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| Post Number: 1
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allgames71 
Group: Members
Posts: 299
Joined: Nov. 2008
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Posted on: Dec. 06 2010,12:42 |
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hello balder,
I find that it will be convenient for me to add Easyboot Multiboot in the computer harddisk beyond DVD and USB stick/harddrive.
I don't mean to boot together with XP or Win7. I would use a seperate primary partition only for Easyboot purpose. So I don't have to use Easyboot dvd/usb device to boot up my computer. And I'll use some other MBR tools to boot the 1st primary or the 2nd primary harddisk partition as my option.
Is there actually a way to just copy my usb harddrive contents to my 2nd primary partition, then use grub4dos to activate this partition for bootable ?
Clearly , what I mean is my harddisk 1st primary partition is Windows XP , and the 2nd primary partition is Easyboot. Whenever my computer powered up , the MBR tools can let me to choose either boot the 1st partition or the 2nd one. But both these 2 primary partitions are bootable idependently.
Hope you can help. Thanks in advance.
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| Post Number: 2
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balder
Group: Members
Posts: 1942
Joined: Oct. 2008
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Posted on: Dec. 06 2010,16:32 |
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@allgames71
Quote: ”Is there actually a way to just copy my usb harddrive contents to my 2nd primary partition, then use grub4dos to activate this partition for bootable ?”
It’s your lucky day   – this can be easily solved as you use WinXP as OP-system - I give you a “twinkle star” for using WinXP 
This is what you do:
1. Format partition 2 as FAT32 (if not already done)
2. Copy contents of your working USB (with EasyBoot-stuff etcetera) to partition-2
3. On partition-2, rename menu.lst to part2.lst
4. Copy grldr to the root of partition-1 (you can choose to hide file – it looks better out that way)
5. Modify boot.ini-file (it’s a hided file on partition-1) to look something like this:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
c:\grldr="Launch EasyBoot"
Note1: c:\grldr="Launch EasyBoot" is what you actually insert to boot.ini-file
Save changes (its possible file is locked so you might need to do changes from your USB running WinPE)
Note2: "Launch EasyBoot" is what you visually see when computer boots – you can change this text to your own convenience (launch grub or whatever).
6. Finally, create a new file menu.lst (use notepad) on the root of partition-1 and put in this text lines:
   find --set-root /part2.lst
   configfile /part2.lst
Save your new text-file and make sure it is named menu.lst (not menu.txt)
(you can choose to hide file – it looks better out that way)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what happens when you boot computer?
1. NTLDR is launched and looks in boot.ini what to do.
2. boot.ini now have a second choice so “timeout=30” is waiting for your response.
3. If no response WinXP is launched as usually.
4. If you instead use your arrow key (down-arrow) and Enter grldr is launched.
5. Grub looks into menu.lst and executes what commands it find in there.
6. Grub search for a file part2.lst and should find file on partition-2.
7. part2.lst execute its lines and you can choose to start EasyBoot.
But to launch WinXP from easyboot menu or from grub menu needs some changes as we are working on same disk-unit (disk unit 1 but with two partitions).
Start with the simple way:
Modify lines in part2.lst from:
title Start WinXP (first harddisk first partition)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
map --hook
find --set-root /ntldr
chainloader /ntldr
To
title Start WinXP (first harddisk first partition)
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /ntldr
chainloader /ntldr
In this way you can jump back to partition-1 and your two choices (WinXP or Grub)
But it is possible to create a kicker-image that should launch WinXP directly – but let’s start with this easy one first.
Now you can talk about loading speed 
EDIT: I forgot to mention – make sure you don't have USB device still connected to computer as grub might use files from that location instead from harddisk-partition-2.
The major point is to exclude USB device and instead use harddisk approach – which is a smart solution.
Regards balder
Edited by balder on Dec. 07 2010,02:13
--------------
Download complete set of scripts including help file HERE
Note: Script collection updated 2019-05-19. Scripts mainly support EasyBoot_6.5 or later
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| Post Number: 3
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allgames71
Group: Members
Posts: 299
Joined: Nov. 2008
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Posted on: Dec. 08 2010,11:35 |
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hello balder,
Thanks for your tutorial. As I don't have a free harddisk on hard right now. And also it need some time for a slow guy to test for the result.
So may be response for couple of days. I'm sorry.
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| Post Number: 4
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allgames71
Group: Members
Posts: 299
Joined: Nov. 2008
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Posted on: Dec. 10 2010,14:19 |
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hello balder,
I've tried your tutorial, I create a new file "menu.lst" in drive C: (WinXP) and rename menu.lst in part2 to part2.lst. It works fine and I can boot anything like my usb harddrive. I'm happy with that very much.
BUT something QUEER when I look into the "menu.lst" file that I've created , It is not "menu.lst" , instead it is "menu.lst.txt". So I'm sure I made it by mistake when saving it in the notpad. I didn't know that all along , but only tried and tried to boot my Easyboot software that work allright. But everytime when I boot up the computer and choose "Launch Easyboot" , unlike my usb harddrive , a few short lines flash out and right the way start the boot menu with the gif Penguin screen :
Grub4DOS 0.4.4 2009-10-16, Memory:636K / 1918M, MenuEnd: 0x48F5C
find /menu.lst, /boot/grub/menu.lst, /grub/menu.lst
commandline
reboot
halt
When I found out the error I made with "menu.lst.txt" , I rename it back to "menu.lst" in drive C: (WinXP) root. I reboot the computer and choose "Launch Easyboot" , then another few short lines came out and stop booting like this :
GRUB4DOS 0.4.4 2009-10-16, Memory:636K / 1918M, MenuEnd: 0x48D71
[ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word, TAB
lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
completions of a device/filename. ]
GRUB >
Is my mistake a nice mistake ? At lease I succeed to boot Easyboot in this queer way. If I really create a correct "menu.lst" file , then I may fail again and ask you why and how. Surely you may not understand why I failed.
Also I've tried your way to switch from WinXP to Easyboot and Easyboot to WinXP. I failed by following your tutor to boot from Easyboot back to WinXP. But it doesn't matter to me whether it succeed or not.
As in my first post, I don't want to boot this partition 2 with any of WinXP or Win7. They should have no relationship. NOT to modify boot.ini or to append a line to boot Easyboot from WinXP.
Like my first post, I quote :
"I don't mean to boot together with XP or Win7"
"grub4dos to activate this partition for bootable "
What I exactly mean is even there's no OS in partition 1, still I can boot activated partition 2 and boot it with Easyboot. No matter I install WinXP or Win7 in partition 1 , and sometimes even I install Win7 in parittion 3 for work testing. All I want is they're all independant OS. The partition 3 Win7 would not call the partition 1 WinXP to boot. As in this way , if the partition 3 Win7 died, then the partition 1 WinXP will follow to the hell also. Or if I reinstall the partition 3 Win7, then right the way, partition 1 WinXP can't be boot again.
In the same way, I don't want partition 1 WinXP have any relationship with partition 2 Easyboot. They can be boot each other seperately even the other partition doesn't exist or with no OS in it. My way to choose either boot partition 1 or 2 is by MBR tools only. So no matter which partition died, The other partition can still be boot. And that's my point.
quote : "It’s your lucky day – this can be easily solved as you use WinXP as OP-system "
I think there's a meaning with "you use WinXP". What would happen to Vista or Win7. Are they be more complicated ? Can I say my seperate booting way can handle them easily. Actually my computer should be like this :
partition 1 : WinXP
partition 2 : Easyboot
partition 3 : Vista / Win7
I appreciate your tutorial and thanks for your help balder.
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| Post Number: 5
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balder
Group: Members
Posts: 1942
Joined: Oct. 2008
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Posted on: Dec. 10 2010,15:05 |
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@allgames71
Well, how you managed to create such weird menu.lst I have no idea 
Anyway, you found and solved this strange behaviour from your computer
I think you must understand that the MBR-code is looking for the “Activ partition” – so in my opinion you cannot have several “Active” partitions 
I think this already is clear for you @allgames71
But grub can launch anything from any partition (activated or not activated)
In normal case you let the first partition be the active one and use a boot loader to launch some OP-system on some partition (including grub).
However, you can of course modify boot.ini on C:\ to this:
[boot loader]
timeout=3
default=D:\grldr
[operating systems]
D:\grldr=“launch EasyBoot”
In this case you launch grub directly from D:\ and only use one menu.lst on same partition (D:\).
Note1: You can choose to modify menu.lst with a couple of more menu lines to launch WinXP (installed on C:\ in your example) and another menu line to launch Vista\Win-7 installed in partition 3.
Or you can launch WinXP on partition-1 from EasyBoot menu using “grub-kicker-images”and the same for Vista\Win-7 on partition-3.
As you can see – there is no limits 
It’s more a question of taste.
Note2: you even don’t need to use NTLDR and BOOT.INI as your boot manager, you can inject grub-MBR-code directly to your harddisk and let grub bee the boot manager.
You can most likely still use the second partition (D:\) as “the grub-partition” because grub-MBR is looking in all partition for the missing grldr-file – and can’t grub-MBR find it in first partition it jumps to second one and so on (or it shall in normal case).
Please take attention to that this is experimental stuff – take care so you don’t lose vital data
Sometimes I get lost in the “wrong manoeuvre-case  ” – hopefully you won’t
Regards balder
--------------
Download complete set of scripts including help file HERE
Note: Script collection updated 2019-05-19. Scripts mainly support EasyBoot_6.5 or later
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| Post Number: 6
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allgames71
Group: Members
Posts: 299
Joined: Nov. 2008
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Posted on: Dec. 10 2010,19:55 |
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hello balder.
I think I mis-lead you with my harddisk partitions :
Primary 1 ............. WinXP (by default Active)
Primary 2 ............. Easyboot (hidden)
Primary 3 ............. Vista/7 (hidden)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Extend (Primary)
D: (Logical) ...... for data only, nothing to boot with it.
The MBR tools I use is SPfdisk to generate a Boot Menu when computer start , say if I choose to boot partition 3 , it will be like this right the way :
Primary 1 ............. WinXP (hidden)
Primary 2 ............. Easyboot (hidden)
Primary 3 ............. Vista/7 (Active)
-------------
Extend
D:
In the same way if I choose to boot from partition 2 , the other primary partitions will become hidden. That what I said , the 3 partitions are all independant without any relationship with the other partitions.
Anyway thanks for your explansion. I think I'll try that out in 2 other ways:
1. Ghost / Acronis True Image my usb harddrive and clone / restore it to partitioon 2 in my computer harddisk.
2. I recall that before I format a usb harddrive with Dos bootable with a config.sys , i. e. command.com + msdos.sys + io.sys + config.sys to boot with a menu.lst. The config.sys is simple :
install=grub.exe
Anyway I'll try it out and let you know how I got. Thanks for you suggestion.
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| Post Number: 7
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allgames71
Group: Members
Posts: 299
Joined: Nov. 2008
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Posted on: Dec. 11 2010,13:36 |
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hello balder,
I've tried out my 2 way of testing to move all my usb harddrive Easyboot software to my partition 2 and boot independently.
1 test :
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** To use Ghost / Acronis TrueImage to clone / backup my usb harddrive , then restore the .gho / .tib to my computer harddisk of partition 2.
It failed to boot . So I restore the backuped usb harddrive's MBR to my computer harddisk partition 2. It boot ok with the gif Penguin menu , of course all the software worked fine. Things seems to be normal. Then I change my computer harddisk partition like this :
primary partition 1 (Active, unhide - WinXP)
primary partition 2 (hidden - Easyboot)
When I boot up my computer, it boot to the gif Penguin menu , i.e. It boot up with Easyboot even the partition 2 is hidden ?? May be it is as what you said "grub-MBR is looking in all partition for the missing grldr-file " . I boot up my computer again with a dos cd and type :
A:\>fdisk /mbr (primary partition 1 still Active and unhide)
I reboot my computer , it boot up the WinXP. Then I change the partitions to :
partition 1 (hidden - WinXP)
partition 2 (Active , unhide - Easyboot)
I reboot my computer , all the screen black with a white blinking cursor. That means it's not bootable. And it also means you can either choose grub-MBR or dos-MBR , but surely can't have both together even with different partition as there can be only one MBR exist in a harddisk.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
2 test :
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** My harddisk partitions like this :
partition 1 (hidden - WinXP)
partition 2 (Active , Fat32 - empty)
I boot up my computer with a dos cd and type :
A:\>format c: /q/u/v:""/s (to format my partition 2 to be dos bootable , i.e. 3 bootable files inserted : command.com + io.sys + msdos.sys)
I copy all my usb harddrive Easyboot partition programs to this computer harddisk partition 2. Also I have to copy a file "grub.exe" from grub4dos to the root directory of partition 2. Then create a config.sys in it :
install=grub.exe
This time no matter I boot up partition 1 (WinXP) or partition 2 (Easyboot). They are all bootable fine independently without any interfere.
But when booting up the partition 2 (Easyboot) , the gif Penguin menu is gone , instead , it's a text menu of the same content (It's acceptable and normal). When I choose one of the item to the submenu , the submenu content looks the same as before. And the preset wallpaper is there also. But the submenu item highlight bar is a bit abnormal , I mean when you use the keyboard arrow up and down to choose an item , the highlight bar should be normal then you know where you are and what to choose , instead , the highlight bar when should be black , it was white. Or double white with the next item ??
The only thing is when you move the up and down keyboard arrow , you have to look at it and have to know what you choose and press enter key , otherwise if you choose item A , it may becomes item B to boot.
Anyway this second method is very easy to me and I can accept the queer highlight bar as all my Easyboot program work normal.
Balder, thanks for all the way with me and give me instructions. I've to close this topic.
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