E2B Users Forum

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What is model of system that does not work with .isowinvh ? Dell? What model? In what way does it 'not work'?

Try .isowinvh from laptop Toshiba.
Not BSOD, just not logon to desktop

After Logo Windows XP show and disappear, MiniXP hang, screen goto blank.

P/s: Now i try with ver1.78 then report

ver 1.78h work very well.
but still same error with MiniXP, i don't know why but if i add # before line using winvblock then it work.
so i sure that this problem came from winvblock.
tks.

Hi steve,
I found that i can map firadisk with fd0 then use f6 to load firadisk then use code in menu.lst to tell where .ISO located to mount it after boot to minixp.
can you tell me how to do it?
where can i download firadisk.img
and what grub4dos menu.lst to do?
tks

Does .isofira work?

Use .isoask and try alternatives - e.g. .isowinvhe0 or other e0 alternatives.

Tks steve, rename to .ISOask then type HW then it works.
i.e. use .isoHW file extension.

Hi there,

I'm trying to find instructions to remove E2B from a USB and restore it to it's original size.
I've tried formatting but it only shows 4GB of the original 16GB.

Thank you

Just formatting a drive under Windows will not change the partition size.
It sounds like you have used a .imgPTN image.
Under Windows you can run \e2b\SWITCH_E2B.exe and Restore E2B partitions - or just use RMPrepUSB to re-partition and re-format the drive.

Thanks Steve :)

I use AUTOLINUXMENU for multibooting internal HDD.
Is possible to change the created automenu in order by date?

No. Grub4dos is not able to get the date of a file.

Hi Steve
I recently bought a 16 GB Kingston DataTraveler DT 101G2 pen drive and installed Easy2Boot on it, but when i boot from the pen drive and select an ISO file from the Easy2Boot menu i get this error message:
if not exist CD dd if=(bd)%XML% of=()/AutoUnattend.xml > nul
Error 29(http://grub4dos.chennal.net/e/29)
Disk write error
Press any key to continue...
I have updated to the 1.78c beta but the problem persists.
I don't get this error when i boot from a 8 GB Sony Microvault pen drive, which is what i've been using before for Easy2Boot.

It is probably a fake!
Test it using RMPrepUSB - Quick Size Test or FakeFlashTest.
P.S. DT10x are too slow. Alway buy USB 3.0 and preferably fast one like SanDisk Extreme.

The Quick Size Test didn't report any errors, what else can i do to fix this problem?
Also, i know there are faster pen drives but i can't afford them, they are expensive where i live.

Try using QEMU (RMPrepUSB - F11) and see if you get the same error.
What XML file did you pick? What ISO are you running and where is it located? Does it happen with any ISO and any XML file?

With QEMU i get error 21 with a Windows 7 x86 ISO. I always choose the Easy2Boot XML file, the ISO is located at _ISO/WINDOWS/WIN7 and i get the error with any of the XML files. The error also occurs with a Xubuntu 15.10 i386 ISO with persistence but with "partnew (%E2BDEV%,3) 0x0 %ISO%" command instead of the "if not exist..." command above the error 29 text, but after pressing a key to continue and reselecting Xubuntu 2 times, it boots.

Something seems wrong with that drive!
It is failing on writes to the drive.
If a different drive works under the same set of conditions, then it points to a faulty drive.

Well, i guess i'll have to buy a new one. Thanks for the help :).

Hi,
Well, i'm not sure about this problem, but if your usb has a button that can switch on/off write protected mode then may it is reason.

Hello,

I am using a large external usb drive with 2 partitions. The first for booting is 137GB, the second partition is used for storing data/manuals/utilities/various files.

Is there a way to boot from a imgPTN file and still access the second partition? It seems to vanish when an imgPTN file is booted from.

Thanks

Sure, just give the file a .imgPTNLBAa23 file extension.
https://easy2boot.com/add-payload-files/list-of-file-extensions-recognised-by-e2b/

Hi Steve,
I'm new with grub4dos command.
I try cat --locate command and don't know how it work.

boot grub4dos from qemu
type c to get command line
type:
echo 123a > (md)0x300+1
cat --locate=a (md)0x300+1

result: 3
I don't know why is 3. From string "1233a", so the result must be 4??

Can u explain me why? Tks
p/s: i'm sorry for my poor English!

Cat --locate returns the offset (address of string)
byte at offset 0 = 1
byte at offset 1 = 2
byte at offset 2 = 3
byte at offset 3 = a
use cat --hex --length=16 (md)0x300+1
to see bytes

Oh, tks Steve.
Another question,
Why we must map mem winblock twice

map --mem /winvblock.img.gz (fd0)
map --mem /winvblock.img.gz (fd1)

when install XP from ISO or load Hiren ISO (use from QRUN easy2boot

Tks

You don't have to map twice on many systems. But some systems which have a floppy disk don't work (it has been reported to me), so I map to fd0 and fd1 for best chance of it working.

Hi Steve,
openSUSE-Edu-li-f-e.x86_64-42.1.1.iso fails to boot under easry2boot(partnew)

openSUSE live DVDs are a bit tricky!
See http://rmprepusb.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/boot-opensuse-isos-from-e2b.html

Thank you Steve, I read it.
This simple way works for me:
1. Format external HDD as NTFS
2. Install Grub4dos
3. Copy openSUSE-Edu-li-f-e.x86_64-42.1.1.iso
4. Create menu.lst:
title openSUSE-Edu-li-f-e.x86_64-42.1.1.iso
root (hd0,0)
set myiso=openSUSE-Edu-li-f-e.x86_64-42.1.1.iso
partnew (hd0,3) 0x00 /%myiso%
map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 /%myiso% (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

The problem is Partnew/opensuse does not create iso9660 partition but create udf partition instate.

I will email you a screenshot

Glad it works for you - I cant get it to work for me.
Why is the ISO being visible as a udf a problem?

Sorry, I did some testing udf looks like cause a problem, but I think the problem is the opensuse.

I found, Easy2boot will work fine to boot opensuse.iso with partnew methode if no hidden/unknown or unallocated partition exist.

During booting opensuse will find in first place the hidden/unknown partition and convert/format to EXT4 and fail to continue booting.
The same with unallocated partition, opensuse will format it and fail to boot.

The solution is you have to format hidden/unknown/unallocated to NTFS/Vfat/ext* etc. or resize to one whole partition.

I think you are correct. It is making a type 0x83 partition out of any spare space on the drive and then failing to boot. If I use the ISO cheat codes then it doesn't do this. They seem to assume that the OS has been installed on the disk rather than live booting.

I had a HDD with
PTN1 NTFS
PTN2 NTFS
(very little unused space)
This would not boot. I then reduced the 2nd partition to leave 3GB of unused space at the end of the drive. This still would not boot. I then changed the partnew command to use type 0x83 - now it boots and creates PTN3 as type 0x83 read-write partition.

Booting opensuse.iso using type 0x83 on external HDD works fine in any way: One whole disk or One PTN with unused big/small space or 3 primary PTNs with space or no space.

But never try booting opensuse.iso using type 0x83 on internal HDD.

Hi guys,

I'm really interested to know how to remove the keybinds.. or rather how to get the Chars in one line
Example:
0 Utilities [Ctrl+8]
1 Tools [Ctrl+4]
2 Things [Ctrl+2]

Would be nice if anyone could help._.
Thanks !:)

Bad example..Thje lines correct theirselfes here ..
I hope you know what i mean

Not sure what you mean, but the current hotkeys for the menu folders are set in the STRINGS.txt for each language.
e.g. Copy the \_ISO\e2b\grub\ENG\STRINGS.txt to the \_ISO folder and then change the entries
change
$$STRm018=^Ctrl+O DOS Menu [Ctrl+O]\n MS-DOS and FreeDOS utilities
to
$$STRm018=^Ctrl+2 DOS Menu [Ctrl+2]\n MS-DOS and FreeDOS utilities

I meant that the "[Ctrl+O]" and so on ... aren't in one row like it should be. The one is more left then then the other one. They are differently shifted.

What language?

German

They seem OK to me in E2B v.1.76 and 1.77m?
Are you using latest version? It is easy to update.

Yep. I updated it yesterday.

Try latest v1.80e and use GERMAN_ALT as language.

How can I make E2B just load a Win8 Core ISO, without asking for a key input or an option with a pre-defined key? We have many machines with keys already embedded on BIOS, so it is not necessary to enter a key before instalation.

If you install exactly the same version, then just pick the correct generic key that is in the E2B key files.
Once the system boots, it should use the BIOS key to activate via the internet.

Thank you.

Hi Steve
Can u tell me what does grldr.mbr do? I found that if we install grub4dos menu entry on windows vista and later, we need to copy grldr.mbr to C:\
So grldr.mbr is need to copy to usb if we install grub4dos to usb??
Same question with g2ldr.mbr.

Tks.

It depends on how grub/grub4dos is launched. The .mbr files contain the MBR sector data boot code and can be run from the XP boot.ini or Vista+ BCD.
See http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/install_windows.htm for details.
So, if the boot sector of the disk does not contain grub4dos (or the PBR of the active partition), but we boot using Windows NTLDR or bootmgr, then we use a .mbr file to load grub\grub4dos.

Tks for your reply, Steve
grldr and grldr.mbr can be download from grub4dos pack. But I can't find where I can download g2ldr and g2ldr.mbr. Can you send me a link?

I need g2ldr because with g2ldr file I can chainload from grub4dos to grub2

title grub2
kernel /g2ldr

http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/chainload-syslinux#TOC-Load-grub4dos-from-grub2
http://www.filewatcher.com/m/g2ldr.mbr.8192-0.html

that's great, steve. but how about g2ldr. where can i download it? I mean, latest version (grub2.02 beta)

I'm very interest tut #27. But in latest RMPrepUSB version, I cannot found File >> USB to load .bin file.
Can u show me how?

File -> Drive button in RMPrepUSB utility.

Ahh, tks Steve. I see

hi Steve, there is a way to install E2B in a encrypted disk (any kind of encryption)?
because, some times (against of my desire) I need to borrow my HDD and the other plug it on inffected systems and everytime I need to make it again and again, and again.
there is a way to avoid it by using an encrypted file system?
can u answer me by email too?´
Luciano Branco
A.K.A llbranco

I have replied by email, but basically read
https://easy2boot.com/configuring-e2b/protection-and-security/

Hi Steve,
First, I'm sorry for my poor English!
From this link http://windowsitpro.com/windows-8/q-what-tips-will-help-me-install-windows-uefi-machine-i-built-myself,
I read a line which wrote: A UEFI system can boot only from a GPT disk
From easy2boot website - UEFI things to know, you wrote:
"Do I have to use GPT if I want to boot via UEFI?
This is a common misconception!"
I don't clearly understand why we have diffrences between 2 sites. Can you explain why? Tks

Since I can boot via UEFI from a FAT32+NTFS Removable USB drive by using a VHD, which do you think is more accurate!
Windows Setup will not allow you to install to an MBR partitioned disk if you UEFI-boot to Setup, but that doesn't mean it is not possible to UEFI-boot from an MBR partitioned drive!

Oh, install vs boot. I confuse two concepts.
Cannot INSTALL windows to MBR disk (in UEFI)
But we can BOOT uefi from MBR disk.
Tks Steve!

Hi Steve,
From #127 - How to make Dual-boot 32 & 64-bit MBR & UEFI WinPE USB drive
http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/127-make-dual-32-64bit-pe
I just want to ask a question (Sorry because of rmprepusb.com not allow user leave a comment so I must be ask you here)
Why we must use both of 32 and 64bits Windows PE since we can install Windows 64bits from WinPE 32bits. I read this info from this link
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824993.aspx
Quote: X:\windows\system32> D:\setup /InstallFrom:"N:\Windows_64-bit\sources\install.wim"
Tks

If you have a UEFI system and want to install Windows in UEFI-mode, you need to first boot via UEFI.
How can you do this on a 32-bit UEFI system and a 64-bit UEFI system unless you have both EFI boot files present?

