agFM v1.25 available with UEFI Secure Boot from Windows Install ISOs

Todays version is v1.25 and a1ive has worked some magic and it now seems to be able to boot Windows Install ISOs even in Secure UEFI64-boot mode! (I haven't tested Secure UEFI32 as I don't have a suitable UEFI32 computer).

No more 0xc000000f BSOD errors and we don't have to create dual FAT32+NTFS .imgPTN files to Secure Boot to large Windows Installers!

By adding your own .cfg file, you can also auto-install directly from a Windows ISO in Secure Boot mode using a suitable XML file and even install Drivers and Apps automatically. If you use the Win10 1909 x64_UNAME_PCNAME.cfg config file, you can specify the Computer Name and User Name before the build starts.

Please let me know if it works for you by using the checkboxes below.

Note: If you have any problems UEFI64 booting and installing Windows directly from a Windows ISO, please let me know,

A1ive has also added an option to recognise Kaspersky ISOs and UEFI-boot to them.

Norton Bootable Recovery Tool - nbrt.iso - no EFI boot files, use the nbrt.grubfm sample file provided for UEFI booting.

agFM v1.24 now available (with support for UEFI64 boot from krd.iso)

Todays version fixes the issue of user input not accepting [BACKSPACE] which made it difficult to type in a string if you make a mistake (e.g. when specifying the computer name or user account name).

It also fixes an issue when trying to UEFI64-boot to the krd.iso Kaspersky Rescue Disk.

All credit should go to a1ive who has made the required changes to grub2 and helped with suggestions.

Note: agFM now supports krd - there is no need for a .grubfm file.

The krd.grubfm filecan be added. Just copy it from the \Menu Files to copy to payload volume folder to the \_ISO\ANTIVIRUS folder where your krd.iso is located.

When you UEFI64-boot to the agFM menu system, select the krd.iso file and then pick the 'User menu' entry.

agFM v1.23 now available with support for modifying XML files

Todays version uses the latest build of a1ive's grub2 and grubfm (the ipxe part is in Beta status, i.e. may have bugs).

The main changes in todays release are:

1. Bugfix in Win10 1909 x64.cfg - due to a change in the a1ives grubfm scripts, this now needed modifying.
2. New Win10 1909 x64_UNAME_PCNAME.cfg config file

The new Win10 1909 x64_UNAME_PCNAME.cfg file allows the user to modify the contents of any XML file.

a1ive kindly helped me with the lua script which was needed for this.

This new .cfg file means that you can use an automated install XML file but change the User Name and Computer Name before Setup runs. This is useful for computer shops who often install the same Windows Edition but need a different user account name and computer name.

The example version uses an XML file which has the user name and computer name set to UNAME and PCNAME. The script will then allow you to change those strings.

Instructions

E2B v1.B9k with grub4dos 'Error 25:' bugfix

There was a bug introduced into some recent grub4dos versions used in E2B v1.B7 and 1.B8.
A typical symptom is 'Error 25: Disk read error'.

To fix the error, it was necessary to make sure all ISO files are contiguous by running \MAKE_THIS_DRIVE_CONTIGUOUS.cmd.

E2B v1.B9k2 has the new grub4dos version (v1.B9k had the old version).

previous versions:

2019-08-09 OK (E2B v1.B5)
2019-09-09 OK (E2B v1.B6)
2019-10-28 FAIL (E2B v1.B7)
2019-12-30 FAIL (E2B v1.B8)
2020-01-28 FAIL (E2B v1.B8A)

Other changes:

• The \_ISO\docs\Wincontig folder can now be copied to any drive volume and be placed in any folder. You can then make files contiguous on that volume by running one of the .cmd files.
• Bugfix - set EXTOFF=1 did not suppress the file extension in the menus.

agFM v1.21 Beta now available

The developer a1ive has yet again done loads of brilliant work and managed to get the contiguous file test working for the partnew command. He has also added multiple language support to the main English version - just press F4 and select a different language or set the language in your user startup_menu.txt file.

F4 Settings Menu (auf Deutsch).

In your startup_menu.txt file, set the desired language:
#set language: en_US, ru_RU, fr_FR, tr_TR, ko_KR, ja_JP, zh_CN, de_DE, he_IL, vi_VN, es_EM, zh_TW
export lang=de_DE

I feel that the UEFI agFM system is getting very near to release status now, so please try it out for yourself.

