The CD Forum > Avlgomgr - New Generation of Multiboot Solution

Full Version: Avlgomgr - New Generation of Multiboot Solution

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useronce

Feb 15 2006, 10:55 PM

[Key]
Grub, ISOEmu, Romfs, Setupldr.bin, memdisk, multiboot, virtual boot.

[ Download ]
>> http://www.znpc.net/avlgo/Avlgomgr_Eng.zip <<

Hi, all, I'm translating Avlgomgr from Simplified Chinese to multi-language version(Ansi Version).

Virtual Disk Function:
--------------------------------------------------------------
This tool is based on Grub with ISOEmu/Memdisk included. So, you can see, it can emulate a
fdd/hdd/iso image file and boot with it. ;-) At the same time, we must know, it also support
Linux' Romfs image file. (If you know few about Grub and its menu.lst, this is also the tool
what you may want to try.

Boot Loader Function:
--------------------------------------------------------------
This tool can load NTLDR/BOOTMGR/Setupldr/Bootsect.dos by simply clicking a button. So, if you
want to load WinPE from your hard disk, just use this function.

Usage:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Drag&Drop or browse a target file to Edit Control, and "Assemble" it. ;^)

License:
--------------------------------------------------------------
The same to ISOEmu/Avldr: Free for All.

--------------------------------------------------------------
I'll publish it this afternoon. Wish you like it, and enjoy.

Ed_P

Feb 16 2006, 12:16 AM

Interesting.

Is this like QEMU in function?

jaclaz

Feb 16 2006, 06:05 AM

Wow, useronce, it looks like nice!

Pardon me if I bother you here (did not want to PM you) but, IF and WHEN you have some spare time, could you have a look at this:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=15136

Thank you in advance.

@Ed_P
No it's an evolution of Grub/Grub4dos/Isoemu:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=8955
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=12892
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=13365

i.e. a bootloader, nothing virtual!

jaclaz

P.S.: it seems like the download link for
http://sysoft.zdwx.com/download/WimPEsc_Build_env.zip
is broken, any chance to get a new one?

useronce

Feb 16 2006, 07:04 AM

QUOTE (jaclaz @ Feb 16 2006, 11:05 AM)

Wow, useronce, it looks like nice!

Pardon me if I bother you here (did not want to PM you) but, IF and WHEN you have some spare time, could you have a look at this:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=15136

Thank you in advance.
@Ed_P
No it's an evolution of Grub/Grub4dos/Isoemu:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=8955
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=12892
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=13365

i.e. a bootloader, nothing virtual!

jaclaz

P.S.: it seems like the download link for
http://sysoft.zdwx.com/download/WimPEsc_Build_env.zip
is broken, any chance to get a new one?

1. I've sent a email to the author of USBoot;

2. WimPEsc_Build_env.zip can download from here: (Our server is not always stable, for, it is free. ;-) )
http://www.znpc.net/avlgo/WimPE_Build_env.zip

jaclaz

Feb 16 2006, 07:13 AM

QUOTE (useronce @ Feb 16 2006, 01:04 PM)

1. I've sent a email to the author of USBoot;

2. WimPEsc_Build_env.zip can download from here: (Our server is not always stable, for, it is free. ;-) )
http://www.znpc.net/avlgo/WimPE_Build_env.zip

Wow, fast reply!

Thanks,
jaclaz

useronce

Apr 13 2006, 10:17 PM

Avlgomgr 2006 Updated. >> Download <<

What's new?
---------------------------------------
* add a readme.txt;

* add two bootable floppy disk image file for quick-experience;

* add an easter-egg;

* improve the long path support;

Readme.TxT_____________________________________________

QUOTE

Avlgomgr 2006 English Version (ver. 1.4.0.7, English)

Q.A.
---------------------------
* How to simply load a WIMPE/WInPE from HDD?
* How to install Linux from HDD?
* How to start Ghost/Acronis' Boot Disks from my HDD?

This document will not show you the answer, but it can
show you a powerful tool which will help you to answer
these questions.