But if we can install windows 64bits from 32bits of Win PE sao we just need 32bits version of Win PE, right?

Why not read the article
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824993.aspx
There is a difference between UEFI-booting and BIOS booting.
How can you boot on a 64-bit UEFI system if you only have 32-bit UEFI boot files?

Ah, Ok. Now i do understand. Tks Steve.

Hello. I was wondering if there is any way I could encrypt my entire easy2boot USB drive so that no one could see or use the files on it. I've looked into it but so far I haven't found any useful information on the subject. Thank you.

https://easy2boot.com/configuring-e2b/protection-and-security/

Hi. I can convert iso to imgPTN by MakePartImage.cmd. But can I process back operation?

Short answer -> no!

Hi author.
I'm missing. What happened to the classic Forest with northern lights Background (theme)?, and your other nice backgrounds?
It scares the background with boy closer to a Trash can. x-p .
Moreover, that StripedFlat requesting password. Horrible!
It is "fred"?

Hi
You can easily change the background - just add a \_ISO\MyBackground.bmp file or a \_ISO\MyBackground.bmp.gz file.
You can download the old wallpapers and a new Aurora wallpaper from the Themes folder in the Alternate Download Area - Aurora Backgrounds.7z.

Thanks Steve.

I applied to use a background image of a different name or location (/MyBackgrounds/), copy the configuration file \_ISO\Sample_MyE2B.cfg file to \_ISO\MyE2B.cfg and changing the MyWBMP entry, (bmp images compressed to gzip).

Also, I could see that E2B recognizes jpeg images; and even, images own bitmap not exactly as you advised, ex: 900x506 pix.

Good work with /_ISO/docs/mythemes, I want to apply any of those "scheme fonts" on wallpapers.

I tried these wallpapers:
[URL=http://www.imagebam.com/image/20a114454462021][IMG]http://thumbnails114.imagebam.com/45447/20a114454462021.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://www.imagebam.com/image/2a331a454462062][IMG]http://thumbnails114.imagebam.com/45447/2a331a454462062.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://www.imagebam.com/image/4f7f46454462086][IMG]http://thumbnails114.imagebam.com/45447/4f7f46454462086.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I read: https://easy2boot.com/configuring-e2b/wallpaper/

You can use E2B_Editor to design the menu and see also Laura's examples
http://www.1910.eu/

Ok, Ok. Tks.

Steve, I deleted accidentally the autorun.inf file inside E2B pendrive USB.
I tried paste this autorun.inf again, but the file manager displays there is an (invisible) autorun.inf file, dated March 02, 2009, size 5B.
I tried from windows, and distro Linux too.

You may have a virus?
Configure Windows Explorer to display system and hidden files to see if the autorun.inf file is there. If it is, delete it (you may have to change it's attributes) also run an antivirus program on the USB drive (in Safe Mode).

Hello Steve.
Scanning in secure mode throught Panda Antivirus and Malwarebytes AM. They got 0 threats.
I think if there is a conflict of autorun.inf Panda usb vaccine which could not be properly saved, I think I deleted the proper autorun.inf of E2B.
Or conflict copy/paste to replace factory (invisible) autorun.inf usb harware.
Currently, Panda vaccine Autorun.inf neither can be saved to this pendrive USB. Nevertheless, Panda displays that USB is vaccinated. :-¿ But its autorun.inf would have to be available as hide, but it's not like that.

E2B works nice, I think.
Pendrive USB: Kingston DTSE9 2.0.

See http://rmprepusb.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/remove-panda-vaccine-protection-from_28.html

Hi,
by default pressing F7 in E2B will boot from first internal disk. Is it possible to boot from a second internal disk as well without changing boot order in BIOS first?? If yes how can this be enabled optionally within E2B main menu ?
Helmut

Just add a new .mnu text file - e.g. \_ISO\MAINMENU\Boot2.mnu
It should contain a title line and then the comand lines - e.g.

title Boot from Disk 2 \n This will boot from disk 2 in the system
rootnoverify (hd2,0)
chainloader (hd2)+1 || chainloader (hd2,0)+1

It is unusual not to remap the USB drive though, so depending on what is on disk 2, this may not work.

