Monday 5 August 2013

Easy2Boot v1.06

If you update your current E2B USB drive, it will make quite a few changes and you will need to delete some files from your existing E2B USB drive - otherwise you may get duplicate entries in the menu!

The big change in this version is that ALL files are sorted alphabetically. In previous versions you could either have all .mnu files listed in the menu first and then all payload (e.g. .iso) files OR all payload files first and then all .mnu files.

With version 1.06  .mnu and payload files are enumerated in one go, so the menu will list entries according to the files alphanumeric order. This means you can arrange the menu better (just sort the files by name in Windows Explorer to see what order they will be in). It also means that the boot is quicker as the whole \_ISO folder is only enumerated once instead of twice.

I have had to re-organise some files in the \_ISO\Mainmenu folder.  Mainmenu.mnu is gone and so are the SubMenuxxx.mnu files. Instead we have some ZZxxxxx.mnu files. Obviously these will be listed last in the main menu.

Although all menu entries will now be listed in the menu according to their filename, it is important to realise two things:

1. If a .txt file is specified for a payload file, or a .mnu file is found, then the actual text that appears in the menu is that contained in the file.
e.g.
a.mnu   (contains 'title X files')
z.iso  
z.txt     (contains 'title Runs z.iso')

then the menu will look like this
X files
Runs z.iso
2. Files in sub-folders will be listed alphabetically as each folder name is discovered. This means that a .mnu file entry from a file at \_ISO\MAINMENU\A\Zlot.mnu will appear in the main menu before a payload file at \_ISO\MAINMENU\backup.iso.



If you want to try the new version, you can download it here.

I recommend you make a new USB E2B drive and re-copy your payload files onto the drive.

If you want to just update your current E2B drive then you will need to delete the following files:
All \_ISO\MAINMENU\SubMenuxxxxx.mnu files
\_ISO\MAINMENU\mainmenu.mnu
\_ISO\e2b\grub\adf2mm.g4b (no longer required)
Note that you can now control the position of each individual menu entry (except F9 and F10 which will always be last in the menu) by renaming the payload and .mnu files.

Files in \_ISO\MAINMENU folder
=========================
ZZSubMenuAntiVirus.mnu
ZZSubMenuAuto.mnu
ZZSubMenuBackup.mnu
ZZSubMenuDos.mnu
ZZSubMenuLinux.mnu
ZZSubMenuUtilities.mnu
ZZSubMenuWinPE.mnu
ZZWindowsInstall.mnu

ZZZF7BootHdd.mnu
ZZZF8ReloadMenu.mnu

If you want the sub-menu entries for the sub-folders to be listed first in the main menu, just add $ in front of the first 8 ZZxxxx.mnu files.

Note that ZZZF7BootHdd.mnu and ZZZF8ReloadMenu.mnu must not be deleted and must be alphabetically last so that the F9 and F10 entries, which are automatically added to the end of the menu by E2B, will be listed in order and look nice!

Please add a comment if you have tried this and give me your feedback!






20 comments:

  1. I was ok with MyMainMenu customisation but now, I'm a bit lost lol. I'm using the default ZZsubfolders because I don't understand something.

    For example I'm trying to create an MSDaRT submenu by cloning and editing a zz mnu file.

    I must do something wrong because it never appears...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just make a MSDart.mnu by copying a ZZSubMenuxxx.mnu file (any name will do) and change the contents. Then make a \_ISO\MSDart folder and then put a payload file in it (empty folders won't appear in the menu).

      Delete
  2. I tried that unsuccessfully :/ I made a _ISO\MSDaRT folder with payloads in it and a ZZSubMenuMSDaRT.mnu file in MAINMENU folder with customised lines :

    iftitle [ls (bd)/_ISO/MSDaRT/ > (md)0x9F00+1 && checkrange 1:-1 read 0x13E0000 > nul && if "%GFX%"==""] ^Ctrl+M MSDaRT Menu [Ctrl+W]\n Bootable MSDaRT's

    and

    set MFOLDER=/_ISO/MSDaRT

    ReplyDelete
  3. works for me - are you sure you haven't made a typo?

    iftitle [ls (bd)/_ISO/MSDaRT/ > (md)0x9F00+1 && checkrange 1:-1 read 0x13E0000 > nul && if "%GFX%"==""] ^Ctrl+M MSDaRT Menu [Ctrl+M]\n MS-MSDaRT
    set MFOLDER=/_ISO/MSDaRT
    #MFOLDER must be the full folder path starting with /
    set HDG=\x20 MSDaRT Menu \x20
    #HDG is the top heading for the menu
    (bd)/%grub%/SubMenu.g4b
    boot

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. P.S. You are not using a GFX menu are you?
    Grub4dos version OK?
    Do you get the other subMenus?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Pretty sure of the typo, just searched and replaced Winpe with Msdart and ctrl+w with ctrl+m. I'm not using GFX, and grub is the last one provided with E2B 1.06.

    Even with a fresh and clean ntfs format + grub & E2B install I can't get it work. I can use the default submenus but that's all.

