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[Topic Closed] XBOOT vs 1.0.0 beta5


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#51 shamurshamur

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 07:32 PM

That is a tricky question!
Some computers (e.g. DELL Inspiron 530) don't boot if you install to the MBR, so I would recommend installing to the PBR using --install-partition=0 (hdx) - BUT

1. It does not seem to work on NTFS partitions
2. There is currently a bug in grubinst/grub4dos which means if you install to the PBR then ..................................................


Thanks for the guidance. i was desperately searching for this information. :cheers:

I was trying to add an option for installing grub4dos to USB device in case if some want to use NTFS formated USb device.
But as you earlier suggested , RMPrepUSB can create large FAT32 partition (2 TB).I don't think we need NTFS any more. So i am droping this option.
Posted Image

thanks.

#52 shamurshamur

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 07:38 PM

re. memtest86+, some computers don't boot when using the iso, You should extract the memtest.img from the iso and use that - see two examples below (2nd one is best)

title MEMTEST86+
find --set-root /mt410.iso
map /mt410.iso (hd32)
map --hook
root (hd32)
chainloader (hd32)

#This method of running memtest86+ works on more PCs than the previous one
title memtest.img (memtest.img obtained from ISO)
find --set-root /memtest.img
map /memtest.img (fd0)
map --hook
chainloader (fd0)+1
rootnoverify (fd0)
map --floppies=1


thanks for pointing out this.
i will change the method of adding memtest86+ iso file .
First memtest.img will be extracted from memtest86+ iso file then memtest.img will be added as a floppy drive(as you suggested).

:cheers:

#53 steve6375

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 07:50 PM

Just a thought - after copying an ISO on, could you check that it is contiguous, maybe using sysinternals contig utility (contig.exe -q -a <file>) - if not contiguous, ask the user if they want to defrag it using contig -q <file> ???

#54 shamurshamur

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 07:58 PM

Just a thought - after copying an ISO on, could you check that it is contiguous, maybe using sysinternals contig utility (contig.exe -q -a <file>) - if not contiguous, ask the user if they want to defrag it using contig -q <file> ???


sure :cheers:
i was looking for tool like this before . Thanks for mentioning it here. i will add this functionality for sure.

:cheers:

#55 steve6375

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 08:12 PM

I don't think we need NTFS any more. So i am dropping this option.

One problem is if there is an image file (ISO or WIM) over 4GB - then you must use NTFS. This would probably only occur if the user had his own HDD OS image which is unlikely???

2nd issue is copying the 1000s of XP \i386 files over is much faster if NTFS is used. I actually ZIP them up so I have a ZIP file on the USB drive which solves this problem. So BartPE may be slow to boot on FAT32 but I have not tested or timed it to see what the difference is...

#56 shamurshamur

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 08:40 PM

One problem is if there is an image file (ISO or WIM) over 4GB - then you must use NTFS. This would probably only occur if the user had his own HDD OS image which is unlikely???

2nd issue is copying the 1000s of XP \i386 files over is much faster if NTFS is used. I actually ZIP them up so I have a ZIP file on the USB drive which solves this problem. So BartPE may be slow to boot on FAT32 but I have not tested or timed it to see what the difference is...

Whatever i will add it.
though i will mention the Syslinux as the recommended boot loader during creation of multiboot USB.

Syslinux installs fine and easily no matter what you throw at it.my experience with grubinst was not so pleasent.Sometimes it doesn't recognise the USB-type and through a error.
i will add it anyway.

#57 goossbears

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 09:10 PM

1. The software requires .NET framework vs 4 , so therefore, this necessarily requires a Windows NTFS-based OS. It's unavailable as a native Linux package or shell script; file downloads solely as xboot.exe

2. The software's Hotfile download link thrusts upon users a choice between a slower Free 'Regular' download option and a much faster NON-Free 'Upgrade to Premium' download option.
Seems to me that the slowed-down 'Regular' download option is just like the old Windows Crippleware model (see last section of http://bta3o1jarvis....e-demoware.html ) !! Booo :cheers:

I have absolutely no use for XBOOT.

Edited by goossbears, 10 December 2010 - 09:48 PM.


#58 homes32

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 09:32 PM

2. The software's download site thrusts upon users a choice between a a) slower Free and an :cheers: faster 'Upgrade to Premium' decidedly NON-free download option.
Seems to me that the slowed-down 'Free' download option is like the old Windows Crippleware (see last section of http://bta3o1jarvis....e-demoware.html ) !! Booo :cheers:

I have absolutely no use for XBOOT.

you are mistaken.
the download page options have no relation whatsoever on the software. Hotfile is a free file hosting service like mediafire or rapidshare ... if you choose the premium upgrade you are paying Hotfile for a faster download rate and no 15 second waiting period. the author of hotfile gets nothing and you get the same .exe either way.

