Freeware boot loader for XP/Linux ?

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?St=E9phane_K=F6nigsd=F6rfer?=]

Hello,

I have Windows XP and Linux (RH 8.0) installed on my PC, and use GRUB
(coming with Linux) to manage dual boot.
I have some problems with GRUB (long -several minutes - wait before
coming to the screen with the OS choice), and wondered if some freeware
boot loaders (Windows applications ?) could replace GRUB.

Any advice ?

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

Stéphane Königsdörfer wrote in

I have Windows XP and Linux (RH 8.0) installed on my PC, and use GRUB
(coming with Linux) to manage dual boot.
I have some problems with GRUB (long -several minutes - wait before
coming to the screen with the OS choice), and wondered if some freeware
boot loaders (Windows applications ?) could replace GRUB.

XOSL<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2004/PL2004SYSTEMUTILITIES.php#0870-PW>

See links at sites mentioned there, and also search past messages in
this group for "XOSL" for more info:
<http://google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware+XOSL>
(also try a search for bootmanager/loader etc)

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[CharlieDontSurf]

Hello,

I have Windows XP and Linux (RH 8.0) installed on my PC, and use GRUB
(coming with Linux) to manage dual boot.
I have some problems with GRUB (long -several minutes - wait before
coming to the screen with the OS choice), and wondered if some freeware
boot loaders (Windows applications ?) could replace GRUB.

Any advice ?

I have a triple-boot setup with XP, Mandrake, and Yoper, and I use
Windows as the bootloader. It's ass-backwards from the way everyone else
does it, but I like it.

I install LILO on each Linux partition, then run this command from a
Linux shell:

dd if/dev/hda7 of=/mandrake.lnx bs=512 count=1

infile being whichever partition Linux is on, outfile being whatever you
want to name the file.

Then I copy mandrake.lnx to the Windows root and add this line to
boot.ini:

C:\MANDRAKE.LNX=Mandrake_Linux

Then when I reboot, I'm presented with a choice to run XP or
Mandrake_Linux. Of course, choosing Linux raises LILO instead of a
straightaway boot, so there's an extra step. But I like not having 3rd
party apps screwing around on my primary boot sector.

 

[CharlieDontSurf]

dd if/dev/hda7 of=/mandrake.lnx bs=512 count=1

Whoops. That should read:

dd if=/dev/hda7 of=/mandrake.lnx bs=512 count=1

 

[Wayne D]

Hello,

I have Windows XP and Linux (RH 8.0) installed on my PC, and use GRUB
(coming with Linux) to manage dual boot.
I have some problems with GRUB (long -several minutes - wait before
coming to the screen with the OS choice), and wondered if some freeware
boot loaders (Windows applications ?) could replace GRUB.

Any advice ?

Use GAG and you no longer have to use LILO.

I have used GAG for over 2 years and on at least 10 computers and have
never had a problem

http://gag.sourceforge.net/index.html

http://gag.sourceforge.net/download.html

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gag


"Current version: 4.4

GAG (initials, in spanish, of Graphical Boot Manager) is a Boot Manager
program. It's loaded when the computer is turned on and allows you to
choose the operating system you want to use.

Its main features are:

* Allows boot of up to 9 different operating systems.
* It can boot operating systems installed in primary and extended
partitions on any available hard disk.
* Can be installed from nearly all operating systems.
* GAG doesn't need its own partition. It installs itself in the first
track of the hard disk, wich is reserved for these kinds of programs. It
can also be instaled on a floppy disk, without using the hard disk.
* It has a timer to boot a default operating system (selectable by the
user).
* The configuration menu can be protected with a password.
* The program works in graphic mode (needs a VGA or better graphic card),
and has a lot of icons.
* Hides the primary partitions which allows the user to have instaled
more than one DOS and/or Windows in the same hard disk.
* Allows a password to be put on each operating system, denying access to
non-authorized people.
* Allows the boot manager text to be translated to all languages.
* Can exchange disk drives, allowing to boot from the second, third...
hard disk operating systems such as MS-DOS.
* Has the SafeBoot system, that allows to boot your hard disk even if GAG
is accidentally overwrited.
* Supports a great variety of keyboards (QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ and
DVORAK keyboards).
* Fully support for hard disks up to 4 terabytes (4096 gigabytes).
* Full version and free software (distributed under GPL licence, with
source code)"

Regards

Wayne D

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

http://gag.sourceforge.net/index.html
http://gag.sourceforge.net/download.html
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gag

Sounds like a nice app, would have tried it if I where looking to
start fresh now(but currently using and happy with XOSL).

Anyway... How about adding a program descriptions for it for the
upcoming nomination? (XOSL only bootmanager in the current PL)
See the following message (and thread started by) Susan:
<and
"Notes on preparing program descriptions" near end on
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2005/2005PL-Procedures.php>

Note to Susan: need to add GAG to
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/acf/P_ProgramIndex.php>

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Susan Bugher]

Note to Susan: need to add GAG to
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/acf/P_ProgramIndex.php>

It's already there: Graphical Boot Manager (GAG)

Hint: using "find" is a good way to locate acronyms and other name
variations (search for just part of the name etc. etc.)

over 3000 apps listed now. . . chances are *fairly* good that the app
you're looking for is there *somewhere*.

Susan

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

It's already there: Graphical Boot Manager (GAG)

Giggle, next time I'll Google.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Susan Bugher]

Giggle, next time I'll Google.

he he

hmmmmm. . . Google couldn't find X-ray (X-Ray Mail Assistant) when I
spelled it Xray. . . rats. . .

I'm getting to be a bit of an expert on name variations. . . I get all
goggle-eyed just thinking about it (feel free to gag).


Susan

 

[jo]

hmmmmm. . . Google couldn't find X-ray (X-Ray Mail Assistant) when I
spelled it Xray. . . rats. . .

Newbie.

xray mail gives X-Ray mail assistant as the first hit.

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

Sounds like a nice app, would have tried it if I where looking to
start fresh now(but currently using and happy with XOSL).

Anyway... How about adding a program descriptions for it for the
upcoming nomination? (XOSL only bootmanager in the current PL)
See the following message (and thread started by) Susan:
<and
"Notes on preparing program descriptions" near end on
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2005/2005PL-Procedures.php>

Hey Wayne D, wake up!

GAG <http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/acf/P_SYSTEMUTILITIES.php#1748>
is not on the nominations list yet
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2005/2005PL-Nominations.php>.

Would like to see GAG there, even if I have not used it my self (happy
with XOSL and no time to experiment with a new one), since from what I
have read - it sounds very good, and the PL could a additional boot
manager I think. The 2004 list only lists one, XOSL,
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2004/PL2004SYSTEMUTILITIES.php#BootManager>
or two if you include the simple one included with Ranish Partition
Manager (which states in the readme.txt: "If you need a better boot
manager than one that comes with part.exe, please, check out
XOSL[...]" In short, add GAG - and I'll vote for it too.

All the best
Bjorn Simonsen