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        ##         BOOT-MANAGER: BOOTMENU - DOCUMENTATION         ##
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      W A R N I N G :
     =================
  Improper use of this program will result in the IRRETRIEVABLE  DESTRUC-
	TION OF ALL DATA ON THE HARDDISK!!!

  Though  BOOTMENU is an easy to use program its setup and  configuration
  requires in-depth knowledge of partition-types and partition-tables.

  If NOT used properly the FIXED-DISK-DATA MAY BE DESTROYED  COMPLETELY!!


CONTENTS:
=========
1.  Overview
1.1  Short Overview
1.2  Background information
1.3  How BOOTMENU works
1.4  How the extension of 15 primary partition is implemented
1.5  Other Harddisks
2.  Boot-Images
2.1  Choosing up to four partitions while booting (boot-images)
2.2  Password-protection                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
2.3  Reliabilty of the protection
3.  Installation / Deinstallation
3.1  Installation
3.1  Installation or a new partition / a new operation-system
3.2  Deinstallatoin of BOOTMENU
4.  Bios-protection against computer-virusses
5.  Known problems, restrictions
6.  Exclusion or warranty
7.  Registering
8.  Copyright
9.  Support


1. OVERVIEW:
============
1.1 SHORT OVERVIEW:
-------------------
- Choosing an operation system during boot up.
- Several Windows (95) versions on hard drive at the same time.
- Each partition can be temporarily "truly"  hidden  and  protected  with
  a password.
- Expanding each hard drive from 4 to 15 primary partitions.
- Works well with other boot manager programs (e.g., LILO, NTLoader...).
- BOOTMENU operates independently from operating system.


1.2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
---------------------------
After a standard personal computer has been turned on, the "master-boot-
record" will be loaded from a certain area on the harddisk. This master
boot record consists of a so-called "bootstrap" routine and a "partitio-
ning table". The bootstrap routine is a program, which loads the  actual
operating system. 

The number of possible primary partitions in the  partitioning  table  is
historically limited to four,  which also  corresponds  to the  number of
operating systems that can be run on the same computer. 

Nowadays, when there are so many operating systems  on the  market  (DOS,
Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, OS/2, and  Linux)  this  can  become
a problem. 

It is also  a  problem  that  during  booting  one  cannot  select  which
partition (operating system) is going to be used. This has to  happen  in
rather cumbersome processes while the system is running, and can only  be
activated by rebooting the system. 

The program BOOTMENU can manage up to 15 primary partitions per  harddisk
and permits the selection of the desired  active  partitions  during  the
booting process. This also allows for the selection of an installed  ope-
rating system during booting. 

Furthermore, the boot managing program BOOTMENU enables the user to  hide
individual partitions temporarily and/or protect them with a password.


1.3 HOW BOOTMENU WORKS:
-----------------------
Dividing the hard disk into partitions takes  place  exclusively  in  the
partitioning table of the master boot record of the  respective  harddisk.
The contents of each partition will be taken over by  each  operating sys-
tem that is being used.

Limiting the partitions to four active ones is a problem  of  the  master
boot record. This, however, binds all operating systems to the use of the
format of that master boot record and its inherent partitioning table.

Partitions that are not listed in this table are not used by  any  opera-
ting system.

However, the space on  the  harddisk  is  not  being  overwritten  either
(exception: partitioning programs such as FDISK). 

Thus it is possible to write to the partitioning table as desired, remov-
ing, adding, or exactly restoring entries at a later time,  without  that
the corresponding partition (partition content) suffers any damage.

This is also the way the previously mentioned 15 active partitions  func-
tion, which can be managed by BOOTMENU per harddisk:
When booting, up to four  partitions  are  recorded  in  the  master boot
record of the partitioning table.

The listing of those partitions that are copied to the partitioning table
of the master boot record are considered to be "visible" partitions.  The
rest of the partitions remain "invisible" until the next  time  the  com-
puter is booted.


1.4 HOW THE EXTENSION OF 15 PRIMARY PARTITION IS IMPLEMENTED:
-------------------------------------------------------------
BOOTMENU uses a  secondary partition-table.  While BOOTMENU is installed,
each partition  existent on the  fixed disk _must_ have its  entry within
this secondary partition table.

While booting  up  to  four partition  descriptions  are copied  from the
secondary partition-table into the MBR.


