Erd Commander 2005 And Other Boot Apps

[Soma]

Hi all

After much test and trial, i've finally made a Multiboot CD with ERD Commander 2005 and BartPE, and other boot applications, for that matter (Avast!, O&O Blue Con, etc...).

The problem when we add ERD in a normal way, it just stops working the web browser (Firefox) wich is included in it. That happens because the ERD ".ISO" is made in iso9660 level 1 and Joliet tree directory. When we add it to Multiboot with BartPE and build the new ".ISO", we set files to UPPERCASE and that's what maskes it go wrong.

But, even if we set the ".ISO" building to -allow-lowercase, it will still won't work because, then, when we start ERD, it won't see the ntdetect.com and all the other files, since their in lowercase. Major Bummer,

So, i've found a way to break it, making a iso9660 level 4 from the ERD ".ISO" first,

How?!? Easy pie, once you get the hang of it.

Just for your information, the only directories (and the files inside them) that have to be in lowercase are, "Firefox" and FirefoxProfile" inside the SYSTEM32.

BTW, I did this with UltraISO, you can use whatever you like, as long as you can have control over the building of the ".ISO" file.

1st: Make your ERD iso with Winternals Pak. Then extract all of the files and directories to a folder of your choice, let's assume to "C:\erdiso".

2nd: Open UltraISO and make a new iso from "C:\erdiso", setting the iso properties to "Iso9660" with "Max(221)" and "Omit version number ISO9660" ticked, ONLY THIS OPTIONS. Don't forget to load the boot file.

This will make an all UPPERCASE ERD Commander that will fail to work the web browser.

Now, save it to, let's say, "C:\ISOs\ERD_alpha.iso"

3rd: Extract your "ERD_alpha.iso" to a new folder, for example, "C:\erd_uppercase". Now delete both "FIREFOX" and "FIREFOXPROFILE" directories inside "I386\SYSTEM32".

Then copy/paste both "FireFox" and "FireFoxProfile" directories from "C:\erdiso\i386\system32" to "C:\erd_uppercase\I386\SYSTEM32" directory.

4th: Open UltraISO once more and make a new ISO from "C:\erd_uppercase" but, on the ISO properties tick the "allow lowercases" box also. It will be an IS09660 with "Max(221) caracters, with lowcase and no version number, hence iso level 4.

Save that iso to whatever you want and check if every thing is working to the full, web browser, network, etc...

You can burn it to a CD-RW or use VMware to test it.

After checking that it's working the way it should, you can safely delete the folders you created for this project.

After you have this iso made, you can use it to make your multiboot CD/DVD, taking just the precaution to use BartPE already in uppercase and all other things you want to use and use the "allow-lowercase" when you build the ISO.

Ex: "mkisofs.exe -iso-level 4 -allow-lowercases......"

Ex: "cdimage.exe -h -n -d -o -m -c ..........."

Ex: Use UltraISO with the same last configuration of the ISO properties with the "Optimize" box ticked.

ATTENTION: Do not use the "EasyBoot" "Make ISO" function or you'll have an all uppercase ISO again. Use UltraISO.--^^

And that is that, B)

Hope this will help someone.

Greetings to all

João Oliveira

[harunaksoy]

[Gantlett]

Hi all !

I have an ISO file of a registered Winternals ERD 2005. It is already compiled and I can't recompile it (or can I?). I burned it to CD and it works perfectly, but it cannot detect my network adaptor. It says "Check winbom.ini". I guess it doesn't have the drivers.

My network adaptor is a Marvell Yukon gigabit Ethernet on a Gigabyte K8NS-Pro.

I downloaded the Marvell Yukon drivers from www.Giga-byte.com and put them inside the i386 folder in various locations (I found a similar post here about a driver problem and took the liberty of doing what LiquidSage said in that post...). I extracted the Boot info from the original ISO and saved it to disk using WinISO. I then created a new ISO containing the Yukon drivers and added the Boot file of the original ISO to make my new ISO bootable. I then made an ISO out of it in WinISO.

This is what LiquidSage said in that post, and this is where I put the driver files:

Intel Nic drivers have been problematic for a while.

Putting the drivers in manually usually fixes the problem.

Start a fresh build via the 2005 Wizard.

Skip adding the intel set when you include your own drivers.

