MPI Tool Kit v0.085 Beta1 with language support is now available

This is an experimental version for testing.

I have modified the menu.lst file so that the CSM menu will support other languages.

At the moment however only English is available.

You can test it like this:

Beware! Windows Explorer's handling of .zip files is buggy!

Tim contacted me today to make me aware of a problem with Windows 10 Explorer's handling of .zip file extraction.

He told me that he had a problem when using WSUS Offline Update. He downloaded the .zip file onto the \_ISO\WINDOWS\installs\ folder but when he tried to use WSUS, he  found it would not work correctly because Windows Explorer had changed the modification date of all the extracted files.

I checked this out by downloading the WSUS Offline Update download file wsusoffline114.zip and this is what I discovered...

Easy2Boot v1.A2 released

This v1.A2 version fixes a few small bugs in v1.A1 and previous versions.

• Bug fix for SUB_MENU_Maker.cmd adding space to .mnu file and prevents background wallpaper from being loaded for new user-made menu folders. 
• Special characters now should work and a UTF-8 .mnu file is written when using .cmd files (E2B MNU Maker.cmd, E2B SUBMENU Maker.cmd, E2B TXT Maker.cmd, SUB_MENU_Maker.cmd).
• If the MFOLDER value has extra spaces on the end, these will be automatically removed.
• Small tweaks to F1.cfg help files.
• Add DOS menu to FreeDOS disk image so can boot it in different configurations.

E2B v1.A2b Beta available

Two long-standing bugs have been reported in the SubMenu Maker .cmd script.

When the .cmd script is used, to make a .mnu file, it puts a space character at the end of the line, e.g.

set MFOLDER=\_ISO\NEW 

This can cause problems (e.g. when adding a wallpaper file at \_ISO\NEW.jpg).

Also, any special characters, when input by the user (e.g. Ü) are not converted correctly when using the .cmd scripts. I have attempted to fix this by using a code page setting of 65001 just before writing the new .mnu file.

The changed files from v1.A1 are:

• \_ISO\SUB_MENU_Maker.cmd
• \_ISO\docs\E2B Utilities\E2B MNU Maker.cmd
• \_ISO\docs\E2B Utilities\E2B SUBMENU Maker.cmd
• \_ISO\docs\E2B Utilities\E2B TXT Maker.cmd
• \_ISO\e2b\grub\DUTCH\F1.cfg
• \_ISO\e2b\grub\ENG\F1.cfg
• \_ISO\e2b\grub\FRENCH\F1.cfg
• \_ISO\e2b\grub\PORTU_BRAZIL\F1.cfg
• \_ISO\e2b\grub\ROMANIAN\F1.cfg
• \_ISO\e2b\grub\SIMP_CHINESE\F1.cfg
• \_ISO\e2b\grub\TRAD_CHINESE\F1.cfg
• \_ISO\DOS\MNU\FreeDOS288.ima.gz - DOS menu added so some drivers can be skipped

v1.A2b Beta can be downloaded here.

Please try the new .cmd files and let me know if there are any problems with your language or Windows version.

New eBook 'How to install Microsoft Windows using Easy2Boot' is now fully released

My latest eBook, 'How to install Microsoft Windows using Easy2Boot' is now available here (downloadable as a PDF file). This is now the fully released version 1.00.

It mainly covers Window 10 installs but the same techniques can be applied to most post-Vista Windows install scenarios. Note that the installation of Windows XP is not covered in this guide.

There are even a few jokes hidden inside it, just to make sure you are awake!

This new eBook assumes you are already familiar with E2B.

If you also buy my first eBook, 'How to make a multiboot USB drive using Easy2Boot', then you will get a 10% discount on both eBooks :-)

E2B v1.A1 (revised)

I have made a small change to the released version of E2B v1.A1 before I make it live on the E2B website.

It now has a new version of SWITCH_E2B.exe (which you may find useful if you are into dual-partition image sorcery!).

This new version will prompt you to enter a partition type number for the second partition image, if SWITCH_E2B does not recognise the partition type of the second image file.

Previous versions of SWITCH_E2B would have set a type number of 0 (no partition).

This new change means that you can switch in dual images (e.g. HighSierra.imgPTN + HighSierra.) and set the second image to be an ext partition or HFS partition, etc. so it is visible to an OS.

This means that you do not need to boot to the CSM menu first so that the CSM menu code sets the partition type - thus you can use Switch_E2B to switch partitions and then UEFI-boot immediately.

Install Hackintosh High Sierra from an E2B drive

I have managed to get the Hackintosh High Sierra installer working on my E2B drive and successfully installed it onto my Lenovo IdeaPad 300 (at least the Desktop, Enet, kbd and touchpad work)!.

See RMPrepUSB Tutorial 144.

Beware: Here be Dragons!...

Easy2Boot v1.A1 now released

E2B v1.A1 is here.

As usual, I will delay updating the E2B website with this latest version for a few days, so if you find a problem after updating your E2B drive with v1.A1, please let me know ASAP!

Changes from v1.A0 are:

E2B v1.A1k Beta now available

Changes from previous Beta are:

1.A1k Beta

• New grub4dos \grldr
• E2B_Editor.exe bugfix for duplicate keyboard entries in dropdown list
• F8 in Main Menu changed so does not reload grub4dos
• Win10_PromptUser_for_XML_settings.mnu sample menu added
• Small change to SysInfo2.hta
• Small changes to ZZSubMenuAll.mnu
• New Dweb-livedisk-900_2018_persistent.mnu sample menu file

New eBook 'How to install Microsoft Windows using Easy2Boot' now available

For those of you who cannot wait (all two of you!), I have made an early Release Candidate version of my new eBook available here and is currently at the reduced price of $6 (it will probably go up to $7 or maybe $10 soon though ;-).

The current version of the PDF is rev.0.3 but it may be revised in the next week or so to correct any typos, so keep the link that is emailed to you by Payhip so that you can click on it again in a few weeks time to download a newer revision for free.

This new eBook assumes that you are familiar with E2B already or that you have read the previous eBook.

It does not cover XP installs.

It is not yet 'advertised' on the E2B website as I want to get some initial feedback first, if possible.

Hope you find it useful.