Syslinux bootloader support?

[-ermo-]

Please consider adding support for the EXTLINUX boot loader in EasyBCD.

From the Syslinux project web page:

The Syslinux Project covers lightweight bootloaders for MS-DOS FAT filesystems (SYSLINUX), network booting (PXELINUX), bootable "El Torito" CD-ROMs (ISOLINUX), and Linux ext2/ext3/ext4 or btrfs filesystems (EXTLINUX).

[Computer Guru]

Hi ermo, welcome to NST.

I'll look into the EXTLINUX project for the next version of EasyBCD

[-ermo-]

I got in touch w/H. Peter Anvin (the original author of Syslinux) in #syslinux on the freenode irc network. Hpa mentioned that he'd written a short blurb about using syslinux with EasyBCD here: http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Windows_BCD

You may or may not find it useful in your investigations.

[Computer Guru]

Thanks

Addendum:

From his post, it would seem that there really isn't much that needs to be done in EasyBCD. I'd just have to clone the LiLO option, and change the name

The warning Peter adds about the separate BCD partition is no longer needed with EasyBCD 2.0, which takes care of all such issues automagically.

[-ermo-]

Great!

<ermo> hpa: The author of EasyBCD has responded that he'll look at syslinux support for the next release. I pointed him to Windows BCD - Syslinux Wiki so we'll see how it pans out, I guess
<hpa> ermo: Please tell him to feel free to email me for discussions, too

You can reach Peter at

"hpa at zytor dot com".

Cheers!

[Computer Guru]

Awesome!

[-ermo-]

*bump*

Any progress?

[Computer Guru]

Hello ermo,

It's done and will be available in the next beta build of EasyBCD

[Computer Guru]

You can check build 126: EasyBCD 2.0 Beta Builds - The NeoSmart Forums

[sambul12]

I added Syslinux option to Windows 7 Boot Menu on 1st NTFS HD partition, using current NeoGrub, but Syslinux doesn't boot from the 2nd FAT32 partition, giving error: "Remove disks or other media. Press any key to restart". Does NeoGrub add any files to the partition selected to boot Syslinux from or a host boot partition? Why it doesn't add a default (even empty is better than none) syslinux.cfg file?

[Computer Guru]

No. EasyBCD assumes you already have a fully configured syslinux bootloader.

[sambul12]

Well, since EasyBCD targets novices, its not the best approach IMHO. May I suggest to use Chainload syslinux from grub4dos info and method to add required Syslinux files to a target FAT32 drive... EasyBCD should add a default Syslinux.cfg and vesamenu.c32 with other Syslinux files, and .cfg can later be edited by a user (similar to editing NeoGrub Menu) to avoid novice users facing BSOD at starting Syslinux. A sample of the default Syslinux.cfg is given at the end of that Tutorial.