Major Multi Boot CD

[zippido]

Hi Guys,

I just spent the last few weeks making a multiboot MiniDVD using Magic ISO to create the boot menu, then using cdimage to compile it.

Anyway I'v been using MS virtual PC to test it and to work out all the bugs, lastnight I finally got it working fine, well that is on the Virtual PC. So I burn it to DVD. Thing is that my PC seems to hang at the bit where it checking the boot options of the CD/DVD but the image and the DVD both work in MS virtual PC. It not my options in the BIOS as i have tried it on a few different makes of PC's and different Bios's.

Does any one have any Idea why this could be happening or how i can resolve the issue?

Edited December 19, 2005 by zippido

[CptMurphy]

What you might need to do is upgrade the BIOS on the machine. However, that in mind, remember that even though you are using the DVD in MS VPC(virtual PC) that it's running the "boot" off of RAM. Whereas in the real world, it's off of the BIOS and HD and whatever else it uses. It might also just be the technique that you used to make the DVD. If you want to save some guesswork. You could try Flyakite's technique. It seems to be the most compatible. I'm sorry you can't get the performance you want but hopefully a change in technique would work. If you don't want to do that, I guess it's just a small price to pay for a multi-boot DVD.

[phatcat42141]

Hi Guys,

I just spent the last few weeks making a multiboot MiniDVD using Magic ISO to create the boot menu, then using cdimage to compile it.

Anyway I'v been using MS virtual PC to test it and to work out all the bugs, lastnight I finally got it working fine, well that is on the Virtual PC. So I burn it to DVD. Thing is that my PC seems to hang at the bit where it checking the boot options of the CD/DVD but the image and the DVD both work in MS virtual PC. It not my options in the BIOS as i have tried it on a few different makes of PC's and different Bios's.

Does any one have any Idea why this could be happening or how i can resolve the issue?

I had trouble at first like this. Mine wouldn't boot off my DVD RW/CD RW drive even though my Bios was set right. So I took another DVD ROM to a friends house and tried to boot the disk there and it worked so I installed the DVD ROM on my machine at home and choose the options for the DVD ROM to boot first then the DVD RW/CD RW to boot second then the harddrive. Well I booted up with the disk in the DVD ROM and it worked fine. This made me think that the DVD RW/CD RW would not let me boot this type of multiboot disk (MagicISO makes the boot menu out of a *.bin file instead of cdimage file) so I took my DVD RW/CD RW to my friends house and tried it and the disk would not boot at all. When we tried the disk on 4 other machines that had a DVD RW the disk would not work. But it has worked fine in every machine that had a DVD ROM. Why this is we have yet to figure that out.

[CptMurphy]

What settings do you have the dvd burner in? Is it Master, Slave, or Single? Also, you might try to upgrade your firmware.

[zippido]

m3n70r, sorry mate but I know its not my firmware or BIOS as, like i said in the intial post I have tried it on differnd PC thus different DVD-roms and different BIOS.

phatcat42141, your a star!!! Thanks to your reply I figured out what was wrong in a round about way!! I was manunally pointing cdimage to the mboot.bin fill which seems to be the problem. Once I extract the BIF boot info using Magic ISO. Then using cdminage, point the boot section to the bif file it instead of the mboot.bin file.

My multiboot DVD now boots using virtual PCs and real PCs :-)

Edited December 23, 2005 by zippido

[The008]

hey guys, what program do you prefer to make yours multiboot cds/dvds?

I use BCDW2, but I want to know if is there any better and easier. I tried CDShell but I didn't liked. MagicISO is not so good, EasyBoot didn't worked when I tried... so actually I use only BCDW2. Does anyone knows any other good program to make multiboot cds/dvds????

[Daemonforce]

Why don't you like CD Shell?

I like it because I can configure it to the highest extent that I like without making something look like total crap. I have yet to see BCDW but I bet it's nifty. My first exposure to multiboot disks was a year ago when WinBeta introduced a 4-in-1. Ever since then I have used CD Shell because it looks better. I have a disc that conforms to my needs too.

[The008]

I don't like CDSHell because I don't know how to use it. I think it's a little dificult to make a boot cd/dvd using it, I prefer BCDW2: it's easier and customizable. But I'm trying to understand how CDShell works and I'll make a boot cd using it to compare which would be better.

[amd64lover]

did you read Flyakite's guide? It took me several times to understand it, but its only because it looks overwhelming at first, but its really not. Its a simple concept... You put an option on the screen and assign each option a variable (like print "Press '2' to install Windows 2000 Pro \n), then tell the program what to do once that option is selected (if $lastKey == key[2]; then chain /2PRO.DAT ---> which tells it to look in the 2PRO.DAT file for boot instructions, which in turns starts the Windows 2000 Setup).

Try reading his instructions on how to do it and let us know if you need help.

Edited December 25, 2005 by amd64lover

[Daemonforce]

I don't like CDSHell because I don't know how to use it. I think it's a little dificult to make a boot cd/dvd using it, I prefer BCDW2: it's easier and customizable. But I'm trying to understand how CDShell works and I'll make a boot cd using it to compare which would be better.

Well I didn't know how to use Diskemu when Winbeta released the ultimate XP disc, but that didn't stop me. o_O

Go to CDShell.org and it will explain everything. When I went there I finally noticed something I was doing wrong at the end of each line.

It's just like Microsoft's programming. You'll get used to it.

[The008]

@amd64lover: I'll read Flyakite's guide, but that guide is for DVDs, isn't? I still use CDS (oh no!), but I'll buy a DVD Recorder as soon as I could. I'll read it, and try to apply on a CD. Thanks!!!!

@Daemonforce: I'll take a look at CDShell.org, because the last time I got there I couldn't find what I wanted, but this time I'll be patience and I'll look for what I may be doing wrong. Thanks!!!!

[Daemonforce]

I'll read Flyakite's guide, but that guide is for DVDs, isn't? I still use CDS (oh no!), but I'll buy a DVD Recorder as soon as I could.

I had to do without a DVD drive for several years until this one. For all I care a DVD is just a CD with 7x the writable space(NOTE: No I'm not overburning DVDs....Yet. o.O).

I'll read it, and try to apply on a CD. Thanks!!!!

I'll take a look at CDShell.org, because the last time I got there I couldn't find what I wanted

Neither could I but it took a bit of clicking to find what I needed. The Bootscriptor site wasn't much help to me so you might want to stick to the CDShell site too.

but this time I'll be patience and I'll look for what I may be doing wrong. Thanks!!!!

You're not doing anything wrong. o.O You just don't know what want or what you're doing.

Look for the command list and don't worry if you get CPU halts in vmware. There are weird issues when using memdisk over diskemu, so only use the one that works on your stuff.