jaclaz

Well, VirtualPC has also them (they are called "differencing VHD's" and/or "Undo Vhd's" they are two types slightly different): http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc720381(v=ws.10).aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc720325(v=ws.10).aspx Also Virtualbox has "differencing images": http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch05.html#diffimages jaclaz

Maybe OT , but JFYI: http://reboot.pro/topic/19846-spencer-add-classic-windows-xp-start-menu-to-your-windows-8/ http://thesz.diecru.eu/content/spencer.php jaclaz

You need - I believe - a special permission to use oximorons on the board. jaclaz

Good. To clear your doubt, there are people that call WinPE *any* PE or Pre-installation Envirtonment created from a Windows source, whilst other (IMHO more correctly) call WinPE only the ones obtained by Microsoft or created only with thools/methods provided by MS. As an example, a BartPE (i.e. a PE built using Bart's PEbuilder) is IMHO *generically* "a" PE and not a "WinPE". As well as all the various projects created through Winbuilder are PE's but not WinPE's. So you have a "normal" Win PE 3.x built from WAIK (actually AIK - the good MS guys have a special attitude to change names to things ). How did you prepare the USB stick? In a PE usually you have more than one drive letter when it boots, which one do you have on the machine you built and where the PE works "right"? Like (example): Internal disk C:, D., E: CD/DVD ROM: F: USB Stick: K: etc. What happens instead on the machine(s) where those changed? As a side note (and NOT what you asked , mind you) the actual "issue" that you tried to solve by using RocketDock was the lack of a graphical shell in your build (as a WinPE created from WAIK normally has CMD.EXE as shell). You might want to try another build through a third party builder that includes a graphical shell. This is a rather recent, simple and rather well documented project: http://mistype.reboot.pro/mistype.docs/readme.html http://reboot.pro/files/file/357-mistype/ http://reboot.pro/topic/18917-mistype/ that uses BBLean as a graphical shell. jaclaz

Hallo CooruptHuman. You need to know something that may help you in better reporting. WinPE does NOT exist WinPE can be BOTH a "generic" term for a PE, or a "specific" term for a PE built using only MS tools. Additionally when talking about a PE, it is advised to always specify the version, based on the source it was used to create it: XP/2003 -> PE 1.x Vista /2008 -> PE 2.x 7/2008R2 -> PE 3.x 8/2012-> PE 4.x 8.1/2012 R2->PE 5.x (though it should have been logically called 4.1)http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn293271.aspx And specify the tool used to make it (like the original MS WAIK/AIK/ADK or any of the available third party tools) and (if used/relevant) the actual script/project used with the tool. Finally there are mainly two ways to make a PE bootable USB stick a "flat" file/folder structure (nowadays rarely used) or making use of an image (that can be a .iso, a RAW disk image, a .VHD or more commonly a .WIM image). Usually it is possible to either "hardcode" a drive letter for a volume on the USB stick or set it when booting, but you will need to provide the above details in order to get a suitable (hopefully) solution to your issue. jaclaz

Sure, but the really worrying thing is that it is not limited to computing. We are actually going to follow the evolution of Golgafrinchans http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03v379k/profiles/golgafrinchans jaclaz

Only seemingly OT , I just discovered that you can now have coloured Telepass devices. The Telepass is a small device (that used to be only a "neutral" gray) that is used to automate toll payment on a number of highways in Italy. It is a small box, roughly the size of a pack of cigarettes that you glue with some velcro like fixture to the inside of your windscreen (usually hidden BEHIND the internal rear mirror). It is something you actually get in your hands and look at roughly once in several years (when you change your car, or when the 3M adhesive fails because of heat/freeze cycles/UV rays or when the internal batteries wear off, and you get a new device in exchange), , the thingy is (due to it's position and neutral colour) hardly noticeable and in many cars can be placed in the little recess intended for spectacles/glasses and thus it is completely hidden. This is how it used to look: This is what you can get now: http://www.telepass.it/ecm/faces/public/telepass/intestazione/news74a5.html Since I was astonished that someone could actually care about this less-than-trifling, I would call it non-existing problem, I searched a bit around, and found this (Telepass "holder" in different colours AND INCLUDING a car freshener ): http://www.xpass.it/ Humanity is doomed. jaclaz