    I'm using a flash usb drive (128 go)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Are you sure the extension is .mnu and not .mnu.txt?

    Boot to the E2B menu
    press p and enter password of easy2boot
    press c to get to command prompt
    type ls /_ISO/MAINMENU/
    is ZZSubMenuMSDaRT.mnu listed?

    If so then try editing the file to use title instead of iftitle and remove the [xxxxx] portion so that the menu entry will always appear.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes the mnu is listed.

    I follow your instructions and now I got :

    title ^M MSDaRT [M]\n Bootable MSDaRT's
    #MFOLDER must be the full folder path starting with /
    set MFOLDER=/_ISO/MSDaRT
    #HDG is the top heading for the menu
    set HDG=\x20 MSDaRT Menu \x20

    (bd)/%grub%/SubMenu.g4b
    boot

    but still no MSDaRT submenu in E2B :/

    Bah, I give up, I can use E2B as is I don't really mind anyway but thanks for trying :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. If the other ZZSubMenus files work but your MSDart doesn't even with title being used instead of iftitle, then there must be something wrong with your mnu file! Can you email me the actual ZZSubMenuMSDaRT.mnu file so I can try it?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Server 2012 and Hyper-V Server 2012 do not work.

    I get an error stating:-
    "A media driver your computer needs is missing. This could be a DVD, USB or Hard disk...."

    I've tested the ISOs in Oracle VirtualBox and they are booting fine.

    I did get Server 2008 R2 with SP1 to install though, but would really like 2012 and Hyper-V to work if possible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi
      So do Win7 and Win8 work OK?
      Are you using USb Flash drive or USB HDD?
      Did you read the Tutorial and the bit about a USB HDD needing a USB Helper Flash drive? Did you get the LOADISO.CMD/Firadisk blue console window?

      Delete
    2. Yes, sorry I did read the guide and very helpful it is.
      Running 32bg USB Flash drive, but just noticed the reason for the error was having spaces in the ISO file name.

      I've just swapped spaces for "-" (minus) and Server 2012 is now deploying.

      Going to test Hyper-V in a few mins. Tested 7 and 8 yesterday fine. Odd thing is, all of the ISO names had spaces, but only 2012 failed.

      Thanks for the work on this, its pretty damn amazing !

      FYI, also had an issue deploying 2012 due to having a BIOS baked Windows 8 key on my laptop (Toshiba), which Server 2012 read and tried to use.

      Delete
  11. That is odd as Win8 and SVR2012 are pretty much the same to E2B.
    The Windows 8 key will cause a problem if there is one in the BIOS but if you use a SVR2012 Product Key in the xml file it should override it.
    Did you notice if firadisk worked in the blue console window or did firadisk fail and it had to run ImDisk instead? If it had to run ImDisk then it uses the filename that is written to the \_ISO\e2b\firadisk\ISONAME.cmd file. I may not have put "..." around the filename in the script that mounts the ISO...

    ReplyDelete
  12. AFAIK the firadisk failed being unable to mount the .iso and locate the \sources\install.wim

    I'm still playing around and will be for a good few days.

    I've got WinXP SP3, Win7 x86/x64, Win8 x86/x64, Server 2008 SP2, Server 2008 R2 inc SP1, Server 2012, Hyper-V Server 2012.

    Going to test them all to my Toshiba Satellite L855-17Q before going crazy on any thing else.

    Any support for custom.wim deployment, guessing I could just build an ISO with the install.wim swapped for an MDT captured wim.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Try 1.07Beta2a just uploading now with original iso + spaces name.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It would have to be in a WinPE ISO form. Otherwise you could make a special .mnu file which runs a special winpe iso file which contains a startup script/

    e.g.
    WinPE boots from iso
    script starts (e.g. in netstart or winpeshl.ini)
    script looks for say a customwim.cmd file in the root of all drives.
    Script finds F:\customwim.cmd file on E2B USB drive and calls it.
    set wimname=\_ISO\WinPE\custom23.wim
    set wimnumber=2
    Script now knows which wim to install and can automate the diskpart clean - partition - format - imagex /apply.

    Email me if you want to push this idea further.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At the moment if I'm deploying a custom wim and dont want to hammer the network I use http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool (after fixing their own ISOs to work with it) and swap the install.wim with my own MDT captured image.

      Works a treat, but I was just thinking about being lazy and having a number of different builds on the one stick. As with the MS tool you have to rename the custom.wim to install.wim prior to use and remember which wim you renamed.

      TVM
      Mat

      Delete
  15. No joy with Hyper-V Server 2012 though.

    Gets to the "Getting files read for installtion" and bombs out with..

    "The Installation was canceled
    Any changes made to your computer won't be saved"

    The popup box says

    "Windows cannot install the required files. The file may be corrupt or missing. Make sure all files required for installation are available, and restart the installation. Error code: 0x80070570"

    Installs fine from media and wondering if the .xml in the "SVR2012" folder is the cause, given that Hyper-V does not need a key due to being pre-activated ?

    ReplyDelete