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Easy2Boot - post link to ANY live ISO or Floppy you want to boot

grub4dos rmprepusb iso boot

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#1 sambul61

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Posted 29 February 2012 - 08:05 PM

We could have a new topic called 'mnu files for sambul's Multiboot disk', and rebooter's could post their mnu donations on it. So a standard expert's post would be a URL to the download for the 'image' file plus the mnu as an attachment. So we could build up a library of mnu files (instead of users having to add a menu entry to their menu.lst).

Instructions for a user would be:
1. Create a multiboot basic drive following instructions (e.g. use RMPrepUSB ...)
2. Download your ISO (or whatever and copy to your drive)
3. Download mnu file and copy it to the same folder

Some images will need special instructions (like extract folder xyz from the iso and copy it to xyz on the USB drive for some 'special' ISOs that won't boot from an ISO file!)

This topic is dedicated to forum members' Live Image Boot support requests. Ask here to supply a Grub4DOS Menu section for ANY bootable Image file or Distro like ISO, IMA, IMG or such, you want to boot, but don't know how, or if a generic Menu doesn't work for you. The idea is to make it easier for novices to try any Live Distro or PC Repair CD, and help start using Multiboot.

Do you want to try booting a new image from USB or HD on a real PC? You don't have to know anything about bootloaders like Grub4DOS or multiboot. Just post a link to your Image file here, add a few words what do you need this Image for, how it can be of interest to other members, what is your PC setup, and someone will try provide Grub4DOS Menu section for you "AS IS" or in a form of .MNU file that you can use automatically with RMPrepUSB tool, or add to your Grub4DOS Menu manually.

To make it easy, RMPrepUSB now includes Easy2Boot feature, explained in Tutorial #72. It allows a novice add a new Live Image to the USB Thumb in 2 easy steps, and an expert prepare .MNU file to help the novice (which is similar to small G4D Menu.lst). All you need is to format the Thumb or add Grub4DOS to it using RMPrepUSB (if not done yet), then copy a folder with your Image and posted here in reply to your request .MNU file to the Thumb, and the magic of Multiboot will open new horizons for you, allowing to repair, partition or backup your OS or HD, and easily try or install new Windows and Linux Distros you always wanted. :thumbsup:

Copy more folders with new Image and Menu files anytime - next boot you'll see them in Boot Menu, which is auto compiled by Grub4DOS code installed by RMPrepUSB. Or delete the folders you don't need anymore. The Images you copy won't be unpacked, but instead booted directly from the original using Menu section you supplied. You can store many Images on the Thumb and boot any you choose. Just drop the folder to the Thumb - you don't have to know or do anything else for magic to work. For rare or unusual Images, you may be suggested by an expert to mount the Image with ImgDisk and extract a few files from it to make booting easier for Grub4DOS. In this case the .MNU file provided by the expert will contain instructions for Grub4DOS, where to place the extracted files - just drop them in the same folder with your original Image and copy to the Thumb. :)

Make sure you have enough contiguous space on your Thumb for new Images. If in doubt, use defragmenter like WinContig to check copied Images for fragmentation and defrag, or use a similar tool to defrag free space on the Thumb, making room for new Images. If you have suggestions how to improve this feature or bug reports, drop them in Easy2Boot project thread. :lightbulb:
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#2 steve6375

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Posted 29 February 2012 - 08:26 PM

 

YLMF is an XP like version of Linux and an ideal first 'toe-in-the-water' try of linux for Windows users.
You can choose either a non-persistent version which will not remember your settings after a reboot, or a persistent version or both!
The ISO file is the same in both cases, but the Easy2Boot .mnu file is slightly different and an extra step is needed for a persistent USB drive.

YLMF 3.0 from ISO file
1. Download ISO file Ylmf_OS_3.0.iso from http://www.ylmf.org/en/download.html
2. Check MD5: 919794E3D9B035A5A895C3E1D1818F95
or SHA1: 6E672A667155E442A612F69CCBA1BF6C44752D8D
Use RMPrepUSB CTRL+C to calculate these and check them.
3. Unzip and copy the attached YLMF_OS_3.0.mnu.zip file and Ylmf_OS_3.0.iso to the /_ISO/Linux folder on your Easy2Boot USB drive (make a new folder if you don't already have a /_ISO/Linux folder)
4. Run WinContig to ensure the file is contiguous (RMPrepUSB CTRL+F2)


YLMF 3.0 from ISO file with persistence
To be able to run YLMF and have it remember any changes you made since the last boot (i.e. persistence):

