How to extract the hidden contents in 'special' ISOs and images using 7Zip

7Zip is pretty good at opening ISOs and other files. However, sometimes you may find that it does not expand the contents correctly.

I learned recently of a way to use 7Zip to reveal these 'secret' files.

Easy2Boot v1.B2 and MPI Tool Kit v0.096 now released

E2B v1.B2 and MPI Tool Kit v0.096 are now available from the 1Drive and Box download areas.

I will update the main web site and the FossHub site in a few days.

Changes for E2B are as detailed in previous blog.

Read eBook #1 for details on how to remove the blue E2B startup banner screen (or contact me for details if you have already made a donation).

Changes from MPI Tool Kit v0.095 to 0.096 are:

• Add Czech language for CSM menu
• Add latest E2B_Editor.exe to MPI folder
• KBD variable can now be used to set KBD type
• Update grub4dos (\grldr file)
• Add all KBD translation files.

The MPI CSM Legacy menu now supports English, German, Hungarian and Czech. To use a non-English menu, create a MyCSM.cfg file in the .\CUSTOM folder and set the LANG and KBD variables.

Please update your E2B drives and let me know if you spot any problem. You can easily downgrade to a previous version of E2B very quickly if required.

Latest E2B v1.B2e Beta with bugfix for some Acronis ISOs hanging

Some bugs have been found and fixed in grub4dos.

The most serious for users is that a few Acronis ISOs seem to hang when using the previous version of grub4dos.

Changes from released version v1.B1 are (v1.B2e changes in red):

• Bugfix: grub4dos hangs when booting some Acronis ISOs.
• Bugfix: grub4dos blue\black color setting causes green background
• New feature: %MEMSIZE% and %BITNESS% variables can now be used in HEADING and HELPTEXT or anywhere inside MyE2B.cfg (e.g. 2028 64)
• Add Slovenian language files and Croat\Slov kbd file added (thanks to Peter K).
• Add Turkish language and kbd (thanks to Tayfun)
• Add improved Czech language files (thanks to Pepa) and new Czech kbd files
• Bugfix for switching to .imgPTN after ptn2/ptn1 switched over using RMPrepUSB-Ctrl-O-2.
• Improve ISO's VOL and UUID which are displayed below menu area
• Improve E2B_Editor.exe for MyCSM.cfg editing (will add language and kbd from a .imgPTN USB drive)
• Improve change kbd and change wallpaper .mnu menu files
• Change QEMU to use standard VGA graphics ROM instead of cirrus logic graphics ROM
• Tweaks to \_ISO\e2b\grub\menu.lst
• Updated Make_E2B.exe

http://rmprepusb.blogspot.com/p/e2b-alternate-download-areas.html - see Latest Betas folder.

v1.B2e1 - bugfix in countfiles.g4b now works even if user has deleted any of the Windows sub-folders.

I hope to release this version soon, so let me know if you spot a problem.

Adding UEFI-bootable Lenovo BIOS updates to E2B

The Lenovo BIOS updates are typically either in .iso form or you can download their executable Windows BIOS Update (Flash from operating system version) utility and run it under Windows or WinPE (not all WinPEs will work, choose one with WoW64 such as Strelec or Bob Omb's WinPE).

If a UEFI .ISO update file (not a BIOS update ISO) is provided, you can convert this to a FAT32 .imgPTN file in the usual way. See here.

Sometimes a .zip file is provided. This can be drag-and-dropped onto the MPI_FAT32 Desktop shortcut to make a FAT32 .imgPTN file.

After making a .imgPTN file, always check that it contains a \EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI file - if not, then it is not going to UEFI64 boot (check by opening the .imgPTN file using 7Zip).

Method 1 uses the ISO, Method 2 uses the utility which makes a bootable flash drive (but we use it to make a .imgPTN file instead)...

New 'superspeed' download site for E2B and RMPrepUSB

FossHub now (today!) are hosting the stable release versions of E2B and RMPrepUSB.

Their servers are superfast too, so I hope to use them as the Primary source for downloads if all goes well.

Please try them out and let me know if you have any issues...

FossHub - Easy2Boot and MPI Tool Pack (superfast download for main releases only)
FossHub - RMPrepUSB (superfast download for main releases only)

Adding UEFI-booting of pfSense 2.4 to E2B

I have updated the blog article here (see end of the article) on how to convert the pfSense 2.4 version so that you can UEFI-boot from it to install it pfSense.

You do however need to MBR-boot to switch in the imgPTN file first (you cannot just use Switch_E2B.exe and then UEFI-boot).

E2B v1.B2d Beta available

Changes from released version v1.B1 are:

• Add Slovenian language files and Croat\Slov kbd file added (thanks to Peter K).
• Add Turkish language and kbd (thanks to Tayfun)
• Add improved Czech language files (thanks to Pepa) and new Czech kbd files
• Bugfix for switching to .imgPTN after ptn2/ptn1 switched over using RMPrepUSB-Ctrl-O-2.
• Improve ISO's VOL and UUID which are displayed below menu area
• Improve E2B_Editor.exe for MyCSM.cfg editing (will add language and kbd from a .imgPTN USB drive)
• Improve change kbd and change wallpaper .mnu menu files
• Change QEMU to use standard VGA graphics ROM instead of cirrus logic graphics ROM
• Tweaks to \_ISO\e2b\grub\menu.lst
• Updated Make_E2B.exe

http://rmprepusb.blogspot.com/p/e2b-alternate-download-areas.html - see Latest Betas folder.

Easy2Boot eBook #1 now only $5!

http://www.easy2boot.com/download/ebook/

The first eBook is now reduced to just $5.
You can get 10% of all eBooks if you buy more than one.

Read eBook #1 for details on how to remove the blue E2B startup banner screen (or contact me for details if you have already made a donation).

E2B v1.B2b Beta available

v1.B2b is available from Alternate Downloads areas - in Beta folder.

Changes from v1.B1 released version are:

• Improve VOL and UUID display below menu area (now not displayed if no UUID or no volume label)
• Add improved Czech language files (thanks to Pepa) and new Czech kbd files
• Add Turkish language files (thanks to Tayfun) and new Turkish kbd file
• Bugfix for 'root ()' error when switching to .imgPTN file.

E2B v1.B1 released

E2B v1.B1 changes from v1.B0A are:

• Bugfix for 'nircmd' error in SDI_CHOCO.cmd.
• Hungarian language added (thanks to Knyght).
• 'Easy2Boot' banner displayed on boot to advertise eBooks (see new eBook #1 for how to remove this banner).
• If Windows Install ISO filename contains string 'wimboot' (not case sensitive) then E2B will not use WIMBOOT to boot the ISO (you must use a Removable USB drive or use a WinHelper Flash drive) - e.g. filename can be 'Win10 Home and Pro x64 1809 Oct English International (NoWimboot).iso'.
• New grub4dos for enhanced keyboard support.
• Add "(x present)" for number of XP ISOs present.
• Make_E2B.exe updated for new language\kbd options
• E2B_Editor now recognises %day% %month% %year% %SIZE_E2B% and %SIZE_HD1% variables in the HEADER and FOOTER. 
• Latin_USA (Spanish), Vietnamese and Swedish kbd files added.
• Add Change Keyboard Map .mnu file.
• Various scripts and .mnu files changed for new language\kbd support
• Choose_kbd.g4b script added to list available kbds and let user choose one
• \_ISO\_CheckForUpdate.cmd added to check if later version of E2B is available

This latest version is available now from the Alternate Download Areas.

Read eBook #1 for details on how to remove the blue E2B startup banner screen (or contact me for details if you have already made a donation).