E2B #4: UEFI-multiboot using the a1ive grub2 File Manager
By
Steve Si
Learn about the grub2-based agFM menu system used in Easy2Boot v2.
eBook #4 v1.19 and later are for agFM v1.69 and later
PDF file (download future updated versions for free).
Now you can Secure UEFI-boot and run ISO, VHD, EFI and WIM files.
UEFI-boot to Linux livecd ISOs or Windows Install ISOs. Just copy the ISOs onto the USB drive.
Add Ventoy.
Step-by-step Exercises are included for Linux ISOs, WinPE\Strelec,HirensPE\BobOmbs PE\Windows Installs + automation of app installs, Linux+persistence, etc.
Contents (subjecyt to change):
Chapter 1 - Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4
Free Bonus! ................................................................................................................................... 4
Chapter 2 - Glossary of Terms............................................................................................................ 5
Chapter 3 - Make an E2B+agFM multiboot USB drive......................................................................... 7
Make a new USB drive................................................................................................................... 8
Create a larger partition 2 (and a partition 3) ............................................................................. 9
Do you have an existing E2B USB drive?..................................................................................... 9
Chapter 4 - Using the E2B USB drive ................................................................................................ 10
Exercise 1: MBR-boot to the E2B menu.................................................................................... 11
Exercise 2: UEFI-boot to the E2B agFM menu........................................................................... 12
BIOS Boot selection ..................................................................................................................... 14
Exercise 3: Boot from the MemTest86 Partition Image ............................................................ 15
Chapter 5 - The a1ive grub2 File Manager (agFM)............................................................................ 18
Contents of the agFM FAT partition ............................................................................................. 20
Boot agFM from the E2B menu.................................................................................................... 21
Clover...................................................................................................................................... 21
Chapter 6 - Add payload files........................................................................................................... 22
Linux ISOs.................................................................................................................................... 23
Exercise 4: Add an Ubuntu 64-bit ISO....................................................................................... 25
Exercise 5: Ubuntu 64-bit ISO with persistence ........................................................................ 26
Exercise 6: Using .grubFM files (Norton Bootable Recovery Tool)............................................. 28
Exercise 7: Using .cfg files (Norton Bootable Recovery Tool) .................................................... 31
Chapter 7 - Adding AntiVirus ISOs.................................................................................................... 32
Chapter 8 - Adding WinPE ISOs ........................................................................................................ 33
Chapter 9 - Booting from .WIM files and .VHD files.......................................................................... 34
Chapter 10 - Booting Windows Install ISOs ...................................................................................... 35
Exercise 8: Semi-automated Windows 10 install + applications ................................................ 35
Exercise 9: Windows 10 install using a .cfg file ......................................................................... 38
Chapter 11 - Creating an agFM grub2 StartUp menu........................................................................ 40
Password................................................................................................................................. 40
Make a User Startup menu .......................................................................................................... 40
Setting a ‘theme’ ......................................................................................................................... 42
Exercise 10: Add the 'Seven-of-Nine' theme............................................................................. 43
Hotkey icons ............................................................................................................................ 45
Chapter 12 - Grub2 configuration file syntax.................................................................................... 46
Words ......................................................................................................................................... 46
Reserved words........................................................................................................................... 46
Quoting ....................................................................................................................................... 46
Variable expansion ...................................................................................................................... 46
Comments................................................................................................................................... 47
Simple commands ....................................................................................................................... 47
Compound commands................................................................................................................. 47
Built-in Commands ...................................................................................................................... 48
Chapter 13 - How agFM works......................................................................................................... 49
init.sh (contents subject to change) ............................................................................................. 50
\boot\grubfm\types\vhd............................................................................................................. 51
Syntax of a 'types' file .................................................................................................................. 52
User scripts.............................................................................................................................. 53
Chapter 14 - Making bespoke .cfg and .grubfm files......................................................................... 54
.grubfm files ................................................................................................................................ 54
.cfg files....................................................................................................................................... 54
Summary ................................................................................................................................. 54
Example: XUbuntu_x64_persistent.cfg..................................................................................... 55
Chapter 15 - Troubleshooting agFM................................................................................................. 58
Linux ISO boot issues ................................................................................................................... 58
Theme error - 'alloc magic is broken' ........................................................................................... 59