1. Download ISO file Ylmf_OS_3.0.iso from http://www.ylmf.org/en/download.html (same as for non-persistence)
2. Check MD5: 919794E3D9B035A5A895C3E1D1818F95
or SHA1: 6E672A667155E442A612F69CCBA1BF6C44752D8D
Use RMPrepUSB CTRL+C to calculate these and check them.
3. Unzip and copy the attached YLMF_OS_3.0_Persistent.mnu.zip file and Ylmf_OS_3.0.iso to the /_ISO/Linux folder on your Easy2Boot USB drive (make a new folder if you don't already have a /_ISO/Linux folder)
3a. Run RMPrepUSB and click on Create EXT2 FS, choose the name of casper-rw and the size that you want (e.g. 1GB).
4. Run WinContig to ensure the file is contiguous (RMPrepUSB CTRL+F2)

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#3 CS-Hacker

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Posted 01 March 2012 - 01:45 PM

Wow what a great idea! I have Asus Eee Netbook with 2Gb Ram, and Sandisk Cruiser 8Gb flash. The netbook can boot from USB, and I want to try ReactOS. This OS is small, fast and similar to Windows NT, really great for small PC, should work well with Eee. To tell the truth, never tryed booting from USB. Can someone help to get the right staff for ReactOS LiveCD last release 54394 please!

Edited by CS-Hacker, 01 March 2012 - 02:01 PM.


#4 steve6375

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Posted 01 March 2012 - 04:22 PM

ReactOs cannot boot from an ISO file on a USB stick. You will need to download the Live CD ISO and extract the files and copy them to the USb drive.
The latest version appears to be 55945 ??? Do you want a mnu file for this?

#5 steve6375

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Posted 01 March 2012 - 04:49 PM

ReactOS from unpacked ISO file
1. Download any Live CD version ISO file (e.g. ReactOS-LiveCD.iso ) from http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html
2. Mount the ISO file using ImDisk and copy all the folders and files to your Easy2Boot pre-prepared USB drive -or- if you have 7Zip installed - right-click on the ISO file and Extract the contents to your Easy2Boot USB drive.
NOTE: Please delete from the USB drive any old ReactOS version first (i.e. the /reactos, /profiles and /loader folders)
3. Copy the attached ReactOS-LiveCD.mnu file to the /_ISO/Linux folder on your Easy2Boot USB drive (make a new folder if you don't already have a /_ISO/Linux folder)

Note: if you have RMPrepUSB installed, you can test ReactOS by clicking on the Test using QEMU button first.

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#6 CS-Hacker

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Posted 01 March 2012 - 05:47 PM

Hi steve6375, that was fast. I don't understand, why ReactOS can't boot from ISO - this is LiveCD, it suppose to boot from ISO or CD. I wanted the release version, not debug but I see its the same. Do I need to copy its files to root, why not to ReactOS folder? Can I copy your mnu file to ReactOS folder instead of Linux folder? Clicking on QEMU button opens QEMU, so its included with RMP?

#7 steve6375

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Posted 01 March 2012 - 06:42 PM

Hi steve6375, that was fast. I don't understand, why ReactOS can't boot from ISO - this is LiveCD, it suppose to boot from ISO or CD.
No - ReactOS does not support booting from an ISO file.

I wanted the release version, not debug but I see its the same.
Yes, all same!

Do I need to copy its files to root, why not to ReactOS folder?
Must be the root. Reactos expects to find them at root of a device like a CD or HDD.

Can I copy your mnu file to ReactOS folder instead of Linux folder?
Anywhere under /_ISO folder - e.g. /_ISO/Linux/ReactOS is OK

Clicking on QEMU button opens QEMU, so its included with RMP?
Yes!

#8 ITitupinhere

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Posted 01 March 2012 - 09:50 PM

I need help. I need to put a self bootable iso on a thumb drive with other software and create an entry in the menu.lst for it. I have other bootable software that already works on the thumb drive and if I copy the iso files straight to a thumbdrive, it works on its own. However I cannot get the boot option to work in menu.lst. Can someone help me. The program is a Dell program called Dell imagedirect restore agent (which is based off of winpe, I assume).

The current menu.lst is:


splashimage /Boot/sunrise.gz
default 0
timeout 10

title WinPE
chainloader /BOOTMGR

title MemTest86+ 4.20
kernel /Boot/IMG/MEMTEST.BIN
lock

title DFT
map --mem /DFT/BOOT/DFT.img (fd0)
map --hook
chainloader (fd0)+1
map (hd1) (hd0)
map --hook
rootnoverify (fd0)

title Kon-boot
map --mem /konboot/konboot.img (fd0)
map --hook
chainloader (fd0)+1
map (hd1) (hd0)
map --hook
rootnoverify (fd0)


The file structure of the dell software is

[BOOT]
BOOT
EFI
HTML
IMAGES
MAIN
SOURCES
AUTORUN.INF
BOOTMGR

The [BOOT] folder contains: Bootable_NoEmulation.img

Please help me.

