslinux v3.31.

In theory, I've created a FAT-formatted CF card containing all the required files to boot DSL using syslinux. In practice, I have a CF card that boots up to the point where it needs to find the Knoppix file, cannot, and fails to a limited shell offering four commands (mount, unmount, etc).

I suspect the failure is due to a misconfigured syslinux.cfg file. It is the one copied from the pendrive and contains references to /dev/sda. The path to the CF card, plugged into the IA-1, is extremely unlikely to be the same as the pendrive. I suspect it needs to look like /dev/hda or hd-something.

Does this sound like a plausible explanation? Or is the "can't find KNOPPIX" message caused by something else?

==== Files copied from USB pendrive to CF card ====
KNOPPIX/knoppix
boot.cat
boot.msg
f2
f3
german.kbd
ldlinux.sys
linux24
logo.16
minirt24.gz
syslinux.cfg

Posted by rja on Dec. 06 2006,20:19

I think you are trying to perform a frugal HD Install to a
CF card, which is not a USB booting topic.

If I read the IA1hacking web pages right, the internal CF card
will be hda, while the external CF card is hdc.

Try modifying your syslinux.cfg to find the knoppix image on hda
or hdc, depending on where your CF card is.

If there are still problems, then post the syslinux.cfg settings
that you are trying to use.

Maybe syslinux should be replaced with grub or lilo? I'm using
grub with my microdrive in a CF-pcmcia adapter.

The good news is that if you search for "Compaq AND IA-1"
on the dsl forums, you will find a couple of people have
gotten older versions of dsl to boot on it, but no clear
instructions on how they did it.

You probably should move this topic to the HD Install forum.

Posted by DSL Guy on Dec. 06 2006,21:00

OK, so you're confirming that I should edit the syslinux.cfg file and replace /dev/sda with the correct target (/dev/hdc).
I'll give that a try and report my results in the HD Install forum.

I did several searches for DSL and Compaq IA-1 related postings and found virtually nothing useful. Most postings have dried on the vine as unanswered pleas for help. I appreciate you taking the time to set me on the right path.