jaclaz

As I see it there are three possible issues on that disk: 1) a partition is missing, i.e. there is a "hole" at the beginning of the disk 2) there is seemingly NO overlapping of any kind of the three "current" partitions: 1 * HPFS - NTFS 10 168 31 18 160 14 128000 [WINRETOOLS] 2 P HPFS - NTFS 18 160 15 7402 197 27 118626304 [OS] 3 P HPFS - NTFS 7402 197 28 7600 41 57 3171072 [PBR Image] so I wonder what is the Active thingy trying to tell us 3) Something is seemingly not right (but it might be a "quirk"in testdisk, see below) with total size of the disk, testdisk senses a geometry of: Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 7600 255 63, sector size=4096 - WDC WD50 00LPVT-75G33T0, S/N:152D20337A0C which should mean that last cylinder is #7599, whilst the last partition is using cylinder #7600 (partially) All in all the only issue that is connectable to a power down is the corruption/missing of the first partition. BUT the data found by Testdisk about this possible first partition: NTFS at 667/224/5 Warning: number of bytes per sector mismatches 512 (NTFS) != 4096 (HD) filesystem size 85833728 sectors_per_cluster 8 mft_lcn 786432 mftmirr_lcn 16 clusters_per_mft_record -10 clusters_per_index_record 1 HPFS - NTFS 0 4 5 667 224 6 10729216 NTFS found using backup sector, blocksize=4096, 43 GB / 40 GiB is however "strange", it's beginning could be OK, but the end address (from which the data has been extracted) is well within the [OS] partition, the fact that the found bootsector is using a mismatched bytes per sector value could mean that the found bootsector is actually an around 5 Gb "raw" image (or a residual of it, since the main BPB has not been found). The latest "standard" is to have (at least on 512 bytes/sector media) the first partition starting at LBA 2048, i.e. at 0/32/33 or with 2048*512=1048576 bytes before. IF the same is used on a 4 kb/sector device, that would mean LBA 256 or CHS 0/4/5 (which would be "perfectly in line" with the start of the missing partition found by Testdisk. So, if we take for granted that the start is ok at 0/4/5, we cannot "extend it" beyond 10/168/30 (i.e. immediately before the [WINRETOOLS] partition. The partition would then be around 700 Mb in size, an uncommon size. On the other hand, if we take for good the data found by Testdisk about first missing partition, it would be a 40 Gb partition that would "obliterate" the [WINRETOOLS] partition and overlap on the [OS] one. The specs for the WD5000LPVT tell us that the disk has 976,773,168 available sectors, but that of course relate to 512 bytres/sectors: 976,773,168*512=500,107,862,016 which is OK with the other specs of havibg a capacity (using million bytes) of 500,107 MB 500,107,862,016/4096=122,096,646 sectors Which means CHS 7600/41/63. Since last partition the [PBR Image] ends on 7600/41/63 there are 6 sectors unindexed in the partition table, that seems to me another "queer" thing. Any way to know how it was partitioned originally? Right now (set apart the 6 sectors at the end) it seems that the only way the disk can be in this situation is that *somehow*: first partition was deleted a new smallish first partition was created (around 700 Mb in size) a new second partition was created ( the [WINRETOOLS] one) the (currently third) partition [OS] was expanded until the end of the [WINRETOOLS] one the 700 Mb in size partition was deleted of these only last action may be connected to a power failure or to a hardware issue. If this is the case, someone must have "voluntarily" carried the first 4 actions (no matter if recently of some time ago - exampled used disk not wiped), and we cannot use the data relative to the "first partition" that TESTDISK found. Now, if you access "normally" the disk hat happens? I mean all the data in those partitions should be normally accessible, and if the disk does not boot may be related to a numebr of other things like a missing or ciorrupted file. From what Testdisk says, the Active partition is the [WINRETOOLS] one: Current partition structure: 1 * HPFS - NTFS 10 168 31 18 160 14 128000 [WINRETOOLS] 2 P HPFS - NTFS 18 160 15 7402 197 27 118626304 [OS] 3 P HPFS - NTFS 7402 197 28 7600 41 57 3171072 [PBR Image] It is possible (check the partitions contents) that the BOOTMGR and \boot\BCD is instead in one of the other two, then all is needed is to set that partition to Active status. What happens if you try booting the laptop from that disk? jaclaz

