Making an USB storage device bootable:

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a) running SPB-Linux 2.1: *
****************************

Note: makebootable is a custom command of SPBLinux
      which is not available in other Linux distributions

First step: install bootloader syslinux

  if /dev/sda1 is your usb storage device, type

    makebootable
    
  to display the options of makebootable, then run
   
   makebootable /dev/sda1 2  (replace 2 by your choice)

  or if you want to use the SPB-Linux mbr bootloader

    makebootable -mbr /dev/sda1 2  (see disclaimer on bottom)

Second step: only required with makebootable /dev/sda1 1

  boot the usb device with syslinux to install grub

  in the grub boot menu you can choose to install grub
  (only supported by some bios versions)

  After rebooting you get the grub boot menu

*************************************
b) running any other linux distribution:  *
*************************************

First step: install syslinux

  copy this folder to your harddisk and
  if the device name of your usb storage device is /dev/sda1
  run

    dd if=/dev/sda1 of=bootorig.sec bs=512 count=1

  to save the old bootsector (and copy it to your harddisk(!) )

  then type

    syslinux /dev/sda1

  to install the bootloader syslinux

Second step: see second step with SPB-Linux (on top of this page)

Or you might want to install grub directly (see www.spblinux.de/wiki/)

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If your usb storage device does not boot even if the syslinux bootloader
is installed you can try to use the spblinux mbr bootloader:
- usual mbr boot loaders use the CHS values in the partition table
- the bios might use other CHS values than linux/windows
- the spblinux mbr boot loader uses the LBA entry in the partition table:
  in some cases the bootsector of the active partition can now be loaded

Installation of mbr bootloader code spb2_mbr.sec
if(!) your usb storage device is /dev/sda

	dd if=spb2_mbr.sec of=/dev/sda

Disclaimer: spb2_mbr.sec is tested but the author cannot
give any warranty that spb2_mbr.sec works on your system.

this mbr bootloader gives some diagnostic output:
- an excellent reference about int13 can be found at http://www.ctyme.com/intr/int-13.htm
- the partition table format is documented at http://www.ata-atapi.com/hiwtab.htm#T2

