E2B v2.16g and agFM v1.92 now have .vtoy support for full Linux OS VHD\VDI booting

Ventoy has the ability to boot from full Linux installations which have been installed onto a fixed .VHD file, fixed .VDI file or a disk raw image file. However, the code used can also be used under grub2 and grub4dos too. If you have an existing disk with Linux on it, you should be able to use the RMPrepUSB - Disk>File button to capture a .img file (although I haven't tried it with a Linux disk).

This means that a E2B USB drive (or any drive or partition) can contain multiple VHD or VDI Linux files and you can boot to a full Linux and run it at full speed (no persistence file is used). The only problem is that you cannot update the Linux kernel when booting in this way. If you wish to update the Linux version, you should do this by booting the VHD/VDI file under a Virtual Machine again - update the kernel - and then re-run the vtoyboot.sh script again. Then you can copy the new file to the E2B USB drive.

To update your E2B USB drive

See Alternate Downloads - Latest Beta folder for latest E2B version. If you wish to also test grub4efi, you can download the experimental 2.16gEFI version.
agFM v1.92 supports .vtoy files - run Ptn2:\e2b\Update agFM\Download and update agFM_v2.cmd to get the latest version of agFM.

'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' v1.0.79d released

The current release of the official Ventoy v1.0.79  does not currently support Windows .7z file injection if you use the Ctrl+W  WIMBOOT override key (some PCs will not boot Windows ISOs without using WIMBOOT).

My latest version includes the latest Beta code so that WIMBOOT mode will also work with file injection (the next official version - Ventoy v1.0.80 will probably have this fix too).

Also, my new version will respond to the w, i, u and r keys (with or without the ctrl key) which means you can use those modifier keys on a Mac AirBook or other non-standard computer which does not recognise the Ctrl key.

Please run \e2b\Update agFM\Update_to_latest_Ventoy_version.cmd on Ptn2 to update to the latest version of 'Ventoy for Easy2Boot'.

'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' v1.0.79c released (bugfix)

Another problem was found with 'Ventoy for Easy2Boot 1.0.79' - Windows zip file injection was not working.

The issue has now been fixed in 1.0.79c.

Problem seems to be to do with the FAT code needing to specify ".xz " as file extension rather than ".xz" for FAT32 filesystems (three character extensions worked but not two character extensions) and also a bug in LongPanda's code created a file on X: even if the source file did not exist.

The new version is 1.0.79c (press F7 in Ventoy Menu to show version number).

Please run \e2b\Update agFM\Update_to_latest_Ventoy_version.cmd on Ptn2 to update to the latest version.

Check that the \ventoy\vtoyjump32.exe and vtoyjump64.exe has a date of 2022-09-09.

I have given details of the code changes here.

Major bank security loophole exposed - don't be a victim - use this simple fix!

Did you know that there is a major security flaw with most banks?

Did you know that if someone steals your bank card and your phone then they can easily clean out ALL your bank accounts in just a few minutes!

That's right - if a thief has stolen both your bank debit card and your phone - he/she can find out your bank card PIN number very quickly and can then use your bank card + PIN to steal all your money. They can even transfer all your money from your bank's savings accounts into your bank's current account too so that they clean you out completely!

Here is how it works...

E2B v2.16f Beta

I have added the Ctrl+F7 and Alt+F7 hotkeys to the new Beta version of the E2B menu system.

Some people have been experiencing blank screens when booting to the E2B menu system in legacy mode on systems with certain display adapters+monitors. So pressing Alt+F7 or Ctrl+F7 will instantly switch to a different graphic mode and screen resolution which may allow them to see the menu in the new mode.

Current changes in 2.16f are:

• Add .wimboot file extension support. Use xxxxx_.wimboot.wim to make E2B boot using iPXE wimboot method instead of NTBOOT and bootmgr\BCD.
• Add Ctrl+F7 hotkey to switch display to text mode. Use Ctrl+F8 to reload menu in default mode.
• Add Alt+F7 hotkey to switch display to 1024×768 mode. Use Ctrl+F8 to reload menu in default mode.
• New SWITCH_E2B.exe to fix not switching if partition 4 has start/size parameters but is Type 0
• New \_ISO\WINDOWS\SVR2022 folder added for Server 2022 with XML and KEY files.
• F1 ENGlish help text file updated.

Please Contact Me if you have any issues or suggestions.

eBooks updated

I have revised some of the eBooks to bring them up to date.

Here is a list of the current versions:

• E2B #1 - Getting started with Easy2Boot_v2.21.pdf
• E2B #2 - How to install Microsoft Windows using Easy2Boot_v1.9.pdf
• E2B #3 - How to make a UEFI multi-boot Easy2Boot USB drive using .imgPTN files v1.03.pdf
• E2B #4 - UEFI-multiboot using the a1ive grub2 File Manager_v1.25.pdf
• Getting started with Ventoy v1.11 (for Ventoy v1.0.79).pdf
• Getting started with grub4dos_v1.02.pdf
  

Just use the download link in your conformation email to download the latest version. All updates are free.

'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' v1.0.79 bugfix for Windows Install ISOs and WinPE ISOs

I found a problem with 'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' v1.0.79 - it does not load a Windows/WINPE ISO as a virtual drive as it seems LongPanda has added an additional check into the code. This means Windows Installs and some WinPEs did not work correctly.

Please update 'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' using the instructions here.

