plpbt4win

plpbt4win makes it easy to add/remove the boot manager from the windows boot menu. The program can work with the boot.ini and with bcdedit. It automatically detects the required method. You can use it as batch file or run it with an built-in command line. You find plpbt4win in the Windows directory of plpbt-5.0.15.zip.

Feature list

• Command line interface, ideal for batch programs and a gui frontend.

• Built-in command line.

• Works with boot.ini and bcdedit.

• Can list, add and remove windows boot menu entries.

• You can easy use different boot manager binary files. For example, one windows boot menu entry is the default boot manager file and another entry is configured to auto boot usb.

• 2 batch files are included. InstallToBootMenu.bat and InstallToMBR.bat. The windows user must only start the batch file and everything is done by the batch file. The user must only reboot to see the new boot menu entries. Those batch files can also be used as example how to use plpbt4win.

Help for batch mode

plpbt4win [/?] [/B] [/C [FILE]] [/L] [/A [NAME]] [/R <ID>] [/BIN <FILE>] [/D]

 /?          Help
 /B          Batch mode
 /BIN <FILE> Set the program filename. Default is "c:\plop\plpbt.bin"
 /C [FILE]   Create the plop boot manager loader program. Set the output
             filename. The default filename is "c:\plop\plpbt4win.ldr"
 /L          List windows boot menu entries
 /A [NAME]   Add to the windows boot menu a new entry. The default name is
             "Plop Boot Manager"
 /R <ID>     Remove the menu entry from the windows boot menu. ID is the
             number of the menu entry
 /D          Debug mode

Batch mode examples

• List boot menu entries: plpbt4win /B /L

• Create loader: plpbt4win /B /C

• Create custom named loader: plpbt4win /B /C c:\plop\plp.ldr

• Add an entry: plpbt4win /B /A "The Plop Boot Manager is here"

• Remove an entry, first use /L to get the ID and then: plpbt4win /B /R 3

• Create loader and add entry at once: plpbt4win /B /C /A

Help for built in command line

Start plpbt4win without parameter.

Command (? for help):  
 ?          Help
 bin <FILE> Set the program filename. Default is "c:\plop\plpbt.bin"
 c [FILE]   Create the plop boot manager loader program. Set the output
            filename. The default filename is "c:\plop\plpbt4win.ldr"
 l          List windows boot menu entries
 a [NAME]   Add to the windows boot menu a new entry. The default name is
            "Plop Boot Manager"
 r <ID>     Remove the menu entry from the windows boot menu. ID is the
            number of the menu entry
 d          Activate/disable debug mode 
 v          Show current values
 q          Quit

Note for Windows XP error

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\system32\hal.dll

Solution: Rename the file 'plpbt4win.ldr' to 'plpwin.ldr'. Set the new file name in the 'boot.ini'.

© 2024 by Elmar Hanlhofer