How to get Windows Vista to boot 150+ Linux


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Thread: How to get Windows Vista to boot 150+ Linux

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978

    How to get Windows Vista to boot 150+ Linux

    This is possibly the laziest thing I have ever done ----> I did everything by a python script.

    I have a PC with 150+ LInux inside spreading over 5 hard disks; hda, hdc, hdd, sda and sdb. It is pre-libATA era where Pata disk device names were used in Linux and a Pata disk could have 63 partitions. I got Dos, Windows, BSD and Solaris too in the same PC but they need special steps, like hiding and unhiding partitions, re-mapping disk order etc, which are beyond the capability of Vista boot loader. Thus I settled for just booting the 150+ Linux inside, as a way to stretch Vista's boot loader.

    The booting of the systems is handled by Grub. I have a sub-menu, called Asrock.lst, for the Linux systems listed below
    Code:
    title        Puppy 1.0.6 @ hda6
    root         (hd0,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Videolinux 2.0 @ hda7
    root         (hd0,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandrake 9.2 @ hda8
    root         (hd0,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Turbo Linux V7 @ hda9
    root         (hd0,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        elive 0.3 @ hda10
    root         (hd0,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Red Hat 9 @ hda11
    root         (hd0,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Lycoris 4 @ hda12
    root         (hd0,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Libranet 2.8.1 @ hda13
    root         (hd0,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandrake 10 @ hda14
    root         (hd0,13)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Debian Woody 3.0 @ hda15
    root         (hd0,14)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Yoper 2.0.0 @ hda16
    root         (hd0,15)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Knoppix 3.6 @ hda17
    root         (hd0,16)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Buffalo 1.5 @ hda18
    root         (hd0,17)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kanotix 9.2004 @ hda19
    root         (hd0,18)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kalango 3.2 @ hda20
    root         (hd0,19)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Blag 30001 @ hda21
    root         (hd0,20)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 4 @ hda22
    root         (hd0,21)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Debian Sarge @ hda23
    root         (hd0,22)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Red Flag 4.1 @ hda24
    root         (hd0,23)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Linare Ed 2 @ hda25
    root         (hd0,24)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Tiny Sofa 2.0 @ hda26
    root         (hd0,25)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slackware 10 @ hda27
    root         (hd0,26)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Xandros 201 @ hda28
    root         (hd0,27)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vine 3.2 @ hda29
    root         (hd0,28)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Specifix 0.15 @ hda30
    root         (hd0,29)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubunto 5.04 @ hda31
    root         (hd0,30)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        PCLinuxos 0.91 @ hda32
    root         (hd0,31)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Asian Linux 2.0 @ hda33
    root         (hd0,32)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 6.04 Dapper @ hda34
    root         (hd0,33)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Wolvix 1.0.4 @ hda35
    root         (hd0,34)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mepis 3.4.2 RC2 @ hda36
    root         (hd0,35)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        DreamLinux 1.0 @ hda37
    root         (hd0,36)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slampp 1.1 @ hda38
    root         (hd0,37)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slax 5.0.6 @ hda39
    root         (hd0,38)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        PCLinuxos 0.92 @ hda40
    root         (hd0,39)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Netsecl 2.0 @ hda41
    root         (hd0,40)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vector 5.1 @ hda42
    root         (hd0,41)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Suse 10 @ hda43
    root         (hd0,42)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kororaa 2005 Beta 2 @ hda44
    root         (hd0,43)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        smgl 0.95 @ hda45
    root         (hd0,44)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Lunar 1.6 rc3  @ hda46
    root         (hd0,45)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Foresight 0.93 @ hda47
    root         (hd0,46)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        SkoleLinux Sarge @ hda48
    root         (hd0,47)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Nepalinux 1.0 @ hda49
    root         (hd0,48)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Klax 3.5 @ hda50
    root         (hd0,49)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        SciLinux 2005 @ hda51
    root         (hd0,50)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Progeny 2.0 @ hda52
    root         (hd0,51)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        grml 0.6 @ hda53
    root         (hd0,52)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Karamad 1.4.2 @ hda54
    root         (hd0,53)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Whax 3.0 @ hda55
    root         (hd0,54)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Troppix 1.2 @ hda56
    root         (hd0,55)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        TopologLinux 6.0 @ hda57
    root         (hd0,56)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Haansoft 2006 WS @ hda58
    root         (hd0,57)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 3 @ hda59
    root         (hd0,58)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        ScientificLinux 4.0 @ hda60
    root         (hd0,59)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slynux 2.0 @ hda61
    root         (hd0,60)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slax 5.1.8 @ hda62
    root         (hd0,61)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Elive 2 @ hda63
    root         (hd0,62)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        B2D Pure KDE 2005 @ hdc5
    root         (hd1,4)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        CollegeLInux @ hdc6
    root         (hd1,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Berry 0.76 @ hdc7
    root         (hd1,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Morphix 0.4 @ hdc8
    root         (hd1,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Feather 0.74 @ hdc9
    root         (hd1,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Buffalo 1.7.3.9 @ hdc10
    root         (hd1,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Cento 4.1 @ hdc11
    root         (hd1,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vector 4.3 @ hdc12
    root         (hd1,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Tao Linux 4 @ hdc13
    root         (hd1,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 2 @ hdc14
    root         (hd1,13)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Agnula Demudi 1.2 @ hdc15
    root         (hd1,14)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Damn Small Linux 2.1 @ hdc16
    root         (hd1,15)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Monoppix 1.1.8 @ hdc17
    root         (hd1,16)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sympony A4 beta @ hdc18
    root         (hd1,17)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Pocket Linux 1.2 @ hdc19
    root         (hd1,18)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        UltimaLInux 4.0 @ hdc20
    root         (hd1,19)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vlos 1.2 @ hdc21
    root         (hd1,20)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Tinny Sofa Ceara @ hdc22
    root         (hd1,21)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        64 Studio 0.6 @ hdc23
    root         (hd1,22)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        KateOS 2.2 @ hdc24
    root         (hd1,23)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Rubix 1.0 @ hdc25
    root         (hd1,24)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sam 2006-1 @ hdc26
    root         (hd1,25)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Parsix 0.85 @ hdc27
    root         (hd1,26)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Foxdesktop 1.0 @ hdc28
    root         (hd1,27)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kanotix 64 2005-4 @ hdc29
    root         (hd1,28)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Pardus 1.0 @ hdc30
    root         (hd1,29)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        rPath 0.99.2 @ hdc31
    root         (hd1,30)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Stx 1.0 rc2 @ hdc32
    root         (hd1,31)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Stux 0.9.2 @ hdc33
    root         (hd1,32)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        StartCom 4.0.4 Raam @ hdc34
    root         (hd1,33)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slackware 10.2 @ hdc35
    root         (hd1,34)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Foresight 0.9 @ hdc36
    root         (hd1,35)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Xandros 3.0 @ hdc37
    root         (hd1,36)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 5.10 @ hdc38
    root         (hd1,37)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kubuntu Dapper @ hdc39