Well, now that you have it working, maybe you can look at what it actually does, by comparing the comdlg32.dll "before" and "after" (which was the original idea). See you in 9 months time. jaclaz

Training? WHAT training? You don't need no freakin' trainin', no, sir! How difficult can it be? jaclaz

Naah, the batch is fine, I would have written it differently, avoiding the use of the temp directory listing and simply emptying the "extract" subdirectory when starting, but it seems to me perfectly fine as it is. Just an idea, but maybe it could be useful - if the issue is, with a large number of updates of this kind, the sheer disk space occupied by the expanded version - do something like a "fake" directory structure, leaving just the name and the sizes of the files (using "sparse" files, of course only on NTFS). But it would probably be of little or no use, as what is needed often is to check the actual version of the .dll's and .exe's in the archive... jaclaz

AFAIK, there is NO "Canon" driver for 7 (or for any 64 bit OS) but the printer should be supported by the "standard" Windows 7 drivers, and there is an "add-on" to extend it's functionalities): http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/printers_multifunction/i_series/i850_series#DriversAndSoftware File Description Date Size Printer Driver Add-On Module Ver.1.10 (Windows 7/7 x64) 07/20/11 4.10 MB File Name: aomwin110ea23us.exe This software is a module that expands the functionality of the printer driver for Canon Inkjet printers. Your printer must be installed via Microsoft Update before you download and use this module. By installing this software, you can use the printer... Maybe the built-in driver is not "specific" for the I850 but it is rather (like as an example many HP printers ones "generic") see if you can find in Windows Update a driver for a "similar" printer, like the i 860 or i865 ... According to this: http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/F/E/0FE9AFD7-8214-4989-BA8F-485055AD263B/Inbox%20Printer%20Driver%20Names%20for%20Windows%20Vista.pdf drivers for Vista exist (though the file says nothing if that is 32 or 64 bit). jaclaz

Among the many "virtual disk" formats a VM can use there is a "snapshot" one (which actually is comprised of a "base" image + one or more "differencing" images, see: https://www.vmware.com/support/ws55/doc/ws_preserve_using_sshot.html https://www.vmware.com/support/ws55/doc/ws_preserve_sshot_linear.html https://www.vmware.com/support/ws55/doc/ws_preserve_sshot_tree.html and: http://sanbarrow.com/vmdk-handbook.html http://sanbarrow.com/vmdk-basics.html#snapshots http://sanbarrow.com/vmdk-snapshots.html#translatebuttons It is an exceptional good method/way to do experiments, like change settings or install/uninstall applications, etc. as what it is saved at each "snapshot" taken is just the "delta" when compared with a base image, but it is not like if you completely change the contents of the virtual disk attached it will take the same few seconds to take the snapshot and/or to restore to a previous one. Since when doing this kind of experiments the changes compared against the start are usually very small, then the time to take the snapshot and/or to restore to it are also very small, but if you change lots of things, then it will take a proportional amount of time. As well, if you create a tree with tens or hundreds of snapshots, things may start to become not-so-fast. The key here is to understand how a snapshot (or Redo) image is only "valid" if attached to it's parent image, and it only records the changes happened inside the VM when compared to the parent image (which is "established once and later remains unmodified"). HTH. jaclaz

And these confirm: https://kc.mcafee.com/resources/sites/MCAFEE/content/live/PRODUCT_DOCUMENTATION/24000/PD24786/en_US/McAfee_Labs_Threat_Advisory_Ransom_Cryptolocker.pdf http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2013-091122-3112-99&tabid=2 how, if cryptolocker cannot connect to his (hardcoded, main) "home server", it tries to connect to a "random" domain to transmit the AES encryption key. Maybe the good NCA guys managed to block the 184.164.136.134 and all the generated domains, but all the authors of the malware have to do is to procure a bunch of new domains, and modify the binary, and re-infect files on the web. I am failing to see how the "two weeks" can be estimated. Seemingly the peeps from OpenDNS have reversed engineer the DGA algorithm: http://www.opendns.com/enterprise-security/products/cryptolocker-containment-is-the-new-prevention/ http://info.opendns.com/rs/opendns/images/DS-OpenDNS-Combating-Ransomware.pdf and claim that if you use such a DNS "Umbrella", the malware is prevented from connecting to any of the generated domains, it is possible that the NCA used a similar approach. jaclaz

