Got an update from the author of boot.sys:

Thank you for contacting me. […]
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Thank you for contacting me.

I'm glad that BOOT.SYS works for you. No, I'm not able to provide registered copies anymore.

Please feel free to continue using the unregistered one. Except for the occasional timed registration reminder, you should not have any issues with it.

Best regards,
Hans Salvisberg

So no way to get a licensed copy unfortunately. So still open for suggestions for alternatives.

There's one other option I've found in looking into this same thing, the "Autocon" tool which allows for switching between sets of config.sys+autoexec.bat and rebooting to the selected set also has a mode where it generates a menu configuration, where it uses the included menu.ctl config.sys driver. It seems to function similarly to boot.sys. I haven't done a full comparison of features, but it's worth trying out.

kergoth wrote on 2023-03-06, 04:11:

There's one other option I've found in looking into this same thing, the "Autocon" tool which allows for switching between sets of config.sys+autoexec.bat and rebooting to the selected set also has a mode where it generates a menu configuration, where it uses the included menu.ctl config.sys driver. It seems to function similarly to boot.sys. I haven't done a full comparison of features, but it's worth trying out.

MULTICNF.SYS also seems similar, but its documentation doesn't indicate any awareness of loading dos high, which is a potential concern with that one.

kergoth wrote on 2023-03-06, 04:35:

kergoth wrote on 2023-03-06, 04:11:

There's one other option I've found in looking into this same thing, the "Autocon" tool which allows for switching between sets of config.sys+autoexec.bat and rebooting to the selected set also has a mode where it generates a menu configuration, where it uses the included menu.ctl config.sys driver. It seems to function similarly to boot.sys. I haven't done a full comparison of features, but it's worth trying out.

MULTICNF.SYS also seems similar, but its documentation doesn't indicate any awareness of loading dos high, which is a potential concern with that one.

Thanks! Will try Autocon. Unfortunately can't find MULTICNF.SYS. Do you have a link?

Also found out about Bootcon from Modular Software Systems which seems very nice. But can't find a download link. If someone has one please let me know.

Yoghoo wrote on 2023-03-06, 11:17:

kergoth wrote on 2023-03-06, 04:35:

kergoth wrote on 2023-03-06, 04:11:

There's one other option I've found in looking into this same thing, the "Autocon" tool which allows for switching between sets of config.sys+autoexec.bat and rebooting to the selected set also has a mode where it generates a menu configuration, where it uses the included menu.ctl config.sys driver. It seems to function similarly to boot.sys. I haven't done a full comparison of features, but it's worth trying out.

MULTICNF.SYS also seems similar, but its documentation doesn't indicate any awareness of loading dos high, which is a potential concern with that one.

Thanks! Will try Autocon. Unfortunately can't find MULTICNF.SYS. Do you have a link?

Also found out about Bootcon from Modular Software Systems which seems very nice. But can't find a download link. If someone has one please let me know.

Multicnf.sys is in multc21e.zip. Other similar tools seem to be: boots2a.zip, fasts101.zip, maus-sys.zip, mcf100.zip, minuet300.zip, rfcfg32.zip, select.zip. There are others that only give a menu in the autoexec, not the config.sys, but that's of limited usefulness unless you dive into dynamic device driver loaders.

Haven't managed to track down bootcon or cmenu.sys yet.

The 'bootutil' folder at a Simtel mirror, i.e. https://ftp.sunet.se/mirror/archive/ftp.sunet … msdos/bootutil/ haș a number of tools for a boot menu, though none really seem as capable as boot.sys, some may prefer a simpler option, or it may be worth it to avoid the shareware messages. Other similar resources include a Garbo mirror or cd (i.e. http://www.retroarchive.org/cdrom/garbo_dos/b … util/index.html), old simtel or other shareware cds, etc.

kergoth wrote on 2023-03-08, 19:26:

Multicnf.sys is in multc21e.zip. Other similar tools seem to be: boots2a.zip, fasts101.zip, maus-sys.zip, mcf100.zip, minuet300. […]
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Yoghoo wrote on 2023-03-06, 11:17:

kergoth wrote on 2023-03-06, 04:35:

MULTICNF.SYS also seems similar, but its documentation doesn't indicate any awareness of loading dos high, which is a potential concern with that one.

Thanks! Will try Autocon. Unfortunately can't find MULTICNF.SYS. Do you have a link?

Also found out about Bootcon from Modular Software Systems which seems very nice. But can't find a download link. If someone has one please let me know.

Multicnf.sys is in multc21e.zip. Other similar tools seem to be: boots2a.zip, fasts101.zip, maus-sys.zip, mcf100.zip, minuet300.zip, rfcfg32.zip, select.zip. There are others that only give a menu in the autoexec, not the config.sys, but that's of limited usefulness unless you dive into dynamic device driver loaders.

