How to prompt for ComputerName and UserName before you start an automated Windows Install

By using an XML file, we can automate the installation of Windows 10 in Easy2Boot.

The XML file can have a preset or random UserName and ComputerName, or it can be configured to only have an Administrator account or to prompt for the User Name near the end of the installation process.

For instance, an XML file for SDI_CHOCO could be picked by the user and a fully unattended and automated Windows 10 install would then proceed.

However, it would be useful if we could use the same automated XML file each time we installed it to a different system, but could prompt for a different ComputerName and UserName before we started the installation. This allows us to get a cup of coffee whilst ten different systems are installing without having to come back and enter the UserName half-way through.

See also this later blog post for automatically setting the Serial Number in the ComputerName based on the same method as used in this article.

We can set different values by using grub4dos to modify the XML file before we boot to the ISO...

E2B v1.99 now available

At last E2B v1.99 is now available!

Note: I have just quickly updated the 2018-06-18 download to v1.99 2018-06-16 - the more recent version just has improved help in Make_E2B.exe, a small bugfix to grub4dos and a new sample mnu file added.

Note: The new eBook is written for use with E2B v1.99.

Changes from E2B v1.98 are:

Bob Omb's WinPE10 64-bit v.3.1

Bob's latest release of WinPE 10 64-bit (v3.1) can now work either as a .ISO file in E2B or as a .imgPTN file.

If you boot it as an ISO, it will auto-detect the TheOven_Startup.cmd (if present on your E2B drive) and run PEStartup (see here for details).

Tip: End the filename with the letter Q to suppress E2B's QRUN prompt - e.g. Bob_Omb's_v3.1_64q.iso. Do not use spaces in the filename because WinBuilder ISOs don't work correctly if there is a space in the name. The file extension must be .iso.

Instead, you can create a .txt file using the \_ISO\TXT_Maker.exe file. This allows you to have spaces in the menu entry (e.g. 'Bob Omb's WinPE10 64-bit'). The ISO must not have any spaces and must end in .iso. You can also use the '64-bit' option in TXT_Maker so that the ISO will only be listed in the menu if run on a 64-bit system.

UEFI

If you convert the ISO to a FAT32 .imgPTN file, you will be able to MBR or UEFI-boot to it and also have some persistence. I suggest you increase the suggested size when you make the .imgPTN file, to allow you to add your own portable apps, shortcuts, etc.

E2B v1.99h Beta available

• This version has the latest version of grub4dos 0.4.6a 2018-06-08
• Also a Sample .mnu file Run_ISO_With_Alarm.mnu added (sounds an alarm before running ISO) has been added.
• PimpMyDrive.cmd now adds a 'Play a tune' menu to the Main menu.
• Alarm.g4b added to \_ISO\e2b\grub folder so just issuing the command 'alarm' will sound an alarm.

This is probably the last Beta before release as E2B v1.99 full release, so let me know if you find any issues.

As before, if you have animated graphics displaying and you also simultaneously play a tune, the tune may play slower than it should unless you stop the animation (press F2 to toggle animation on and off). Any key press will stop the tune from playing.

Download from Alternate Download areas or direct link here.

Intel Processor Diagnostic Tools

This Intel Windows 64-bit (and 32-bit) tool will identify your CPU and stress test the CPU cooling solution in your system.

You first need to install the software onto Windows before running it.

Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool (May 2018)

Other tools

Other Intel tools can be found here.

The bootable CPU Identification tool and CPU Frequency ID tool are Windows .exe utilities which make a bootable DOS floppy (wow - it's so useful to have a bootable floppy disk these days!), or a .imz floppy disk image file from which you can extract a bootable .ima file using 7Zip.

However, if you download the files (various languages are available), you can use 7Zip to extract the .com file directly from the .exe download (e.g. extract BPFREQIDE.com or BPROCIDE.com) and simply copy the .com file to your E2B USB drive (e.g. \INTEL folder).

Then you can boot to the FreeDOS floppy image which is already on your E2B drive (DOS Menu) and run the .com files from FreeDOS (e.g. \INTEL\BPROCIDE.com).

This screenshot is from Virtual Box, so ignore CPU results!

Intel® Processor Frequency ID Utility Installation Guide - Bootable Version (2004)

Intel® Processor Identification Utility Download - Bootable Version (2015)

E2B v1.99g Beta is now available (in .zip format)

The new download is available from the Alternate Download Areas as usual, but only in .zip format because it should be regarded as a Beta version.