What is Avlgo, and Avlgomgr
---------------------------

Avlgo is based on Grub0.97. This version is designed
for harddisk use only(Only support Windows NT/2K/2K3/XP).
By using it, you can multiboot your system with a virtual
FDD/HDD/ISO image file. You may know a few about Grub,
and its configuration file: menu.lst. Here is the assembler
of Avlgo, A Windows GUI program, the Avlgomgr - which will
make this operation more easier and more efficient.

Once you give a image file to Avlgomgr, it can show
you the file type: FDD/HDD/ISO image file with a detailed
information of multiboot.

Hi, Avlgo can support gz/ziped FDD/HDD image file to
save your disk space and your time to load a virtual disk.

By using Avlgomgr, you can even load a Bootmgr/NTLDR/
Setupldr.bin from a FAT/NTFS partition.

How to use
------------------------

To specify a Bootable-Image file or a Boot-Loader file,
there are two operation types: Browse or Drag-Drop.

Once you specify a image file/boot laoder file, Avlgo-
mgr will show you the boot-information of this image file.
If this is what you want, just click the 'Assemble' button
to go. ;^)

Tech-Notes
------------------------

* ISO emulation is based on ISOEmu, all limitations of
ISOEmu are effective;

* avldr.bin is the loader of Avlgo.sys (these two files
are generated by Avlgomgr automaticlly). It has a
cool key: 'ALT'. You can hold the ALT-Key, when you
select the NT's boot item named 'Avlgo - xxxx', you
would see a hidden menu. Here, you can control the
boot sequence: to FDD/HDD/CD, or specify another boot
file, even restart your PC.

* For quick experience, you can click the 'Blue-White
Shield' icon of Avlgomgr.exe, here is a special
avlgo.sys, containing a bootable floppy image file,
will be generated and assembled - i.g. Read to boot.

* Here is a Esater-Egg. ;^)

Useful-links
------------------------

> Grub4DOS
http://grub.linuxeden.com/ (zh-CN)

> GNU GRUB Homepage
http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/

> Table of GRUB Command
http://grub4dos.sourceforge.net/grubcmd_en.htm

> Technical Site of Avlgo:
http://www.znpc.net/avlgo

> Technical Site of incoming AviatoR:
http://www.znpc.net/aviator

[NOTE] If you want to develop Avlgo or see how to compile
Grub on Windows, here is the develop-env with full source code of Avlgo:

http://www.znpc.net/avlgo/prjAvlgo.rar

Wish you like it, and enjoy! ;^)

hilander999

Apr 13 2006, 10:37 PM

This looks really cool!! Great job, I can't wait to check it out.

UwOrtWaLt

Apr 14 2006, 05:53 AM

one question??
is it possible to load drivers before i start a OS ??

Nuno Brito

Apr 14 2006, 06:10 AM

Thank you!

I've been searching for a tool like this for days..

Nuno Brito

Apr 14 2006, 06:27 AM

Just downloaded, and started reading documentation.

We can't used compressed ISO images?

Is it possible to add your boot loader native support for zISOfs?

thanks!

pavel

Apr 16 2006, 07:13 AM

Wow, seems very cool and usefull. Two questions:
1) i cann't find the 2 floppy images inside archive
2) is it possible to boot something stored on usb flash drive (pen drive)?

Pavel

useronce

Apr 17 2006, 01:47 AM

to UwOrtWaLt:
----------------------------------
What kind of OS you mentioned here? If it is DOS-based, the answer is yes. ;-)

to Nuno Brito:
----------------------------------
This document of Avlgomgr has some syntax error. ;^)

Here I've provided the source code of Avlgo, so, you must have the power to
improve it.

to pavel:
----------------------------------
1). These two floppies are designed for special use only. One is a
Quick_Experence type: just click on the "Blue-Shield" of the main UI;
And another one is the Easter Egg for us. I cannot show you the location
of and operation for it here. But, you can use a resource hacker to
extract all of them. ;=)

2). If your bios had assigned a drive number to your usb-drive, and Grub can access
it, you can have full access to this usb-drive.

