Forum: EasyBoot
Topic: boot Windows 7 and Windows 8???
started by: gallomk
Posted by gallomk on Oct. 27 2012,20:06
hello how are you, so long?
wanted to know if it is possible to make a menuboot with windows 7 and 8.

Greetings!
Posted by balder on Oct. 28 2012,02:43
@gallomk

Quote: "wanted to know if it is possible to make a menuboot with windows 7 and 8"

Well frankly, I haven't seen any bullet proof' solution (complete tutorial) to this issue yet ???

However there are some talks how to solve this < HERE >

I haven't tested this solution and I guess there are a lot of strange problems that pops up during creation of build to such USB drive :(

Note: This is only setup from USB stick and not from DVD-unit (there is most likely problems anyway to use DVD-unit as we are dealing with extremely much data and there are limits to what a DVD can 'swallow') :O

Further more... I cannot give any support to above solution - you are on your own... :O

regards balder
Posted by pica on Oct. 29 2012,23:00
QUOTE
wanted to know if it is possible to make a menuboot with windows 7 and 8

What you want is not really clear to me:
-boot win7 and 8 dvd/iso for installation or
-boot win7 and 8 system(s) in multiboot.

Why menuboot? Actually you dont need it.
Just think of the simple one.
NT6.X_fast_installer can help you to solve installation from dvd/iso.
1. boot a windows system xp/7/8 (PE/VHD/ToGo) from dvd/USB
2. mount any win7/8 iso(s) you have
3. be ready with NT6.X_fast_installer and run it
4. happy install from iso
It suppose to work at least on my test.

For multiboot systems on usb is not easy, but is possible which I did.
< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rIyOPMV8eo&feature=plcp >

Happy try
Posted by balder on Oct. 30 2012,01:14
@pica

Quote: "NT6.X_fast_installer can help you to solve installation from dvd/iso"

What I can find out in @gallomk request, is to use EasyBoot as the boot-manger it is, and from a EasyBoot menu launch setup of Win7 or Win8 and this from same build :O

NT6.X_fast_installer may be used to create such build (at least from USB drive) and we can then attach EasyBoot menu to this build - I can se a possible solution that way :cool:
However, you didn't tell or showed any tutorial in any direction ???

regards balder
Posted by pica on Nov. 20 2012,15:10
The tutorial about NT6.X_fast_installer is at reboot.pro website, sorry I dont have the exact address (way back at 2010).
Just use google to find it.

Sure, You can attach NT6.X_fast_installer to EasyBoot build, but to run NT6.X_fast_installer properly you need some copyrighted files, which it I think is not distributable (just for personal use only).

Dont worry I find already a very simple solution: How to install Windows (8,7,xp) all in one USB-drive and it works properly on my test.
Grub4dos is the best boot manager ever.
< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFTXYk4zs6I&feature=plcp >

good luck!
Posted by balder on Nov. 21 2012,02:02
@pica

Quote: "Dont worry I find already a very simple solution"

So you found a solution but don't show with a tutorial how you managed to solve this issue ???
I have study that thread, and I understand why you don't want to write tutorial :;):
Because it isn't that easy as it might look...
In fact, there are 'issues' to overcome - and also needs a solution to implement into EasyBoot - which I on the other hand, think is possible to solve, but not an 100% 'simple solution' in my opinion :(

Overall this is not a easy method typically: "do that and do that and it works" - because it doesn't work that easy
But it is as you show, possible :)

However, why not test this solution:

1. Launch setup of your NT6-system (Win7 or Win8)

2. When computer does the first reboot you use Ghost11 (DOS-version of Ghost11) and create an image of the 'boot' partition

3. Implement this ghost image to any other 'setup' you like (I of course have both Win7 and Win8 Ghost image to chose from). Another benefit is it can be used from both USB drive (harddrive or USB stick) and also from DVD-unit with a breeze

Note: I usually create this ghost image from an 500 GB 'boot' partition (my chosen 'standard sized boot partition') so it basically fits to any other 'new' computer as we these days most likely do not use harddisk units below 1000 GB to install NT6-systems to, which means cluster size is - if not optimal - at least fully acceptable.

However, this involves having DOS-version of Ghost11 in your position

I can also create floppy image and use switches to Ghost for fully automatically 'setup' of the system

Just an idea :;):

regards balder

Posted by pica on Dec. 09 2012,02:14
< How to create Windows all in one USB-drive >
Posted by balder on Dec. 09 2012,02:49
@ pica

Quote" How to create Windows all in one USB-drive"

Yes I have seen this solution some where some time ago :p  
But this only works from USB drive and not from DVD-unit and further more, you didn't show how to launch setup from EasyBoot menu :(
I can help you to start setup from the menu of EasyBoot - I have a solution to this problem :;):
BUT... You forgot to show a vital part - the grub menu
Please put in text from 'menu.lst' in your post to make tutorial complete in that part :;):


regards balder
Posted by pica on Dec. 10 2012,20:09
@balder
QUOTE
Yes I have seen this solution some where some time ago

I hope you can find that solution, that it can be useful for everybody.
 