  Example of a partition-table: 

              !  Partition  !
    Cylinder  !    Type     ! Description
  ------------+-------------+------------------------------------
      0 - 099 ! HPFS        ! OS/2
    100 - 199 ! NTFS        ! Windows NT
    200 - 599 ! BIGDOS      ! Windows 95
    600 - 699 ! LINUX       ! Linux
    700 - 719 ! LINUX-SWAP  ! Linux (permanent swap-partition)
  ------------+-------------+------------------------------------


1.5 OTHER HARDDISKS:
--------------------
BOOTMENU supports up to 4 installed hard drives and includes  the  option
to boot from either one.

Because of historical reasons, some operating systems can only be  booted
from the first hard drive.

For those operating systems, which can only  be  booted  from  the  first
harddisk, BOOTMENU corrects this flaw automatically.

One has to experiment to find out which  operating systems  can  thus  be
booted in this manner from other hard drives or clarify this  by  reading
the Support section (see below).

When booting from a hard drive other than the first, only partitions from
this hard drive and subsequent ones can be used.


2. BOOT-IMAGES:
===============

2.1 CHOOSING UP TO FOUR PARTITIONS WHILE BOOTING (BOOT-IMAGES):
---------------------------------------------------------------
The boot-manager program BOOTMENU has a very unique approach to  managing
partitions.

During booting, a so-called "boot-image" is  being  created.  This  boot-
image contains information about which  partitions  are  supposed  to  be
used. But it also contains information  about  which  partitions  are  to
remain invisible.

It can also list from which partition the  computer  is  supposed  to  be
booted. (This partition, therefore, does not have  to  be  on  the  first
harddisk, but can be located on any other harddisk in the system.) 

Also, with each boot-image a series of keystrokes  can  be  recorded  and
automatically written to the key buffer. This can make  working  together
with consequent boot-manager (such as LILO, NTLoader etc.) much easier. 

Each individual boot-image can be secured with a password,  so  that  not
all partitions can be viewed by everybody.

  Example of different boot-Images:

                  !    Partitions
    Boot-Image    !
    Description   ! HPFS    ! NTFS   ! BIGDOS  ! LINUX   ! LINUX-SWAP !
  ----------------+---------+--------+---------+---------+------------+
    Windows 95    !         !        !   X B   !         !            !
    OS/2          !   X B   !        !   X     !         !            !
    Windows NT    !         !   X B  !   X     !         !            !
    Linux         !   X     !        !   X     !   X B   !     X      !
  ----------------+---------+--------+---------+---------+------------+

In  addition  to the  information  which partition(s) are to be used, one
must specify which partition is to be booted from (markt with an 'B').

Alternativly  one  can  specify  that  the  boot-device is a  floppy-disk
(A: or B:).


2.2 PASSWORD-PROTECTION:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
------------------------
The  password - protection  mechanism  is  applied  to  boot-images,  not
partitions. If you want to password-protect the OS/2-partition we used in
the example above, you had to password protect two boot-images: The OS/2-
boot-image and the Linux-boot-image.

Caution: The information in the master boot record remains as long as the 
System is not  rebootet and the  BOOTMENU-bootstrap is executed.  Thus if
the System is rebooted from a floppy-disk, even password-protected images
(partitions used by the image) can be accessed!  To  prevent unauthorized 
users from accessing  password-protected images, do one of the following:
 
 a) Execute the bootstrap-loader by rebooting the system.  You can switch
    the system off  after BOOTMENU's initial screen is shown.
 b) Run  BM-SETUP.EXE /Clear   This wipes out the partition-table entries
    in the MBR. Be sure to switch off the system  _directly_  after using
    this command. Note that this command may _ONLY_ be used while running
    (MS-) DOS! This command must  _NOT_  be executed while running  OS/2,
    Linux, Windows NT, Windows 95 or any other non-DOS operating-system!

The password-protection is implemented rather simple. Don't rely on it if
you want to  protect partitions  from people who know how  partitions and
hard-disks are organized and how to use disk-editors properly.


2.3 RELIABILTY OF THE PROTECTION:
---------------------------------
The password protection is only a plain protection. Even if the  harddisk
would be extreemly safeguarded, one could otherwise find  the  partitions
with hard drive editors such as PC Tools.

Therefore, this password protection is only reliable against  people  who
do not possess much knowledge about the structure and use of the  indivi-
dual sectors of a harddisk.

