Steve's blog about RMPrepUSB, Easy2Boot and USB booting and sometimes other stuff too! Don't forget to Subscribe! PDF eBooks here
Visit www.rmprepusb.com for over 140 Tutorials on USB booting or www.easy2boot.xyz for a unique USB multiboot solution.
Tuesday 20 February 2024
Saturday 17 February 2024
New 'Ventoy for E2B' v1.0.97 pre-release
Saturday 10 February 2024
How to quickly display the amount of system Total RAM under Ventoy
Tuesday 6 February 2024
E2B is the only SecureBoot multiboot solution which does not modify your UEFI BIOS!
These days, many PCs and Notebooks only have UEFI boot support.
If you wish to use a multiboot solution such as Ventoy, you must either disable Secure Boot (if you can get into the BIOS) or use Ventoy's MOK Manager shim to change the UEFI BIOS so that will accept the unsigned Ventoy EFI boot file (which then makes it insecure).
However, E2B allows us to switch in any partition image and boot to it. So as long as that image contains signed boot files (as in Windows or Ubuntu, etc.) then we can Secure Boot from that image.
I have added a page to the easy2boot.xyz website here in case you were not aware. There are many ways of supporting multiple Secure Boot images on an E2B USB drive and in this example I have used HBCD_PE as the secure OS. From HBCD_PE we can switch in any OS image file.
- Secure Boot to WinPE on the FAT32 Partition 3 of the E2B USB drive
- Switch into Partition 1 a new partition image file (e.g. Windows Install, Ubuntu, etc.)
- Secure Boot from the new image now in Partition 1, after this...
- Secure Boot to WinPE on the FAT32 Partition 3 of the USB drive
- Restore the original E2B Partition 1
Since we are booting from a FAT32 partition 1 on the USB drive, UEFI BIOSes should not have any compatibility issues. The Secure Boot boot files on the partition are unaltered and thus Secure Boot should always work even with the fussiest BIOSes!
Instead of HBCDPE, you can use any WinPE that supports 32-bit applications (has WoW64), such as Strelec or DLC or Bob Omb's WinPE.
Monday 29 January 2024
Easy2Boot v2.20 released
v2.20 Change History
Sunday 28 January 2024
A useful Windows System Information Utility for system repair, etc. (also runs under WinPE)
Add Tetris.EFI to Easy2Boot or Ventoy
A1ive (the author of grubfm) has a UEFI project which allows you to UEFI64-boot and play Tetris.
You can Download the tetris.efi file
and add it to your E2B (e.g. \_ISO\MAINMENU folder) or Ventoy USB drive.
Then UEFI-boot to agFM or Ventoy and select the tetris.efi file to play Tetris.
Thursday 25 January 2024
Ventoy 1.0.97 is released - now add it to your E2B USB drive
Tuesday 23 January 2024
Computer errors in the UK Post Office Horizon scandal - a 'Smoking gun' and the mysterious Gareth Jenkins
Friday 1 December 2023
'Getting started with Ventoy' eBook updated for Ventoy 1.0.96
Latest eBook (PDF) 'Getting started with Ventoy v1.15' is now available
- E2B #1 - Getting started with Easy2Boot_v2.22.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_v1.26.pdf
- Getting started with Ventoy v1.15 (for Ventoy v1.0.96).pdf
- Getting started with grub4dos_v1.03.pdf
Thursday 10 August 2023
How to easily install Windows 11 without all the MS bloatware
There is currently a weird bug in the Windows 11 Setup procedure. When selecting the Language, Keyboard/Input Methods and Time/Currency, you can select either "English (World)" or "English (Europe)" as the region. If you choose one of these two options then the Microsoft operating system will be installed free of bloatware!
Wednesday 12 July 2023
Monday 3 July 2023
Get ready for Amazon Prime Days now for great price reductions!
Amazon Prime Days are 11th July and 12th July but you should get ready for them now.
First, you need to be an Amazon Prime member, but if you are not already a member, then take out a free month's subscription now (you can always cancel at the end of the month if you want to - but free delivery and Amazon Prime Video alone are worth the subscription for me!).
Next, get some items into your shopping basket now.
Here are some ideas (most links below are Amazon affiliate links which may earn me a few pennies but cost you nothing):
Tuesday 20 June 2023
Ask ChatGPT for a Windows 10 Pro Microsoft Product Key for free!
If you ask ChatGPT nicely, it may give you a list of activation keys, some of which may be valid!
Of course, even though the key may activate, it is not safe or legal to use it because ChatGPT may actually be returning results of illegal or hacked keys! Just buy a legitimate OEM key for about $30 instead from eBay.
