jaclaz

I see : maybe then, having TWO files: yanklinesCI.vbs yanklinesCS.vbs could be handy. jaclaz

Anyone remember the "real thing" (at the time) i.e. Win 3.11 for workgroup+Norton Desktop? http://toastytech.com/guis/ndw.html The above is version 1.0, the 2.0 was better, some screenshots can be found here: http://translate.google.it/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fsht-rajvo.narod.ru%2Fnd.htm&sl=ru&tl=en&hl=it&ie=UTF-8 (and yes, it sported a great RPN calculator, besides a very handy "Tape" one): http://sht-rajvo.narod.ru/img_6/nd25.jpg http://sht-rajvo.narod.ru/img_6/nd16.jpg jaclaz

MicroXP is a WAREZ release. As such it is not supported in ANY way on MSFN. Be VERY aware of Rule #1.a: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules If you want to put your OWN, licensed XP on a USB stick you'd better use this tool here: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=23553&hl= or the good ol' way (automated): http://www.usboot.org/tiki-index.php Manual: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=14181&hl= (look for Tutorials in Dietmar's signature) Please note how this Forum is called: And NOT: First post of this thread, however: clerly states how the tool in this thread does allow for installing to USB BUT for Windows 7 ONLY jaclaz

I guess that there should be a Warning on the box, "Not suitable for Sarah Palin" : jaclaz

and all these years I thought that CD-RW existed..... Seriously, it is much more convenient to have it on a hd-like device (be it internal hard disk or USB stick) and load the thingy in ramdisk as it prevents possible issues with either a "bad burn" (CD) or "read error" (unfortunately not really UNcommon when using a real floppy disk). jaclaz

With all due respect , the idea of updating is generally to "better" in the sense of "adding features/choices" or correct "wrong" behaviour, wouldn't it be more desirable to have a /I command line parameter/switch (not entirely unlike the batch IF /I one)? (or reversing the default a /CS one)? jaclaz

You make it sound like - somehow - duck/duct tape is not a proper solution to just about everything. http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2008/21apr_ducttape/ jaclaz

I am happy that it is appearing as what it is (among other things). Maybe first few lines of: http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/Grub4dos.htm were written to give this impression. And possibly reading about the map command: http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/map.htm might have given a further hint on what it does in the example posted (BTW as a reply to someone that wanted to boot a floppy but had no floppies....) jaclaz

Not really. As long as you do it from "pure" DOS and make a backup of previous BIOS, it is not a particularly "error prone" procedure. OF COURSE doing this - or any similar task - on a system not connected to an UPS, is a bit like playing with russian roulette. The "real" troubles came with MB's that used a program under Windows to flash the BIOS. jaclaz

Wouldn't it be easier to use a "mirroring" utility and (optionally) exclude thumbs.db? Something like: http://www.mirrorfolders.com/en/index.html http://titan.fsb.hr/~dzorc/zback.html http://www.2brightsparks.com/freeware/freeware-hub.html (only examples) jaclaz

Get grub4dos from here: http://code.google.com/p/grub4dos-chenall/downloads/list you want LATEST NON ALPHA version, which is right now: http://code.google.com/p/grub4dos-chenall/downloads/detail?name=grub4dos-0.4.5c-2012-02-27.7z&can=2&q= grub4dos-0.4.5c-2012-02-27 Please take note (for the future) how: grub4dos is NOT GRUB and is NOT GRUB2 ALWAYS cite EXACT version AND date of the one you are using when asking for help From the zip file you only need to extract to ROOT of your C:\ drive: grldr menu.lst Add an entry in your BOOT.INI to load grldr, as detailed here: http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/install_windows.htm#windows1 Try booting and choose the grub4dos entry. You will be presented with a number of choices (actually items in the "standard" menu.lst) Press c to get to command line. In it enter (assuming you stored the floppy image you need to boot from as C:\myfloppy.ima) and pressing [ENTER] at each line: find --set-root /myfloppy.ima map --mem /myfloppy.ima (fd0) map --hook root (fd0) chainloader +1 boot OR: map (hd0,0)/myfloppy.ima (fd0) map --hook chainloader (fd0)+1 rootnoverify (fd0) boot Some explanation here: http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/map.htm#image map (without --mem parameter) maps the file and NEEDS a contiguous file, map --mem maps the image to Ramdisk and the image needs not to be contiguous, for your simple use using --mem parameter should be easier. As well finding the file instead of hardcoding it's path to (hd0,0) (i.e. first partition of first hard disk) allows you more flexibility. When experimenting it is always recommended to use Command line, but you can as well add an entry to menu.lst (it is a plain TEXT fle, that you can edit, kust like BOOT.INI with Notepad). To add an entry you need to add to the above a title line and can (actually should omit) the final boot command, more details still in the mentioned grub4dos guide: http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/Grub4dos.htm An alternative to using the above method (if you somehow *need* to have NO modifications whatsoever to BOOT.INI) would be to use the Bios update floppy image as an El-Torito Floppy Emulation Image and burn with it a CD, this can be easily achieved with many tools, recommended is IMGBURN: http://www.imgburn.com/ jaclaz

Sure, use a floppy image and boot from it through grub4dos. (if you need help for this, èplease state which OS are you currently running) Are you really sure that the Optiplex GX260: does not support USB booting "as is" an update to it's Bios exists enabling USB booting? http://www.pchelpforum.com/windows-xp-2000/61442-optiplex-gx260.html jaclaz