The new version is still called v1.0.79 - so please update even if the cmd file says that you already have v1.0.79 installed.

The \ventoy\vtoyjump64.exe file on Partition 2 should be dated 2022-08-28 after updating to v1.0.79b.

Quick! - check out the Amazon 'End of Summer' sale bargains

Apparently Amazon is having an 'End of Summer' sale.

Amazon affiliate links below:

• Amazon Echo Dot (4th gen) for 54% off!
• Fire TV Stick with 38% off.
• Sandisk Extreme Pro 512GB USB 3.2 with 37% off.
• 20%-50% off laptops - e.g. LG gram Laptop 16Z90Q - 16 Inch, Intel Evo Core i5 - 12th Gen, 80Wh Battery, (2560 x 1600 px), 16GB RAM, 512 GB SSD Memory, Windows 11 OS
• Up to 38% off Crucial Memory modules
• 1TB 2.5" SATA SSD 23% off
• Large discounts in Kitchen Electrical appliances (some -38%)

Ventoy for Easy2Boot v1.0.79 is now fully released

To update to the latest 'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' v1.0.79 just run

\e2b\Update agFM\Update_to_latest_Ventoy_version.cmd

from Partition 2 of the E2B USB drive.

You can run Download and update agFM_v2.cmd to ensure your version of agFM is up to date first.

The .cmd file will also download and update the Ventoy plugin files and copy on a version of VentoyPlugsonE2B.exe that will work on E2B USB drives.

Is YouTube getting worse or is it just broken?

I have some YT videos on my YT channel  and I have made comments on some other peoples YT videos, as I am sure many of you have.

For several years, I have noticed that sometimes, I can look through the comments under other peoples YT videos and I will be surprised to see a comment with my name on it but that I did not write. Here is an example:

Microsoft just made Secure Boot multibooting more difficult!

After the recent Windows update KB5012170 (August 9, 2022) was released, it seems Ventoy can no longer boot on some systems when Secure boot is enabled. This Windows update may also affect the Kaspersky EFI boot file used by agFM in E2B too.

Summary

This security update makes improvements to Secure Boot DBX for the supported Windows versions listed in the "Applies to" section. Key changes include the following:

Windows devices that has Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) based firmware can run with Secure Boot enabled. The Secure Boot Forbidden Signature Database (DBX) prevents UEFI modules from loading. This update adds modules to the DBX.

A security feature bypass vulnerability exists in secure boot. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability might bypass secure boot and load untrusted software.

This security update addresses the vulnerability by adding the signatures of the known vulnerable UEFI modules to the DBX.

KB5012170

See also this post.

Introduction

Ventoy (and the 'official Ventoy' .img files used by agFM) use an .EFI file which allows you to add any file or key onto the BIOS DB 'whitelist' by using MokManager. This basically allow you to secure boot to ANY unsigned .efi file and is therefore a very obvious security risk.

agFM uses a signed Kaspersky EFI boot file which has a security flaw because it allows you to load unsigned grub2 modules. The unsigned grub2 module can then disable the secure boot checks and then allow you to load unsigned .efi bot files.

Microsoft have released various Windows Updates which (if you have UEFI-booted to Windows) will add blacklist entries into the DBx non-volatile RAM of your BIOS so that it will now refuse to Secure Boot from the naughty EFIs that Microsoft should never have signed in the first place!

So this leaves us with a problem (that has been seen coming for several years) - how do we load a multiboot loader/manager such as Ventoy or agFM (which use unsigned grub2). Microsoft will not sign any generic grub2 version because they allow you to load other modules or run dd, etc. and thus potentially hack the secure boot mechanism.

Solutions

E2B v2.16b Beta available

I have added support for the CTRL+F7 hotkey into the E2B menu system.

This hotkey sets the menu system to graphicsmode 3 and text mode.

If you have display issues on some systems and the E2B graphics mode menu system cannot be displayed properly on a particular graphics adaptor or monitor, you may see a 'fuzzy' or 'garbled' or 'corrupt' screen. In this case, hitting Ctrl+F7 may fix the display issue.

Please let me know if this causes you any issues and if you think it is worth keeping this feature in for the next full release.

VentoyPlugson.exe for 'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' available

I have recompiled VentoyPlugson.exe so that it will detect an Easy2Boot drive (although it may also detect other drives too!).

So you can now make a \ventoy\ventoy.json file directly from your E2B USB drive. This will save you having to switch in an 'official' Ventoy Partition 2 image just to configure the ventoy.json file.

Please note this is NOT the official VentoyPlugson.exe and you must make sure you select the correct drive letter if it displays more than one drive! As it only creates a ventoy.json file though, it should not be too harmful if you accidentally choose the wrong drive.

Let me know if you have any issues.

agFM has now been updated to v1.85. The only change is that the cmd file
\e2b\Update agFM\GetLatestVentoyPluginFiles.cmd
now adds a \ventoy\VentoyPlugsonE2B folder to the first partition. You can then run \ventoy\VentoyPlugsonE2B\VentoyPlugsonE2B.exe from that folder.

Action:

1. Run \e2b\Update agFM\Download and update agFM_v2.cmd to update to agFM v1.86

2. Run \e2b\Update agFM\GetLatestVentoyPluginFiles.cmd  to get VentoyPlugsonE2B

Note that 'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' v1.0.79 is also available - see eBook #4 for the download URL and password. It will be released publicly some time in September.

Subscribe for more updates!

--------------------