QUOTE
But this only works from USB drive and not from DVD-unit and further more, you didn't show how to launch setup from EasyBoot menu

For sure my simple way is not for dvd.
You can think about to create a single wim file solution, but a dvd capacity is maybe 8Gb limit and a lot of computers dont have dvd anymore.
QUOTE
I can help you to start setup from the menu of EasyBoot - I have a solution to this problem  
BUT... You forgot to show a vital part - the grub menu
Please put in text from 'menu.lst' in your post to make tutorial complete in that part

I think you skepped the vital part of the video.
Watch again if you want to
< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2hQ3zEmsts&feature=plcp >
have a nice day!
Posted by balder on Dec. 11 2012,02:39
@ pica

Quote: "I think you skepped the vital part of the video"

Yes you are right - sorry I m missed that (partly) blurred section of youtube-movie :p

But as I already said - this is not any 'new' solution - but it do works :cool:

Quote: "You can think about to create a single wim file solution, but a dvd capacity is maybe 8Gb limit and a lot of computers dont have dvd anymore"

Yes exactly my opinion as well (nice to agree)

We for sure are moving torwards the 'USB approach' - but it seems that many users are left in the 'DVD thinking' - which has its limits (as you pointed to)

However have you tested this from an USB stick\thumb drive?
I tested before and failed when launch from that second partition of USB stick :(
But I tested with Vista (if I remember right) - perhaps it works better with Win8?
However I have seen a kind of 'dummy' file that fool USB stick to behave as a USB harddisk, which should solve this problem!

But USB harddisk is nice (and faster and also easier to create several partitions to)
So let's stick to USB harddisk for the moment :;):

However as this is EasyBoot forum it is vital we show how to launch this from the menu of EasyBoot
Don't you agree?

Here is solution to launch setup of NT6-systems from EasyBoot menu:

1. Download my script-collection (you have it below - it is updated this day= 11 Dec 2012)

2. Copy 'grub-kicker-image' setupntwin7.img and setupwin8.img from folder balder/USB_Resources to folder EZBOOT

3. Use menu command in EasyBoot:  run setupntwin7.img and the same to setupwin8.img to launch setup of these two different windows system you have copied to your different partitions (it doesn't matter on which partition you have copied the files of Win7 respectively Win8).

4. Rename 'bootmgr' that belongs to your Windows7 files on USB harddisk to the name: setupwin7

5. Rename 'bootmgr' that belongs to your Windows8 files on USB harddisk to the name: setupwin8

6. Create ISO in EasyBoot as usual and rename created ISO to easyboot.iso

7. Copy EasyBoot ISO-file (easyboot.iso) to the root of USB harddisk (partition one)

8. Modify text-file 'menu.lst' to have this entry:

title Launch EasyBoot
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /easyboot.iso
map /easyboot.iso (hd32)
map --hook
chainloader (hd32)
boot

This launch EasyBoot even it is run from the NTFS-file system (you cannot run the file ezldr from NTFS - only from FAT or FAT32)

You can hereby use EasyBoot menu and launch your setup of the two different Windows system :laugh:

Note: optionally you can use my script 'easyboot-usb_v2.script' and in script tick: 'Force script to NOT format usb drive' to modify BOOT sector of USB drive to grub BOOT sector and also correctly create grub menu to USB harddisk to launch ISO-file created by EasyBoot, including transferring this ISO-file to USB harddisk

regards balder

Posted by pica on Dec. 17 2012,13:17
@balder
Glad to see your success
Posted by pica on Jan. 19 2013,00:50
Not easy but it works well for me.
< All windows OS installers 32 and 64 bit in 1 Partition >
Posted by balder on Jan. 19 2013,02:15
@pica

Quote: "Not easy but it works well for me."

And what is the connection to EasyBoot if I may ask ???
I don't notice any 'EasyBoot menu' involved in any way here - and further more - no tutorial how and what you did to solve this issue :(

Anyway, did you use method as described < HERE >?

Note: this method has already been recommended by me several times in different topics in this forum :p

balder

Posted by pica on Jan. 23 2013,00:53
"And what is the connection to EasyBoot if I may ask"

I understand your situation. It is all yours.
At least you created your solution to easyboot builder (see your post number: 10).

"Anyway, did you use method as described HERE?"

Definitely not.
I did not read his tutorial in detail, if not mistaken, he decode the bootmgr or at least he has bootmgr1......n. That's why you have a lot of strange problems (see your post number: 2)
My method is almost the same thing like the first (multipartitions) solution "copy/extract to .....", just this time all to a single partition.
I dont do decoding: just "copy/extract to" and on my solution is only one bootmgr exist and write a very small script which to manage and start windows installation of my  choice.

"Note: this method has already been recommended by me several times in different topics in this forum"

Sound like contradict with your post number: 2

Ok, I will not bother you again
Nice talking to you & your easyboot is very useful
Good Luck!