Jump to content











Photo
- - - - -

Experimental NTFS support for Syslinux: Please test


  • Please log in to reply
73 replies to this topic

#51 Icecube

Icecube

    Gold Member

  • Team Reboot
  • 1063 posts
  •  
    Belgium

Posted 25 January 2012 - 12:14 PM

@ NetFanFom
Reuploaded with Windows binaries.

#52 Stylus Pilot

Stylus Pilot
  • Members
  • 6 posts
  •  
    Australia

Posted 25 January 2012 - 12:15 PM

Am I doing this correctly..

I take my Hard Drive (F:) and format it as NTFS

I then run win32/syslinux.exe --install --force F: from my Windows XP PC

I can see ldlinux.sys created in the root of F:

I then take my syslinux.cfg and place it in the root of F: also.

I boot my PC from the USB Hard Drive and I get an error


"NOT A VALID INDX RECORD"
"NOT A VALID INDX RECORD"
"NOT A VALID INDX RECORD"
"NOT A VALID INDX RECORD"

several time, and I am left at the boot: prompt.

#53 Stylus Pilot

Stylus Pilot
  • Members
  • 6 posts
  •  
    Australia

Posted 25 January 2012 - 12:24 PM

I copied ls.c32 into the root, and created a folder in the root called test and placed a few text files in it.

I then boot from the USB again

and at the prompt

boot: ls.c32 /test/

and I get unable to find ls.c32

:(

#54 Icecube

Icecube

    Gold Member

  • Team Reboot
  • 1063 posts
  •  
    Belgium

Posted 25 January 2012 - 12:51 PM

Try:
boot: /ls.c32 /test
When ls.c32 is in the root of your drive.

#55 Paulo Alcantara

Paulo Alcantara

    Newbie

  • Members
  • 20 posts
  •  
    Brazil

Posted 25 January 2012 - 04:26 PM

Hi,

I copied ls.c32 into the root, and created a folder in the root called test and placed a few text files in it.

I then boot from the USB again

and at the prompt

boot: ls.c32 /test/

and I get unable to find ls.c32

:(


After booting it up, do you still get the "NOT A VALID INDX RECORD" messages ?
I'm wondering if you get those error messages, however you still have a working NTFS driver.

As Icecube said, just try:
"boot: /ls.c32 /test"


Paulo

#56 Stylus Pilot

Stylus Pilot
  • Members
  • 6 posts
  •  
    Australia

Posted 25 January 2012 - 10:09 PM

I tried it again.

This is from Windows XP using a 500GB External USB HDD

Performed a full format of the HDD (I was previously doing quick)

got the latest version that IceCube posted (syslinux-ntfs-2012-01-23)

ran win32syslinux.exe --install --force F:

Copied syslinux.cfg and ls.c32 to the root as well as a folder called test with some text files in it

rebooted, and booted from the HDD

This message pops up


error 0100 reading sector 488386695

not a valid INDX record

not a valid INDX record

not a valid INDX record

not a valid INDX record

not a valid INDX record

not a valid INDX record

not a valid INDX record

not a valid INDX record

boot:


I then type


/ls.c32 /test


Could not find kernel /ls.c32

so it appears it can't read the NTFS partition at all?

Edited by Stylus Pilot, 25 January 2012 - 10:10 PM.


#57 Icecube

Icecube

    Gold Member

  • Team Reboot
  • 1063 posts
  •  
    Belgium

Posted 25 January 2012 - 10:37 PM

If it is a 500GB USB HDD it is also possible that you hit the 128GiB BIOS limitation.
Try to load PLoP USB driver from another USB drive or CD and boot from there the USB HDD.

#58 Stylus Pilot

Stylus Pilot
  • Members
  • 6 posts
  •  
    Australia

Posted 25 January 2012 - 10:58 PM

I just tried the same procedure from another PC (Windows 7 x64) using the 64bit syslinux.exe

This time when booting from the HDD I get

SYSLINUX 4.06 EDD 0x4f1fed90 Copyright © 1994-2011 H. Peter Abvin et al

with a blinking cursor sitting there indefinetly.

I will give PLoP a go now and post back.

#59 Stylus Pilot

Stylus Pilot
  • Members
  • 6 posts
  •  
    Australia

Posted 25 January 2012 - 11:27 PM

Ok, so I burnt a PLoP ISO and booted from it with the USB HDD connected.

I choose "USB" from the PLoP Boot Manager menu and it tried to boot from the USB however gets stuck on the same spot with the blinking cursor with the SYSLINUX 4.06 .... displayed



I'm going to try a smaller HDD I have a 40GB laying around here somewhere

Edited by Stylus Pilot, 25 January 2012 - 11:31 PM.