Try the new version.

agFM v1.20 now available

The main change in this version is that a1ive has added an option to remove filename case sensitivity.

I don't know about you but I find the case-sensitivity of Linux\grub very annoying - especially when you have to verbally tell someone the name of a file and you have to say 'oh - and you have to type it with an uppercase F and a lowercase u'!

This change means we don't need to use the exact case for any letters used to specify the filenames in any of the .cfg or .grubfm menu files that we make.

There is now an extra option in the F4 Settings menu to enable case-sensitivity if you wish to have it on. You would only need to enable case-sensitivity when the same folder has two files with the same name but some of the letters were in a different case - which is quite unlikely!

agFM is looking quite nice now, however there is one major issue to overcome which I hope a1ive can crack. When using the partnew command to switch in partition images or ISO files, we should check to make sure that the file is contiguous. If it is not then it may fail to boot or it could even result in serious file corruption of the E2B drive! However the grub2 commands used to check if a file is contiguous (blocklist and stat -c) currently take over 1 minute to check a large 3GB file if the file is on an NTFS partition. If there are two files to switch in then it can take even longer. The partnew command currently does not check that the .imgPTN or .ISO file is contiguous.

E2B v1.B9j Beta available + grub4dos bug discovered

This version fixes the issue where Make_E2B_USB_Drive.cmd did not make a CONTIG.ISO file when requested.

It also now searches on Partition 3 for partition image files which have no file extension.

e.g.
Ptn1: \_ISO\WINDOWS\WIN10\Win10 x64.imgPTN23    (FAT32 boot files)
Ptn3: \_ISO\WINDOWS\WIN10\Win10 x64    (NTFS >4GB INSTALL.WIM)

The Win10 x64 file (which has no extension) can either be in the root of the volume or in \_ISO or in the same path as the .imgPTN file. The file name should not have any dot in it or else it will be treated as having an extension.

This means the .imgPTN23 file can be the FAT32 boot partition and the file with no extension can be the NTFS volume containing your large install.wim file. You can secure boot and install >4GB install.wim files in this way. Instructions are on the agFM E2B page here.

Grub4dos bug discovered!

agFM v1.19 now available

v1.19 2020-02-25 - This version has a few bug fixes and improvements. The main one is support of .imgPTN and auxilliary partition images on partition 3 (no extension).

• WinBuilder ISOs (e.g. Gandalf) now should work correctly (no yellow triangle desktop icon) when using (map) option or .isoPE file extension.
• Support multiple .imgPTN files
• Add support for WinPE .ini files and wipe on boot
• Wipe \autounattend.xml and \unattend.xml in case booting from a Windows Install partition
• Latest build of a1ive grub2 - improved File Manager

See the agFM page for more details.

About .imgPTN files

agFM v1.17 available

This version has a few bug fixes, the menu font has been changed too and a1ive has added fat file rename\copy support to grub and the agFM menu system.

ESET + persistent updates instructions now revised

The previous Eset blog article was tested (with much frustration) by 'Pusher' who could not get the Eset SysRescue app to auto-run.

It turns out that my instructions were wrong and the ext3 persistence file must be copied from a working Eset flash drive (as detailed in a previous blog).

I have revised the previous instructions now and provided a download for the persistence file to make it easier to set up.

Sorry for any frustration that this may have caused anyone!

Trouble finding WinPE ISOs?

Recently, it seems very hard to find WinPE ISOs such as Gandalfs PE,  Bob Omb's WinPEs, Medicat, DLC Boot, etc. and some websites (like theoven.org) seem go up and down faster than a tarts knickers!

Other sites just seem to be blocked (by Windows? AV? Browser?) and request a username and password but don't let you sign up first!

Google also seems to have a hard time returning meaningful results too.

After a few hours of looking for various bootable ISOs I eventually found:

https://www.fcportables.com/boot-iso/

They seem to have a good selection and the download is not too hard to get to!

P.S. I am not recommending this site and have no connection with it. Please ensure you take any necessary anti-malware precautions when downloading from it!

agFM v1.16 available

This version has a few bug fixes to the SAMPLE_startup_menu.txt file.
E2B v1.B9i Beta is also available which has a few small bugfixes to the Make_e2b_usb_drive.cmd menu.

agFM v1.15 now supports a user theme menu

a1ive has very kindly added support for a user-configurable theme or a user-specified text+wallpaper menu system.

v1.15 includes a slightly modified theme.