#9 steve6375

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Posted 01 March 2012 - 11:05 PM

Can you be a bit more precise and expand on the phrase 'I cannot get the boot option to work in menu.lst'?
What option are you using? What happens when you use it - what do you see?
Are you trying to boot directly from the ISO file?

#10 ITitupinhere

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 02:41 AM

'I cannot get the boot option to work in menu.lst' - Means that option on the boot menu does not work where as the other ones I listed do

I'm using the same string as the DFT and kon-boot that I listed
I get an error. I don't remember it off the top of my head but something along the lines of error xx: unrecognizable ------------ (i'll post the exact error tomorrow
I am trying to boot from a thumbdrive that has other bootable software (that all correctly work)

#11 steve6375

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 09:39 AM

If I just said 'my car does not work' - could you fix it?

If you have a WinPE v2 or v3 (Vista/Win7) ISO then the normal menu entry would be

title Dell WinPE

map /dellwinpe.iso (0xff)

map --hook

root (0xff)

chainloader /bootmgr || chainloader /BOOTMGR


However, I suspect that your Dell ISO may contain additional files which the WinPE OS (once booted) will not be able to access. In this case you may need to extract some of the folders and place them on your USB drive.

#12 CS-Hacker

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 01:44 PM

Thanks steve6375, it works! :jump:
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#13 ITitupinhere

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 02:41 PM

If I just said 'my car does not work' - could you fix it?

If you have a WinPE v2 or v3 (Vista/Win7) ISO then the normal menu entry would be

title Dell WinPE

map /dellwinpe.iso (0xff)

map --hook

root (0xff)

chainloader /bootmgr || chainloader /BOOTMGR


However, I suspect that your Dell ISO may contain additional files which the WinPE OS (once booted) will not be able to access. In this case you may need to extract some of the folders and place them on your USB drive.


I think have posted way more information on the issue then just "If I just said 'my car does not work' - could you fix it?"

Using the string you posted, I get:

root (0xff)
Error 25: Disk read error

#14 steve6375

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 02:41 PM

@CS-hacker - Cool! Now why not try YLMF which has a browser, wifi and lots of extra stuff but is linux?

#15 steve6375

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 02:46 PM

can you post your exact menu.lst.
can you compare the MD5 hash of the file on the USB drive with the same file on your hard drive.
Do you get same error using QEMU to boot (RMPrepUSB - Test using QEMU emulator)

#16 sambul61

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 02:52 PM

The program is a Dell program called Dell imagedirect restore agent (which is based off of winpe, I assume).

Are you trying to repair your PC that doesn't boot? Would be easier to help you, if you follow Title of this thread - see what it says? :) Can you upload your program or give a download link?

Even better, if you follow the Instructions in the 1st post: "add a few words what do you need this Image for, how it can be of interest to other members, what is your PC setup". :dubbio:

#17 CS-Hacker

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Posted 03 March 2012 - 03:43 PM

steve6375, want now to test updated mnu v0.3 and try change ISO copy folder. Thanks.

can someone help with mnu for last PartedMagic please: pmagic_2012_2_27_x86_64.iso. This is great tool to add a new Linux partition to my hard drive. I guess, this version will work on both 32 and 64 bit systems.

Edited by CS-Hacker, 03 March 2012 - 03:47 PM.


#18 steve6375

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Posted 03 March 2012 - 05:40 PM

pmagic_2012_2_27_x86_64.iso does not boot on a 32-bit CPU ( at least did not boot on my EeePC N27 Atom netbook and said it was not a 64-bit CPU).

Anyway, here are Easy2Boot instructions - note that the ISO file MUST be in the root of the USB drive or you will get a SQFS file not found error.


:: Easy2Boot menu for Parted Magic 2012_2_27 ISO
:: See Tutorial #72 at www.rmprepusb.com for details

:: DOWNLOAD: http://partedmagic.c...hp?id=downloads
:: Use x86_64 version (but can download pmagic_2012_2_27.iso or pmagic_2012_2_27_i486.iso instead)
:: Must rename the ISO file to \pmagic_2012_2_27.iso (must be in root (top) of drive)
:: If file is not named correctly or not in the root of the USB boot it will fail!