Freeware/Open Source: http://cmusphinx.sourceforge.net/ http://sourceforge.net/projects/cmusphinx/ Free: http://www.nch.com.au/scribe/index.html jaclaz

BUT there are TWO #5 that would make #6 logically eligible to be called #7 . And of course for number #5 (bis) or second #5 Opera would most probably be faster..... jaclaz

Please take your time reading ATTENTIVELY the Rules of this Board, particularly Rule 2a: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules PLEASE, do NOT double post. You started a new thread, here: let's continue there ONLY. jaclaz

Who are "us"? It is pretty much binary, 0/1 or On/Off: a disk EITHER is in BSY state or is it not. It is very possible that the "unbricking" process led to a few (or many) sectors corrupted (or maybe that was caused by some of the n commands you pushed on the disk that are NOT within the recommended "solution" for BSY). You simply have to: determine if the disk is BSY or not stop issuing to it "random" commands (i.e. if the disk is NOT BSY, STOP issuing any commands to it, if it is BSY, ONLY issue the commands listed in the tutorial) then, once you are sure your disk is not in a BSY state, declare whether you want to attempt recovering the data on the disk and possibly you might get help on this. An example of a similar issue: jaclaz

A very educated guess jaclaz

That's probably pretty much "normal". That file has duplicate [system32.Files] entries, second one empty. I seem to remember that entries need to be deduplicated first. jaclaz

There is NOTHING that needs to be added. Modern drives like the 7200.11 store some info on a chip (often called ROM, though it is actually either a Flash or EEPROM). These data are specific to the disk that is attached to the PCB. Through special tools (OUT of reach for the hobbyist) it is possible to read these data from the "old" PCB and write them on the new PCB. An alternative is to physically de-solder the chip from the old PCB and re-solder it on the new one. This also is OUT of reach for common hobbyist, as it needs some experience/abilities that are not "common". Some people who sell replacement PCB's will do either of the above for you. BUT this WILL NOT help for a LBA0 or BSY issue. DO NOT EVEN THINK of swapping a PCB unless the PCB is "fried" and you don't do one of the above explained procedure. Guess WHY this additional sticky was made? jaclaz

Well no, there is software, only most probably you won' t like it's price tag: http://www.seagateunlock.com/ http://www.hddunlock.com/drives/seagate/ http://www.hdd-tools.com/products/rrs/ You can try also with SEDIV, see here: http://forum.hddguru.com/seagate-non-standard-ata-master-password-t12920.html http://forums.seagate.com/t5/Barracuda-XT-Barracuda-Barracuda/SEAGATE-BARRACUDA-7200-12-ST31000528AS-1TB-MASTER-PASSWORD/m-p/60234#M20842 but cannot say if that drive is supported in any of the above mentioned tools. jaclaz

Not even "slightly-more-advanced-user" friendly (if I can be .consodered in this category) What is written there is just "RTFM"! What may be useful could be this list of commands: http://files.hddguru.com/download/Datasheets/Seagate/Seagate%20Diagnostic%20RS-232%20Port/ And the actual manual (I presume this one is the one for your disk, but as always check and double check): http://www.seagate.com/staticfiles/support/disc/manuals/ce/Pipeline%2520HD%2520Series/100529372g.pdf I have NO idea if what you wish to do is possible at all and/or if the aboive given files contain enough data to perform it. Would not using hdparm work on that disk? Today's thread with some references: jaclaz

Good, now you have to find out which kind of password (if any) is set (of course should you be able to retrieve this kind of info from the "old" raid machine it could be easier). WHICH OS are you running/have available? I presume that using "normal" hdparm under Linux woud be "more direct", but you can try using the NT port: What happens when you follow the instructions here? https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/articles/a/t/a/ATA_Secure_Erase_936d.html Review this thread if you are using a Windows NT: http://reboot.pro/13601/ jaclaz

Good. Now had you followed the given "generic advice", you would have found that you are not the first one to attempt something like that, there is at least a previous attempt: unfortunately daddo1980 never came back to report if it worked.... A small Quote for you (still related to "generic" advice): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-47 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-47#Design_concept jaclaz

If I may you have TWO separate questions/problems: boot from the PCMCIA (or CardBus)? access contents of the card from "pure" MS-DOS The second (only) may be solved through DOS drivers. Finding dos drivers that work on your particular hardware may be dufficult, but it could be doable. You may find of interest: http://www.quatech.com/support/pdf/pcmcia_for_dos.pdf http://www.rocketsoftware.com/products/systemsoft http://www.tssc.de/index.htm# http://www.cer.com/pages/products/prod_faq_answ.php?faq_id=24 http://www.mail-archive.com/arachne@arachne.cz/msg20538.html http://wayback.archive.org/web/19980715000000*/http://www.datorintensiven.se/dinew/drivers/iqnote/cardwiz.zip http://www.oldjake.co.uk/progs/cardwiz.zip http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?&LegacyDocID=DSHY-3NPU8M It greatly dpends on your hardware, chipset used, etc. ec, and some tweaking may be required anyway, since your hardware loks like "not so easy" one: http://pcmcia-cs.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/HyperNews/get/pcmcia/toshiba.html?inline=-1 jaclaz

Good, now go and wash your mouth fingers with soap! jaclaz