Well, I have no idea which format that tool uses, dsfo/dsfi is simply a (very small/compact) dd-like tool and only operates with "RAW images", and as such it is only compatible with "pure" dd-like tools. Well testdisk won't write data, and as well getdataback won't (of course unless you explicitly tell them to write on the disk), cannot say about that other Active tool. If, by any chance, the .dim image is not a RAW image and the dsfi command "went through" even partially it is very probable (please read as certain ) that the result will be completely "botching" the hard disk. If you want my advice, STOP fiddling with that disk, NOW! jaclaz

Yes and I had (added as a third party tool) rolling up windows in a Mac OS 7.1, that was 1994 or so. Here is a Next screenshot with a couple "right click" items expanded and pinned: @Charlotte Just for your interest, I have a NT 4.00 machine working 24/7 since several years, so not only I don't remember any "pain" (because so many years have passed) but I also completely miss them currently. As a matter of fact, if you manage to get the "right" hardware (in the sense of getting the "right" drivers for it), a NT 4.00 is still today a pleasure to work on. jaclaz

The issue at first sight (but I have to re-read and understand better the log) seems to me connected to the sector size of the hard disk. The disk is reporting 4096 bytes/sector (please read as "Advance Fornat"), whilst some data read in the bootsector/PBR BPB is about "normal" 512 bytes/sector data. Can you post some info on what/how/when happened the issue first time? About dsfo/dsfi, they use a "common between them" syntax with "inverted" source/destination, the needed parameters are 4 (four): Generically it is: dsfo <source> <start> <length> <destination> dsfi <destination> <start> <length> <source> A <start> of 0 means "from the beginning". A <length> of 0 means "the whole size of the source". So you image a whole disk with: dsfo \\.\PhysicalDriven 0 0 <some path>\image.dsk which you can read as: get out of \\.\PhysicalDriven, starting from the beginning, everything and save it as <some path>\image.dsk and you restore with: dsfi \\.\PhysicalDriven 0 0 <some path>\image.dsk which you can read as: put in \\.\PhysicalDriven, starting from the beginning, everything coming from <some path>\image.dsk The two 0's in the command line are separated by a space, in your posted command line they look as "00" and the dsfok tools can only interpret them as a single parameter. jaclaz

Well, run TESTDISK on that disk (or it's image) with the log option. http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/File:Create_log.gif You want to allow for searching for "partitions made under Vista". http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/File:Vista_check.gif DO NOT "write" anything. Post the log as attachment (or upload it somewhere and post a link to it). The screenshot you posted does not provide enough info to provide you with any advice. jaclaz