Saturday 10 June 2023
ChatGPT is totally untrustworthy, outdated and lies - but it is great for one thing...
Unless you have been living under a rock (one with no internet access) for the last 6 months, you will no doubt have heard of and tried ChatGPT.
It has some advantages, such as a spooky way of answering a question just like a really well-educated 'expert' - and some BIG disadvantages such as:
Wednesday 17 May 2023
Add WinPE to your USB boot drive for Secure Boot
Wednesday 3 May 2023
Get 20% off your website hosting fee with Hostinger
Valid until May 17th, if you sign up with Hostinger (#ad link) (use this link) as your website host, you can get 20% off and 3 months free.
If you are thinking about starting your own blog site, personal website, forum or business website, I recommend Hostinger. I use them for both easy2boot.xyz and rmprepusb.com. The plan allows me to host up to 100 sites at no extra cost.
There are plenty of videos on YouTube to help you and I have also produced a small free eBook on to get you started to produce a small business website (eBooks are here). There is also a 'How to make $1000 a month from the Internet' eBook which may be useful to you.
Hostinger offer excellent value for money and their support is also excellent too.
The only thing to be aware of is that although they offer a free domain name for the first year, you should be careful to look at the renewal costs of the domain name before choosing one - some are $10 a year but some other domain names can cost $50 a year. For instance, domains ending in .xyz tend to be much cheaper than domains ending in .com. Just check the renewal prices of both the package and the domain before you sign up with them. Hostinger renewal prices are pretty cheap anyway though (e.g. $6.99 a month), and unlike some other well known host providers I could name, they actually tell you the renewal costs quite plainly before you sign up!
Monday 24 April 2023
Use just one keyboard and mouse with all your computers using free 'Barrier' github software
Friday 21 April 2023
Tuesday 18 April 2023
Download a 'LiveDVD' version of a Windows 11 ISO
This is called Live11 (alpha): which is a live but cut-down version of Windows 11 22H2 64-bit which is loaded into memory. You can make a DVD from the ISO or legacy boot to it from Easy2Boot.
Wednesday 8 March 2023
New Windows 10/11 UEFI bootkit can bypass Secure Boot!
Sunday 5 February 2023
Where have all the birds and insects gone - and should we care?
Sunday 22 January 2023
Add OpenCore to your Easy2Boot USB drive
Copy the EFI\OC folder to Partition 2 (which should be FAT32) at \EFI\OC
Copy the \EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI file from your OC source to the same \EFI\OC folder on Partition 2
Add your \EFI\OC\config.plist file (edit as required)
UEFI64 boot to the E2B agFM menu and browse to the \EFI\OC\BOOTX64.EFI file on Partition 2 and select it and press ENTER key.
If you are using your own startup menu, you can add the following entry into the \boot\grubfm\startup_menu.txt file:
if [ -f "(${user})/EFI/OC/BOOTX64.EFI" ] ; then
menuentry "OpenCore (UEFI64)" --class=settings {
set grubfm_file="(${user})/EFI/OC/BOOTX64.EFI"
grubfm_open "${grubfm_file}"
}
fi
fi
https://easy2boot.xyz/create-your-website-with-blocks/add-payload-files/opencore/
Thursday 19 January 2023
New Windows Update for XP
Tuesday 17 January 2023
New money saving tips eBook (PDF)
This 39 page eBook (PDF format) contains many of the money saving tips that I use every day (well most of them anyway :-) as well as some crafty tricks. For instance, I get £60 off my normal supermarket shopping bill every month using a simple trick to get £15 money-off vouchers every week. It can be used with other retail stores too and should work in most countries, not just the UK.
It also contains some heating/energy tips too as well as many other tips for other savings.
You may be familiar with some of these tips already, but even if you only actually use just one of them you will have saved the cost of the eBook!
It is currently on SALE at just $1 for two weeks only (normally $5).
Steve's Money-Saving Tips for 2023 (39pp.)
Sunday 15 January 2023
Anyone can make a small business website in 2 hours (free PDF eBook)
Help - my kitchen ceiling is leaking!
I recently hired a plumber because there was water dripping from my kitchen ceiling and I couldn't find the source!
Friday 6 January 2023
Try the new Rescue WinPE from AIOBoot
It seems to work for Legacy 64-bit and UEFI64 systems. Place the two files in the correct locations as instructed:
It claims to be semi-persistent as the “Program Files”, “ProgramData” and “Users” folders in drive X: are moved to drive Y: and data written to these folders and Y: drive will be saved.
