Saturday 23 February 2019

E2B v1.B0a Beta now available


This version (E2B v1.B0a Beta) has a few new features:
  • Some new file extension suffixes are now recognised:
       NCQ (non-contiguous+quiet)
       QUIETP (redir+redirp)
       QUIET   (redir)
  • .isoboot file extension now supported - will boot a non-contiguous linux iso using isoboot only
If you have a file which is not contiguous but you know it runs OK, you can use an NCQ (not-contiguous+quiet) file extension override so that it boots quickly without any E2B 'not contiguous' messages, e.g.

Special.isoNCQ
WinBuilder_10PESE_x64.isoncq.iso

If you have an ISO which runs OK, but E2B outputs a few messages and it delays for a few seconds before running it, then use a file extension suffix of QUIET or QUIETP, e.g.

Ubuntu64.isoQUIET             (has same affect as if you set the redir variable in MyE2B.cfg)
Ubuntu64_.isoQUIETP.iso  (has same affect as if you set the redir and redirp variables in MyE2B.cfg)

ISOBOOT

E2B will attempt to boot a large, non-contiguous linux ISO using 'ISOBOOT' which relies on E2B being able to determine what type of linux ISO it is (from the filename) and then using special 'cheat code' parameters which tells linux the name of the ISO file so that it can load it as a loop device and access the squashfs file(s) inside the ISO during second stage booting of the kernel.

Note: The linux iso filename should not contain spaces because the linux kernel parameters cannot cope with spaces in parameter values.

This technique is useful because the ISO file does not need to be contiguous, however the cheat code kernel parameters tend to be very version specific and the linux developers constantly change them and so it does not always work!

Note that you can test to see if any linux ISO will boot using E2B's 'ISOBOOT' technique by holding down the SHIFT key before you press ENTER to immediately run it from the E2B menu using ISOBOOT.

If you have a linux ISO which is not contiguous but boots OK using 'ISOBOOT', you can use the .ISOBOOT file extension, .e.g

Ubuntu_x64.isoboot
Ubuntu_x64_.isoboot.iso   (uses a file extension override)

Note that if you use .isoboot then there are no user prompts or pauses.

You can make your own isoboot.g4b batch script which E2B will use instead. Just copy the \_ISO\e2b\grub\isoboot.g4b file to the \_ISO folder and then modify the \_ISO\isoboot.g4b file as you wish.

Tip: If you have a linux ISO which is based on say, Ubuntu, then make sure the file name contains the string 'Ubuntu' (not case sensitive) so that the ISOBOOT script will recognise it as Ubuntu-based.
ISOBOOT recognises strings such as, ubuntu, linuxmint, fedora, kali, opensuse, sysresc, knoppix, debian, tails, gpart, centos, pclinux, zorin, arch, avg, porteus, slax, slackw, makulu, antix, crunchba, acronis, paladin, pmagic, ophcrack and bitdefen.



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