You're right, the problems run much deeper. And it is ironic that by trying to create a unified experience, Microsoft is ending up creating more of a fragmented, discombobulated experience. The root of the problem IMO is that they already did have a unified experience for a certain type of machine, but then they tried to create a new one that would extend to different kinds of machines. Sorry Steve B., but a motorcycle just isn't the same as a car, although they do operate on the same basic idea. --JorgeA Yes and no. I see it more about the endless attempts to change the QWERTY (or AZERTY) keyboard layout. As you might know there are several (mostly anecdotal) explanations why you have before you a keyboard with letters set in what seems (and partially is) assembled casually with keys in a "random" order. As well there are even more vague "proofs" about the Dvorak layout being more efficient or faster. There were also some attempts - pointed out as an example in the book I earlier cited - The psychology of everyday things - to put keys in alphabetic order (that obviously failed). If you ever used a GUI like blackbox, you would see how it represents (as I see it) an evolution, while you still have (if you want) the program bar at the bottom, and even the start button, you do not need to travel with the mouse to lower left corner to "start" something, you instead right-click *anywhere* and get the same menu/choices. But still,it never took. Rolling up windows are a much faster (and practical) way to work with more than one window in several cases, yet AFAIK the feature never went "upstream". Example: http://www.actualtools.com/windowmanager/help/features/rollup.php If you want (or need to run) quickly a command line app/command, there is nothing (still IMHO) as useful as the mis-known (and actually still in development) Winqconsole: http://sourceforge.net/projects/winqconsole/ or Windows Quake Console, if you think at the usage paradigm it is "natural" and "obvious", since you are going to use the keyboard anyway, to open it through the keyboard and to not close it but rather toggle it with the same keys combo into "rolled up" mode. But please consider how these all represent "added" features to the "same" base actions that *every* desktop has in common, and not "replacements", just like a keyboard with the added "multimedia" buttons or the "windows" keys mantain the same exact QWERTY placement keys and adds a few keys. jaclaz

If I may, connecting/disconnecting/re-connecting PS/2 devices with the PC on is NOT a good idea. (Really, NOT a good idea , though most devices have "auto-fuses" the PS/2 is NOT designed for hotplug) I would suggest the use of a Y cable (example): http://www.partsdata.eu/Y_cable_PS2_keyboard_und_mouse_e.g._for_IBM_notebook_K-226.html Or (it's a bit of time I dont' do a "plain" 2K install, so this may not be fully accurate) learn to use the keyboard, it should be possible to do everything with keyboard and hot keys (and no mouse). jaclaz

Maybe you are making it more complex than needed. Those Dell's .iso seem like directly bootable as .iso: with the "usual" mapping to (hd32) or better (0xFF) grub4dos virtual CD drives. The "standard" Windows 7 install .iso is also directly loadable with grub4dos BUT needs a couple tweaks to work: most probably something *like* this, using IMDISK: page-4#entry123846 and/or using firadisk or winvblock can be "transposed" to DVD, but it seems to me like the approach that seems to me more likely to be appliable to your case and simpler may be that of having the whole contents of the windows 7 DVD "flat" in the root of DVD. So, if I were you I would try to make a folder (like C:\tempiso\source) and extract to it: grldr menu.lst the whole contents of the Windows 7 DVD then add to it the two .iso's of the Dell utilities. Then edit the menu.lst to something *like*: title Dell's Media direct find -set-root /MediaDirect_Restore.iso map /MediaDirect_Restore.iso (0xFF) map --hook root (0xFF) chainloader title Dell's Diagnostics find -set-root /MediaDirect_Restore.iso map /RESOURCE_CD.iso (0xFF) map --hook root (0xFF) chainloader title Windows 7 install find -set-root /MediaDirect_Restore.iso chainloader /bootmgr Please remember how grub4dos is CaSe SeNsItIvE on CD/DVD, so it is advised to double check filenames (and use either all small letters or ALL CAPITALS, I personally prefer all small letters). Then try creating the .iso with mkisofs with something *like*: or use oscdimg with something "like": oscdimg.exe -m -n -lmyiso -bootdata:1#bgrldr,e,t0x1000 C:\tempiso\source C:\tempiso\mynice.iso all in all you could try using this batch: http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/makegrub4dosiso#TOC-Make-a-grub4dos-ISO-file http://www.rmprepusb.com/documents/rmprepusb-beta-versions/makegrub4dosiso.zip?attredirects=0 that should be able to generate a correct DVD with both tools. Get grub4dos from here: http://code.google.com/p/grub4dos-chenall/ http://code.google.com/p/grub4dos-chenall/downloads/list latest recommended at the moment of this writing being: http://code.google.com/p/grub4dos-chenall/downloads/detail?name=grub4dos-0.4.5c-2013-03-03.7z&can=2&q= jaclaz

