93 replies to this topic

[steve6375]

OK

next idea...

WHen using RMPrepUSB it install grub4dos onto the MBR, but you can install it onto the partition boot sector using

grubinst (hd1,0)

WARNING: This assues your USB drive is PhysicalDrive 1. You will need to change the 1 to match your USB drive number - don't use 0 or you will trash your HDD!

So format using RMPrepUSB MS-DOS option, FAT32 - then go to command prompt and run grubinst from RMPrepUSb folder (as admin) using above command.

Be careful!

[Technotika]

just quick when selecting MS-DOS - shall leave the automatic override settings that get put in place or take them out so its purley FAT32 (no over rides)???


USB is physdisk 1 so OK with that command -:_00

[steve6375]

Take off FDD option, 64/32 won't hurt - but if it doesn't work try all checkboxes off and then try HDD option and then try ZIP option !!!!

[Technotika]

Do you think you handle this info?

1. Cleaned.
2. MSDOS prepared ( NO OVER-RIDES FIRST) was gonna add one back at a time "if" it failed (if? you mean......... ......)
3. Admin CMD, cd to my RMPREP folder, ran "grubinst (hd1,0)".
4. Made sure it had been taken with a qemu USB boot. G4D loaded OK.

and finally

5. Went to PROBLEM computer and "We have a grub4dos" menu!!

It's booted off a stick. I am so chuffed. You legend!

So now going forward.....

1.) But what does this mean?
2.) If I made my sticks booting from the partition, should they still be compatible with others? Should have thought so.
3.) I think then my image that "miraculously" works could have been prepared using grubinst (GUI That I used to use) and I selected the partiton (PBR) instead of MBR. These are back in the day before I realized RMPREP was my one stop shop for all my booting needs.

I'm so happy! Looking forward to your views on this headache cleansing REEEEEZULTAH!

[steve6375]

OK

Now try

1. Use RMPrepUSB to format as MSDOS as before
2. Use RMPrepUSB to install grub4dos (the clue is in the name)

[Technotika]

did that - this time back to BLINKING CURSOR

and also recleaned - added 64/32 override this time

and still BLINKING CURSOR

edit: blinking computers....they'll never catch on!

.....

[steve6375]

Well, the choice to use the grubinst command in RMPrepUSB and to place grub code in MBR was entirely arbitrary on my part - I can easily modifiy grubinst command to make it install to the partition boot record.

I will do a new Beta tonight for you...

What if you RMPRep as WinPE v2 (bootmgr) and then use grubinst (hd1,0) command line (or does it have to be MSDOS format) ????

[Technotika]

no way my own personable RMPREP???, now I'm stoked dude, can I have my name in the title bar?

Just got home so cant test the latest part, but will do it first thing.

Does PBS grubinst, still offer good booting as opposed to MBR. i mean can some machines behave funny if G4D sits in the PBR
as opposed to the MBR. Just curious?

[steve6375]

So am I! You have more experience than me in grub4dos booting now! I was thinking of making PBR install the standard in next version and that you would let me know if it worked on all systems or not??

[Technotika]

well perhaps have 2 buttons? PBR and MBR install?, give the user a recommended option (in the hint boxes) but then have the other for weirdness and troubleshooting like today. I will glady have this new test version and report back to base Wait for me to test the bootmgr thing tomorrow morning though......


maybe some should try and ask the grub4dos inventors aswell? who knows them/him/her?

[ksanderash]

Them

[steve6375]

Hmmm - not as trivial as I thought!!! I am using Win 7 64-bit and logged in as Admin (to save UAC prompts).

grubinst says it has worked when I launch the app from inside RMPrepUSB, but it does not actually write any sectors!!! The same command executed in a cmd shell window manually works fine. There is something going on with volume locking but I just cannot get it to work. I even created a .cmd file and then executed that by calling it from RMPrepUSB but even that does not work (though grubinst reports it did work!).

No problem writing MBR as Win7/Vista lets anyone write to MBR (just not PBR or inside a volume!).

Is grubinst 1-1-2008 version the latest???

Have to get some shut-eye now. Maybe have more success at weekend...


Steve

[Technotika]

Hi Steve,

I did the test and using the BOOTMGR option and writing the code to PBR also booted on the trouble machine!

I am on XP pro here at work (admin) and I had to run this twice before it took the g4d.....

echo on

c:
cd C:\BUILDS\RMPREP
pause
grubinst (hd1,0)
pause

edit seems like 01-01-2008 is latest?

[Technotika]

update

on my 32 gb I just re made it (there's another prob I posted under tool thread unrelated to this though) I found more interesting info.

On the problem machine my 32gb would hang the PC just before boot menu came up, I could then pull out the stick, wait a second, then the menu would appear, then I could plug USB back in then boot fine. A little quirk I could live with.

As mentioned I just re made the 32gb stick; formatted, recopied the data and then made bootable with the command line in question at the mo; "grubinst (hd1,0)"

Now on the problem machine, no hanging of any description, boots perfectly now!

[steve6375]

v2.1.3 now on RMPrepUSB site with option for grub4dos to install to a partition. I used the touchdrv.exe app to fix the issue. If you tick the 'no user prompt' checkbox, then the grubinst button will default to whatever you last used. If using for the first time it defaults to MBR.

Only issue is that grubinst does not seem to be able to update an NTFS PBR but can update FAT16/32 PBRs under Vista/Win7.

[Technotika]

Awesome work Steve, updating all versions now

[Technotika]

just ran a test - I think my USB preparation ritual just got hard wired! cleaned, prepared and finally grinst'd - thanks for adding this feature relly good, works first time too as opposed to 2 times running batch or from cmd - have a good sleep

[steve6375]

v2.1.4 now added as beta - remembers drive selected after refresh or prepare command.

[Technotika]

I can also confirm that PBR install of grub4dos fixes (or gets round) another issue I had with a NC6120P Laptop. Installing to MBR, then booting from USB was fine on 8gb or smaller devices, but on larger USB sticks (32GB etc) I would get an error "Missing -MBR Helper". Now with a proper clean, format and install to PBR with RMPREP the 32GB now boots cleanly with no errors!!!!