E2B eBook progress report

The 'How to make a multiboot USB drive using Easy2Book' eBook has proved far more popular than I ever imagined!

I thought that it might have interested only 10-20 people at most, but since mid-June I have now sold over 100 copies which really surprised me, but it's very nice to know that all my efforts were worth it! The 130pp book took me over 3 weeks from start to finish (sometimes with a 12-hour day and some weeks were 7-day weeks!). After writing the first draft, I carefully followed all the exercises myself to look for any problems in the instructions and I also added screenshots and diagrams. Glen kindly proof-read many drafts and final revisions and since then I have updated and improved the PDF - the latest version is now v2.3.

However, I have had very little feedback on the eBook, so maybe nobody has actually read it yet or they fell asleep trying to read it!

Version 2.3

If you still have the original receipt email from Payhip, you can re-download a later revision of the PDF for free (contact me if you have problems).

If you would like a version in ePub (.epub) form for your eBook reader device, please contact me. I do have a .epub file of v2.3 but it is not quite as nice as the PDF due to the limitations of the epub format.

eBook #2?

I am now thinking about writing another E2B eBook and there are a number of possible topics, three of which are listed below.


Please indicate using the feedback boxes below which one of the three you would most be interested in actually buying (or suggest an alternative topic for the next eBook)...

1. How to configure E2B (PDF + theme pack download file)

As well as basic configuration of the menu system and instructions for developing your own themes, it will include downloadable themes, etc.:

• Joke theme (random jokes displayed on menu)
• Shakespeare them
• Animated DNA theme
• Smile+animated horse theme
• 'DeComputo'-like theme with multiple menu backgrounds
• Master Password pre-screen with siren if wrong password entered
• Monthly PIN pre-screen (won't boot unless you enter the PIN-of-the-month code)
• Guest Mode menu system
• Disk-locked menu (only works on one specific USB drive)
• Variety of background wallpapers
• MPI CSM custom theme
• Minimal message theme (no boot up messages)
• Play tune with menu theme
• Fast load themes (loads menu quickly)
• Single menu (no submenus)
• Example .mnu files to run Windows Install with no need to select ISO or XML file
• Menu with hidden entries (some ISOs are only shown in the menu if you know the secret!)

2. How to use SDI_CHOCO to automate Windows Installs

There are already details for this and a video but perhaps greater detail is required?

Details on how to make you own automated configurations covering:

• Setting up Snappy Driver Installer
• Setting up WSUS offline updater
• Using WAFG and XMLtoE2B.exe to make an XML file
• Automated install from ISO (MBR-only)
• Automated install from .imgPTN (MBR+UEFI)
• Automated online chocolatey installs (requires internet connection)
• Automated offline chocolatey installs (using pre-downloaded chocolatey packages)
• Automated package installs (using your own packages)
• Sample configs in a download file
• Hints and tips

3. How to add UEFI_MBR Windows Installs using .imgPTN files (inc >4GB .wim files)

If you have a large All-in-One Windows Install ISO that contains an install.wim or install.esd file that is over 4GB, it will not work for UEFI if trying to use a FAT32 .imgPTN file, due to the 4GB maximum file size limitation of the FAT32 filesystem.

This eBook will discuss the options (with Exercises) for converting these ISOs into UEFI- and MBR-bootable .imgPTN files. It will describe how to set up the .imgPTN file for manual, semi-automated or fully automated installation.

There are at least 5 different methods and the setup will depend on whether your E2B USB drive is a Removable (UFD) or Fixed (HDD) disk.

SDI_CHOCO installs will be covered in a separate eBook.

Please vote!

Please vote for ONE ONLY using the feedback options below or contact me.

1. vote Funny=Configure             'How to configure E2B (with extra theme pack download file)'
2. vote Interesting=SDI_CHOCO 'How to use SDI_CHOCO to automate Windows Installs'
3. vote Cool =UEFI Win installs   'How to add >4GB Windows Installs'

Note: change URL for this blog page to http: instead of https: if you have problems voting.

[Edit] I am now working on an eBook which combines #2 and #3. The working title is 'How to install Windows using Easy2Boot'[/Edit]