If you want the menu to appear only when there is a 2nd disk present use
iftitle [cat --hex --length=1 (hd2)0+1 >nul] Boot from hd2\n Boot from 2nd disk in system

This may work better...

iftitle [cat --hex --length=1 (hd2)0+1 >nul] Boot from Disk 2 \n Boot from second disk
errorcheck off
map (hd0) (hd)
map (hd1) (hd0)
map (hd2) (hd1)
map --hook
# hd0 is now 1st internal disk, hd1 and hd2 is 2nd internal disk, hd3 is USB drive
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
chainloader (hd1)+1 || chainloader (hd1,0)+1

That's great!
Exactly what I was searching for. Many thanks.
Helmut

is it possible to have persistence for linux distros?

https://easy2boot.com/add-payload-files/persistence/

Hello. I have another issue with 1.75e.
On my 1TB USB HDD I can't boot imgPTN's anymore, but my USB key works great. I'm getting Error: "Sector at lba30 appears to contain code."
I updated my HDD to 1.75e (from a very old version) and made sure the MBR and PBR were set to Grub 046c (several times) with Bootice. The 60Gb Grub partition is the first one.
I don't want to reformat of course because I'll have to move all of my partitions and 500Gb of data.
Anything to be done?

You probably have grub boot code in sector 30.
You just need to erase that sector.
One way is to use RMPrepUSB - Drive->File - x.mbr - 0 - 1sec - 0 to save a 512byte MBR
Then write it to LBA30 using
RMPrepUSB - File->Drive - x.mbr - 0 - 30 - 0 to write it to sector 30.
Then switching .imgPTN files should work.

Worked!
I assume by x you meant any .mbr so i used grldr.mbr.
Thank you! Honestly don't know what I'd do without you.

Good!
E2B needs to see an unused sector at LBA30 (full of FF, 00, or E5 bytes) or it should contain a valid MBR.

Hi,
After updating to E2B v1.74 I cannot boot my HBCD_16.imgPTNLBA23 formatted as Fat32.
My error: Cannot find the batch label specified: HBCD_16.imgPTNLBA23
Never had this problem before so I updated to v1.75b and no luck. Tried Qemu and same thing. Also tried recreating the imgPTN as imgPTNLBAa and imgPTNLBA23.
I am booting a UEFI system in Legacy CSM mode.

hmm. Not quite sure how it happened, but there are several typos in the labels in QRUN.g4b!!
Please try v1.75BetaD

Oops just saw your message about 1.75D. Will try now. Thanks

Now nothing will start -- not imgPTN's nor .iso's. They just kick me back into the E2B menu. I used the Update cmd to install 1.75D

Seems to be a bug in grub4dos!
I added an extra label and now it doesn't work as a batch file. I will report the bug to chenall.
The label
:.imgPTN23aLBA
seems to cause grub4dos to think it is not a batch file!

1.75BetaE available. Should work now!

I've gone back to v1.68 for now. Should I just wait for stable 1.75 or 1.76 then?

Never mind. I keep posting before I've seen your latest post. :-)
I'll try 1.75e

That did the trick. Thank you!
Thanks also for adding Switch_E2B and the imgPTN format. Life just keeps getting easier with E2B. You're the best!

Update: I tried rebuilding the drive with E2B 1.74 from scratch. Same result.

Working great for me. Thank you so much Steve. Keep on the good work.

E2B menu 1: http://i68.tinypic.com/2r2swh3.png
E2B menu 2: http://i65.tinypic.com/24yy58i.png
PI menu: http://i67.tinypic.com/ic3cqh.png

Cool menus! very 'steam punk'! Did you use .bmp or .jpg?

BMP-saved resources from extracted FOT:BoS raw assets. And using uncompressed BMP in E2B. Can't notice any boot delay (USB3.0 booting).

Hi Steve and everyone else;)

I got a question: Is there any way to change the font size in all E2b menu's?? I try edit string in grub folder (polish language) buy i didn't find any of that option....


Sorry for my Pidgin English - I'm not a champion;)