E2B v2.16a Beta

While testing all the .wim files in Medicat 21.12, I found that the Lockpick.wim file would not Legacy-boot from the Easy2Boot menu system.

All the other .wim files seem to Legacy-boot OK (except for the DiskGenius.wim file which seems to load and briefly display the WinPE Desktop and then immediately reboot on E2B, agFM and Ventoy???).

Easy2Boot 2.15 and previous versions booted a .wim file by using a default boot.sdi and bootmgr file and it creates a BCD dynamically with the name of the boot file in it. For some reason it seems to crash however on the Lockpick.wim file.

So Easy2Boot v2.16a Beta now supports the .wimboot file extension and this will load the  wim file using the wimboot method (derived from the iPXE github project and used by agFM and Ventoy).

Download E2B v2.16a from the 'Latest Betas' folder - https://easy2boot.xyz/download/alternate-download-sites/

QRUN will suggest that you try .wimboot instead of .wim, or you can just give the .wim file a _.wimboot.wim file extension and it will automatically use the wimboot method without prompting you.

e.g.

\_ISO\UTILITIES\Lockpick_.wimboot.wim

You can also add the line:

set WIMBOOT=1

in the \_ISO\MyE2B.cfg file if  you want all .wim files to boot using the wimboot method.

Ventoy filename overrides

Note that Ventoy also uses a filename override system for the F1 (load to memory), ctrl+w and ctrl+r  modes.

1. If the ISO file name ends with _VTMEMDISK, Ventoy will automatically use Memdisk mode.
For example: kolibri_VTMEMDISK.iso
2. If the ISO file name ends with _VTGRUB2, Ventoy will automatically use GRUB2 mode.
For example: ubuntu-22.04-desktop-amd64_VTGRUB2.iso
3. If the ISO file name ends with _VTWIMBOOT, Ventoy will automatically use WIMBOOT mode.
For example: win11_english_x64_VTWIMBOOT.iso

See here for more details (or get my eBook on Ventoy ;-)

The Ventoy override characters must be last in the filename, just before the .iso extension.

You can combine both E2B and Ventoy override like this

SpinRite_Legacy_Only_.isodef._VTMEMDISK.iso

E2B will look for _.xxx. and Ventoy will look for _VTMEMDISK.iso (not case sensitive).

In this case, E2B and agFM will boot SpinRite in the default mode, but Ventoy will load it into memory first.

You can use any legal E2B override - e.g.

HDAT2_Legacy_Only_run_HDAT2_on_drive_B_.isodos01._VTMEMDISK.iso

I noted during testing that HDAT2 does not seem to work in Ventoy as the HDTA2 folder and the HDAT2 program are on the 'CD' and so you cannot run it unless you also load the ISO as a CD or floppy device (which is what E2B does).

So to run HDAT2 under E2B, you first boot to the iso which loads DOS. Since the B: drive will be the 'CD' contents, you need to type:

B:\HDAT2\HDAT2

to run HDAT2 (though the program is very old - for IDE drives only, so I doubt if anyone actually uses it!).

P.S. If you have got HDAT2 or DiskGenius working when Legacy booting under Ventoy, please tell me how you did it!

New YouTube video on adding Medicat 21.12 to E2B

P.P.S There is a new E2B video:

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