#59 steve6375

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 10:14 AM

re. using grubinst with NTFS

I have found that you can install grub loader to PBR even if it has an NTFS volume AND you do not need touchdrv at all if you use this s/w
http://www.boot-land...?...st&p=108376

This means you can always do a PBR install (--install-partition=0) which is most compatible (once the MSDOS PBR bug is fixed!)

Sorry - after further testing, touchdrv is still needed or else sometimes it does not install properly and you just get '4' printed instead of loading grldr!

Here is command that seems to work
LockDismount.exe -force 1 grubinst --install-partition=0 &#40;hd1&#41; & touchdrv h&#58;
Locking volume H: ...OK
Dismounting volume H: ...OK
Successfully locked and/or dismounted all volumes on PhysicalDrive1
Executing grubinst --install-partition=0 (hd1)...
Exit Code: 0
Unlocking all volumes...OK







HTH

#60 Kishore

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 12:36 PM

good work, Its an indians release, Thank you

It is better if you add multiboot OS installation support to this program, like win98, XP SP2, XP SP3, Vista, Win 7,

And also recovery ISO of variousOS's and O&O bluecon

Once again Good work.

#61 恐龙王爷

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 01:33 PM

YES,VERYGOOD!

#62 VNZ

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 04:28 PM

Hi!
More ISOs to support:
Setup win7.iso
Setup winxp.iso
Thank!

Edited by VNZ, 11 December 2010 - 04:29 PM.


#63 maybeway36

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 04:44 PM

It's cool to see something like this for Windows. And it supports NetbootCD :lol:
I write a set of scripts called MultiCD that runs on the Linux command line. You're welcome to look at those plugin scripts to see how various Linux distributions store their files, in case you can't use GRUB4DOS ISO emulation for some of them.

#64 shamurshamur

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 06:06 PM

It's cool to see something like this for Windows. And it supports NetbootCD :cheers:
I write a set of scripts called MultiCD that runs on the Linux command line. You're welcome to look at those plugin scripts to see how various Linux distributions store their files, in case you can't use GRUB4DOS ISO emulation for some of them.


Hi maybeway36.
First of all thanks for NETBOOTCD . It 's a very useful tool. :lol:
Its nice to you here. I have been to your site many times before for downloading NETBOOT cd.
Your script seem quite mature.I will look in to yout script. :cheers:

Regards.

#65 shamurshamur

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 06:08 PM

@Everyone
I will add support for windows installation for xp,vista ,windows7.
But as currently i am working on other things , so it will take some time.

Regards.

#66 posbis

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Posted 12 December 2010 - 11:35 AM

1. The software requires .NET framework vs 4 , so therefore, this necessarily requires a Windows NTFS-based OS. It's unavailable as a native Linux package or shell script; file downloads solely as xboot.exe
.
.
.

I have absolutely no use for XBOOT.


You made your point gossbears. The software doesn't run under Linux. It is a .NET application. So simply don't use it.

But please everyone who is complaining about this software not running on Linux or being a .NET 4 application. Please stop to do so.

There are no Bootland-Policies (as far as I know) which prevent people from publishing tools written in .NET, not running on Linux or exceeding a certain executable-size. The same is valid for the other way round (Linux not running on Windows). XBOOT is a great tool an there are a lot of people who have been waiting for such a great tool.

So please stay fair and stop complaining about the points mentioned above.

Thank you very much for your considerateness
Oliver

#67 ericgl

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Posted 12 December 2010 - 12:37 PM

So when is the next version out?
The 1st post says beta3, but in the pictures I can see you already have reached beta4.

Are you going to update the 1st post anytime soon with the newest version?

#68 shamurshamur

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Posted 12 December 2010 - 12:45 PM

So when is the next version out?
The 1st post says beta3, but in the pictures I can see you already have reached beta4.

Are you going to update the 1st post anytime soon with the newest version?


Yes. I am working on beta4 right now .As users have requested some features. I am currently busy in incorporating them in XBOOT . i will try to release beta4 ASAP.

Regards.

#69 PetitScarabe

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Posted 12 December 2010 - 09:37 PM

Hi shamushamur,

I have tested xboot with only Ultimate Boot CD 4 DOS that I downloaded from xboot.
I have the following error with a usb key formatted in FAT32 when I check with QEMU :

Launching GRUB...
begin pxe scan... Starting cmain() ... (hd0,0)

Load segment: 0x0 System Type: 0x0 Sector Count: 0x4

ISOLINUX 3.86 2010-04-01 ETC Copyright © 1994-2010 H. Peter Anvin et al
isolinux: Disk error 04, AX = 4258, drive FF

Boot failed: press a key to retry...



What have I made wrong ?

Regards.

#70 shamurshamur

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Posted 12 December 2010 - 11:11 PM

Hi shamushamur,

I have tested xboot with only Ultimate Boot CD 4 DOS that I downloaded from xboot.
I have the following error with a usb key formatted in FAT32 when I check with QEMU :

Launching GRUB...
begin pxe scan... Starting cmain() ... (hd0,0)

Load segment: 0x0 System Type: 0x0 Sector Count: 0x4

ISOLINUX 3.86 2010-04-01 ETC Copyright © 1994-2010 H. Peter Anvin et al
isolinux: Disk error 04, AX = 4258, drive FF

Boot failed: press a key to retry...