The issue here is greater than you may think, i.e. you just found the tip of the iceberg. As I see it, we have (had) an "unified" approach since win95's times. If you had at home a Windows 95 PC and got to work and found a NT4 or 2K or XP machine, you could still start the programs the same way. If you went to another person's office/home and needed to use his/her PC you would have needed NOT to learn anything "new", you would be before a "same" or "very similar to" interface to the one you are familiar with. Kids getting out of school would find in the office, at their first job an interface very similarly looking to the one they have used during their studies. Within limits the changes introduced with Vista and 7 were very marginal. The good Linux guys with the KDE and to a much bigger extent with the (terrible IMHO) Gnome desktops did - possibly in the attempt to facilitate the use of Linux by the "MS customers" - simply mocked up a fake XP interface (BTW dumping the actual good and innovative interfaces they had and still have but that represent a minority). A not-so-old (say) Ubuntu version looks a lot like an XP, most recent ones have increased the toyish look and changed look to resemble more closely the Mac's. And there are distro's that even try/tied to replicate exactly the XP or Vista looks, like ylmf/StartOS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StartOS So, if every OEM will make his own "new Start menu" they will effectively create a number of different interfaces, and the above seen continuity of usage paradigm will be broken anyway. Please note how the idea of the good MS guys (though completely flawed in practice) was actually to assure a (new) same interface/usage paradigm on any device. jaclaz

Yes, of course , though I personally tend to to use the simpler ECHOO.COM (also by Herbert Kleebauer): for the little uses I need (which are usually connected to "dynamically produce some hex bytes). I am really "old school" but I really see no issues in having an external tool and - whenever possible/advisable - I try not to "embed" anything inside "anything else", in which case the so-called "batch compilers" (which mostly - but not all ) do nothing but package the batch and the needed tools into a SFX archive, seem to me a better choice. jaclaz

Well, one thing is reading, and another one is reading. I tend to read also something besides the Systool site, if you read (attentively) my previous post, it says EXACTLY what you are accusing me to be confused about. About this: Every interpretation (and the contrary of it) is possible, it is also possible that there was an issue in the system (a glitch on the matrix ) and that the blogger didn't actually get the refund he asked for (provided that the request for refund was legitimate). Then, the company making SEO for Sysinfotools may have though that since the blog would have constituted an issue, it would have been fine to mitigate the effect by posting a (fake) satisfied customer reply. Quite frankly, with the BIG exception of MS and their "scroogle" campaign, I find it rare that a company defames another one, but it is still possible. BUT as an example there is an ongoing scandal revolving around TripAdvisor and similar sites where the number of fake reviews (positive if sponsored by the hotel/restaurant manager and very negative if sposored by the competitors) have reached the press in several countries. The point is more or less "do not trust at face value anything that you read on the internet and be very aware that contents may be real, fake, true or false indifferently, take always care to verify/check before trusting anything". jaclaz

The point is that - generally speaking - a CD/DVD filesystem is meant to be a "read-only" one, tools like MagicISO are CD/DVD "editors" and while they normally work allright on non-bootable CD's, they may create problems where booting is involved. A better approach (in the sense that it tends to work more likely) is to create the .iso and not modify it. How are/which are the Dell's utilities? I mean, are the .iso's, .img's or what? Are they like these mentioned here?: http://reboot.pro/index.php?showtopic=12052 A "crash course" in oscdimg/mkisofs can be found here: due to an unfortunate accident, the CODE inside the CODEboxes has been modified, and you might need the "botched" code converter: http://reboot.pro/topic/15275-release-botched-rebootpro-code-converter/ also the pastehtml site has gone beserk*is gone so you need to copy and paste the to a new html the snippet you find in post #3: http://reboot.pro/topic/15275-release-botched-rebootpro-code-converter/?p=135936 The grub4dos guide (slightly outdated, in the sense that modern releases of grub4dos have added features) is here: http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/Grub4dos.htm you need to just read (at the moment) the introduction, and these: http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/basics.htm http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/cli.htm http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/menu.htm And this (for the images, of th eDell utilities, if they are images): http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/map.htm jaclaz