    root         (hd1,38)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Gentoo 2006.1 @ hdc40
    root         (hd1,39)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        LinuxTLE 8.0 @ hdc41
    root         (hd1,40)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Underground 2.2 @ hdc42
    root         (hd1,41)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        DreamLinux 2.1 @ hdc43
    root         (hd1,42)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Linux Mint 2.1 @ hdc44
    root         (hd1,43)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Pioneer 1125 @ hdc45
    root         (hd1,44)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 7.04 @ hdc46
    root         (hd1,45)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Bayanihan 4 @ hdc47
    root         (hd1,46)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandriva 2007 @ hdc48
    root         (hd1,47)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Freespire 1.1.73 @ hdc49
    root         (hd1,48)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Caixa Majica 11 @ hdc50
    root         (hd1,49)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ehad 2006 classic @ hdc51
    root         (hd1,50)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vlos 1.3 @ hdc52
    root         (hd1,51)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Backtrack 2006-2 @ hdc53
    root         (hd1,52)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 6.06 @ hdc54
    root         (hd1,53)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Blag 30002 @ hdc55
    root         (hd1,54)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 5 @ hdc56
    root         (hd1,55)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Suse 9.1 Professional @ hdc57
    root         (hd1,56)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vine 4.0 @ hdc58
    root         (hd1,57)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Wolvix 1.0.5 @ hdc59
    root         (hd1,58)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdc60
    root         (hd1,59)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdc61
    root         (hd1,60)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdc62
    root         (hd1,61)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mepis 6.0.4  @ hdc63
    root         (hd1,62)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Wolvix 1.0.5 @ hdd5
    root         (hd2,4)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        System Rescue CD 2.1.6 @ hdd6
    root         (hd2,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Knoppix 5.1.1.1 @ hdd7
    root         (hd2,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        DSL 3.2 RC3 @ hdd8
    root         (hd2,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Grafpup 2000 @ hdd9
    root         (hd2,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd10
    root         (hd2,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd11
    root         (hd2,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd12
    root         (hd2,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd13
    root         (hd2,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd14
    root         (hd2,13)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd15
    root         (hd2,14)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd16
    root         (hd2,15)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd17
    root         (hd2,16)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd18
    root         (hd2,17)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd19
    root         (hd2,18)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd20
    root         (hd2,19)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd21
    root         (hd2,20)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd22
    root         (hd2,21)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd23
    root         (hd2,22)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd24
    root         (hd2,23)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd25
    root         (hd2,24)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd26
    root         (hd2,25)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd27
    root         (hd2,26)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd28
    root         (hd2,27)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd29
    root         (hd2,28)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd30
    root         (hd2,29)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd31
    root         (hd2,30)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd32
    root         (hd2,31)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd33
    root         (hd2,32)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd34
    root         (hd2,33)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd35
    root         (hd2,34)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd36
    root         (hd2,35)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd37
    root         (hd2,36)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd38
    root         (hd2,37)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd39
    root         (hd2,38)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd40
    root         (hd2,39)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd41
    root         (hd2,40)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd42
    root         (hd2,41)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd43
    root         (hd2,42)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd44
    root         (hd2,43)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd45
    root         (hd2,44)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd46
    root         (hd2,45)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd47
    root         (hd2,46)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd48
    root         (hd2,47)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mutagenix 2.6.18.6.2 @ hdd49
    root         (hd2,48)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sidux 6.0 Live CD @ hdd50
    root         (hd2,49)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        PCLinuxOS 2007 Test 2 @ hdd51
    root         (hd2,50)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Suse 10.3 Alpha 1 @ hdd52
    root         (hd2,51)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandriva 2007 @ hdd53
    root         (hd2,52)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Symphony 2006-12 @ hdd54
    root         (hd2,53)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        SLax 6.0.0 @ hdd55
    root         (hd2,54)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Parted Magic 1.3 @ hdd56
    root         (hd2,55)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        lg3d 3.0 @ hdd57
    root         (hd2,56)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        SaxenOS 1.1 @ hdd58
    root         (hd2,57)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sidux 2007-01 @ hdd59
    root         (hd2,58)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mepies 6.0.4 @ hdd60
    root         (hd2,59)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Backtrack 2.0 @ hdd61
    root         (hd2,60)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sam 2007 -T1 @ hdd62
    root         (hd2,61)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Xenoppix 3.0.3  @ sda2
    root         (hd3,1)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Musix 0.39 @ sda3
    root         (hd3,2)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        GeoLivre 5 @ sda5
    root         (hd3,4)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ututu x2 2005.1 @ sda6
    root         (hd3,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Helix 1.7 @ sda7
    root         (hd3,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        MagicLinux 2 rc2 @ sda8
    root         (hd3,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Zenwalk 1.2 @ sda9
    root         (hd3,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        MedianLinux  4.0 @ sda10
    root         (hd3,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        NetBSD i386 3.0  @ sda11
    root         (hd3,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Arabian 0.6 rc1 @ sda12
    root         (hd3,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mepis 3.3.2 @ sda13
    root         (hd3,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slamd64 11 @ sda15
    root         (hd3,14)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        System Rescue CD 2.1.6 @ sdb3
    root         (hd4,2)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Xfld 2.0 @ sdb5
    root         (hd4,4)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kanotix 2006-1 @ sdb6
    root         (hd4,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Paipix 5.00 2006-3 @ sdb7
    root         (hd4,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Frugalware 0.4 @ sdb8
    root         (hd4,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sabayon x86_64 3.0 @ sdb9
    root         (hd4,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Quantian 0.7.9.1 @ sdb10
    root         (hd4,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Suse 10.1 x86 64 @ sdb11
    root         (hd4,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slackware 11 @ sdb12
    root         (hd4,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Knoppix 4.0.2 @ sdb13
    root         (hd4,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandriva 2006 0.4 @ sdb14
    root         (hd4,13)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 6 @ sdb15
    root         (hd4,14)
    chainloader  +1
    You will note I have arranged every Linux to be booted by chainloading as I arranged everyone to keep its boot loader inside its root partition. In other word the boot loader, which can either by a Lilo or a Grub, for sda5 is in the boot sector of sda5. Boot loader for hda63 in in the boot sector of partition hda63.

    If an operating system has a boot loader in its boot sector that system is chainloadable by another operating system. In chainloading one use one operating to boot the boot loader of another system. Every boot loader in the trade does it, including NTLDR, Lilo, Grub and boot loaders of BSD.

    To get Vista to boot a Linux I need to supply the following 4 items of information to its program BCDedit.exe

    • (1) Name of the Linux so that an identifier is issued by BCDedit.
    • (2) Declare the given identifier to be used as a device boot.
    • (3) Submit the filename containling the first sector (512 bytes) of the Linux partition.
    • (4) Decide the booting order of the Linux in the booting queue.

    The way I arrange each Linux to be booted has all the information in the "title" statement. For example the first Puppy Linux in hda6 of the Grub menu the red bit can satisfy the Item (1) above and the purple bit can be used for Item (3). Thus all I need to do is to write a script file to strip the two pieces of data for each Linux to be booted.

    The script needs to be interactive because BCDedit.exe on receiving input from Item (1) hands out an identifier with which I have to abstract and used for Item (2), (3) and (4).

    Basically to boot each Linux (using Pupply in hda6 as an example) I need to run Command Prompt as an administrator and issue the command for Item (1)
    Code:
    bcdedit /create /d "Puppy 1.0.6" /application BOOTSECTOR
    BCDedit.exe will respond with something like
    Code:
    The entry {938e68ef-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089} was successfully created.
    I then can use the given identifier {938e68ef-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089} and use it on Item (2), (3) and (4) as follow
    Code:
    bcdedit /set {938e68ef-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089} device boot
    bcdedit /set {938e68ef-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089} PATH \hda6.bin
    bcdedit /displayorder {938e68ef-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089} /addlast
    The file hda6.bin contains the first sector of partition hda6 and can be copied out by a Linux command "dd" at the terminal
    Code:
    dd if=/dev/hda6 of=/hda6.bin bs=512 count=1
    The above are the key steps for booting one Linux. To boot 150+ Linux is just repetitions best handled by a script.

    Since Solaris, BSD and MS systems need primary partitions for installation I put all Linux in logical partitions which start at the 5th position. The Linux distros, always installed one Linux per partition, in the 5 disks were

    Pata disk hda - 63 partitions, hda6 to hda63 fully filled, sda5 is the common swap
    Pata disk hdc - 63 partitions, hdc5 to hdc63 fully filled
    Pata disk hdd - 63 partitions, hdd5 to hdd63 partially filled, hdd10 to hdd48 are empty & hdd93 used for data.
    Sata disk sda - 63 partitions, sda5 to sda15 fully filled
    Sata disk sdb - 63 partitions, sdb5 to sdb15 fully filled

    I don't keep a record of how many distros but the Vista boot menu shows up 158 booting entries, so there should be one Vista plus 157 Linux.


    To be continued with the next post
    Last edited by saikee; 11-05-2007 at 06:00 AM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    To continue with the previous post


    To automate the process I wrote the following script in Python which is new to me and it is the second Python program I ever wrote.

    Code:
    import os
    
    #This python script "Boot_Abit" will automate booting of any number of Linux by Vista
    #file Asrock.lst is a Grub menu with all the Linux booting choices inside
    #file getmbr is an output file to copy 1st sector of every Linux into /mnt/sda2
    #The file is to be run as a python script in command prompt (as admin) 
    #Command is "\Python\python.exe boot_Abit" to install the booting alternatives into BCDedit/store
    
    os.system("cd \User\root")
    f=file('Asrock.lst', 'r')
    out=file('getmbr','w')
    i=0
    for line in f:
     #discrad all lines except the ones beginning with "title"       
     if line.find('title')!=-1:
        #Discrd all Empty partitons 
        if line.find('Empty')==-1:
        #-1 means not found
               i=i+1
               a0=(line.replace('title', '').lstrip()).replace('\n', '')
               a1=a0.rsplit('@')[0].rstrip()
               a2=a0.rsplit('@')[1].lstrip().rstrip()
               a1='"'+a1+'"'
               a3="dd if=/dev/"+a2+"  of=/mnt/hdc1/"+a2+".bin  bs=512 count=1\n"
               #writing a Linux script 'getmbr' to copy 1st sector of each Linux
               out.write(a3)
               #only 14 systems selected to boot
               if i<400:
                  c1="bcdedit /create /d "+a1+" /application BOOTSECTOR > any"
                  os.system(c1)
                  tmp=file('any','r')
                  for pine in tmp:
                      b0=pine.rsplit()[2]
                      c2="bcdedit /set "+b0+" device boot"
                      c3="bcdedit /set "+b0+" PATH \\"+ a2+".bin > any"
                      c4="bcdedit /displayorder "+b0+" /addlast"
                      os.system(c2)
                      os.system(c3)
                      os.system(c4)
    print "total no. of systems =",i
    The script reads the Grub menu file Asrock.lst, produces an output file "getmbr" which is a Bash script to copy each booting partition's first sector out. The rest of the program reacts with BCDedit.exe and implements the booting choices.

    The listing of the boot menu in Vista is 45,000 characters long and the limit for a thread permitted by Justlinux is just 20,000 characters. Thus I am only showing a condensed menu as seen in EasyBCD which is a graphic freeware for handling the Vista boot boader. The Vista menu has to broken into posts to fit in. The first half has 100 systems and the remaining in the second half.

    Code:
    There are a total of 158 entries listed in the Vista Bootloader.
    Bootloader Timeout: 1000 seconds.
    Default OS: Microsoft Windows Vista
    
    Entry #1
    
    Name:  Microsoft Windows Vista
    BCD ID:  {current}
    Drive:  C:\
    Bootloader Path:  \Windows\system32\winload.exe
    Windows Directory:  \Windows
    
    Entry #2
    
    Name:  Puppy 1.0.6
    BCD ID:  {938e68ef-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda6.bin
    
    Entry #3
    
    Name:  Videolinux 2.0
    BCD ID:  {938e68f0-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda7.bin
    
    Entry #4
    
    Name:  Mandrake 9.2
    BCD ID:  {938e68f1-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda8.bin
    
    Entry #5
    
    Name:  Turbo Linux V7
    BCD ID:  {938e68f2-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda9.bin
    
    Entry #6
    
    Name:  elive 0.3
    BCD ID:  {938e68f3-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda10.bin
    
    Entry #7
    
    Name:  Red Hat 9
    BCD ID:  {938e68f4-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda11.bin
    
    Entry #8
    
    Name:  Lycoris 4
    BCD ID:  {938e68f5-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda12.bin
    
    Entry #9
    
    Name:  Libranet 2.8.1
    BCD ID:  {938e68f6-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda13.bin
    
    Entry #10
    
    Name:  Mandrake 10
    BCD ID:  {938e68f7-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda14.bin
    
    Entry #11
    
    Name:  Debian Woody 3.0
    BCD ID:  {938e68f8-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda15.bin
    
    Entry #12
    
    Name:  Yoper 2.0.0
    BCD ID:  {938e68f9-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda16.bin
    
    Entry #13
    
    Name:  Knoppix 3.6
    BCD ID:  {938e68fa-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda17.bin
    
    Entry #14
    
    Name:  Buffalo 1.5
    BCD ID:  {938e68fb-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda18.bin
    
    Entry #15
    
    Name:  Kanotix 9.2004
    BCD ID:  {938e68fc-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda19.bin
    
    Entry #16
    
    Name:  Kalango 3.2
    BCD ID:  {938e68fd-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda20.bin
    
    Entry #17
    
    Name:  Blag 30001
    BCD ID:  {938e68fe-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda21.bin
    
    Entry #18
    
    Name:  Fedora Core 4
    BCD ID:  {938e68ff-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda22.bin
    
    Entry #19
    
    Name:  Debian Sarge
    BCD ID:  {938e6900-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda23.bin
    
    Entry #20
    
    Name:  Red Flag 4.1
    BCD ID:  {938e6901-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda24.bin
    
    Entry #21
    
    Name:  Linare Ed 2
    BCD ID:  {938e6902-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda25.bin
    
    Entry #22
    
    Name:  Tiny Sofa 2.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6903-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda26.bin
    
    Entry #23
    
    Name:  Slackware 10
    BCD ID:  {938e6904-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda27.bin
    
    Entry #24
    
    Name:  Xandros 201
    BCD ID:  {938e6905-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda28.bin
    
    Entry #25
    
    Name:  Vine 3.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6906-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda29.bin
    
    Entry #26
    
    Name:  Specifix 0.15
    BCD ID:  {938e6907-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda30.bin
    
    Entry #27
    
    Name:  Ubunto 5.04
    BCD ID:  {938e6908-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda31.bin
    
    Entry #28
    
    Name:  PCLinuxos 0.91
    BCD ID:  {938e6909-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda32.bin
    
    Entry #29
    
    Name:  Asian Linux 2.0
    BCD ID:  {938e690a-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda33.bin
    
    Entry #30
    
    Name:  Ubuntu 6.04 Dapper
    BCD ID:  {938e690b-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda34.bin
    
    Entry #31
    
    Name:  Wolvix 1.0.4
    BCD ID:  {938e690c-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda35.bin
    
    Entry #32
    
    Name:  Mepis 3.4.2 RC2
    BCD ID:  {938e690d-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda36.bin
    
    Entry #33
    
    Name:  DreamLinux 1.0
    BCD ID:  {938e690e-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda37.bin
    
    Entry #34
    
    Name:  Slampp 1.1
    BCD ID:  {938e690f-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda38.bin
    
    Entry #35
    
    Name:  Slax 5.0.6
    BCD ID:  {938e6910-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda39.bin
    
    Entry #36
    
    Name:  PCLinuxos 0.92
    BCD ID:  {938e6911-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda40.bin
    
    Entry #37
    
    Name:  Netsecl 2.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6912-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda41.bin
    
    Entry #38
    
    Name:  Vector 5.1
    BCD ID:  {938e6913-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda42.bin
    
    Entry #39
    
    Name:  Suse 10
    BCD ID:  {938e6914-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda43.bin
    
    Entry #40
    
    Name:  Kororaa 2005 Beta 2
    BCD ID:  {938e6915-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda44.bin
    
    Entry #41
    
    Name:  smgl 0.95
    BCD ID:  {938e6916-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda45.bin
    
    Entry #42
    
    Name:  Lunar 1.6 rc3
    BCD ID:  {938e6917-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda46.bin
    
    Entry #43
    
    Name:  Foresight 0.93
    BCD ID:  {938e6918-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda47.bin
    
    Entry #44
    
    Name:  SkoleLinux Sarge
    BCD ID:  {938e6919-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda48.bin
    
    Entry #45
    
    Name:  Nepalinux 1.0
    BCD ID:  {938e691a-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda49.bin
    
    Entry #46
    
    Name:  Klax 3.5
    BCD ID:  {938e691b-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda50.bin
    
    Entry #47
    
    Name:  SciLinux 2005
    BCD ID:  {938e691c-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda51.bin
    
    Entry #48
    
    Name:  Progeny 2.0
    BCD ID:  {938e691d-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda52.bin
    
    Entry #49
    
    Name:  grml 0.6
    BCD ID:  {938e691e-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda53.bin
    
    Entry #50
    
    Name:  Karamad 1.4.2
    BCD ID:  {938e691f-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda54.bin
    
    Entry #51
    
    Name:  Whax 3.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6920-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda55.bin
    
    Entry #52
    
    Name:  Troppix 1.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6921-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda56.bin
    
    Entry #53
    
    Name:  TopologLinux 6.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6922-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda57.bin
    
    Entry #54
    
    Name:  Haansoft 2006 WS
    BCD ID:  {938e6923-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda58.bin
    
    Entry #55
    
    Name:  Fedora Core 3
    BCD ID:  {938e6924-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda59.bin
    
    Entry #56
    
    Name:  ScientificLinux 4.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6925-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda60.bin
    
    Entry #57
    
    Name:  Slynux 2.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6926-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda61.bin
    
    Entry #58
    
    Name:  Slax 5.1.8
    BCD ID:  {938e6927-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda62.bin
    
    Entry #59
    
    Name:  Elive 2
    BCD ID:  {938e6928-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hda63.bin
    
    Entry #60
    
    Name:  B2D Pure KDE 2005
    BCD ID:  {938e6929-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc5.bin
    
    Entry #61
    
    Name:  CollegeLInux
    BCD ID:  {938e692a-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc6.bin
    
    Entry #62
    
    Name:  Berry 0.76
    BCD ID:  {938e692b-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc7.bin
    
    Entry #63
    
    Name:  Morphix 0.4
    BCD ID:  {938e692c-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc8.bin
    
    Entry #64
    
    Name:  Feather 0.74
    BCD ID:  {938e692d-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc9.bin
    
    Entry #65
    
    Name:  Buffalo 1.7.3.9
    BCD ID:  {938e692e-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc10.bin
    