#60 Stylus Pilot

Stylus Pilot
  • Members
  • 6 posts
  •  
    Australia

Posted 25 January 2012 - 11:51 PM

Well, it must be the size of the HDD

I got a 40GB put it in the exact same caddy, followed the same procedure and it worked

I was able to



/ls.c32 /test


and it showed all my files.

I formatted my 500GB to FAT32 and put SysLinux on it, and it boots ok so I will leave it at that for now.

does SysLinux support exFAT yet?

----------

EDIT: just tried a 120GB Drive using NTFS and it doesn't work either.

However I noticed this

40GB Hard Drive I used this command syslinux.exe --install F: (I didn't need to force for some reason)

120GB and 500GB I needed to add the --force as it said non removable drive.

I also just tried a couple of USB Flash Sticks, 1x 8GB and 1x 32GB both formatted in NTFS and both work great and of course don't need the --force option (although I wouldn't leave them with that FS)

Edited by Stylus Pilot, 26 January 2012 - 12:07 AM.


#61 Paulo Alcantara

Paulo Alcantara

    Newbie

  • Members
  • 20 posts
  •  
    Brazil

Posted 26 January 2012 - 03:57 PM

Hi,

Well, it must be the size of the HDD

I got a 40GB put it in the exact same caddy, followed the same procedure and it worked

I was able to



/ls.c32 /test


and it showed all my files.

I formatted my 500GB to FAT32 and put SysLinux on it, and it boots ok so I will leave it at that for now.

does SysLinux support exFAT yet?

----------

EDIT: just tried a 120GB Drive using NTFS and it doesn't work either.

However I noticed this

40GB Hard Drive I used this command syslinux.exe --install F: (I didn't need to force for some reason)

120GB and 500GB I needed to add the --force as it said non removable drive.

I also just tried a couple of USB Flash Sticks, 1x 8GB and 1x 32GB both formatted in NTFS and both work great and of course don't need the --force option (although I wouldn't leave them with that FS)


Weird - IIRC Shao Miller has already installed Syslinux on a 3 TiB HDD and it worked fine.
I'd also like to know once you format the volume as NTFS on a 500 GiB HDD, what cluster size
do you get (and if that matters either) on the volume ?

(I wonder if there's an issue related to the Windows installer, or possibly a cluster size issue...)

Are you also forced to use the "--force" command-line option when installing Syslinux on your
500 GiB FAT32 volume ?

Syslinux currently doesn't support exFAT.


Thanks for the reports! These were really appreciated.


-pcacjr

#62 Paulo Alcantara

Paulo Alcantara

    Newbie

  • Members
  • 20 posts
  •  
    Brazil

Posted 26 January 2012 - 04:01 PM

Hi,

My friend has a 600 GiB USB flash stick and I'll borrow it. So I'll try to reproduce
this same issue here.


-pcacjr

#63 Icecube

Icecube

    Gold Member

  • Team Reboot
  • 1063 posts
  •  
    Belgium

Posted 26 January 2012 - 04:03 PM

Are you also forced to use the "--force" command-line option when installing Syslinux on your
500 GiB FAT32 volume ?

I also need it, when installing to my USB hard disk.

I think this is because Windows doesn't see USB drives with more than one partition as removable, but as fixed disks.

#64 Paulo Alcantara

Paulo Alcantara

    Newbie

  • Members
  • 20 posts
  •  
    Brazil

Posted 26 January 2012 - 04:41 PM

I also need it, when installing to my USB hard disk.

I think this is because Windows doesn't see USB drives with more than one partition as removable, but as fixed disks.


Oh, I see. I didn't know about that.


-pcacjr

#65 Wonko the Sane

Wonko the Sane

    The Finder

  • Advanced user
  • 16066 posts
  • Location:The Outside of the Asylum (gate is closed)
  •  
    Italy

Posted 27 January 2012 - 12:09 PM

I also need it, when installing to my USB hard disk.

I think this is because Windows doesn't see USB drives with more than one partition as removable, but as fixed disks.


Really? :w00t:
Then I guess that all the troubles with Filter Drivers or flipping the Removable bit were just wasted time. :frusty:

Last time I checked NT based systems did check the Device Controller and decide if a device is Fixed or Removable UNIQUELY based on that bit. (hence the NEED of the mentioned workarounds for Removable devices).