.cfg and .grubfm debugging ......................................................................................................... 59
Chapter 16 - The chapters below can also be found in eBook #3...................................................... 60
Chapter 17 - Bootable devices (always use USB 3 devices!).............................................................. 61
Chapter 18 - About partition image files (.imgPTN files)................................................................... 63
Chapter 19 - Using partition images with E2B .................................................................................. 64
Simple case.................................................................................................................................. 64
Switching-in '23' partition images ................................................................................................ 64
SWITCH_E2B.exe ......................................................................................................................... 66
rEFInd and Secure Boot ............................................................................................................... 67
Using Secure Boot payloads......................................................................................................... 68
Chapter 20 - Important BIOS bugs and features that you really need to know about! ...................... 69
Chapter 21 - So how does UEFI-booting actually work then? ........................................................... 70
UEFI booting................................................................................................................................ 71
UEFI-multibooting using .imgPTN files ......................................................................................... 72
EFI Shell....................................................................................................................................... 73
Chapter 22 - Secure Boot................................................................................................................. 75
About UEFI Security (PK, KEK, DB and DBX) .................................................................................. 75
Platform Key (PK)..................................................................................................................... 75
Key Exchange Key (KEK) ........................................................................................................... 75
Whitelist Database (DB) ........................................................................................................... 76
Blacklist Database (DBX) .......................................................................................................... 76
Machine Owner Key (MOK)...................................................................................................... 76
How Secure Boot works............................................................................................................... 76
Secure Boot and Mok Manager.................................................................................................... 78
How to disable Secure Boot ......................................................................................................... 79
Add a Mini WinPE .wim file.......................................................................................................... 81
Exercise 11: Windows 10 x64 install (large ISOs) ...................................................................... 83
How to use the Windows 10 partition image ........................................................................... 85
Chapter 23 - Bootable All-In-One ToolKits........................................................................................ 86
Chapter 24 - Defragging the E2B USB drive ...................................................................................... 87
Chapter 25 - Links to sources ........................................................................................................... 88
eBook #4 v1.19 and later are for agFM v1.69 and later
PDF file (download future updated versions for free).
Now you can Secure UEFI-boot and run ISO, VHD, EFI and WIM files.
UEFI-boot to Linux livecd ISOs or Windows Install ISOs. Just copy the ISOs onto the USB drive.
Add Ventoy.
Step-by-step Exercises are included for Linux ISOs, WinPE\Strelec,HirensPE\BobOmbs PE\Windows Installs + automation of app installs, Linux+persistence, etc.
Contents (subjecyt to change):
Chapter 1 - Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4
Free Bonus! ................................................................................................................................... 4
Chapter 2 - Glossary of Terms............................................................................................................ 5
Chapter 3 - Make an E2B+agFM multiboot USB drive......................................................................... 7
Make a new USB drive................................................................................................................... 8
Create a larger partition 2 (and a partition 3) ............................................................................. 9
Do you have an existing E2B USB drive?..................................................................................... 9
Chapter 4 - Using the E2B USB drive ................................................................................................ 10
Exercise 1: MBR-boot to the E2B menu.................................................................................... 11
Exercise 2: UEFI-boot to the E2B agFM menu........................................................................... 12
BIOS Boot selection ..................................................................................................................... 14
Exercise 3: Boot from the MemTest86 Partition Image ............................................................ 15
Chapter 5 - The a1ive grub2 File Manager (agFM)............................................................................ 18
Contents of the agFM FAT partition ............................................................................................. 20
Boot agFM from the E2B menu.................................................................................................... 21
Clover...................................................................................................................................... 21
Chapter 6 - Add payload files........................................................................................................... 22
Linux ISOs.................................................................................................................................... 23
Exercise 4: Add an Ubuntu 64-bit ISO....................................................................................... 25
Exercise 5: Ubuntu 64-bit ISO with persistence ........................................................................ 26
Exercise 6: Using .grubFM files (Norton Bootable Recovery Tool)............................................. 28
Exercise 7: Using .cfg files (Norton Bootable Recovery Tool) .................................................... 31
Chapter 7 - Adding AntiVirus ISOs.................................................................................................... 32
Chapter 8 - Adding WinPE ISOs ........................................................................................................ 33
Chapter 9 - Booting from .WIM files and .VHD files.......................................................................... 34
Chapter 10 - Booting Windows Install ISOs ...................................................................................... 35
Exercise 8: Semi-automated Windows 10 install + applications ................................................ 35
Exercise 9: Windows 10 install using a .cfg file ......................................................................... 38