    Entry #66
    
    Name:  Cento 4.1
    BCD ID:  {938e692f-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc11.bin
    
    Entry #67
    
    Name:  Vector 4.3
    BCD ID:  {938e6930-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc12.bin
    
    Entry #68
    
    Name:  Tao Linux 4
    BCD ID:  {938e6931-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc13.bin
    
    Entry #69
    
    Name:  Fedora Core 2
    BCD ID:  {938e6932-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc14.bin
    
    Entry #70
    
    Name:  Agnula Demudi 1.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6933-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc15.bin
    
    Entry #71
    
    Name:  Damn Small Linux 2.1
    BCD ID:  {938e6934-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc16.bin
    
    Entry #72
    
    Name:  Monoppix 1.1.8
    BCD ID:  {938e6935-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc17.bin
    
    Entry #73
    
    Name:  Sympony A4 beta
    BCD ID:  {938e6936-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc18.bin
    
    Entry #74
    
    Name:  Pocket Linux 1.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6937-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc19.bin
    
    Entry #75
    
    Name:  UltimaLInux 4.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6938-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc20.bin
    
    Entry #76
    
    Name:  Vlos 1.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6939-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc21.bin
    
    Entry #77
    
    Name:  Tinny Sofa Ceara
    BCD ID:  {938e693a-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc22.bin
    
    Entry #78
    
    Name:  64 Studio 0.6
    BCD ID:  {938e693b-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc23.bin
    
    Entry #79
    
    Name:  KateOS 2.2
    BCD ID:  {938e693c-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc24.bin
    
    Entry #80
    
    Name:  Rubix 1.0
    BCD ID:  {938e693d-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc25.bin
    
    Entry #81
    
    Name:  Sam 2006-1
    BCD ID:  {938e693e-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc26.bin
    
    Entry #82
    
    Name:  Parsix 0.85
    BCD ID:  {938e693f-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc27.bin
    
    Entry #83
    
    Name:  Foxdesktop 1.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6940-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc28.bin
    
    Entry #84
    
    Name:  Kanotix 64 2005-4
    BCD ID:  {938e6941-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc29.bin
    
    Entry #85
    
    Name:  Pardus 1.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6942-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc30.bin
    
    Entry #86
    
    Name:  rPath 0.99.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6943-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc31.bin
    
    Entry #87
    
    Name:  Stx 1.0 rc2
    BCD ID:  {938e6944-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc32.bin
    
    Entry #88
    
    Name:  Stux 0.9.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6945-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc33.bin
    
    Entry #89
    
    Name:  StartCom 4.0.4 Raam
    BCD ID:  {938e6946-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc34.bin
    
    Entry #90
    
    Name:  Slackware 10.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6947-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc35.bin
    
    Entry #91
    
    Name:  Foresight 0.9
    BCD ID:  {938e6948-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc36.bin
    
    Entry #92
    
    Name:  Xandros 3.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6949-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc37.bin
    
    Entry #93
    
    Name:  Ubuntu 5.10
    BCD ID:  {938e694a-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc38.bin
    
    Entry #94
    
    Name:  Kubuntu Dapper
    BCD ID:  {938e694b-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc39.bin
    
    Entry #95
    
    Name:  Gentoo 2006.1
    BCD ID:  {938e694c-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc40.bin
    
    Entry #96
    
    Name:  LinuxTLE 8.0
    BCD ID:  {938e694d-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc41.bin
    
    Entry #97
    
    Name:  Underground 2.2
    BCD ID:  {938e694e-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc42.bin
    
    Entry #98
    
    Name:  DreamLinux 2.1
    BCD ID:  {938e694f-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc43.bin
    
    Entry #99
    
    Name:  Linux Mint 2.1
    BCD ID:  {938e6950-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc44.bin
    
    Entry #100
    
    Name:  Pioneer 1125
    BCD ID:  {938e6951-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc45.bin
    To be continued with the next post
    Last edited by saikee; 11-04-2007 at 03:53 PM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    To continue with the previous post

    Code:
    Entry #101
    
    Name:  Ubuntu 7.04
    BCD ID:  {938e6952-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc46.bin
    
    Entry #102
    
    Name:  Bayanihan 4
    BCD ID:  {938e6953-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc47.bin
    
    Entry #103
    
    Name:  Mandriva 2007
    BCD ID:  {938e6954-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc48.bin
    
    Entry #104
    
    Name:  Freespire 1.1.73
    BCD ID:  {938e6955-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc49.bin
    
    Entry #105
    
    Name:  Caixa Majica 11
    BCD ID:  {938e6956-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc50.bin
    
    Entry #106
    
    Name:  Ehad 2006 classic
    BCD ID:  {938e6957-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc51.bin
    
    Entry #107
    
    Name:  Vlos 1.3
    BCD ID:  {938e6958-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc52.bin
    
    Entry #108
    
    Name:  Backtrack 2006-2
    BCD ID:  {938e6959-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc53.bin
    
    Entry #109
    
    Name:  Ubuntu 6.06
    BCD ID:  {938e695a-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc54.bin
    
    Entry #110
    
    Name:  Blag 30002
    BCD ID:  {938e695b-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc55.bin
    
    Entry #111
    
    Name:  Fedora Core 5
    BCD ID:  {938e695c-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc56.bin
    