These are the additional changes since v1.99f:

1. Non-contiguous files are now flagged when enumerating files (press SPACEBAR twice quickly to pause the file listing). If the files listed are not contiguous, they will be displayed in the list with the text *** NOT CONTIGUOUS *** appended.
2. Non-contiguous .imgPTN files are flagged on the menu entry itself (because they won't work!). The menu entry will have the text (ERROR: NOT CONTIGUOUS) appended.
3. Force_Windows_Safe_Mode .cmd files added. This allows you to change the BCD of the current system (see below).
4. C't magazine Desinfect 2018 sample .mnu file added (see below).

Upcoming Amazon Echo offers

Hi
Just a heads-up, apparently there is an Amazon Echo Sale coming up starting 26th May.

Use the links below after 25th May to get $10 and $15 off.

Echo Dot (affiliated link to Amazon.com)

Echo  (affiliated link to Amazon.com)

I have an Echo (in the kitchen) and an Echo Dot (in the bedroom) and find them really useful for...

1. Reminders ' Alexa - remind me to call Fred at 3pm' (I also get an alert on my phone)
2. Play radio or music 'Alexa - play BBC Radio 4'
3. Radio Alarm clock 'Alexa - set an alarm for 8am every day and play BBC Radio 4'
4. Calculations - 'Alexa - what's 297.2 minus 167.6' and 'Alexa - what's 127 dollars in pounds?'
5. Shopping list 'Alexa - add yoghurt to my shopping list' (can see list on phone when I go shopping)
6. News - 'Alexa - give me a flash briefing'
7. Music - 'Alexa - play Blue by Joni Mitchell' (Amazon Prime or Spotify account required)
8. Queries - 'Alexa - what are Asimov's 3 laws of Robotics'
9. Vanity or scary - 'Alexa - who is the fairest of them all?' and 'Alexa - open the pod bay doors'
10. Internet calls - 'Alexa - drop in on mum'  (immediately connects me to mum's Echo at her house so I can hear what's going on - e.g. snoring!)

Six new USB-boot eBooks are now available!

Get my eBooks on VENTOY, GRUB4DOS and E2B. Perfect for the beginner or 'experts'. Learn the secrets of legacy and UEFI/Secure booting. Get all your ISOs and payload images on one USB stick or disk and then customise it. Many tips and tricks included. This will save you months!

EBook #1 includes instructions on how to remove the 5 second blue-and-white start-up E2B banner screen.

E2B eBooks are downloadable PDF files here (payable via PayPal or card).

See instructions in eBook #1 to remove this banner.

• EBook #1 'Getting started with Easy2Boot'
• EBook #2 'How to install Microsoft Windows using Easy2Boot'
• EBook #3 'How to make a UEFI multi-boot Easy2Boot USB drive using .imgPTN files' has instructions on how to make a UEFI multiboot E2B drive (no MBR\Legacy boot required) and includes links to the pre-made download files. Uses .imgPTN files which are useful for Secure Boot payloads (no shim is used).
• EBook #4 'UEFI-multiboot using the a1ive grub2 File Manager'  is on direct UEFI booting from .ISO, .WIM, .VHD, .EFI, .IMG files, etc. using the UEFI agFM File Manager and supports Secure Boot.
• 'Getting started with grub4dos'
• 'Getting started with Ventoy'

Updated revisions are available free to previous eBook buyers by using the link in the email receipt that will be sent to you when you purchase the eBooks.

The 'Getting started with grub4dos/Ventoy' eBooks are not specifically about E2B, and have all the information you need to get you started on making your own grub4dos or Ventoy boot menu system and USB disk.

Click here - E2B eBooks

E2B v1.99f Beta (includes feature to play tunes!)

yaya, one of the main developers of grub4dos, has done a lot of work to add a 'beep' command to grub4dos. It can play synchronously (in background) or asynchronously (waits until end of play before continuing execution).

E2B v1.99f (was 1.99e) includes this latest \grldr file (grub4dos 0.4.6a) which has the new beep command.

Now you can load the E2B Main menu and simultaneously play the Mission Impossible or Tetris background music (or any tune you like)! Your system must be fitted with an internal speaker (or buzzer) - Virtual Machines will not make any noise, you must use a real system.

Instructions to update your E2B drive

Installing Windows Embedded POSReady 2009

The POS2009 ISO is a bit different from normal XP ISOs in that it has no 2nd stage boot and it requires a 'flat-file' structure and \i386 folder on the installation media to be present during the 2nd boot.

There is a ReadMe file at \_ISO\docs\Sample mnu Files\Windows\POS2009_ReadMe.txt on the E2B drive which can be used to install POS2009 to an IDE hard drive.

E2B v1.99 contains revised instructions for guidance on how you can install to SATA\RAID\SCSI disk too.

The ReadMe file in v1.99 is shown below: