Topic: how to add usb win7vhd to easyboot menu
started by: allgames71
Posted by allgames71 on May 19 2011,00:54
hello balder,I've made a usb win7vhd file in my usb harddisk. It's not Win7pe, it's a real win7; I can install programs in this win7vhd. After reboot this win7vhd, the installed programs still in there. It's a real win7.
I've tried to boot this win7vhd in ati, intel and nvidia motherboard. It boots normal without any reboot or bluescreen. The boot time is quite like the win7pe, It boot quite fast.
I want to know how to add this win7vhd to easyboot menu. So I don't have to use so many usb harddisk.
Thanks a lot.
Posted by balder on May 19 2011,01:22
@allgames71Quote: ”I want to know how to add this win7vhd to easyboot menu”
I have never tried launching this type of files from Easyboot menu – it’s an interesting request
How do you launch your VHD-file at present time (the one you have on your USB harddisk)?
However you can test this:
1. launch my script easyboot-kicker-image.script
2. Insert this lines to >> Text file “Menu.lst” <<
root (hd0,0)
chainloader /bootmgr
3. Create kicker-image with these lines and use name “myvhd” to created image (or whatever name you like). You automatically receive the right menu command to be used in EasyBoot by script.
You of course must make USB harddisk bootable using my script easyboot-grub-iso.script
Note: I'm unsure how you launch your VHD - but its possible "bootmgr" is involved - then solution above should work
balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 19 2011,05:42
hello balder,Thanks for you instruction, but I've never tried "easyboot-kicker-image.script
" before. I'll tried it and let you know the result as soon as possible.
Posted by allgames71 on May 19 2011,09:20
hello balder,I've tried easyboot-kicker-image script as the following picture, in the script I choose G: where my usb harddisk is. And it give me a notepad phrase "memdisk grubmenu.img.gz". I found that my c:\Easyboot is only 5.48MB in size, it means the script didn't copy anything to it.
Actually I don't know exactly how to use this "easyboot-kicker-image script". Would you mind to tell me how to use it step by step, thanks.
Also, as you see in the above picture, It's got only 2 files. Should I point to G: in the script ?
Thanks for you help.
Posted by allgames71 on May 19 2011,09:25
hello balder,
Posted by balder on May 19 2011,10:37
@allgames71Quote: ”Actually I don't know exactly how to use this "easyboot-kicker-image script"
Sorry for the misunderstanding
In this case you are interested to let EasyBoot launch VHD-file. Correct?
Set folder ezboot as path to where created kicker-image should be created
I know that help in scripts is not the very best – sorry
Note: I still haven’t a clue how you actually launch your VHD-file
Is it bootmgr-file - same as when you boot to Windows-7
The point with this arrangement is to have your VHD-file on the root of USB harddisk (I guess you have VHD-file on the root).
It’s basically the same procedure as when you integrate WindowsPE-ISO-file using easyboot-iso.script – but here you must use a manually method as a VHD-file isn’t a “normal” ISO-file.
By the way – do you already use easyboot as boot-manager on your harddisk?
Or what boot-manager do you use on your USB harddisk unit?
Regards BALDER
Posted by allgames71 on May 19 2011,12:30
hello balder,I think this vhd file can be a file that mount on the normal Win7 to have dual boot :
Windows 7
Windows 7 (VHD)
It mean this vhd is : "Is it bootmgr-file - same as when you boot to Windows-7"
quote : "In this case you are interested to let EasyBoot launch VHD-file. Correct?
Yes, surely I want to boot this vhd-file by easyboot. So I don't have to use so many usb-harddisk for my work (actually I don't have that much usb-harddisk).
Now the vhd-file boot directly from usb-hardidisk (not by easyboot). I can't convert this usb-harddisk into a iso-file , it's 14GB in size (Win7x64 version). So I don't know what the help and how it work to this usb-harddisk to become boot from easyboot !
Posted by balder on May 19 2011,13:26
@allgames71Quote: “Yes, surely I want to boot this vhd-file by easyboot”
You claim that you already can launch VHD-file from your USB harddisk. Is this correct?
I draw the conclusion you mean launch easyboot from USB harddisk and from EasyBoot menu launch VHD-file. Is this a correct description what you want?
If this is the case, we need grub to launch ISO created by Easyboot and to launch grub from USB harddisk we need to inject grub-mbr to USB harddisk.
To make this possible you can use tutorial < HERE >
Note: you can in “Options” check “Read only” to save you current MBR from your USB harddisk and then inject it back if “things go wrong”
At present time you most likely have mbr-record on your USB harddisk that start bootmgr (bootmgr surely is put on the root of USB harddisk if not, then copy bootmgr that are able to launch VHD-file to the root of USB).
You now hopefully have grub and text-file menu.lst and bootmgr (the one that can launch VHD-file) on USB harddisk and “grub-mbr” injected to USB harddisk.
Then do this:
1. Create ISO-file in EasyBoot as usual. You only need to have folder ezboot in Easyboot (it’s pointless to have anything else in folder disk1 in EasyBoot as “root” is lost anyway – only folder ezboot so we can use menu in Easyboot). Hopefully you already have “kicker-image” in folder ezboot created in post nr;6 that launch bootmgr on the root of USB harddisk. Note: in my downloaded script-collection you also have a folder “USB_Resources”.
Here you find files and instructions how to launch reboot and shutdown from EasyBoot menu run from USB device (you of course must have “kicker-images” in folder ezboot BEFORE you create ISO-file in EasyBoot).
2. Copy ISO created by EasyBoot to USB harddisk (change name to easyboot.iso to ISO-file) Attention! As ISO-file must be “contiguous” on USB disk units you might need to run defrag to ISO-file (easyboot-usb.script can do this to ISO-file)
3. Open text-file menu.lst on USB harddisk (notepad works fine) and put in these lines:
Title Launch EasyBoot menu
root (hd0,0)
map easyboot.iso (hd32)
map --hook
chainloader (hd32)
boot
Above lines launch EasyBoot ISO-file
You shall now be able to reboot computer and change BIOS to start from USB harddisk and finally launch Easyboot and from that point launch VHD-file
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 20 2011,13:16
hello balder,Thanks for you instruction. The tutorial is too complicated for me and some part of it I even don't understand.
quote : "Note: you can in “Options” check “Read only” to save you current MBR"
I don't know what you mean by "Options" , where is this "Options" located, do you mean Easyboot or easyboot-kicker-image ? But both of them don't have "Options" and "Read Only"
Anyway I'll try to understand your instruction, but surely this time I'll take quite a long time to test it !!
Also I'll show you how I'll do this step by step , so you can point out my mis-steps.
Here is my usb-harddisk root structure :
My usb-harddisk root file structure is like this :
Posted by allgames71 on May 20 2011,13:17
hello blader,
Posted by balder on May 20 2011,13:35
@allgames71Quote: “I don't know what you mean by "Options"”
In post nr; 8 you have a link to instructions – including link to download of needed grub-files and the tool ”grubinst_gui.exe”.
Its in this tool (when you have started tool) you are able to use “Option” to save MBR from any of you harddisks or any floppy unit as well.
Again read post nr; 8 and use link in post.
You need to inject Grub-mbr to your USB harddisk to be able to launch EasyBoot-ISO-file.
At present time you have a NT6-mbr injected to USB harddisk.
The point is to first save (using “Option”) your present mbr in USB harddisk (save it some where in some temp-folder or whatever – it is a very small file - size 8kb large or something).
Why this manoeuvre you may ask? Well to avoid the need to format you USB harddisk you have to do it manually.
Note: all this tricky things are automatically performed when using my script “easyboot-usb.script” or “easyboot-grub-iso.script”
But you must do it manually as I guess you are NOT interested to format your USB harddisk
And now I’m going to watch some television
(the classic: back to the future-III)Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 21 2011,13:53
hello balder,Thanks for your instruction again. Same as before I need quite plenty of time to digest it and may be fail. As I'm quite foolish in this aspect. Anyway I'll try it as I really want it to be successful. It's useful to me.
Because I don't want to make one more primary partition for this win7usb.
I think you can download this 7usb and try it yourself. As this is a real win7 windows (not win7pe). You can install software in it. Besides it is universal bootable in any computer. It means you can carry your portable win7 to run in any other computer.
< http://7usb.tk/showthr....TE-beta >
Posted by balder on May 21 2011,15:01
@allgames71Quote: “Because I don't want to make one more primary partition for this win7usb”
Yes that’s exactly what my intentions are in this case.
Note: you can also use Ghost and create an image of your harddisk (in case “things go wrong”).
Big hug
for the download link @allgames71Though it takes more than 10 ours to download
However, he, he you always have patience when you wait for goodies
Tomorrow afternoon - or evening - I will report my results (hopefully we can use Easyboot menu and that special kicker-image to launch file bootmgr on USB that then launch Win-7 VHD-file)
I’ll be in touch
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 22 2011,01:32
hello balder,may be the download is very slow and takes time, please try to download this by torrent :
< http://torrents.thepiratebay.org/6263793....torrent >
Posted by balder on May 22 2011,08:33
@allgames71HEUREKA – it works
I did following:
1. Run ” installer.bat” in ” 7 Ultimate USB Edition x86 v2.0 by iMortaluz”
2. And got ERROR during boot
3. Run recommended “Windows 7 USB Drive Edition v2.9 x86 UPDATE.exe”
4. And that update fixed my problems
However we are interested to use the Easyboot menu
I solved it this way:
• I created a special “grub-kicker-image” that are able to launch bootmgr on USB. Download file < HERE > then copy file as it is to folder ezboot and use menu command: memdisk win7usb.zip
• Create ISO in EasyBoot with your new menu that now are able to launch bootmgr on USB device
• Download my latest updated script collection (you have it as usual below)
• Use “easyboot-usb.script” and in script check "DO NOT format USB device!". When this new checkbox is checked your USB device is NOT formatted, but grub MBR-code are injected to USB and grub-files are also implemented to USB. Script then asks for file to put on USB device. You of course chose ISO-file and point to created EasyBoot-ISO-file. Script now creates a menu including option to launch Easyboot and there you are.
• The point is that script “easyboot-usb” now is able to – when needed - ONLY update EasyBoot-file and grub-files (no format is done if checking: "DO NOT format USB device!"). If you later change things in your Easyboot menu you still can inject this modified EasyBoot-ISO-file to your USB device WITHOUT any format is done to USB device. This also means that you “manually” can copy Win-7_VHD-file including the right “bootmgr”-file and folders "BOOT" and iMortaluz to any USB device and use Easyboot menu to launch Win-7USB.VHD-file.
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 22 2011,11:23
hello balder,It works, you are really GOD. Nothing is impossible for you. It's easily and works perfectly. Now I'm going to combine this to my existing easyboot usb harddisk.
Thanks again for your instruction. Thanks.
Posted by balder on May 22 2011,13:05
@allgames71Thanks for nice feedback
I have found out that if you are using EasyBoot menu from some odd laptop-computers (e-machine or similar) I wasn’t able to boot the Win-7USB correctly if using ”memdisk win7usb.zip” as command in Easyboot menu
It looks to have something to do when “memdisk” is used in this laptop-computer
If you have problem with this then modify EasyBoot menu to:
1. Extract win7usb.img from win7usb.zip to folder ezboot
2. Change menu command in EasyBoot to: run win7usb.img
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 23 2011,23:42
Thanks for your advice and I understand what to do with it. Thanks.But for me, I may not use it for odd computers as it is Win7 which should not be suitable for these computers.
As it describe in Win7usb offical site, better use Win7usb x64 as it can use more ram to run faster. So now I'm using it.
One more thing, balder, I don't know whether you would answer me here or not, as this is not an Easyboot problem. As you know I'm a Chinese not using English but Cht. Although I can use this Win7usb which is Eng Win7 and update with Cht Language Pack. But it's not completely compatible with my Cht Language. Once before I made my own Cht Win7 vhd file and replace it with the one in win7usb-harddisk. But it boot with a bluescreen in a same computer. In the win7usb offical site, it claim "do not do windows updates, or that may spoil the windows" something like that. So I'm wondering whether the authur has done something modify of add in it's win7usb. I really don't know how and what, maybe balder you know. As I really want to have a win7usb with my own language ( I think the other members in this forum would also like to know). If possible inform me if you can. I know it is not an easyboot problem, but I think it's also a good discussion.
