About GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows

Version Info

Latest Stable Version: 0.1

Latest Testing Version: 0.23


GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows

Intro

GRUB4DOS is a boot loader/manager for x86(-64) BIOS-based computers/devices. For details, please check out its homepage or more preferably, read the readme file included with the releases (links available in the sidebar on the right of this page).

GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows is small utility with GUI that attempts to make the process of installing, tweaking and removing of the boot loader easier from within pre-installed Windows OS. It also performs some other functions, which are related to or useful for this process.

GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows

Requirements

1. GRUB4DOS version 0.4.4 or higher.

Try to stay away from old versions.

2. Windows 2000 or higher.

It is possible to run the Toolbox in older versions, but there is absolutely no guarantee of the results. Installation of GRUB4DOS is only possible in 32bit versions of Windows, because the underlying bootlace.com will not run in 64bit environment. (Users of 64bit Windows wishing to use bootlace.com could try out Cloud Bootlacer).

3. Administrative privilege.

This is only required if access to disks and partitions are desired.

GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows

Functions and Features

The following list describes what are available from the latest version of GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows.

1. Installing GRUB4DOS boot loader to disk/partition or image thereof.

This function makes use of GRUB4DOS’s bootlace.com utility, which is only compatible with 32bit Windows. GRUB4DOS can be installed to disk MBR (main boot record), partition boot sector, or to corresponding places in disk or partition image files. The latter are often used by virtualiztion software, such as VMware.

2. dd data between disk/partition and image files.

This is basically a simplified implementation of the famous dd commandline utility available on almost all modern OSes, including Windows. This function can be used to copy data from disk/partition to file, from file to disk/partition, or from file to file for backup or restoration purposes. For example, GRUB4DOS installed by GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows to disk/partiton or image thereof can be uninstalled by simply DDing back the backed up image file.

3. Add GRUB4DOS boot loader to Windows Boot Manager’s multiboot menu (Vista/2008 and above).

This function relies on Windows’ bcdedit utility. There is no such function for Windows XP/2000/2003 because manually editing boot.ini is all that is required for these versions.

4. Customize GRUB4DOS target file and embedded menu.lst.

This is usually only rarely required by advanced GRUB4DOS users.

5. Obtain UUID of mounted partitions.

This is useful for writing more robust menu.lst for GRUB4DOS.

GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows

Support

Please use the comment system or visit the project forum for any questions and suggestions.

GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows

Donation

If you feel GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows is helpful and useful, please consider making a donation using the PayPal button at the bottom of sidebar on the right.

GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows

License

GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows is released under the GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2).

GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows

Disclaimer

When and only when instructed by the user, GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows tempers with the user’s disks and files. There are risks involved in this process, especially when testing version(s) of GRUB4DOS Toolbox for Windows is used. It is entirely the user’s responsibility to take necessary precautions against any possible data loss and/or corruption.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE RELEASING PARTY BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.