    Entry #112
    
    Name:  Suse 9.1 Professional
    BCD ID:  {938e695d-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc57.bin
    
    Entry #113
    
    Name:  Vine 4.0
    BCD ID:  {938e695e-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc58.bin
    
    Entry #114
    
    Name:  Wolvix 1.0.5
    BCD ID:  {938e695f-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc59.bin
    
    Entry #115
    
    Name:  Mepis 6.0.4
    BCD ID:  {938e6960-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdc63.bin
    
    Entry #116
    
    Name:  Wolvix 1.0.5
    BCD ID:  {938e6961-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd5.bin
    
    Entry #117
    
    Name:  System Rescue CD 2.1.6
    BCD ID:  {938e6962-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd6.bin
    
    Entry #118
    
    Name:  Knoppix 5.1.1.1
    BCD ID:  {938e6963-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd7.bin
    
    Entry #119
    
    Name:  DSL 3.2 RC3
    BCD ID:  {938e6964-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd8.bin
    
    Entry #120
    
    Name:  Grafpup 2000
    BCD ID:  {938e6965-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd9.bin
    
    Entry #121
    
    Name:  Mutagenix 2.6.18.6.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6966-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd49.bin
    
    Entry #122
    
    Name:  Sidux 6.0 Live CD
    BCD ID:  {938e6967-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd50.bin
    
    Entry #123
    
    Name:  PCLinuxOS 2007 Test 2
    BCD ID:  {938e6968-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd51.bin
    
    Entry #124
    
    Name:  Suse 10.3 Alpha 1
    BCD ID:  {938e6969-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd52.bin
    
    Entry #125
    
    Name:  Mandriva 2007
    BCD ID:  {938e696a-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd53.bin
    
    Entry #126
    
    Name:  Symphony 2006-12
    BCD ID:  {938e696b-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd54.bin
    
    Entry #127
    
    Name:  SLax 6.0.0
    BCD ID:  {938e696c-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd55.bin
    
    Entry #128
    
    Name:  Parted Magic 1.3
    BCD ID:  {938e696d-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd56.bin
    
    Entry #129
    
    Name:  lg3d 3.0
    BCD ID:  {938e696e-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd57.bin
    
    Entry #130
    
    Name:  SaxenOS 1.1
    BCD ID:  {938e696f-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd58.bin
    
    Entry #131
    
    Name:  Sidux 2007-01
    BCD ID:  {938e6970-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd59.bin
    
    Entry #132
    
    Name:  Mepies 6.0.4
    BCD ID:  {938e6971-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd60.bin
    
    Entry #133
    
    Name:  Backtrack 2.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6972-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd61.bin
    
    Entry #134
    
    Name:  Sam 2007 -T1
    BCD ID:  {938e6973-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \hdd62.bin
    
    Entry #135
    
    Name:  Xenoppix 3.0.3
    BCD ID:  {938e6974-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda2.bin
    
    Entry #136
    
    Name:  Musix 0.39
    BCD ID:  {938e6975-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda3.bin
    
    Entry #137
    
    Name:  GeoLivre 5
    BCD ID:  {938e6976-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda5.bin
    
    Entry #138
    
    Name:  Ututu x2 2005.1
    BCD ID:  {938e6977-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda6.bin
    
    Entry #139
    
    Name:  Helix 1.7
    BCD ID:  {938e6978-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda7.bin
    
    Entry #140
    
    Name:  MagicLinux 2 rc2
    BCD ID:  {938e6979-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda8.bin
    
    Entry #141
    
    Name:  Zenwalk 1.2
    BCD ID:  {938e697a-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda9.bin
    
    Entry #142
    
    Name:  MedianLinux  4.0
    BCD ID:  {938e697b-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda10.bin
    
    Entry #143
    
    Name:  NetBSD i386 3.0
    BCD ID:  {938e697c-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda11.bin
    
    Entry #144
    
    Name:  Arabian 0.6 rc1
    BCD ID:  {938e697d-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda12.bin
    
    Entry #145
    
    Name:  Mepis 3.3.2
    BCD ID:  {938e697e-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda13.bin
    
    Entry #146
    
    Name:  Slamd64 11
    BCD ID:  {938e697f-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sda15.bin
    
    Entry #147
    
    Name:  System Rescue CD 2.1.6
    BCD ID:  {938e6980-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb3.bin
    
    Entry #148
    
    Name:  Xfld 2.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6981-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb5.bin
    
    Entry #149
    
    Name:  Kanotix 2006-1
    BCD ID:  {938e6982-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb6.bin
    
    Entry #150
    
    Name:  Paipix 5.00 2006-3
    BCD ID:  {938e6983-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb7.bin
    
    Entry #151
    
    Name:  Frugalware 0.4
    BCD ID:  {938e6984-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb8.bin
    
    Entry #152
    
    Name:  Sabayon x86_64 3.0
    BCD ID:  {938e6985-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb9.bin
    
    Entry #153
    
    Name:  Quantian 0.7.9.1
    BCD ID:  {938e6986-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb10.bin
    
    Entry #154
    
    Name:  Suse 10.1 x86 64
    BCD ID:  {938e6987-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb11.bin
    
    Entry #155
    
    Name:  Slackware 11
    BCD ID:  {938e6988-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb12.bin
    
    Entry #156
    
    Name:  Knoppix 4.0.2
    BCD ID:  {938e6989-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb13.bin
    
    Entry #157
    
    Name:  Mandriva 2006 0.4
    BCD ID:  {938e698a-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb14.bin
    
    Entry #158
    
    Name:  Fedora Core 6
    BCD ID:  {938e698b-8ae5-11dc-8bf6-00138f511089}
    Drive: Active Boot Partition
    Bootloader Path:  \sdb15.bin
    There are good news and there are bad news in my adventure.