@Paulo
Your friend has a rather biggish USB stick :w00t: ;)

:cheers:
Wonko

#66 Paulo Alcantara

Paulo Alcantara

    Newbie

  • Members
  • 20 posts
  •  
    Brazil

Posted 27 January 2012 - 04:56 PM

Hi,

@Paulo
Your friend has a rather biggish USB stick :w00t: ;)


@Wonko
Oh, I wasn't so clear. My friend used a 3 TiB HDD, not a 3 TiB USB stick. heh :-)


-pcacjr

#67 Wonko the Sane

Wonko the Sane

    The Finder

  • Advanced user
  • 16066 posts
  • Location:The Outside of the Asylum (gate is closed)
  •  
    Italy

Posted 27 January 2012 - 05:43 PM

Hi,

My friend has a 600 GiB USB flash stick and I'll borrow it. So I'll try to reproduce
this same issue here.


-pcacjr

I was actually referring to the 600 Gib USB flash stick.... :whistling:

:cheers:
Wonko

#68 ilko

ilko

    Silver Member

  • Advanced user
  • 500 posts
  •  
    Bulgaria

Posted 17 February 2012 - 08:17 PM

Last test version attached (bug fix). Please test and report back if you find bugs.

Successfully installed syslinux MBR and PBR on 80GB hard disk with USB-IDE adapter and first partition NTFS, under Win7 x64 using the 64-bit syslinux.exe.
That loaded fine grub.exe on the first partition in both QEMU and VMplayer.
Can test a few USB sticks too, just let me know what scenarios you are interested in.

What are plans NTFS support to go mainstream, any timeline?

Long waited and helpful feature by the way, thanks.

#69 Paulo Alcantara

Paulo Alcantara

    Newbie

  • Members
  • 20 posts
  •  
    Brazil

Posted 17 February 2012 - 08:34 PM

Hi Ilko,

Successfully installed syslinux MBR and PBR on 80GB hard disk with USB-IDE adapter and first partition NTFS, under Win7 x64 using the 64-bit syslinux.exe.
That loaded fine grub.exe on the first partition in both QEMU and VMplayer.
Can test a few USB sticks too, just let me know what scenarios you are interested in.

What are plans NTFS support to go mainstream, any timeline?

Long waited and helpful feature by the way, thanks.


I'm happy that you've got it working well. :-)

My next test would be to create an empty 500 GiB NTFS partition, install Syslinux in it, and then see whether Syslinux fails at some point or not. (We'd exepect to get a "boot: " prompt at least).

NTFS is already supported by Syslinux since version 4.06. A few days ago I just requested on the Syslinux mailing list a serie of 12 patches including new features and bugfixes for the NTFS driver that will get pushed as soon as H. Peter Anvin can push them out.

Thanks for testing it!

- Paulo Alcantara

#70 Icecube

Icecube

    Gold Member

  • Team Reboot
  • 1063 posts
  •  
    Belgium

Posted 18 February 2012 - 08:44 PM

You can find a compiled version, in the attached file.

Attached Files



#71 Paulo Alcantara

Paulo Alcantara

    Newbie

  • Members
  • 20 posts
  •  
    Brazil

Posted 25 February 2012 - 03:03 AM

Hi,

If you're not reboot.pro's user and do not want to create account only to download this binary, then download it from:
http://www.zytor.com...32/syslinux.exe


Thanks,

- Paulo Alcantara

#72 bblaauw

bblaauw

    Frequent Member

  • Advanced user
  • 105 posts
  •  
    Netherlands

Posted 25 February 2012 - 11:52 AM

I'm confused by this Syslinux NTFS version.
1) How does it behave on a NTFS drive already having a bootloader (Win7 for example)? Does it overwrite bootloader, or integrate previous bootloader into its config, or integrate itself in previous bootloader (Like Ubuntu with WUBI and Mint with Mint4Win)
2) How does it behave on a NTFS drive without recognised bootloader? Just become the primary bootloader?
3) Any idea if IsoHybrid's "unknown" filesystem can become NTFS just to keep things compatible with Windows a bit?

#73 Icecube

Icecube

    Gold Member

  • Team Reboot
  • 1063 posts
  •  
    Belgium

Posted 25 February 2012 - 01:21 PM

1) How does it behave on a NTFS drive already having a bootloader (Win7 for example)? Does it overwrite bootloader, or integrate previous bootloader into its config, or integrate itself in previous bootloader (Like Ubuntu with WUBI and Mint with Mint4Win)
2) How does it behave on a NTFS drive without recognised bootloader? Just become the primary bootloader?

Syslinux becomes the default bootloader.

3) Any idea if IsoHybrid's "unknown" filesystem can become NTFS just to keep things compatible with Windows a bit?

An IsoHybrid filesystem is a iso9660 filesystem. It would be very hard to make it a valid NTFS filesystem too.

#74 Icecube

Icecube

    Gold Member

  • Team Reboot
  • 1063 posts
  •  
    Belgium

Posted 16 November 2012 - 02:36 PM

Syslinux 4.06 and Syslinux 5.00-pre* have NTFS support.




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users