Giving you another occasion to nit-pick on them? No thanks. The messages that I believed were worth of note were delivered fine, I have nothing else to add on this topic, see you on a next one . jaclaz

You can use Universal Extractor: http://www.msfn.org/board/forum/159-universal-extractor/ though what it will do will be simply that of running the file with parameters /q /x <outdir>, i.e. expanding it's contents in an a sub-folder. JFYI, there is a newish updated version here (UNofficial): http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/171930-new-unofficial-version-165/ jaclaz

Without all due respect , be my guest, scan this : jaclaz

Sure , that is the idea of "cannot (should not)" it doesn't mean that you really-really cannot, i.e. that every attempt will result in a failure, only that it may happen, and that happens more often then "from time to time" or "seldom". As I see it is not a real issue, as when it happens one can always revert to start again from the untouched original, but historically all the whining happens because of one or the other between the listed two reasons. If you prefer : http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/158485-international-translations-of-common-signs/ "E' pericoloso usare nlite più di una volta" "Please do not use nlite more than once" "Verwenden Sie nicht mehr als einmal nlite" "Priere de ne pas utiliser nLite plus d'une fois" jaclaz

Maybe it could be useful if you could post where exactly can that value be changed? (or where it is the current 300000 ms currently set/stored)? jaclaz

Sure . The only issues with nlite (which are hardly an issue, only a nuisance) are just of two kinds AFAIK: you cannot (should not) EVER run nlite on an already nlited source, even if what you did was a trifling little thing, ALWAYS start from scratch from an original "untouched" source <- and this is somehow a limit/defect of the actual program you should not overdo it and, because of #1 above think a bit about choosing what to remove, as re-adding what you removed (but actually later found out as needed) is always rather complex, and very often not even possible at all <- and this is somehow a limti/mistake on the user part, but it is so common that there are tens or maybe hundreds of threads started by people that removed too much and ask how to re-add this or thatjaclaz

Well, is the issue: EAC+Daemon Tools *any program* dealing with CD/DVD's+Daemon Tools EAC+*any* Virtual CD/DVD driver known to mankind (among the many MS virtual CD, IMDISK, WinCDemu, Total Mounter) *any program* dealing with CD/DVD's++*any* Virtual CD/DVD driver known to mankind (among the many MS virtual CD, IMDISK, WinCDemu, Total Mounter)If #1 or #2 it seems to me not such a big deal (just use something else that works instead of Daemon Tools ). If #3 or #4 then it may be an issue or a serious issue. jaclaz

I don't get it. I cannot say anything about GameOver Zeus. But Cryptolocker is not AFAIK in any way "stealth", once (if) you are infected by it, it will quickly encrypt all your data, so it is not something that you may have already got and have unknowingly on your PC, IF you get it you are pretty much pwned immmediately or so. jaclaz

For no apparent reason, this machine: http://www.lancashirelife.co.uk/people/kendal_brown_house_continuing_the_art_of_snuff_production_1_1569201 produces snuff tobacco since 1792 (but is was re-cycled and was actually built originally around 1750). Sometimes "old" does not mean "outdated" or "no good", sometimes it simply means "thoroughly tested and working" . jaclaz

Well, IMHO something that should be tested (on those not working) would be to try with a "valid" partition ID, let's say 0x83, i.e. it is possible that some of those not working don't "like" the 0x00 partition ID. jaclaz

