Hello,
I'm trying to boot from a CompactFlash card via a PCMCIA adapter. The CF interface is electrically identical to the ATA interface, so the OS sees it as an IDE drive(hd*), however my BIOS cannot detect it.
The normal solution to this problem, I believe, is to make a small initrd image on a BIOS-recognized drive (as described in this guide from The Linux Documentation Project).
This approach works of course, but I'd like a slightly more flexible solution. Otherwise: the computer turns on and goes to the bootloader, the user selects the partition that contains the initrd image which does its thing, and finally, the root file-system is mounted. However if the PCMCIA adapter has not been inserted... we have serious problems. And, since the initrd is simply a partition of the main hard drive, it will show up whether or not the card is in.
I'm wondering if anyone knows of a solution in which the the bootloader itself loads a tiny Linux(or *BSD or FreeDOS) kernel to utilize the kernel drivers instead of the BIOS interrupts(drivers) to scan the drives. That way, it can automatically boot from the CF card if it is inserted, and the HDD if it is not. Basically I want it to be fully automatic, if it is possible.

So anyway, if someone out there has any bright ideas, I'd love to here from you! =D
-Jonathanius

P.S. Something I forgot to mention:
The OS on the HDD is a Windows XP on an NTFS file-system. So I can't use something like Loadlin(without installing FreeDOS).
-Jonathanius

The BIOS scans its known list of boot-able devices - if it finds an acceptable boot-loader, it invokes it. The bootloader then loads the kernel and (if present) the initrd.
The hardware (the BIOS) kicks it all off - the software (the bootloader) is subservient. No way I know of to get around that basic fact of life.

Thankyou syg00, for taking time to respond, I have just one more quick question/clarification.
Hmmm, so with something like Loadlin its impossible to chainload other non-multiboot OSs like WinXP? If not, why wouldn't it work?
Consider the following:
1) The BIOS scans the drives for a boot-loader, finds one on the main HDD and invokes it.
2) The bootloader automatically loads a modified FreeDOS kernel.
3) FreeDOS automatically runs Loadlin
4) Loadlin loads the kernel, and stops DOS.

As I understand it so far, this would(and does) work.

What I don't quite understand though, is this:
Why couldn't the loaded OS (FreeDOS, in this illustration) run a pseudo boot-loader (Loadlin, in this example) which scans the drives(with the OS drivers) and boots (or chainboots) another OS - whether it be on a BIOS-recognizable drive or not. It seems to me like it would work - I don't see why a bootloader couldn't be run from within an OS (like an application).

Your probably right, of course, I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just trying to understand _why_ it wouldn't work (and clarifying).
-Jonathanius

Ah sorry, I don't know where my head was when I posted earlier. I thought that you wanted to boot a non BIOS detected device - directly.
Have a look at syslinux - has a few other options that might interest you too.
Like I said, sorry for wandering down the wrong path.