The percentage of people who do have such specialized  knowledge  amounst
to less than 0.01% of all computer users. Thus it seems that  the protec-
tion via a password seems to be relaitevly reliable, even if  a  harddisk
should be physically removed from the  computer  (e.g.,  notebook  compu-
ters).


3. INSTALLATION / DEINSTALLATION:
=================================

3.1 INSTALLATION:
-----------------
BM-SETUP.EXE is the installation and configuration program  which is used
to install BOOTMENU and to  configure the partition-settings, boot-images
and the password-protection.

BM-SETUP.EXE requieres DOS.

The bootstrap-loader (BOOTMENU) is the first program loaded into the com-
puters memory while booting. It is then executed and the user is prompted
to choose a boot-image-configuration to boot the (operating-) system.

Before installing BOOTMENU you should make a backup-copy of your  master-
boot-record (MBR) using BM-SETUP.EXE.  This copy is essential in case you
have a non-standard MBR installed on your system.

Remember  to make  copies of your  partition-table and  image-table after
modifying the  computer's  configuration.  Those copies  might become the
only  key  to  your  system  if  parts  of  the partition-TABLE and / or
image-table become damaged / destroyed. Copies are _NOT_ encrypted.  Keep
them at a safe place if you want to protect your system from unauthorized
users.

Reboot your system after making any changes to your boot-configuration in
order to make them work.


3.1 INSTALLATION OF A NEW PARTITION / A NEW OPERATING-SYSTEM:
-------------------------------------------------------------
NEVER use any other partitioning-tools while BOOTMENU is installed.

Ohter  partitioning-tools  don't recognize BOOTMENU's extended partition-
tables and are therefore  not able to distinguish between  free space and
already in-use-space.

Alway remember  to make a copy of the partition-table and the boot-images
BEFORE installing a new partition and / or operating-system.

If it is not possible to create a new partition table using BOOTMENU, try
to  remove BOOTMENU  (see "deinstallation of BOOTMENU"),  install the new
operating-system and then, re-install BOOTMENU.

In order to  prevent  other partitioning-programs  from  writing into the
partition-table, BOOTMENU creates "empty" entries in the partition-table.


3.2 DEINSTALLATION OF BOOTMENU:
-------------------------------
BM-SETUP.EXE  offers an option  to deinstall  BOOTMENU.  This removes any
additional tables  from the fixed disk  an creates  a standard-bootstrap-
loader.

If there  are more than  four partitions installed, it is not possible to
remove  BOOTMENU because  all partitions  except the first  four would be
destroyed. Remove them manually before choosing the deinstallation option
from the main-menu.

Use the deinstallation-option rather then restoring the old MBR from file
because partition sizes and / or positions might have been changed.


4. BIOS-PROTECTION AGAINST COMPUTER-VIRUSSES:
=============================================
Some PC-BIOSses offer a anti-virus protection option. This option usually
prevents  any program from writing into the master boot record.  BOOTMENU
needs to  make changes to the MBR  so this BIOS-option  must  be disabled
while using BOOTMENU.

BOOTMENU offers a virus detection function. This virus detection function
generates  a  checksum for the MBR.  By default  this function is enabled
(Bootmenu/Settings). In case a faulty checksum is detected, the user will
be prompted for generating a new (clean) MBR.


5. KNOWN PROBLEMS, RESTRICTIONS:
================================
Since some  device drivers for hard-disks need to be installed within the
MBR and do modify the  MBR the virus-(checksum-)protection function needs
to be disabled when using such a driver.

BOOTMEN itself is installed on cylinder 0, head 0, sector 1 and up.  This
may cause conflicts with some PC-BIOSses and/or  harddisk-device-drivers.
If a compatiblity-problem occurs, restore the MBR using BM-SETUP.EXE.


6. EXCLUSION OF WARRANTY:
=========================
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.


7. REGISTERING:
===============
When you register you will receive a registration key for the unrestric-
ted use of the BOOTMENU program.

Until further notice, this key will remain valid. You do not have to pay
any update fees.

Please use the  online  registering  via  internet  or  the  order  form
containing this program.


8. COPYRIGHT:
=============
Copyright (C) 1997, by
  Dipl.Ing.(FH) Nils Hoyer
  Hopfenweg 207
  D-22851 Norderstedt
  Germany


9. SUPPORT:
===========
Internet:

  http://www.bootmenu.com/