:: PATH: \pmagic_2012_2_27.iso (was pmagic_2012_2_27_x86_64.iso)
:: MD5: 6e09190a733fe5a18c029ef09f042c4a
:: SHA1: 2fbae0a7d9b319b49b7790fe7f25963db185418f
:: CRC32: ccce4427

:: INSTRUCTIONS
:: 1. Download ISO file from pmagic website and RENAME it to pmagic_2012_2_27.iso - copy to ROOT of Easy2Boot drive
:: 2. Download pmagic_2012_2_27.mnu (this file)
:: 3. Copy mnu file to Easy2Boot USB drive folder /_ISO/Linux (can by any folder under /_ISO)
:: 4. Run WinContig to ensure the ISO is contiguous (or use CTRL+F2 in RMPrepUSB)

iftitle [if exist (bd)/pmagic_2012_2_27.iso] Parted Magic 2012_2_27\nThe Parted Magic OS employs core programs of GParted and Parted + Partimage, TestDisk, Truecrypt, Clonezilla, G4L, SuperGrubDisk, ddrescue, etc.\nSupports: btrfs, ext2, ext3, ext4, fat16, fat32, hfs, hfs+, jfs, linux-swap, ntfs, reiserfs and xfs.
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /pmagic_2012_2_27.iso
map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 /pmagic_2012_2_27.iso (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

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#19 CS-Hacker

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Posted 03 March 2012 - 07:29 PM

steve6375, i don't see link to mnu file, do i need to save your code as mnu file?

#20 steve6375

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Posted 03 March 2012 - 09:24 PM

steve6375, i don't see link to mnu file, do i need to save your code as mnu file?

sorry _ chose the file but forgot to 'attach' it - why you need two buttons to pick and upload a file I don't know! :hammer:
Look again!

#21 steve6375

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Posted 03 March 2012 - 09:56 PM

Hardware Diagnostic Tool


:: Easy2Boot .mnu file for Hardware Diagnostic Tool HDT from http://hdt-project.org/
:: See Tutorial #72 at www.rmprepusb.com for details

:: hdt-0.5.0.img.gz
:: MD5: df2862547e939f133fb756feb0a77f57
:: SHA1: de93f96a617045d9ca3d6b282584dd2cf785096a
:: CRC32: d2fe9945

:: INSTRUCTIONS
:: 1. download the hdt-0.5.0.img.gz 1.44MB gzipped floppy image
:: 2. Copy this .mnu file and the downloaded hdt-0.5.0.img.gz file to /_ISO/Utility folder
:: 3. Ensure the file is contiguous by running WinContig (RMPrepUSB Ctrl+F2)

iftitle [if exist %MFOLDER%/utility/hdt-0.5.0.img.gz] Hardware Diagnostic tool
map --mem /_iso/utility/hdt-0.5.0.img.gz (fd1)
map --hook
root (fd1)
chainloader +1

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#22 CS-Hacker

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Posted 04 March 2012 - 03:47 PM

I like this tool, will add to my hard diagnostic selection. There are few more diag tools I wanted to add, starting from hard drives:

Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS (CD) Diag504fCD.iso . It helps to diag any WD hard drive, here is description.: How to test a drive for problems using Data Lifeguard Diagnostics for Windows. If someone can help to start building mnu files for my diag ISO tool set.

Edited by CS-Hacker, 04 March 2012 - 03:48 PM.


#23 steve6375

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Posted 04 March 2012 - 04:14 PM

That is an easy one - why not try the next one yourself and submit a .mnu file here?

:: Easy2Boot .mnu file for WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics Tool from http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=612

:: See Tutorial #72 at www.rmprepusb.com for details



:: Diag504fCD.iso  (\_ISO\Utility\Diag504fCD.iso)

::MD5: 861d6bbd761207c5ca8250e5eec26114

::SHA1: 06fb2001fccb8ecb64ebff0c5402e9fd7399f0b6

:: CRC32: 07767e3d



:: INSTRUCTIONS

:: 1. download the Diag504fCD.iso CD image

:: 2. Copy this .mnu file and the downloaded Diag504fCD.iso file to /_ISO/Utility folder

:: 3. Ensure the file is contiguous by running WinContig (RMPrepUSB Ctrl+F2)



iftitle [if exist %MFOLDER%/utility/Diag504fCD.iso] WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics Tool\nWestern Digital Drive diagnostics tool (only works with WD drives)

map --mem %MFOLDER%/utility/Diag504fCD.iso (0xff)

map --hook

root (0xff)

chainloader (0xff)

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#24 CS-Hacker

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 10:41 PM

I am stil learning grub4dos, hope soon to try coding mnu. Another diag tool for hard drive toolset Hitachi Drive Fitness Test and the ISO. Can we make mnu for it? There are more useful tools their working with other brands to.

#25 steve6375

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 11:31 PM

This will be the same as the WD mnu file, just change the name of the ISO and the title in the mnu file.
If you want a lot of these, why not just run the Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) which has these already in it and many more besides.
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
This can also be booted in the same way too using the same menu mnu (just change the name).





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