Re: Linux booting from USB HD / USB interface devices

From: Matthew Dharm (mdharm-kernel@one-eyed-alien.net)
Date: Sun Jul 28 2002 - 14:33:30 EST

On Sun, Jul 28, 2002 at 11:40:01AM -0400, David Ford wrote:
> Thank you for your reply. I've started a rough draft of this project,
> http://blue-labs.org/ranger.php
>
> Matthew Dharm wrote:
>
> >>2) There are some vague comments about some devices requiring the
> >>ability to boot, are there some USB hard drives that are incapable of
> >>acting as a boot device?
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Yes. They are few, tho. The USB-IF is currently working on a bootability
> >standard to eliminate this problem.
> >
>
> Is there a list of these somewhere that point out components that I
> should avoid?

Not to my knowledge. USB bootability is a very touch-and-go thing for the
BIOS vendors right now... hopefully the specification being worked on now
will help.

> >THe stock kernel won't work. There are patches floating around to make
> >this work. Basically, the kernel needs to pause for a couple of seconds
> >before attempting to mount the root fs so that the plug-n-pray detection
> >can work, identify the drive, and get going.
> >
>
> I'll go look for these patches, pointers are welcome of course.

Sorry, no pointers. See if you can find a linux-usb-devel or
linux-usb-users archive. You're searching for something that introduces a
"delay" (good keyword) in the boot process.

Matt 

-- 
Matthew Dharm                              Home: mdharm-usb@one-eyed-alien.net 
Maintainer, Linux USB Mass Storage Driver

Sir, for the hundreth time, we do NOT carry 600-round boxes of belt-fed 
suction darts!
					-- Salesperson to Greg
User Friendly, 12/30/1997
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