From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: tlaronde@polynum.com
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:14:56 +0200
To: Fans of the OS Plan 9 from Bell Labs <9fans@9fans.net>
Message-ID: <20090726201456.GA1277@polynum.com>
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	<51ce22e8ab90475811d16daa6bde028f@quanstro.net>
	<20090726200950.de7c9bbd.eekee57@fastmail.fm>
	<20090726205154.7e5223f2.eekee57@fastmail.fm>
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Subject: Re: [9fans] installation on SATYA disk failed
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On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 08:51:54PM +0100, Ethan Grammatikidis wrote:
> I forgot the obvious: Install a bootloader capable of booting CD-ROMs to a floppy.

This won't help if the BIOS doesn't support El Torito, since a
bootloader has generally no drivers (except for ethernet perhaps), and
since the bootloaders able to handle CDROM don't see the CDROM but what
is faked as a floppy (not only 3"1/2) or a hard drive (rare) by the
BIOS.

Hence, if the BIOS doesn't support El Torito, a bootloader only on a
floppy won't give access to the CDROM.

That's also why when you start wanting to extend capabilities of a
bootloader you realize, too late, that you are creating another
kernel... and it's simpler to use a stripped kernel as the main part of
the bootstrap machinery.
--
Thierry Laronde (Alceste) <tlaronde +AT+ polynum +dot+ com>
                 http://www.kergis.com/
Key fingerprint = 0FF7 E906 FBAF FE95 FD89  250D 52B1 AE95 6006 F40C