Thursday 5 January 2023
Run grub4dos commands from the Ventoy (or any grub2) menu system
Ventoy is based on grub2 and although it is very good at booting most legacy payloads, it is not that good at booting some DOS floppy images and some other legacy BIOS payloads.
If you need to boot using grub4dos, you can define your own grub2 external user menu (\ventoy\ventoy_grub.cfg) which can be run from Ventoy by pressing F6 in the Ventoy menu system.
My eBook 'Getting started with Ventoy' gives a few examples of how to do this.
Monday 2 January 2023
Easy2Boot v2.19 released
- New grub4dos /grldr to fix changing wallpaper bmp/jpg whilst animation is running in background.
- Revise E2B Launcher.exe to add ‘Download and Update E2B’.
- Update some files - hotkey utility, Add_Ventoy.cmd, CheckForUpdate.cmd, CreatePersistentFile.sh,Download and Update E2B.cmd also tells user which version is installed on USB drive.
- Add new INDONESIAN menu language (thanks to mikail)
- Add ‘+DPMS’ or ‘ – No DPMS’ to default MAIN MENU heading so user can tell which version is installed.
- Add “\_ISO\docs\E2B Utilities\GetWindowsProductKey.vbs” – run this to get the current Windows system Product Key.
Sunday 1 January 2023
Formatting, copying and writing floppy disks
Personally, I have not used a floppy disk in over 15 years, but if you are into retro computers and still use them, then you must check out this excellent Adrian's Digital Basement YT video:
In the video, he describes how to use the DOS ImageDisk program to test, read and write all sorts of floppy disks.
Wednesday 28 December 2022
Latest eBook (PDF) 'Getting started with Ventoy v1.14' is now available
- E2B #1 - Getting started with Easy2Boot_v2.22.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_v1.26.pdf
- Getting started with Ventoy v1.14 (for Ventoy v1.0.86).pdf
- Getting started with grub4dos_v1.03.pdf
Thursday 22 December 2022
Free Christmas games
Don't just watch TV at Christmas, enjoy the time that you are together!
After a hearty and boozy Xmas lunch, many families play Charades, but here are two more games my family like and play quite often:
Call my Bluff
Like or Hate
Going round the table or room one person at a time, each person must say out loud one thing that they either hate or love, e.g. horror movies, Marmite crisps, oysters, Mr Bean, yellow cars, etc. and write either LOVE or HATE on a card. The others must put their hand on their heart if they think you love that thing or stick their finger in their mouth if they think you hate it. You then must show the card and explain why you love/hate it. You record the scores as one point for anyone who guessed correctly and as you take the scores, each person must explain if they agree with you or not and why, as they lower their 'voting' hand.
Instead of points, you can substitute shots (but maybe not for granny).
What are your favourite family games?
Tuesday 13 December 2022
How to prevent DropBox interfering with compilers and other programs
Sunday 4 December 2022
E2B v2.19c Beta available with INDONESIAN language menu option
Saturday 26 November 2022
Quickly improve the Windows Explorer right-click context menu
Wednesday 23 November 2022
How to run DOS utilities directly from an Easy2Boot USB drive
Sunday 20 November 2022
Black Friday website host deals
Thursday 17 November 2022
VentoyPlugson 1.0.82 for E2B now available
- Ventoy2Disk.exe: Add exFAT/NTFS/FAT32 options in Option-->Partition Configuration for Ventoy installation.
- Ventoy2Disk.exe: Display Ventoy partition file system in selected disk
- Ventoy2Disk.exe: Fix the issue that string "Status x%" is missing for translations (#1667)
- Update Shim/Mokmanager efi file from Fedora 37.
- Add VTOY_SHOW_PASSWORD_ASTERISK option in global control plugon. (#1931)
- VentoyPlugson: Fix the issue that secondary boot menu option mismatch between web page and json file.
- Fix the issue that Linux WEB/GUI version does not restore MBR when updating. (#1935)
- Change Ventoy LiveCD GUI default language to English (#1938)
- Fix the issue that help line disappears when auto-going to a Fn submenu. (#1939)
- Fix an issue that CGI backup tool can not open after boot WePE.
- Optimization for Windows unattended install process.
- Fix the disk display error when pCloud virtual disk is installed in Windows OS.