With all due respect , you are still making a (common) error. You are asking about something done the way (and using the tools) that you think fit for the given chore. This way you greatly restrict the possibilities of getting your "real" goal . You are risking to be slipping on a chocolate covered banana : http://homepage.ntlworld.com./jonathan.deboynepollard/FGA/put-down-the-chocolate-covered-banana.html If I get this right, what you actually want is to have a DVD capable of booting both a Windows 7 Setup and 2 Dell's utilities, being able to select one of the three at will through a text only menu. This not necessarily involves the use of MagicIso and of it's textual menu. You can well use grub4dos (or isolinux) and mkisofs (or oscdimg, that you found). Basically MagicISO, though possibly a very good program, is used by less people than the corresponding freeware or commonly available programs, so you are restricting your possibilities of getting "qualified" help. jaclaz

If I may, there is some confusion. Seemingly there is a SysInfoTools BKF Recovery, currently at version 4.0: http://www.sysinfotools.com/recovery/bkf-recovery.html that CNET calls "SysInfoTools BKF Repair": v2.0 (Tripredacus' link): http://download.cnet.com/SysInfoTools-BKF-Repair/3000-2248_4-11666916.html v4.0 http://download.cnet.com/SysInfoTools-BKF-Repair/3000-2248_4-75330497.html And a (possibly more "specific") SysInfoTools Backup Exec BKF Repair v1.0 http://www.sysinfotools.com/recovery/backup-exec-bkf-repair.html There is even a third program, SysInfoTools Exchange BKF Recovery v2.0: http://www.sysinfotools.com/products/backup-recovery.html http://www.sysinfotools.com/recovery/exchange-bkf-recovery.html jaclaz

And even more to define abandonware from a legal standpoint http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandonware jaclaz

I don't understand (call me tough as much as you want ). As I see it, and possibly I am very wrong about this, either you used this specific software, extensively and on several different cases of corrupted .bkf files, and then you can "certify" that is "reliable", or you "just found about it" through google and possibly read about it being reliable on some site that you do not reference. Please, don't take as anything "personal", but I tend to be particularly attentive to the contents posted by new members that just join to reply to a question, initially providing "generic" advice, and soon after adding a link to a Commercial tool. There is a new "trend" in spamming that works like this: a new user joins and asks a question about an issue <- this is "normal" it happens all the time soon after another new user replies with an answer involving a Commercial software <- this is "queer" a short time after the OP replies confirming that the suggested Commercial software worked fine to solve his problem A few examples of this "strange" type of threads: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/247353-49-corrupt-symantec-file http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/57702-63-cannot-open-backup-file The "old way" of simply joining a board to post the suggestion, example: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowsbackup/thread/2d3ce954-f2e0-436a-8df0-aa0c51b96771/ And how this can evolve into an "all spammers" thread: http://www.cobiansoft.se/forum/yaf_postst3230_How-to-extract-or-open-BKF-files.aspx http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverfiles/thread/30d48b65-dc77-4d5c-9117-8eaf4de648d6 http://www.syschat.com/how-can-restore-corrupt-bkf-files-7213.html http://www.syschat.com/how-do-i-restore-my-corrupt-7211.html and in some cases the thing becomes even a long dialog, somewhat "funny": http://www.syschat.com/corrupt-backup-file-need-software-repair-7122.html Of course this does not necessarily applies to you or to this thread, I am just explaining the reason why I asked you about your experience with the specific tool. jaclaz

Maybe you could share the "working" WIN.INI, that would probably be most helpful if anyone finds the same issue, which - I presume - might present itself with other programs, besides Winimage. jaclaz

Yes , but here we are talking of the "minimum" you can surely find on a USB port, that is the "old" specs of 5 "units". jaclaz

Yep, but the point (mine) was to not use external programs. There is also a debug script, that should work on 2K as well: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/debug.php Now, Today and Todaynow jaclaz