Haven't managed to track down bootcon or cmenu.sys yet.

The 'bootutil' folder at a Simtel mirror, i.e. https://ftp.sunet.se/mirror/archive/ftp.sunet … msdos/bootutil/ haș a number of tools for a boot menu, though none really seem as capable as boot.sys, some may prefer a simpler option, or it may be worth it to avoid the shareware messages. Other similar resources include a Garbo mirror or cd (i.e. http://www.retroarchive.org/cdrom/garbo_dos/b … util/index.html), old simtel or other shareware cds, etc.

That said, I did manage to come across instructions to crack boot.sys version 2.00 (with debug or a hex editor like uhex) which I found in the files archive of an old bbs at http://www.dcee.net/Files/Hacking/Crack/.

Thanks again. Autocon works okay but does not have a boot menu unfortunately so will try some of the others you mentioned.

Think you beter remove that crack link btw as a mod will probably remove it. 😉

Yoghoo wrote on 2023-03-08, 19:56:

kergoth wrote on 2023-03-08, 19:26:

Multicnf.sys is in multc21e.zip. Other similar tools seem to be: boots2a.zip, fasts101.zip, maus-sys.zip, mcf100.zip, minuet300. […]
Show full quote

Yoghoo wrote on 2023-03-06, 11:17:

Thanks! Will try Autocon. Unfortunately can't find MULTICNF.SYS. Do you have a link?

Also found out about Bootcon from Modular Software Systems which seems very nice. But can't find a download link. If someone has one please let me know.

Multicnf.sys is in multc21e.zip. Other similar tools seem to be: boots2a.zip, fasts101.zip, maus-sys.zip, mcf100.zip, minuet300.zip, rfcfg32.zip, select.zip. There are others that only give a menu in the autoexec, not the config.sys, but that's of limited usefulness unless you dive into dynamic device driver loaders.

Haven't managed to track down bootcon or cmenu.sys yet.

The 'bootutil' folder at a Simtel mirror, i.e. https://ftp.sunet.se/mirror/archive/ftp.sunet … msdos/bootutil/ haș a number of tools for a boot menu, though none really seem as capable as boot.sys, some may prefer a simpler option, or it may be worth it to avoid the shareware messages. Other similar resources include a Garbo mirror or cd (i.e. http://www.retroarchive.org/cdrom/garbo_dos/b … util/index.html), old simtel or other shareware cds, etc.

That said, I did manage to come across instructions to crack boot.sys version 2.00 (with debug or a hex editor like uhex) which I found in the files archive of an old bbs at http://www.dcee.net/Files/Hacking/Crack/.

Thanks again. Autocon works okay but does not have a boot menu unfortunately so will try some of the others you mentioned.

Think you beter remove that crack link btw as a mod will probably remove it. 😉

Fair point. Autocon does have a menu if it's a version of it that includes menu.ctl. You have to run autoconf, go into the menus, and select the option to make a menu. I don't love that you have to use its interface to edit the config files, but once the menu is generated you could always edit the files directly from there and stop using its interface, presumably.

Yoghoo wrote on 2023-03-01, 13:07:

Got an update from the author of boot.sys:

Thank you for contacting me. […]
Show full quote

Thank you for contacting me.

I'm glad that BOOT.SYS works for you. No, I'm not able to provide registered copies anymore.

Please feel free to continue using the unregistered one. Except for the occasional timed registration reminder, you should not have any issues with it.

Best regards,
Hans Salvisberg

So no way to get a licensed copy unfortunately. So still open for suggestions for alternatives.

Thanks for the info! I posted a bit about that tool starting here and it seemed very nice. It's nice to know I can at least start using it despite not being able to register it.

doshea wrote on 2021-02-27, 08:48:

Perhaps now that a lot of time has passed they can be convinced to release it as open source, or sell all rights to the software?

Another option might be to ask if they'd approve of it being cracked, and that crack being distributed? Perhaps it's already been cracked? I imagine they might not mind since (a) it requires no effort from them and (b) it doesn't cost them anything in registrations.

Do you want to ask them? If not I will try to get around to it, I just don't want to annoy them with multiple people sending the same question or something.

doshea wrote on 2023-03-11, 02:33:

Another option might be to ask if they'd approve of it being cracked, and that crack being distributed? Perhaps it's already been cracked? I imagine they might not mind since (a) it requires no effort from them and (b) it doesn't cost them anything in registrations.

Do you want to ask them? If not I will try to get around to it, I just don't want to annoy them with multiple people sending the same question or something.

You can ask him if you want. I don't want to go that road even if it's allowed.

If you don't use Qemm then MCONFIG from McAfee is also a nice option. Bit more handy work then boot.sys but it has a nice boot menu. Unfortunately it had a reboot problem with Qemm (himem, emm386 etc works ok) so I settled with Autocon for now. Does not have a boot menu but it works without problems.