I think it is "intended" or "by design". If you think a bit about it, there is some logic in the behaviour (both in the "Windows" and in the "Linux" one, though "different" logic). Let's see what Windows does (more or less ): let's check the partition ID in each partition entry in the MBR if it is 0 ignore the entry if it is non-zero compare it against a list of known partition ID's if it is NOT among the known ID's AND the partition addresses are OK, show the partition in disk manager as "unknown" if it is among the known ID's AND the partition addresses are OK, probe the volume for the actual filesystem used AND IF this probing results in a known, valid filesystem, show the partition in disk manager with the proper volume filesystem type AND mount it (assign to it a drive letter in explorer) if it is among the known ID's AND the partition addresses are OK, probe the volume for the actual filesystem used AND IF this probing results in an unknown, OR invalid filesystem, show the partition in disk manager AND mount it (assign to it a drive letter in explorer BUT as soon as you try opening the volume you are prompted for formatting it)Remember that if the partition type is 0x07 not necessarily it is a NTFS filesystem, as exFAT (and I believe also UDF filesystem in Vista and later) use also 0x07, remember also how - unlike on Linux - partitioning and formatting are "linked together", i.e. it doesn't really exists a mkfatfs (or similar) under windows, as when you format a volume, the volume resides on the device, and the format command also updates the partition ID, as better explained in the given link: http://homepage.ntlworld.com./jonathan.deboynepollard/FGA/determining-filesystem-type.html there is the need for "volume bootsector probing". Now, we are used to a bunch of filesystems (FAT, NTFS, etc.) that do have the BPB in the bootsector and the bootsector is the first sector, but as an example UDF, has not (like CDFS) this, the good Linux guys are used in Ext2/3/4 to have it at a fixed offset from the beginning of the volume. As a side note, try opening a isohybrid .iso with Winimage or with 7-zip, last time I tried Winimage "opted" for it being a (hard disk) volume, whilst 7-zip "opted" for it being a CD/.iso: http://reboot.pro/topic/9076-the-mistery-of-windows-7-install-required-cddvd/?p=172168 http://reboot.pro/topic/17715-iso-image-with-mbr-and-small-fat-partition/ http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/?p=86292 Let's see what Linux does (probably, please understand how while the previous ones are educated guesses about how a windows NT works, the following are more wild than educated guesses and I may well have some terms or concepts "wrong" or worse): let's check the partition ID in each partition entry in the MBR No matter if it is 0 or any value, link the addresses in the entry to a valid device, like /dev/sda3 check the addresses in the partition entry are valid, AND IF they are valid, probe the volume for the actual filesystem used AND IF this probing results in a known, valid filesystem, proceed to mount it (if automount is enabled) and create a mount point for the extents described in the partition entry more or less the Linux fdisk will "see" (just like device manager) *any* partition whose addresses are defined in the MBR, no matter if the eatents contain a valid (recognized) filesystem or not. In the case of a "normal" .iso, most probably the Linux *whatever* checks sector 16 (which will be sector 48 because the device will have a 512 bytes sector size) and finds the CD001 and in the case of a isohybrid .iso checks first sector, understands that it is a MBR and not a volume bootsector and proceeds to check for the EXT2/3/4 superblock, doesn't find it, then goes on and checks sector 16 (please read as 48), and decides it represents a valid CDFS filesystem/volume. What would be very interesting at this point would be IMHO to experiment on Windows with the UDF filesystem (on Vista or later) as the UDF can be used both as a hard disk volume and as a CD/DVD filesystem. It is possible that "directly" or with a trick or two, we could manage to have under Windows a working entry in a partition table for a UDF volume which is actually a UDF .iso .... jaclaz

Sure I can confirm that a "normal", plain, Linux .iso image NOT isohybrided usually works through partition mapping (I seem to remember that there are a few that do not anyway). The whole point is a specific feature of the Linux kernel/way of working (that not necessarily is common with BSD). None of the several Linux .iso images that Easy2boot supports (but that you can of course map directly without using Easy2boot at all) through ISO partition mapping are modified in any way (and this is actually the big advantage of the method in general and of Easy2boot speciifcally), and AFAIK none of them are isohybrided (but I could be wrong about this latter). Now that you make me think about it, I cannot confirm that an actually isohybrided image works this way, never tested that. As a side note, gparted does NOT recognize an actual partition CDFS formatted as a valid one, though the method (though not with a partition ID of 0x00, but rather with a "normal" 0x83 partition ID) is used by a few particular Linux distro's, see as an example, Zeroshell: http://www.zeroshell.org/ and: http://gparted-forum.surf4.info/viewtopic.php?id=16632 The (nice) idea of that distro (which is a specialized "firewall/router" distro) is that the actual OS should be UNmodifiable and capable of working when booted from a CD/DVD, using *any* available media to save settings and logs, the hard disk or USB stick image in it is nothing but the actual CD/DVD version with a "loading" partition before and a "settings partition" after. jaclaz