Sure, but I am failing to see how can I help you. What exactly do you mean by "is not even getting opened" ? What is not getting opened? (in second link there are two methods) I wonder how you can affirm that it is reliable from the result of a google search, unless you are endorsing it. jaclaz

I see , maybe (being an "early" laptop) it provides less than spec current? BUT the issue with an USB 2.0 extension cable is "queer". I mean. an extension cable is "passive" and if you give to it 500 mA at one end, you can surely can get AT LEAST 499.999 mA at the other end , though it is possible that you have a voltage drop, see how in practice: http://www.girr.org/mac_stuff/usb_stuff.html It seems like *everything* or nearly everything is "out of specs", one way or the other. Maybe they are two different causes (the one being the laptop not providing enough "juice", and the other one about the HD somehow *sensing* the extension cable as "not suitable" for data transfer, i.e. not related to current or causing a too high voltage drop). jaclaz

Yep , but that, as already posted, only applies to XP and later. The shortest version (in XP) is using the WMIC approach, the shortest for 2K (as I see it) is something *like*: @ECHO OFF SETLOCAL cd.>datefile.$ FOR /F "tokens=1,2 delims= " %%A IN ('dir datefile.$ ^| FIND "datefile.$"') DO SET my_date=%%A & SET my_time=%%B del datefile.$ set my_ but it misses seconds (and of course it is only useful to get rid of the "day of the week feature"). What could also work on 2K (haven't a test bed handy, so needs to be checked/tested) may be variable expansion: @ECHO OFF SETLOCAL ENABLEEXTENSIONS cd.>datefile.$ Call :do_date datefile.$ GOTO :EOF :do_date FOR /F "tokens=1,2 delims= " %%A IN ("%~t1") DO SET my_date=%%A & SET my_time=%%B del datefile.$ set my_ jaclaz

Yes , only instead of linkig to the image aI linked to a page where there is some textual description. Let's try to expand on the matter, I am just trying to understand if there is a misunderstanding. A USB 1.1 connector on a motherboard is (normally) an A-type connector female and can provide by specs up to 5*100=500 mA. A USB 2.0 connector on a motherboard is (normally) an A-type connector female and can provide by specs up to 5*100=500 mA.. A USB 3.0 connector on a motherboard is (normally) an A-type connector female and can provide by specs up to 6*150=900 mA. The A-type connector is the same (actually "compatible) for USB 1.1, 2.0 and 3.0. A USB 3.0 connector on a 2.5" hard disk external enclosure may be a (USB 3.0) B-micro type. To connect the enclosure to a motherboard you need a USB 3.0 cable. Normally, i.e. if you have a USB 3.0 motherboard, you need a USB 3.0 cable with a A-type male connector on one end and a B-micro-type on the other. Normally, i.e. if you have a USB 1.1 or 2.0 motherboard, you can use that same cable, as the hard disk won't need more than 500 mA. In some cases where the motherboard provides less current than specs or the enclosure/disk requires more than 500 mA (which are THE SAME for USB 1.1 or 2.0) you need an Y cable, capable of getting some more current from another USB port. So you need a USB 3.0 cable with a doubled power connector A-type besides the standard data/power A-type connector on one end and a B-micro-type on the other. I am saying that there is not AFAIK any particular difference between USB 1.1 and 2.0 (apart data transfer speed that you might get) when connecting a USB 3.0 device, you seemed to say that there is one. jaclaz

First thing make a copy of those files. Then on the copy, try: http://code.google.com/p/bkfjtools/ and/or: http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/restore-bkf-file-ntbackup-windows-7-vista/ jaclaz

They must be VERY different from the ones in the link I gave in post #19 Seriously , what are the changes (improvements) when compared against the "official" SORTDATE/SORTTIME? (which are already "certified" to be working also on NT 4 and 2K) Nesting the IF's with IF/ELSE? jaclaz