GAG
GRAPHICAL BOOT MANAGER
GAG is a Boot Manager program, this is, a program that is loaded when
the
computer is turned on and allows to choose the operating system you want
to use. Its main features are:
-Allows you to boot up to 9
different operating systems.
-Can boot operating systems
installed in primary and extended
partitions. They can be
installed on any hard disk too.
-GAG doesn't need its own
partition. It installs itself in the
first track of the hard
disk, which is reserved for this kind of
programs. It can also be
installed on a floppy disk, without using
the hard disk.
-Has a timer to boot a
default operating system (selectable by
the user).
-The configuration menu can
be protected with a password. Also,
each operating system can be
protected with its own password.
-The program works in
graphic modes (needs a VGA or better graphic
card), and has a lot of
icons.
-Hides the primary
partitions, allowing the installation of more
than one DOS and/or Windows
OS on the same hard disk.
-Can exchange disk drives,
allowing to boot from the second, third...
hard disk operating systems
such as MS-DOS.
-Has a SafeBoot system,
which allows you to boot your hard disk even if
GAG is accidentally
overwritten.
DISCLAIMER
GAG is a program distributed 'as is', without any warranty of any kind.
The
author will not be responsible if there is loss of data on your hard
disk or
any other problem. Use it at your own risk.
GAG is distributed under a GPL license. For more information, just read
the
COPYING file.
INSTALLATION
GAG is distributed as a floppy disk image, install it you will need
need an blank 3 1/2 inch, high density, formatted floppy. This allows
you
to install GAG without worrying about what operating system you have.
Starting with GAG 4.01, all language versions are distributed on one
single disk, with a little installation program. You only have to create
the disk (see above the instructions of how to do it), boot your
computer
from that disk, et voila! The instructions for using it, the FAQ and the
license can be read from the installer program.
You can put this file (DISK.DSK) as the boot image of a bootable CD-ROM,
so you can have your GAG installer on a CD, instead of floppy. There's
an
ISO image in this package that you can use, if you want, to create that
bootable CD-ROM (the file is GAG.ISO).
IMPORTANT: once created, the disk will be appear to be blank (this is,
you
will not be able to read it from MS-DOS, Windows,...) but GAG is on it.
Just boot your computer from it.
CREATING THE BOOT DISK
First, you will need to create the floppy. That's done using the
RAWRITE2.EXE program.
FROM DOS
Insert the formatted disk in the floppy and type
INSTALL.BAT
Then, the program will create the boot floppy.
FROM WINDOWS
Insert the formatted disk in your floppy drive.
Open the folder where you unzipped the GAG's zip file and double-click
the
icon INSTALL.BAT
The program will create the boot floppy.
FROM OS/2
Open a DOS session (it can be window or full screen) and do the same
that
in FROM DOS.
If the program returns a DMA error, edit the CONFIG.SYS file and modify
your DOS variable, putting it as
DOS=HIGH,UMB
Default value is DOS=LOW,NOUMB.
If you prefer, you can use the native program IMAGE.EXE, that comes in
the OS/2 CD-ROM.
FROM LINUX/UNIX
Insert the formatted floppy in disk drive and type
dd if=disk.dsk of=/dev/fd0
bs=512 count=2880
If you prefer, you can do too:
cat disk.dsk > /dev/fd0
In other UNIX systems is possible you must use something different to
/dev/fd0.
OTHER OPERATING SYSTEMS
You need a program that allows you to create floppies from disk images,
and use it to copy the file DISK.DSK into the floppy.
BOOTING GAG
Restart your computer and boot it with the created floppy. In your
screen
will be shown the main menu of GAG Installer. Press '1' to read the
instructions, press '2' to read the FAQ, press '3' to read the license,
or
press '4' to start the installation.
ERRORS RETURNED BY GAG Installer WHEN IT BOOTS
When GAG boots, makes some tests. If it founds an error, it shows a
number
in the screen and halts the system. The errors are theses:
GAG: 1
BAD SECTOR: there was a read error when tried to
load GAG. If you were
booting from floppy, reinstall it on another floppy
without bad sectors.
If you were booting from hard disk, use SafeBoot to
boot an operating
system and reinstall GAG. If the error is still
present, you have bad
sectors in your hard disk.
GAG: 3
GAG INSTALLER NOT FOUND: the code loaded from the
floppy or the hard
disk does not have the GAG signature. Is possible
that the first track
has been overwritten. Make another installation disk
and try again.
RECOMPILING GAG FROM THE SOURCES
Source code is stored in a directory called DEVEL.
In it you will find the source code for GAG, for the installation
program,
the boot sector code, instruction files, FAQ, license, and the source
code
for the disk image file generator.
Enjoy it!
CONTACTING THE AUTOR.
GAG has been written by
Sergio Costas Rodriguez
(RASTER SOFTWARE VIGO)
raster@rastersoft.com
http://www.rastersoft.com
GAG'S HOME PAGE
http://www.rastersoft.com/gageng.htm
If in doubt, just write and ask me (but please, first read the
instructions
and the FAQ, that are available from the installation program. I will
NOT
answer questions that can be solved by reading those files. Those mails
will
go directly to the trash).
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