- languages.json update
Saturday 12 November 2022
Test AMD Radeon GPU RAM memory using Linux Scripts
First watch the Learn Electronics Repair YT videos (and subscribe :-):
Using Linux to diagnose a fault:
How to run the test scripts:
Adding the test to any E2B USB drive
1. Download and add the ArchLinux ISO and copy to \_ISO\LINUX folder and make the file contiguous.
2. Download the two scripts, unpack and copy to a \scripts folder on your E2B USB drive.
3. Boot to the ISO and follow the instructions in the video (see screenshot below):
Type the correct command as explained in the video
I used these commands to get to the scripts folder:
fdisk -l
mkdir /ss
mount /dev/sda1 /ss
/ss/scripts
dmgg - test Polaris and Navi AMD GPU (RX400/RX500/RX5000)
memtest - generic test
This can also be done using Ventoy, but you should use the VTOY_LINUX_REMOUNT option in the global control section of the ventoy.json user config file so that the volume is accessible once booted to Linux.
See Also - other video card tests
See also MATS/MODS test article here and Kings OverKill article here.
Saturday 5 November 2022
Add your own animated gif to E2B
You can make your own animation like the shuffle dancer shown in the screenshot above (download here) in just a few minutes. The hardest part is finding an animated GIF in the first place like this one.
Friday 4 November 2022
E2B Theme (Rosalind Franklin + DNA animation)
E2B menu plus DNA gif with transparent background |
- 1024x768
- Rosalind Franklin wallpaper
- Animated rotating DNA model
Thursday 3 November 2022
agFM v1.98 released
agFM default theme with menu heading text + boot mode |
To update to the newest version, run:
Monday 31 October 2022
VentoyPlugson.exe v1.0.81 for E2B drives now available
Sunday 30 October 2022
E2B and agFM updates
- E2B latest version is now v2.18 2022-10-28
- agFM latest version is now agFM v1.97 2022-10-29
- 'Ventoy for Easy2Boot' is still at 1.0.79d 20220-09-13
E2B recent changes:
Saturday 29 October 2022
How to quickly identify what's in your old PC or Notebook (DOS SysInfo tools)
Thursday 27 October 2022
Boot pmagic_2022_09_04.iso from E2B\agFM\Ventoy with persistence
It is possible to boot Partition Magic 2022 from an ISO file and use the LIVE SAVE (persistence) feature which allows you to create a persistence file which is saved on exit and automatically loaded on boot.
My personalized purple Pmagic with persistence. |
Wednesday 26 October 2022
Add Gandalf’s Windows 10PE x64 Redstone 7 Spring 2022 Edition to E2B
GandalfsWin10PEx64RS7-20H1_.isomap64.agfmisomap64.ISO
Sunday 23 October 2022
Add PhilsComputerLab's DOSBENCHMARK test utilities to your E2B or Ventoy USB drive (and run Quake and Doom!)
Speedsys 4.78 run on Lenovo IdeaPad300 notebook |
Monday 17 October 2022
Boot or Install ReactOS Live from E2B
If you want to try ReactOS (which is at Alpha status - so still very buggy!) you can download a .imgPTN23 file here which should boot to the LiveCD ISO.
ReactOS itself does not fully support USB 2/3 AFAIK, so you may need to attach a PS/2 keyboard and mouse if using a real system.
Friday 14 October 2022
E2B v2.16 released
- New - Support new .wimboot file extension (can use xxxxx_.wimboot.wim to make E2B boot using iPXE wimboot method instead of NTBOOT and bootmgr\BCD).
- New - skip the prompt ‘Press ENTER to not use WIMBOOT’ if characters ‘WIMBOOT’ are in Windows Install ISO filename.
- New - Ctrl+F7 hotkey to switch display to text mode. Use Ctrl+F8 to reload menu in default mode.
- New - Alt+F7 hotkey to switch display to 1024×768 mode. Use Ctrl+F8 to reload menu in default mode.
- New - \_ISO\WINDOWS\SVR2022 folder added for Server 2022 ISOs/IMPTN files.
- New - Add support for Ventoy Linux VHD/VDI .vtoy files. \_ISO\docs\Sample mnu Files\Linux Mint VHD_VDI (ventoy).mnu, \_ISO\docs\Sample mnu Files\Linux\ventoy_grub.cfg added.
- New - Check USB drive is not a GPT drive added.
- New - Can use set QMENU=1 in MyE2B.cfg for faster loading of E2B menus (but no ISO volume info in descriptions and no ‘not contiguous’ warnings given). Improve menu loading time if many files in menu folder.
- New - Add “\_ISO\docs\Make_E2B_USB_Drive\Download and update E2B.cmd” – this script will download the latest currently released version of E2B (or latest Beta if available) and then update the E2B version on the USB drive, then proceed to download and update agFM and Ventoy for Easy2Boot and Ventoy Plugins.
- Bugfix - SWITCH_E2B.exe fix not switching if partition 4 has start/size parameters but is Type 0.
- E2B Menu F1 ENGlish help text updated, hotkey grub4dos utility updated, \grldr grub4dos version updated.