    First the good news

    I am glad to report the scheme works. Vista boot load did swallow 150+ Linux booting instructions and manages to boot up Linux in every one of the five hard disks. It was an eye opener to see systems at the extreme end of the hard disk like hda63, hdc26, hdd61, sda15 and sdb12 boot up successfully.

    Now the bad news

    It would appear Vista boot loader has done something to the Bios calls or by the manner it occupies the memory may have affected the Linux boot loaders in the following ways

    (1) In the same disk as Vista boot loader bootmgr, which Vista placed in a fat16 partition hda1 when I installed it in hdc1 partition, all the Linux in hda disk boot successfully without a hitch.

    (2) Linux residing in hard disk hdc, hdd, sda and sdb failed to boot if their boot loader is Grub. If the boot loader is Lilo the Linux fires up. Since the majority of Linux has Grub so I got a lot of Linux unbootable by Vista. These Linux boot fine by other boot loaders.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    My observations

    Lilo is different to Grub in that the boot loader is a compiled version. It find its way back to the Linux by hard-code hard disk addresses. Thus a change in the Bios information may not affect Lilo.

    Grub is an interpretor. It loads itself at boot time and depends wholly on the Bios data to operate each instruction. Thus if the Bios information has been altered by Vista then Grub could not link its first sector back to the original partition.

    Conclusions

    The boot loader in Vista is a lot better than NTLDR used by Win2k and Xp. It can now boot more than 10 systems which is the current limit of NTLDR.

    By comparision Vista boot loader still no where near as simple, easy, flexible and versatile as Grub.
    Last edited by saikee; 04-20-2008 at 05:50 PM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    Vista’s boot loader bootmgr can re-map the hard disks order without users knowing it.

    This is just a scrap of information about Vista’s boot loader unable to boot Linux with Grub residing outside the first boot disk disk.

    I have been trying to use NT versions of Win2k and XP boot loader NTLDR to boot Vista and Win7. That proves conclusively impossible because M$ boot loaders are only backward compatible.

    In so doing I put the NTLDR systems of Dos, Win2k and Xp on one disk and installed them as the sole hard disk or the first bootable disk.

    I then removed this hard disk and used another hard disk to install Vista and two versions of Win7 (32 and 64 bits) as all of them use the same boot loader bootmgr.

    When I combined the two disks and boot with Grub I have to use these two statements to remap the NTLDR disk, which is the second in the booting queue, so that the OSes inside can boot as though they were in the first boot disk position.
    Code:
    map (hd0) (hd1)
    Map (hd1) (hd0)
    Re-mapping hard disks is a primary function supported by both Lilo and Grub for the benefit of booting multiple MS systems. I can’t recall it even being used in Linux distros I have come across.

    When I eventually managed to get Vista to boot all the 1 Dos and 5 Windows systems I found bootmgr has managed to re-map the disk without any intervention from me.

    The evidence is if I booted the Vista or Win7 (say from sda7) from the first boot disk (sda) the “C” drive would be the system I selected (sda7) where as the D would be reserved for the partition in the first boot disk the stores bootmgr (sda1). If however I select a NTLDR system, from any of the Dos (sdb1), Win2k (sdb6), Xp (sdb7) the “C” , “D” and “E” drives are the order of the partitions in the second disk (sdb). In other word the MS partitions in the first boot disk were treated as the second disk because the "F", "G" and "H" are given to the first boot disk partitions sda1, sda6 and sda7 respectively.

    Therefore bootmgr secretly re-maps the disk order when I boot the second disk.

    The above information is not a criticism of bootmgr but something we should be aware of the behaviour of bootmgr. Being a proprietary system much of its inner working is not published. Once we know it behaviour we could come up with counter-measures. This disk re-mapping behaviour would explain fully why bootmgr was unable to boot Linux, with Grub as the boot loader, residing outside the first boot disk but Linux with Lilo as boot loader were unaffected as reported in Post #3.
    Last edited by saikee; 04-30-2009 at 07:17 AM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Posts
    177
    hi Saikee, that's pretty cool how you've done all that. I have a question, I just want to boot Vista and Ubuntu jaunty, is that pretty simple? Will jaunty's grub boot loader handle this for me?

    I already have vista installed, I just want to boot jaunty on a second hard drive.

    Thanks for any help you give!
    -Charles

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    Ubuntu Jaunty will dual boot your vista automatically if you install it anywhere.

    With two disks you have an option to keep Vista untouched like a virgin too. Check out the 2nd link in my signature.

    Ubuntu uses Grub which is the easiest and the most flexible boot loader in the business. As an example Vista's bootmgr (Windows 7 also uses it) boots 150 Linux after they have been installed. We can write a Grub booting configuration file even "before" installing any of the 150 operating systems, inculding any number M$ systems and other PC systems.
    Last edited by saikee; 05-05-2009 at 03:23 AM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

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