> syslinux.com doesn't work on MS Windows 2000 Pro (requires syslinux.exe).

Win2000/XP has issues with syslinux because of the HAL and virtual
hardware.  Try it on a Win98 box.  I've never gotten syslinux to work on
Win2000.  I also scrapped together a DOS disk to do the same thing, if
you'd like I can e-mail you the image file.

> How many flash install-able Linux distributions are there?  I really
> just need one that works well.

Not sure.  I posted here about 6 months ago on the topic, you should dig
through the archives.  I'm only aware of 3 or 4, but depending on your
needs you may find more.  I was concerned about running X mostly.

> The BIOS USB drivers could be the problem.  I assume syslinux uses BIOS
> call backs to access USB bridges and devices.

Pretty much.  From what I've figured out, the BIOS more than the boot
loader.  It seems that by the time the boot loader starts, it's already
been determined that you're booting off a floppy disk.  I could be way
off, but that's been my experience.

> Both the BIOS and the boot loader have to work together and be
relatively > bug free.  Maybe the BIOS simply doesn't support booting
from my USB pen drive (PNY 64MB).
> (The BIOS does detect the USB pen drive and offers it as a menu
> selection in the BIOS boot menu.)

It's possible.  I can take my flonix USB drive and boot it on a
workstation, only to find it doesn't boot on a laptop, even though I can
boot from other USB drives.  It sees the keychain on bootup, it just
refuses to attempt a boot from it.

> I also tried executing "syslinux.exe e:" using a binary downloaded from
> the syslinux site.

That is what you need, try it from an OS other than NT/2K/XP.  The other
thing you can try doing is a sys E: from Win98, get DOS booting on your
USB drive, then use loadlin to start linux.

-Brian

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