22 replies to this topic

[ilko]

It seems grubinst.exe and grubinst_gui.exe refuse to accept more than 10 hard disks, i.e. fails with (hd10), (hd11) etc.
3 SATA hard drives, 2 USB card readers and target USB flash drive attached, which was connected last, becoming \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE11

D:\grub4dos>grubinst.exe -l -v (hd11)
grubinst: open: No error

D:\grub4dos>grubinst.exe -v -s=mbrdisk11.dat -t (hd11)
grubinst: open: No error

Using grubinst.exe from here (2008-06-29) and grubinst_gui.exe 1.1 / 2008-01-01

[was_jaclaz]

Hmmm, interesting.

Do you think that 256 would be enough or should tinybit provide for 16384?


What happens if you disable some of the devices (the unneded card readers) from BIOS (or remove them from System)?

jaclaz

[ilko]

Hehe, I felt the same on first thought
It's because of this post and the follow ups:
http://www.msfn.org/...o...st&p=801507

I also expected drive number to be 1 digit only, but apparently USB card readers may give unforeseen troubles.

If you ask me- I can disable them, even had to borrow a card reader to reproduce the issue, but I am not sure if an end user can do that, i.e. embedded card reader, throwing 8 empty drives (are there such ) + 1 internal drive + 1 USB stick. Some BIOSes don't allow turning off card readers, or opening the case to unplug it seems not much of a resolution.

P.S. 256 seems overkill (nowadays ), but 2 digits doesn't seem that ridiculous.

[tinybit]

I think you may report the issue to Bean, the developer of grubinst(grubutil).

[ilko]

I think you may report the issue to Bean, the developer of grubinst(grubutil).

Sent him PM same day, is there other way to contact him?

[Bean123]

Oh, sorry for the delay, I'm a little busy lately.

This problem is caused by a check in grubinst, which limit the disk count to 10. The new version change this limit to 20, it should be ok now.

Attached Files

•  grubinst.zip   49.65K   444 downloads

[laddanator]

This problem is caused by a check in grubinst, which limit the disk count to 10. The new version change this limit to 20, it should be ok now.

I downloaded the attachment above from Bean123 and grubinst still doesn't see anything passed 9?

[Wonko the Sane]

Another two questions being_

• Does bootlace have the same limit?
  
• Does the grub4dos toolbox have issues?

http://reboot.pro/7328/
http://fartersoft.com/grub4dostoolbox/


Wonko

[laddanator]

• Does the grub4dos toolbox have issues?

I can tell you the grub4dos toolbox 2.2 will show more than 9, up to what number, I am not sure.

I am pretty sure bootice does also but bootice is not updated often.

[chenall]

Try the new.

http://code.google.c...es/detail?id=15

[laddanator]

Try the new.

http://code.google.c...es/detail?id=15

I have tested up to hd15 (GUI grubinst) so far so good. Thanks for this. What is the limit? 20? (Never mind)


I have an internal card reader that takes up 6 spots and 4 (that's my 10) internal HD and any USB plugged in is hd11 and so on.

[steve6375]

New grubinst has the old bug. If I make a FAT16 or FAT32 Primary partition and install grub4dos to PBR and put MS-DOS on that partition then MS-DOS does not boot (chainloader /io.sys)! Caused by bytes in PBR 08h-0ah being overwritten - should be '5.1' for MS-DOS to recognise partition.

Also timeout on previous grubinst was 0 seconds, this one has 5 seconds. I think 0 seconds is best and readme should be changed as well as set default to 0 seconds.

[Wonko the Sane]

should be '5.1' for MS-DOS to recognise partition.

Since WHEN?
http://homepage.ntlw...name-field.html

The "most common" FAT1.x have either MSWIN4.1 or MSDOS5.0.
Or does this apply to FAT32 only?
And which version of DOS? 7.1, 8.xx or both?




Wonko

[laddanator]

New grubinst has the old bug. If I make a FAT16 or FAT32 Primary partition and install grub4dos to PBR and put MS-DOS on that partition then MS-DOS does not boot (chainloader /io.sys)! Caused by bytes in PBR 08h-0ah being overwritten - should be '5.1' for MS-DOS to recognise partition.

I never tested this part. In the GUI in the drop list for disk to install mbr to, I was able to see all 15 "hd" which is great. All of my stuff is formatted in ntfs. I haven't actually installed the g4d mbr with the new grubinst, just glad to see all of my disk show up in the program now.

[steve6375]

Maybe 'IBM 2.0' would be most compatible??
Windows 98 DOS version 4.10.2222 works with it and so will most others.

[Wonko the Sane]

Maybe 'IBM 2.0' would be most compatible??
Windows 98 DOS version 4.10.2222 works with it and so will most others.

Yes, that's the actual idea of the referenced article , BUT if the intended scope is MS-DOS, probably the bolded rule:

PC-/MS-DOS version 5.0
.....
In other words: Trust versions 2.0, 10.x, and 20.x of everything. Don't trust version x0.x of anything (i.e. both version 0.x and versions 30.x to 90.x). Don't trust any version less than 3.x of anything. Trust versions 4.x to 9.x of everything. Don't trust version 3.1 of anything.

Is the one that normally "takes effect" on later versions also.


Wonko

[steve6375]

Yes, that's the actual idea of the referenced article , BUT if the intended scope is MS-DOS, probably the bolded rule:
>>Trust versions 4.x to 9.x of everything.
Is the one that normally "takes effect" on later versions also.


Wonko

Which is why I first suggested 5.1 in the first place!

[Wonko the Sane]

Which is why I first suggested 5.1 in the first place!

But also 4.0, 4.1, 4.2....etc. all the way up to 9.9 would fall exactly in the same category.

My comment was on:

should be '5.1' for MS-DOS to recognise partition.

If the above actually means:

among the several values that would satisfy MS-DOS check I would suggest, for NO reason whatsoever, 5.1, because I like it

your statement is perfectly accurate and my understanding of the English language is much worse than I thought .


Wonko

[laddanator]

Is there a switch (which I didn't see) to use a current grldr.mbr rather than the embeded grldr.mbr with grubinst_1.3?

I may have answered my own question

--restore=FN,-r=FN

I have read over the read-me for switches from an older version and this is all I found

--output,-o

which seems to be the opposite of what I am looking for. Not sure if anything switch wise was added for 1.3?

[laddanator]

Hello!

[Bean123]

Yeah, I limit the number of hard disk device to 10. I can increase it if you want to access more disks.

[ilko]

Bean123, glad to see you back around and I hope you are back in game : )

There is already another version from you, thanks for it, with the limit increased to 20, a few posts above.

Chenall also changed HD count limit among other changes in latest grubinst, so it seems all good on this side.
http://code.google.c...ail?id=15&can=1

[laddanator]

Yeah, I limit the number of hard disk device to 10. I can increase it if you want to access more disks.

Hard drive numbers are fine. I would like to see a switch that you can use an external grubmbr instead of the embedded one.