What have I made wrong ?

Regards.


Xboot uses Grub4dos ISO emulation for booting UBCD4DOS.And it has latest version of syslinux ie syslinux 4.03.
Also latest UBCD4DOS uses syslinux vs 3.86.
From that we can conclude atleast grub4dos iso emulation have been went right(ie xboot has done its job properly) , cause we are seeing error from syslinux inside the ubcd4dos.

I can not be sure whats went wrong here.
AFAIK most probably it is related to hardware cause i have just tried it on my FAT32 formatted pendrive and its working fine.

Following can be your reason:

1) ubcd4dos.iso is corrupted .( compare its checksum)
2) pendrive is not formatted properly.(you can try formating it without choosing the "quick format" option ).
3) Also Try to Boot USB on Real PC instead of Qemu. cause sometime problem is caused by BIOS.

Regards.

ps: May be experts here can help you more then me in this case.

#71 grep

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Posted 13 December 2010 - 05:00 AM

XBOOT vs 1.0.0 beta3

(A utility for creating Multiboot USB/ISO.)


(based on .net framework vs 4)


Finally after lot of work I am releasing this software on which i have been working for past few months. :cheers:


Open Source?

#72 shamurshamur

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Posted 13 December 2010 - 08:19 AM

Open Source?


I knew somebody sooner or later will ask this question.

so here's my answer.

I started writing this software as a hobby and did't planned it for sharing with others . But later , as this software grew large , i thought about sharing with others and shared it recently with some modifications and combining with other project of mine.
So code i have written is in mess. with minimal amount of comments . In summary my code is not a good example for open source.

By the way why are you asking? are you a programmer who wants to contribute to XBOOT OR you wan't to learn about programming?.

In case you wan't to learn . i may give you some of my well written pieces of code.

Regards.

#73 RasterBurn

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Posted 13 December 2010 - 08:30 AM

Nice tool man........been looking for something like this.

For me these ISO did not work .... checked ISO in vmware workstation.

1. Hirens Boot cd 12.0 ( Loads Main menu; Does not load entries in menu ) ( EXTRA Menu )
2. Trinity Rescue Kit 3.4 build 367 ( Loads Main menu; Does not load entries in menu ) ( EXTRA Menu )
3. BackTrack4 R1 ( did not load ) ( EXTRA Menu )
4. UBCD4WIN ( Did not load windows; windows crash screen )

These Worked :

1. clonezilla
2. easeus disk copy 2.3 ( EXTRA Menu )
3. UBCD 5.03

#74 shamurshamur

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Posted 13 December 2010 - 08:47 AM

Nice tool man........been looking for something like this.

For me these ISO did not work .... checked ISO in vmware workstation.

1. Hirens Boot cd 12.0 ( Loads Main menu; Does not load entries in menu ) ( EXTRA Menu )
2. Trinity Rescue Kit 3.4 build 367 ( Loads Main menu; Does not load entries in menu ) ( EXTRA Menu )
3. BackTrack4 R1 ( did not load ) ( EXTRA Menu )
4. UBCD4WIN ( Did not load windows; windows crash screen )

Hi ,RasterBurn
Thanks for reporting here.


For Hirens Boot cd 12.0 instead of booting on vmware try it on real PC.sometimes vmware ,qemu etc didn't work as they suppose to be.(So test it and please do report here your result.)

Trinity rescuekit , Backtrack and ubcd4win are not supported yet but i am going to support them in future soon.Till then wait.

Regards.

#75 steve6375

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Posted 13 December 2010 - 10:00 AM

Xboot uses Grub4dos ISO emulation for booting UBCD4DOS.And it has latest version of syslinux ie syslinux 4.03.
Also latest UBCD4DOS uses syslinux vs 3.86.
From that we can conclude atleast grub4dos iso emulation have been went right(ie xboot has done its job properly) , cause we are seeing error from syslinux inside the ubcd4dos.

I can not be sure whats went wrong here.
AFAIK most probably it is related to hardware cause i have just tried it on my FAT32 formatted pendrive and its working fine.

Following can be your reason:

1) ubcd4dos.iso is corrupted .( compare its checksum)
2) pendrive is not formatted properly.(you can try formating it without choosing the "quick format" option ).
3) Also Try to Boot USB on Real PC instead of Qemu. cause sometime problem is caused by BIOS.

Regards.

ps: May be experts here can help you more then me in this case.


When using a flash drive in Qemu and it is set to say \\physicaldrive1, then any writes to the device will not actually work because Qemu does not allow writes to physical devices. To get around this use the Advanced - Do not apply changes to VM session. This uses snapshot mode and writes will at least 'appear' to work for as long as the Qemu VM session is running.

Always try it in real h/w if it fails in an emulator.




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