When the wizard allows you to manually add your own files, copy

e100b325.inf --> I386\INF\

e100b325.sys -->I386\system32\drivers\

intelnic.dll    |

e100b325.din |

e100b325.cat  |--> I386\system32\

e100bmsg.dll |

prounstl.exe |

it should now work.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course, the new CD won't even boot... It gives an ERROR CODE 4 at startup and boots from the HD.

How can I add the Marvell Yukon drivers to the existing original ISO?

Thanks in advance !

[LiquidSage]

WinISO is old and can't handle many of the new bootable Nx1 or modified bootable ISO's. Still useful for a few specific projects, but unless you know what they are, ditch WinISO.

an easy way:

Open your ISO and drop the files needed in the proper folders using a recent version of UltraISO. Save this modified ISO as a new file. Do not try to save the changes to the original ISO. The bootfile is preserved using this method. No need to change ISO attributes or mess with the bootable info.

Since ERD Commander 2005 is under 300mb. You should be able to complete this project using UltraISO in trial mode if you are not ready to purchase the program. However, UltraISO (at least for me) is a corner-stone utility for doing bootable projects and I highly advise you to buy a lic. for it if you want to easily work with image files.

[Gantlett]

Thanks so much !

I will try it as soon as possible and post the results !

[Gantlett]

WinISO is old and can't handle many of the new bootable Nx1 or modified bootable ISO's. Still useful for a few specific projects, but unless you know what they are, ditch WinISO.

an easy way:

Open your ISO and drop the files needed in the proper folders using a recent version of UltraISO. Save this modified ISO as a new file. Do not try to save the changes to the original ISO. The bootfile is preserved using this method. No need to change ISO attributes or mess with the bootable info.

Since ERD Commander 2005 is under 300mb. You should be able to complete this project using UltraISO in trial mode if you are not ready to purchase the program. However, UltraISO (at least for me) is a corner-stone utility for doing bootable projects and I highly advise you to buy a lic. for it if you want to easily work with image files.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK. I did exactly what you've said, but the problem remains. Upon startup ERD configures the network. Sep 1/3 passes and after step 2/3 it says "could not install network adapter - check WINBOM". This is exactly what happend before I added the drivers - no change.

This is where I put the driver files (these are all the files I've added to the original ISO):

yk51x86.inf ----> I386\INF\

yk51x86.sys ----> I386\system32\drivers\

yk51x86.cat ----> I386\system32\

Thanks.

[Gantlett]

OK guys, I made it !

I skipped the .cat file and put only the other two and now it works !

I think I put the XP drivers insted of the Win2003 drivers, but I'm not sure. I can check it if anyone is interested...

Cheers !

[Bâshrat the Sneaky]

Bookmarked!

[Gantlett]

OK - Verified:

I put the Win2003 Drivers of the Marvell Yukon in ERD 2005 (ISO file) and the ERD recognizes my network adapter.

These are the files and their locations:

yk51x86.sys--> i386/System32/Drivers

yk51x86.inf--> i386/INF

These are the only files from the driver that I put in the ERD 2005 ISO file and it simply works !

[andyd]

Sorry to bump up a old thread but is that -c necessary for cdimage?

[LiquidSage]

i believe so

[andyd]

I ended up using UltraISO. Thanks though

[Zxian]

When I try this method, ERD gives me a crapload of errors on startup (problems with network adaptors, can't find the Windows install, etc etc). Not to mention that when I make the rest of my CD, nothing else works...

I've followed the guide to a T, but no luck. Is there any way that we might be able to replace the default Firefox folders by portable Firefox or the like?

[Zxian]

Well.. I found a way around this. It's a bit easier than the above mentioned guide, but follows the same guidelines.

1) Make AIO CD as usual with everything else. This means everthing works except Firefox in ERD.

2) Open .ISO in UltraISO and delete /ERD1/SYSTEM32/FIREFOX and /ERD1/SYSTEM32/FIREFOXPROFILE

3) Copy Firefox and FirefoxProfile folders from original ERD 2005 ISO into above mentioned /SYSTEM32 folder

4) Set properties of AIO ISO to allow lowercase filenames.

5) Save.

Done. Now you've got everything as you want it, and a working Firefox under ERD 2005.

The difference between the guide and this is that the above guide prepares Firefox before making the AIO CD/DVD, while my way fixes Firefox after everything is complete.

Hope this helps someone else!

[pirrup]

haha nice trick tnx for the info