build syslinux from scratch

slackwareslackware

avoid Slackware 14.2 and 15.0’s obsolete v4.07

ls -lF /var/log/packages/syslinux*
removepkg syslinux

and use that syslinux-next preview (v6.04)

debian/ubuntudebian/ubuntu

requirements

apt update
apt install build-essential uuid-dev nasm upx-ucl

grab latest stable release

wget https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/syslinux-6.03.tar.gz
wget https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/syslinux-6.03.tar.sign
tar xzf syslinux-6.03.tar.gz 
gunzip syslinux-6.03.tar.gz

gpg --recv-keys 58F7ABFE
gpg --verify syslinux-6.03.tar.sign

# D864 55E3 D1D0 9620 37AA  86E0 88AE 647D 58F7 ABFE

apply debian patches

wget https://lab.nethence.com/nunux/syslinux603-debian-patches.tar.gz
tar xzf syslinux603-debian-patches.tar.gz

tar xf syslinux-6.03.tar
cd syslinux-6.03/
for f in ../syslinux603-debian-patches/*.patch; do patch -p1 < $f; done; unset f

and proceed

echo $MAKEFLAGS
time nice make > ../syslinux.log && echo BUILT
nice make install > ../syslinux.install.log && echo INSTALLED

and prevent Ubuntu from running update-grub without asking

dpkg -l | grep grub
apt purge ...

ready to goready to go

boot code install tool is there

which extlinux
ls -lF /sbin/extlinux
extlinux -v

both mbr and efi images are there

# slackware
ls -lF /usr/share/syslinux/mbr.bin
ls -lF /usr/share/syslinux/efi64/syslinux.efi

# debian/ubuntu
ls -lF /usr/lib/syslinux/mbr/mbr.bin
ls -lF /usr/lib/SYSLINUX.EFI/efi64/syslinux.efi

resourcesresources

Package: syslinux https://sources.debian.org/patches/syslinux/

Package: syslinux / 3:6.03+dfsg-14.1+deb9u1 https://sources.debian.org/patches/syslinux/3:6.03+dfsg-14.1+deb9u1/

syslinux package in Ubuntu https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/syslinux