Introducing the EasyBCD Debug Toolkit

Computer Guru · #1 October 20th, 2007, 08:08 PM

I'm currently working on the EasyBCD 1.7.1 bugfix build which should take care of two (very minor) problems that have come up since the 1.7 release a while back now.

I've been in situations more than once now where I had someone post a thread and say "these settings crash EasyBCD" and give me their bcdedit output, and I would then spend an hour setting up a VM to match their settings so I can test and verify.

So with 1.7.1 I've added a new feature called the EasyBCD Debug Toolkit, which lets you "fake" the response from the two information-gathering tools that ship with EasyBCD: bcdedit and bootpart.

You just run EasyBCD with a switch (/debugbcd and /debugbp) to activate the Debug Toolkit, and create a text file that contains the information you want to pass along to EasyBCD and that's what EasyBCD will see and use.

I'm not sure just how (or even if it is) useful this feature, but I needed it for my testing so I figured I'd throw it out there anyway and perhaps someone else can find a use for it... Maybe to test EasyBCD deployment across site infrastructure or for people to demo EasyBCD without having Windows Vista installed - I don't know

You can download it in the EasyBCD 1.7.1 beta thread. Just extract to the bin directory and your done. See the included README for more info if needed.

kairozamorro · #2 March 30th, 2009, 10:05 PM

Sorry to bump this thread but I have a few questions...

Originally Posted by Computer Guru

You just run EasyBCD with a switch (/debugbcd and /debugbp) to activate the Debug Toolkit, and create a text file that contains the information you want to pass along to EasyBCD and that's what EasyBCD will see and use.

Whats the name of the file, where is it located, is it created even if you havent done anything when you start EasyBCD or do you haft to preform an action and than it'll log it, how can you "fake"/modify parameters in the text file that are passed to EasyBCD?

Originally Posted by Computer Guru

...for people to demo EasyBCD without having Windows Vista installed

Does this mean you can get away with loading EasyBCD without Vista installed than? I can think of some useful purposes besides this if so, such as running EasyBCD in a PE if it'll let me load EasyBCD to select from the menu system which bcd store to load

That new option would still be nice to have, but if can be done this way I'll go ahead and polish up the tutorial...

kairozamorro · #3 April 3rd, 2009, 11:22 PM

Ok, so I guess it was available in the easybcd beta thread but this features been removed and the tool kit for it as well? Oh well...

Computer Guru · #4 April 4th, 2009, 12:00 AM

The EasyBCD Debug Toolkit has been deprecated due to little/no interest since its release.

EasyBCD 2.0 was re-written from scratch and a lot of bloat was removed.

Ex_Brit · #5 April 24th, 2009, 12:28 PM

I hate to admit that I never even noticed it to start with....oops. EasyBCD 2.0 released...?

kairozamorro · #6 April 24th, 2009, 10:52 PM

Not yet. The betas available here.

Ex_Brit · #7 April 24th, 2009, 11:05 PM

Thanks.

PC eye · #8 June 3rd, 2009, 05:46 AM

Hey CG will the 2.0 when ready preserve the new boot screen for 7? when giong to use it here it changes the new splash screen to the one seen with Vista.

kairozamorro · #9 June 3rd, 2009, 05:59 AM

The problem is EasyBCD/.Net related, probably something to do with changes in .net 4.0 running a .net 2.0 app that causes it to produce a bug when entries are added. Its a known issue CG is trying to work out with MS. At current, there is no solution for it other than having Windows 7 add its own entry.

PC eye · #10 June 3rd, 2009, 07:15 AM

I figured CG would have that in mind already. I was curious to see if he had made any progress with it which apparently seems not to have so far. Of course everything is still in the RC stage at this time with 7.

To correct the splash screen on one of the two a repair install was performed for that. On the other when booting from that drive the boot screen logo was dsitorted for some reason like someone holding a match to a leave coming in from the edges.

That installation also saw a repair to correct that while still leaving the entry intact on the other. But that was also a means to see how well the upgrade option would work there.

kairozamorro · #11 June 3rd, 2009, 07:27 AM

Yes, startup repair can also fix it if W7 adds the entry for the apparent "broken" install, and so can bcdedit if you add it yourself via the command line.

PC eye · #12 June 3rd, 2009, 10:16 AM

Once I reconfigure a few things here I'll be seeing 7 go on after Vista that will also provide a second install of the 64bit RC. I still have the BCD editor onhand if needed for minor things like renaming entries or setting the default OS as well as the display.

I had hoped the 2.0 build 64 will have the boot screen problem solved. I'm sure CG will find a solution for that as time goes along.

charly73 · #13 January 18th, 2010, 12:23 AM

I just want to thank to computer guru for the easyBCD 2.0, it fix my problem

thank you

Computer Guru · #14 January 18th, 2010, 07:23 AM

You're most welcome, Charly