agFM v1.70 available plus eBook #4 updated rev. 1.20

 I have now updated agFM to v1.70. It is available from the Alternate Downloads sites and should also be live if you run the \e2b\Update agFM\Download and update agFM_v2.cmd script. 

The PDF eBook #4 for agFM has also been updated to rev. 1.20 to match agFM v1.70 (contents list below). Later revisions of all E2B eBooks can be downloaded for free using the original download link that you received in the email when you first purchased it from Payhip.

agFM v1.70 2021-02-14

• Recognise the .binacpi file extension (e.g. to run DSDT.bin files).
• Add Enable\Disable Kaspersky shim EFI menu entry.
• rEFInd EFI booloader/manager by Rod Smith added (EFI boot manager) added.
• SAMPLE startup menu files now include new entries to run rEFInd.

The latest Beta version of Easy2Boot is v2.08e. The Beta history for v2.08e is:

2.08a - add \_ISO\MAINMENU\DisableKasperskyShim.mnu
2.08b - bugfix in Make_E2B_USB_Drive.cmd drive creation script due to XP Home not having tasklist.exe
2.08c and d - bugfix for Win7 Repair option (did not swap hd0 with hd1), did not wait 3 secs on wimboot prompt on Dell PC - thanks to Jose C for reporting the issue
2.08e - improve Trad Chinese language file, E2B ignores .lua files, Test_file_access_speed.lua added to UTILITIES folder for agFM menu system (test file access speeds under agFM)

and I suggest you also update your E2B files to this latest version too as it adds new features and bugfixes.

eBook #4: UEFI multi-boot using the a1ive grub2 File Manager

Contents:

Chapter 1 - Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 6
Free Bonus! ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 2 - Glossary of Terms ................................................................................................................. 8
Menu systems on an Easy2Boot USB drive ......................................................................................... 9
YouTube videos ................................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter 3 - Make an E2B+agFM multiboot USB drive .......................................................................... 10
Make a new USB drive using Windows 10 ........................................................................................ 11
Create a larger partition 2 (and optional partition 3) .................................................................. 12
Do you have an existing E2B USB drive? ....................................................................................... 12
Windows XP\7\8 system + Removable USB drive ............................................................................ 14
Updating E2B and agFM .................................................................................................................... 14
E2B Launcher................................................................................................................................. 15
Chapter 4 - Using the E2B USB drive ..................................................................................................... 16
Booting from the E2B USB drive ................................................................................................... 17
Exercise 1: MBR-boot to the E2B menu ........................................................................................ 18
Exercise 2: Enable or Disable UEFI-booting .................................................................................. 19
Exercise 3: UEFI-boot to the E2B agFM menu .............................................................................. 21
BIOS Boot Selection (BBS) menu ....................................................................................................... 23
UEFI64 Secure Boot ....................................................................................................................... 24
Exercise 4: Boot from the MemTest86 Partition Image ............................................................... 25
Cannot UEFI-boot to agFM ............................................................................................................... 28
How a UEFI BIOS looks for EFI boot files ....................................................................................... 28
Solution (agFM v1.61+) ................................................................................................................. 29
.imgPTN23 with secondary partition images ................................................................................ 30
.imgPTNREP3 files ......................................................................................................................... 31
Chapter 5 - The a1ive grub2 File Manager (agFM) ............................................................................... 33
Menu folders ................................................................................................................................. 35
Disk partition numbering .................................................................................................................. 36
Example of two Primary partitions + one Logical partition .......................................................... 37
Differences between E2B and agFM ............................................................................................. 38
F4 - The agFM settings menu ........................................................................................................ 39
Contents of the agFM FAT partition ............................................................................................. 40
Boot agFM from the E2B menu ........................................................................................................ 41
Clover (a 'replacement' UEFI BIOS) ............................................................................................... 42
Chapter 6 - Add payload files ................................................................................................................ 43
Recognised agFM File extensions ..................................................................................................... 44
agFM 'special' file extensions ........................................................................................................ 46
Useful ISO file extension override suffixes ....................................................................................... 47
WinNTSetup (E2B and agFM) ........................................................................................................ 48
MBR\Legacy-only and UEFI-only payload files.............................................................................. 49
Linux ISOs .......................................................................................................................................... 50
Example Linux-based payloads and file extensions ...................................................................... 52
Exercise 5: Add an Ubuntu 64-bit ISO ........................................................................................... 52
Exercise 6: Ubuntu 64-bit ISO with persistence ............................................................................ 53
Exercise 7: Using .grubFM files (Norton Bootable Recovery Tool) ............................................... 55
Exercise 8: Using .cfg files (Norton Bootable Recovery Tool) ....................................................... 58
Chapter 7 - Adding AntiVirus ISOs ........................................................................................................ 59
DrWeb+(non-)persistent updates ................................................................................................. 60
Chapter 8 - Adding WinPE ISOs ............................................................................................................. 61
Chapter 9 - Booting from .WIM files and .VHD files ............................................................................. 64
Chapter 10 - Booting Windows Install ISOs .......................................................................................... 65
Exercise 9: Semi-automated Windows 10 install + applications .................................................. 67
Exercise 10: Windows 10 install using a .cfg file ........................................................................... 69
Chapter 11 - Creating an agFM grub2 StartUp menu ........................................................................... 71
Additional settings ............................................................................................................................ 72
Password ........................................................................................................................................... 72
Simple startup_menu.txt .................................................................................................................. 73
Modifying the default menu ............................................................................................................. 73
Testing other menus ......................................................................................................................... 73
Make a User Startup menu ............................................................................................................... 74
Extra variables ............................................................................................................................... 81
Defining hotkeys ........................................................................................................................... 83
Secret TAB key .............................................................................................................................. 83
Check an expiry date ..................................................................................................................... 83
Setting a ‘theme’ ............................................................................................................................... 85
Changing the SAMPLE_startup_menu.txt file ................................................................................... 85
mymenu=0 (default theme) .......................................................................................................... 86
mymenu=1 (user theme) .............................................................................................................. 86
mymenu=2 .................................................................................................................................... 88
mymenu = 3 .................................................................................................................................. 90
Exercise 11: Add the 'Seven-of-Nine' theme ................................................................................ 91
Converting an older agFM theme to be compatible with v1.69 (2020) ........................................... 95
Add your own theme ........................................................................................................................ 98
Fonts ............................................................................................................................................ 101
Chapter 12 - rEFInd ............................................................................................................................. 102
Chapter 14 - Compressing or 'encrypting' grub2 menu files and script files ...................................... 103
Chapter 15 - Add your own Help menu to agFM ................................................................................ 104
Coloured text .............................................................................................................................. 106
Display different help text for each menu entry ........................................................................ 107
Chapter 16 - Make a Kon-Boot Secure Boot USB drive ...................................................................... 108
Chapter 17 - Add Ventoy menu system .............................................................................................. 111
Exercise 12: Add Ventoy to Partition 2 ....................................................................................... 112
Chapter 18 - Grub2 configuration file syntax ...................................................................................... 116
Words .............................................................................................................................................. 116
Reserved words ............................................................................................................................... 116
Quoting ........................................................................................................................................... 116
Variable expansion .......................................................................................................................... 116
Locale strings ............................................................................................................................... 117
Comments ....................................................................................................................................... 117
Simple commands ........................................................................................................................... 118
Compound commands .................................................................................................................... 118
Built-in Commands .......................................................................................................................... 118
a1ive grub2 special variables .......................................................................................................... 120
Special environment variables ........................................................................................................ 120
Chapter 19 - How agFM works ............................................................................................................ 122
init.sh (contents subject to change)................................................................................................ 123
'Types' files ...................................................................................................................................... 124
\boot\grubfm\types\vhd ............................................................................................................ 125
Syntax of a 'types' file ................................................................................................................. 125
User scripts .................................................................................................................................. 126
agFM and Secure UEFI booting ....................................................................................................... 128
Chapter 20 - Making bespoke grub2 .cfg and .grubfm files ................................................................ 130
.grubfm files .................................................................................................................................... 130
.cfg files ........................................................................................................................................... 130
Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 130
Example: XUbuntu_x64_persistent.cfg ....................................................................................... 131
Chapter 21 - Troubleshooting agFM ................................................................................................... 134
Linux ISO boot issues ...................................................................................................................... 134
Theme error - 'alloc magic is broken' .............................................................................................. 135
.cfg and .grubfm debugging ............................................................................................................ 135
Chapter 22 - True Hide .cfg files .......................................................................................................... 136
Chapter 23 - Make help files ............................................................................................................... 137
Display a picture .............................................................................................................................. 137
Display help text.............................................................................................................................. 137
Chapter 24 - rEFInd boot manager ..................................................................................................... 139
Chapter 25 - Bootable devices (USB 3 devices are best!) ................................................................... 142
Chapter 26 - About partition image files (.imgPTN files) .................................................................... 144
Chapter 27 - Using partition images with E2B .................................................................................... 145
Simple case ..................................................................................................................................... 145
Switching-in '23' partition images ................................................................................................... 145
SWITCH_E2B.exe ............................................................................................................................. 147
rEFInd and Secure Boot ................................................................................................................... 148
Using Secure Boot payloads ............................................................................................................ 149
Chapter 28 - Important BIOS bugs and features that you really need to know about! ..................... 150
Chapter 29 - So how does UEFI-booting actually work then? ............................................................ 152
UEFI booting .................................................................................................................................... 153
UEFI-multibooting using .imgPTN files............................................................................................ 154
EFI Shell ........................................................................................................................................... 155
Chapter 30 - Secure Boot .................................................................................................................... 157
About UEFI Security (PK, KEK, DB and DBX) .................................................................................... 157
Platform Key (PK) ........................................................................................................................ 157
Key Exchange Key (KEK) .............................................................................................................. 157
Whitelist Database (DB) .............................................................................................................. 157
Blacklist Database (DBX) ............................................................................................................. 158
Machine Owner Key (MOK) ........................................................................................................ 158
How Secure Boot works .................................................................................................................. 158
Secure Boot and Mok Manager ...................................................................................................... 160
How to disable Secure Boot ............................................................................................................ 161
Chapter 31 - Add a Mini WinPE .wim file ............................................................................................ 163
Exercise 13: Windows 10 x64 install (large ISOs) ........................................................................ 165
How to use the Windows 10 partition image ............................................................................. 167
Chapter 32 - Bootable All-In-One ToolKits .......................................................................................... 168
Chapter 33 - Defragging the E2B USB drive ........................................................................................ 169
Chapter 34 - Links and sources ........................................................................................................... 170