Sunday 5 January 2020

E2B v1.B9a Beta available with Strelec ISO bugfix

This version 1.B9a should work correctly with WinPE x64 Sergei Strelec ISOs as long as you use the .isofira01 file extension.

Previous versions worked OK with 32-bit WinPE but not with 64-bit WinPE.

This issue should now be fixed and you should get the full Desktop icons now.

Let me know how it goes!

P.S. If testing using VBox+VMUB, set VM OS to a 64-bit OS but NOT WINDOWS!  e.g. Windows 10 64-bit does not work (firadisk does not load ISO), but using 'Linux\Ubuntu 64' or 'Other 64-bit' works!


A1ive's grub2 File Manager v1.1

I have made a slight tweak to the grubfm file manager .imgPTN file so that it does not show all the '$' system files on NTFS partitions.

You can download the new v1.1 version from here.

Saturday 4 January 2020

MBR-boot and UEFI-boot (almost) any file using a1ive's new grub2 and grub2 File Manager

a1ive has been busy modifying and extending a branch of grub2.

 Just copy your ISOs, etc. onto the drive and Secure UEFI boot!
Later versions: 
https://rmprepusb.blogspot.com/2020/01/a1ives-grub2-file-manager-v12.html 
https://rmprepusb.blogspot.com/2020/01/a1ive-grub2-file-manager-menu-for.html

As you know, grub4dos only supports MBR\Legacy-booting but grub2 also supports 32-bit and 64-bit UEFI. Now, a1ive has added support to UEFI-boot Windows Install ISOs, .wim files, .VHD files using NTBOOT. grub2 now supports the partnew and map commands even under UEFI, so we can generically boot most Linux ISO files under UEFI too.

He also has scripted a grub2 menu as a 'File Manager'. You can Legacy or UEFI-boot to grub2, select a partition and then select a file (.iso or .vhd(x) or .wim or .img, .ima or .efi). The File Manager will then offer a range of various options. The current supported list includes:

Also boots Windows Vista//7/8/10 Install ISOs too!
File extensions supported are:
.cfg - run as grub2, syslinux or pxelinux menu
.efi - run as UEFI file (UEFI mode only)
.img - run as disk image
.ipxe - run as ipxe
.iso - run as .iso (also includes .grubfm file of the same file name)
.lst - run as grub4dos menu (MBR mode only)
.lua - run as lua script
.mod - load grub2 module
.pf2 - load font file
.png  - graphics image
.vhd - run as VHD
.wim - run as NT6 .wim file


Add this to your Easy2Boot USB drive

If you want to try this with Easy2Boot, you can download the .imgPTN23 file (from Alternate Download - Other folder).
Note: This .imgPTN23 file also supports an automated workaround for bypassing Secure Boot on UEFI64 systems so you can boot any unsigned payload from a Secure UEFI boot!

Wednesday 1 January 2020

Happy New Decade!

Happy New Year everyone.

E2B v1.B8 is now officially released.

If you haven't got your 2020 Calendar yet (like me!), why not design and print your own instantly!


Tuesday 31 December 2019

Who knew Easy2Boot was so scary?


New Spanish video on E2B has just appeared - really scary! Don't watch it if you are of a nervous disposition!

Which country downloads E2B the most?

Here (FYI) are the stats for E2B downloads from the FossHUB E2B page over the last five months of 2019.

P.S. FossHUB provides safe and extermely high-speed downloads for many other apps and software and is always worth trying first if you want to download a popular package, so it's worth Bookmarking!
Downloads of E2B from FossHUB in last 5 months
As you can see, the USA are first, but surprisingly France is second.

The next 10 look like this:

Monday 30 December 2019

Easy2Boot v1.B8 is now available

This has latest version of grub4dos which has some improvements in the setmenu --string command (can now centre text within a menu and have a background colour for the text).

Difference from v1.B7 are:
  • Latest grub4dos 2019-12-30.
  • Improve E2B scripts to allow user to define a greater number of grub4dos environment variables (grub4dos max is 60).
  • New default background. 
  • Add .vhdx file extension (was removed in last few versions).
  • Update Memtest86 UEFI free version to v8.3.
  • Add Tails_generic_for_USB_HDD.mnu for generic menu for booting Tails ISOs from USB HDD. 

New 2020 eBook on grub4dos is now available

New eBook on grub4dos is now available. Over 170 pages.

Includes all latest commands and features. The price is only $5 but you can pay more if you like ;-).

Exercises to show you how to construct a menu system with wallpaper, unifont, keyboard scancode translation, password, boxed text, animated graphics and tunes, etc.

Based on the latest features of the 2019-12-30 version of grub4dos 0.4.6a.

Each eBook can be downloaded up to 5 times, so you can download a later edition if there is one available in the future.


Friday 20 December 2019

E2B v1.B8d now available + grub4dos eBook

I hope to release this version as v1.B8 before XMas.

Difference from v1.B7 are:
  • Latest grub4dos 2019-12-20.
  • Improve E2B scripts to allow user to define a greater number of grub4dos environmental variables (grub4dos max is 60).
  • New default background. 
  • Add .vhdx file extension (was removed in last few versions).
  • Update Memtest86 UEFI free version to v8.3.
  • Add Tails_generic_for_USB_HDD.mnu for generic menu for booting Tails ISOs from USB HDD. 
It is in the Alternate Download Area - Latest Beta folder as usual.

New grub4dos eBook

Thursday 19 December 2019

The IODD Mini is now available

The crowd-funded IODD Mini (<Amazon link - please use this if ordering from USA or UK) seems to have arrived at last, after 2 years of waiting.

IODD on Amazon Germany here.

IODD Mini 256GB version is approx $135
Apparently it contains a KingSpec 2242mm M.2 SSD NGFF Internal Solid State Drive SATA III and so you could swap it out for a different one.