Thanks in advance.
Posted by balder on May 24 2011,01:59
@allgames71Quote: ”I know it is not an easyboot problem, but I think it's also a good discussion”
I agree
I tested integrating my own language pack (Swedish) to VHD-file.
It works excellent I can now alter between English and Swedish as I please
But eeeeh your English is as close to perfect as it can be – which mine is not (my son continuously complaining on my English) – especially to my “bad verbs” as he says.
But, he, he, I use my age as defence
However, did you uncheck everything in “important updates are avaible” (I had 59 important updates to uncheck here) followed by only check for my native language (Swedish) in “optional updates are avaible”
You didn’t by any chance forgot to uncheck one, or several, updates that was avaible in “important updates are avaible”
Part from above, I can hardly figure out any more advices (I’m not that skilled in computer software – but better skilled in the hardware world).
Funny part is that the word “avaible” used in Windows-7 should be more like this “available” (at least my spelling edition continue complaining on “avaible” and want to change it to “available”) – he, he nobody is perfect
And again I thank you for pointing me to this USB-Win7-edition
– many thanks @allgames71Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 24 2011,03:22
hello balder,You don't have to thank you to me , as you are my teacher. "pointing you to this USB-Win7-edition" is mainly because I want to know how to embed this win7usb to Easyboot without adding additional primary partition for it. Although this is not a software sharing forum. But for this extreme good software , sharing to others member in this forum is considerable.
Anyway as I said above. Can you try to create a vhd file in Win7 with your Swedish Language (instead of Eng) , then replace it with the one in your win7usb-harddisk. So the win7usb will become win7usb Swedish.
I've tried using my language Cht, but fail to boot with a blue screen after replace this Cht vhd file to the one in the win7usb-harddisk.
I know it's not a easyboot problem , but I hope you can try and help.
Thanks
Posted by balder on May 24 2011,03:58
@allgames71Quote: ”So the win7usb will become win7usb Swedish”
To make clear - I did not create any VHD of my own original system and I did not mount iMortaluz VHD-file in my own Win-7 OP-system.
I launched iMortaluz VHD-file from USB-harddisk (reboot and changed boot-order in BIOS as usual) and when iMortaluz VHD-file was up and run - I used steps that you can read in post nr; 19 and followed guide-lines: “[extra]: 7 Ultimate supports ANY language!” < HERE >
And it works great
Quote: ”Although this is not a software sharing forum. But for this extreme good software , sharing to others member in this forum is considerable”
I to 100% completely agree – though I for “usual software” am very restrictive to let it expand too much.
However, this is one of those exceptions that is “natural” to be allowed
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 24 2011,12:53
hello balder,I understand your meaning and it seems I have to end up this topic now. Thanks for helping me all along and spending so much of your time.
Now I'm heading another problem, I want to make XP to a xp.vhd , then change it to an img file. As easyboot can boot up img file. I don't know whether it works or not. If I fail , I'll let you know and ask for your help in a new post. Thanks it advance.
Posted by balder on May 24 2011,17:38
@allgames71Found a minor bug in ”easyboot-usb.script”
Unfortunately folder “iso” on USB is cleared out by script – not that serious – but unnecessary
Please do a new download
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 26 2011,13:01
hello balder,quote : Found a minor bug in ”easyboot-usb.script”
I've tried the new ”easyboot-usb.script” with a simple iso file , when boot , there's no Penguin gif animating wallpaper or other menu. It boots right the way to this iso wares.
I think it's not so attractive and convenience anymore. May I suggest you can change it back to the former style but only fix that "minor bug".
Thanks for your effort.
Posted by balder on May 26 2011,13:19
@allgames71Quote: ” May I suggest you can change it back to the former style but only fix that "minor bug"
You have in left and lower part of script “Visual Boot options” with two choices.
Mark "Grub-menu with animated theme" to get the animated splash theme
If you choose "Launch ISO\image-file directly" ISO-file is launched directly without animated theme
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on May 27 2011,11:59
hello blader,Sorry, my mistake, as I'm not familar with your new script. My test is ok.
Thanks.