UwOrtWaLt

Apr 17 2006, 05:17 AM

i thought more about a usb-driver loaded before ntldr of xp starts

Nuno Brito

Apr 17 2006, 05:34 AM

Thanks for the explanation useronce, I will surely take a look at it as soon as possible, I know that has been possibly to natively grub boot linux kernels without problems - my goal here was to make a compressed zISOfs file wich would produce 50%~60% smaller sizes than conventional boot images - if you are using a derivation from the GRUB source code then I guess it shouldn't be implemented yet..

If I had some more free time I would definitively try to change that..

QUOTE (UwOrtWaLt @ Apr 17 2006, 10:17 AM)

i thought more about a usb-driver loaded before ntldr of xp starts

You'd probably have more luck booting a freedos image - I would recommend you to use grub4dos - but I think (judging by jaclaz reports) that it doesn't like TSR (terminate and stay resident) programs such as himem, ramdisks CD/DVD and USB support...

I'll have to do some more testings in the future..

grub4dos - is a small application to boot another system loader straight from the DOS prompt like autoexec.bat and supports the NT loader for XP/2003

pavel

Apr 17 2006, 06:24 AM

My trouble with GRUB on fdd booting SDI file stored on pen drive:

I found somewhere grub.ima (fdd image contains grldr and menu.lst), i wrote this to the real floppy. Then i created my Reatogo.sdi file (the "standard" way, decribed on "Hi Sam you are the man") and stored it on my pen drive (usb removable flash disk).

When i boot of my floppy, i use:
chainloader --sdi (hd1,0)/reatogo.sdi --force
root (hd1,0) [or rootnoverify (hd1,0)]
boot

It seem boot, becouse i can see led flashing on pen drive, but a few minutes later i can see Grub message only: error disk.

Is it becouse reatogo.sdi is not an standard sdi file? I mean there is another "start point" than 4096.

Anybode help me?
Pavel

Ophiel X

Jul 6 2006, 08:14 PM

are there any plans to add MBR support to this project?

boot.ini loaders can't possibly correctly handle the makeactive grub setting.
because after your target partition is set active obviously your boot.ini isn't going to be processed anymore.

MBR installation solves this.

RONAY

Aug 8 2006, 04:07 AM

Sfilx

Aug 14 2006, 07:19 PM

Wanderfull

I Tryed.

I have just one problem:
- I Try to add Damn Small Linux (ISO Linux Live CD) and a bartPE WIN XP image (ISO).. but after the boot a beautifull

Black Screen is presented....

I read in the documentation that :

2. Requirement and limitations of Avlgo
c) ISOEmu doesn’t support protected mode’s emulation（e.g. WinPE、WimPE、
WinXP.Embedded and Linux LiveCD）；

That's means that don't work or someone is more luky than me?

I post here a little question...

I have a USB-HDD and I want to have a folder with
/iso/Damn Small Linux.iso
/iso/Fedora.iso
/iso/Recovery System.iso
...
...
And I want a Menu at boot for choosing what I want..
AvLgoMgr is perfect .. but dosn't work.. Some One have another Idea? ( I read a lot of post... but I'm still confused..)

Tanks a lot

Sfilx

Aug 15 2006, 11:05 AM

wanderfull day.... nothing work..

I tryed to install syslinux and grub, grub4dos, ieldr ... but don't boot this damned iso.......

jaclaz

Aug 17 2006, 11:41 AM

I don't get it.

Avlgomgr has some limitations, stated:

QUOTE

2. Requirement and limitations of Avlgo
c) ISOEmu doesn’t support protected mode’s emulation(e.g. WinPE、WimPE、
WinXP.Embedded and Linux LiveCD);

These comprehend what you are trying to do.

If they were working, do you think that they would have been listed as "limitations"?

As far as I know, there is NO tool that can do what you want to, i.e. booting ANY .ISO file.

But every single OS you are willing to boot CAN be booted when on a CD/DVD, but NOT in the way you "want".

jaclaz

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