Chapter 11 - Creating an agFM grub2 StartUp menu........................................................................ 40
Password................................................................................................................................. 40
Make a User Startup menu .......................................................................................................... 40
Setting a ‘theme’ ......................................................................................................................... 42
Exercise 10: Add the 'Seven-of-Nine' theme............................................................................. 43
Hotkey icons ............................................................................................................................ 45
Chapter 12 - Grub2 configuration file syntax.................................................................................... 46
Words ......................................................................................................................................... 46
Reserved words........................................................................................................................... 46
Quoting ....................................................................................................................................... 46
Variable expansion ...................................................................................................................... 46
Comments................................................................................................................................... 47
Simple commands ....................................................................................................................... 47
Compound commands................................................................................................................. 47
Built-in Commands ...................................................................................................................... 48
Chapter 13 - How agFM works......................................................................................................... 49
init.sh (contents subject to change) ............................................................................................. 50
\boot\grubfm\types\vhd............................................................................................................. 51
Syntax of a 'types' file .................................................................................................................. 52
User scripts.............................................................................................................................. 53
Chapter 14 - Making bespoke .cfg and .grubfm files......................................................................... 54
.grubfm files ................................................................................................................................ 54
.cfg files....................................................................................................................................... 54
Summary ................................................................................................................................. 54
Example: XUbuntu_x64_persistent.cfg..................................................................................... 55
Chapter 15 - Troubleshooting agFM................................................................................................. 58
Linux ISO boot issues ................................................................................................................... 58
Theme error - 'alloc magic is broken' ........................................................................................... 59
.cfg and .grubfm debugging ......................................................................................................... 59
Chapter 16 - The chapters below can also be found in eBook #3...................................................... 60
Chapter 17 - Bootable devices (always use USB 3 devices!).............................................................. 61
Chapter 18 - About partition image files (.imgPTN files)................................................................... 63
Chapter 19 - Using partition images with E2B .................................................................................. 64
Simple case.................................................................................................................................. 64
Switching-in '23' partition images ................................................................................................ 64
SWITCH_E2B.exe ......................................................................................................................... 66
rEFInd and Secure Boot ............................................................................................................... 67
Using Secure Boot payloads......................................................................................................... 68
Chapter 20 - Important BIOS bugs and features that you really need to know about! ...................... 69
Chapter 21 - So how does UEFI-booting actually work then? ........................................................... 70
UEFI booting................................................................................................................................ 71
UEFI-multibooting using .imgPTN files ......................................................................................... 72
EFI Shell....................................................................................................................................... 73
Chapter 22 - Secure Boot................................................................................................................. 75
About UEFI Security (PK, KEK, DB and DBX) .................................................................................. 75
Platform Key (PK)..................................................................................................................... 75
Key Exchange Key (KEK) ........................................................................................................... 75
Whitelist Database (DB) ........................................................................................................... 76
Blacklist Database (DBX) .......................................................................................................... 76
Machine Owner Key (MOK)...................................................................................................... 76
How Secure Boot works............................................................................................................... 76
Secure Boot and Mok Manager.................................................................................................... 78
How to disable Secure Boot ......................................................................................................... 79
Add a Mini WinPE .wim file.......................................................................................................... 81
Exercise 11: Windows 10 x64 install (large ISOs) ...................................................................... 83
How to use the Windows 10 partition image ........................................................................... 85
Chapter 23 - Bootable All-In-One ToolKits........................................................................................ 86
Chapter 24 - Defragging the E2B USB drive ...................................................................................... 87
Chapter 25 - Links to sources ........................................................................................................... 88
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