Configure a startup menu with a background for agFM

Currently, the agFM menu system can either use the internal theme ('slack') or you can switch it to Terminal mode

However, you can define a startup menu and populate the menu entry with specific payload entries of your choice.

The startup menu will use the same 'slack' theme, but you can change it to use a non-themed menu.

You can specify the resolution (1024x768 recommended), text colours and either a pure colour background or a wallpaper image (stretched or normal and you can use .png, .tga, .jpg or .jpeg).

rev 2.15 of eBook #1 How to make a multiboot USB drive using Easy2Boot now available

The new version has a few small revisions.

Getting started with Easy2Boot_rev2.15.pdf

Use the download link in the email that was sent to you if you want this version.

Latest release of agFM v1.14 and E2B Beta v1.B9h available

agFM has improved support for WinPE ISO booting. If the extension is .ISO then choose the 'Install Windows' option. If the extension is .isoPE then it will automatically use that option.

E2B v1.B9h has an improved Make_E2B_USB_Drive.cmd script (used to make an E2B drive) which allows you to define up to three partitions and automatically downloads and adds the current version of agFM to the new E2B drive.

agFM v1.13 now available

v1.13 2020-02-17 

1. File extensions of .isodef, .isodefault, .isodd, .iso01, .iso32, .iso64, .isoPE or .isoPE01 will now immediately boot the ISO (using Easy2Boot\partnew method).
2. Add diagnostic menu entry to users startup_menu.txt.
3. Support E2B-style MBR-booting of .iso* and .wim files which have spaces in their filenames.
4. Display grub2 menu icons in menu after selecting the ISO (e.g. Manjaro ISO will display Manjaro icon after selection).
5. Clear empty type 0 partitions on boot.
6. Various bug fixes in a1ives grub2 and File Manager.

Most Linux iso will boot if you give them a file extension of .isodef (or .isodefault) in both agFM and E2B menu system. If you leave them as .iso, you will need to pick the required boot method from a secondary agFM menu.

Download Area for agFM Beta here.

If you require a different language, extract and overwrite the files using one of the language .zip files from the Languages sub-folder - Note: you must update to v1.13 first.

agFM v1.12 now available

This version has a new feature to only list bootable\actionable files.

agFM Beta download folder is here.

Now, by default, files such a .XML , .BMP., .JPG., .BAK, .CMD, .GZ, .BAT, .MNU and all other non-bootable files are not shown in the agFM file menu.

This makes it much quicker to navigate the E2B folder structure.

I have also added two new .cfg files in case you want all files to be listed in the agFM menu.

• SHOW ALL FILES (agFM).cfg
• SHOW ONLY BOOT FILES (agFM).cfg

If you want your agFM system to always show all files on startup (as with previous versions of agFM), then create a \boot\grubfm\startup_menu.txt file on the agFM partition and add in this line at the top of the file:

grubfm_set --hide 0

If you do not want a startup menu to be shown, just set the timeout and default to 0.

agFM v1.11 now available

a1ive has made a small change so that we can have an initial boot menu on booting the agFM.

This means it is possible to set a default menu item + timeout.

Here is a sample menu which offers three menu choices and will default to select a Windows 10 ISO on timeout...

To configure your own menu, rename the \boot\grubfm\SAMPLE_startup_menu.txt file to startup_menu.txt.

Here is the contents of the sample menu...

\boot\grubfm\startup_menu.txt

agFM v1.10 now available

a1ive has made some changes to allow us to customise the agFM.

The main change with this version is that when you select a .cfg file, it will immediately run it as a grub2 file without needing to select the 'Open as grub2 menu' option.

Note that the 'Cancel' or 'Back' option in any existing .cfg files that you may have made will now not work correctly and will just reload the .cfg file again - you will need to edit them. Compare your .cfg file with the example files to see what lines have changed...

e.g. change lines in existing .cfg file from...

grubfm "${grubfm_file}"
to
grubfm "${grubfm_current_path}"

Similarly with .imgPTN* files - just select them and they will now immediately run.

Download Area for agFM Beta here.

To update, just extract the files from the .zip file to your FAT32 agFM volume.