jaclaz

Happy to know there is another happy bunny in the basket. http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=128727&st=10 jaclaz

Can I burn it with ANY .iso burning app, including as an example the Freeware IMGBURN: http://www.imgburn.com/ or should I use "Nero" ? jaclaz

Let's put it this way : We have a read-me-first: (BTW linked to on the "tutorial at the beginning off this thread") that lists (point #3) TWO tutorials: Now, which one would you choose? One posted in a semi-hurry by Gradius 1 1/2 year ago and not updated/bettered/refined or one that has been edited/changed in response to the various questions/problems/whatever and is actually RECOMMENDED? A third one.... (which is allright , but then why asking for help here?) OF COURSE the PCB has to be powered, the original tutorial gave this as implied. (as it is, since we are talking about communicating with a device - have you ever tried communicating to your modem, or handy, or whatever when the device is powered off or has batteries removed or has the mains plug disconnected?) On the other hand, if you actually read the Gradius' tutorial you will see that the really difficult part is to screw back the detached PCB while power is on.....which has been removed by the clever trick of the paper strip. Next post should be about the image not showing a GROUND connected..... jaclaz

You are very welcome to disagree with me, expecially in the (rare ) occasions when you are actually right. Yep , from experience, if you tell people to ALWAYS, and when I mean ALWAYS, I do mean ALWAYS, use CaSe SeNsItIvE commands, most of them will do, say 90%. (the remaining 10% will anyway ignore this recommendation and fail, before or later) If you start telling them that some commands are NOT case sensitive, whilst some other ones are CaSe SeNsItIvE, say 65% will understand when to use case sensitive ones and when not, and 35% will fail. Of the ones that fail: 5% will remain silent 10% are smart enough to re-do the steps using the "other" case and succeed 30% will adopt the infinite monkey approach and type randomly until they get the result 55% will start whining that the command did not work.... Since the general idea is to reduce to a minimum the global amount of whining (which like entropia seems deemed to always increase ), the used approach, (just like the "§@ç#ing GROUND everything" and the "DO NOT use CA-42" ) i.e. the grumpy "DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE TOLD!" approach allows for a unfortunately minimal step in the right direction of increasing the amount of successes and conversely decrease the amount of failures and whining... Believe me, one of the things that is very difficult to convey to people is that BEFORE making assumptions and introducing variations of ANY kind, they should try to follow the actual instructions exactly, completely and precisely. jaclaz

If I may, you are using a "proprietary" undocumented method to create your own recovery partition. It would seem to me far easier to use properly documented available tools instead. Besides the Terabyte MBR, there is mbldr, which you may want to try, some initial reference is here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=131620&st=105 jaclaz

Happy everything went well. jaclaz

Can you see the difference between a "simple" path with NO spaces and a path like C:\Program Files (x86)\ .... You know, one of those paths that should never be used on command line or if really needed should be put inside double quotes? Try EXACTLY the command suggested including it's simple path, if it doesn't work, it may be a 7 (x64? ) kind of problem. Use this other app, which is GUI: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7783 http://www.datarescue.com/photorescue/v3/drdd.htm you stil want roughly first 100 sectors. jaclaz

It would be nice if you could start a new thread reporting your experience, so that other people may find it more easily than navigating the present thread. @tlh1005 The CA-42 is deprecated not because it won't work, only because it won't work easily (provided you have a "good" CA-42 and not a "bad" one ). Basically you shouldn't type anything to the terminal once the disk is connected, only Ctrl+Z (mind you Ctrl+Z is NOT Ctrl+z) and get: F3 T> The BSY should not prevent booting, AFAIK, but it may depend on the OS you are running, it seems like 7 has this problem : http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=145325 (but that is NOT a BSY) jaclaz

My guess is that the problem lies here: as you can see on the given thread, this on USB becomes media=usb Now, it is possible that there is another cheat code for .iso images. You chould try understanding which "base" distro is used for this CD, maybe there is one, some have a "fromiso" kind of parameter.... As well it is possible that changing the init is necessary. There is even a third possibility, which is using something similar to the hmload approach (check the README_GRUB4DOS.txt) i.e. copying the whole image to rd(0) or use the memdisk approach, but really cannot say. You are most probably in case #3 or #4 . What you report about boot-land is strange, a number of members have joined in the last hour or so. If you detail what is happening when you trying to register, I may be able to post a "bug thread" there. jaclaz

This sounds a lot like a calibration problem/misaligned head and another few possible causes, basically it cannot find the "start" of the recording, or cannot read anything at all.... Sure it does the problem is the HDD, not the PC. It is most probably simply broken. Never trust anyone. Expecially a unknown guy on a Forum. If that drive contains valuable data you should start looking for a professional data recovery service. If it doesn't: if it is covered by warranty, RMA it if warranty has expired, use it as door holder or open it for the fun of looking inside it, or throw it in the dustbin, there is nothing you can really DIY with such symptoms. If you want anyway to try the BSY fix, it shouldn't do any harm, but it will also most probably NOT do any good, unfortunately. You can try using Victoria to check it's state, but AFAIK/AFAICR a non-calibrating drive should have BUSY on nonetheless (thus giving NO certain diagnosis): http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=129263 On the other hand, the BSY and LBA0 fixes are a sort of "general reset", that may change the behaviour of the drive even if affected by a completely different problem, so, before throwing it in the dustbin, is something you may want to try nonetheless. (but NOT if you have valuable data on it) jaclaz

We've got that by now. Now, this starts being a better question. I have NO way to know HOW "HP startsmart" works, but if you post the contents of the isolinux .cfg file(s) I may be able to help you in putting together an appropriate grub4dos set of commands, which may or may not work, see below. Small correction, this is it what you would like to do (if possible ), as said it mainly depends on how the actual .iso is built, in the case of Linux based boot CD's typically there are: .iso images that will work "as is" .iso images that will work with extracted kernel and initrd (not anymore "pure" .iso image booting) .iso images that need particular commands/cheatcodes passed to the kernel .iso images that need more complex changes inside the .iso (including in worst cases a recompile of the kernel ) .iso images that simply cannot be booted through .iso mapping Surely, if the thingy is case #3 or #4 above. What you would have found had you googled a bit before: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=23104 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=11527 You can start where Samman or jvenables left.... Maybe you can use newish Syslinux/memdisk .iso mapping features... http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8258 jaclaz

Well, maybe I have to repeat that we do have at least one report of the data recovery having been granted for free. A few posts starting here : http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=128807&st=2350 jaclaz

For the record a PE 1.x is a PE 1.x, and it is EXACTLY "as a BartPE". It can be built with both BartPE and Winbuilder (besides manually ). What is added to it as shell or as pre-set programs is entirely up to the builder. jaclaz

Just to prove that IF OP had actually done a bit of homework, he may have found the info he asked about. Trying to strenghten (currently) low google-fu's.... jaclaz

JFYI (only seemingly OT): http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=12287 jaclaz

Ow, comeon : http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001364.html I guess it is possible, though the drive warranty covers only the drive and not the DATA on it. That's strange, but AFAIK second hand, so called "refurbished drives" actually coming form seagate sport a "refurbished" NEW sticker on them, maybe it was some "dirty trick" from the dealer or shop where you bought it? Possibly a Mod has already removed it. Basically instead of "plainly replying" you had quoted the whole initial post. And you did it again just above your last post, quoting entirely my previous reply.... jaclaz

Don't mix too things together. (hd32) is the first virtual CD-like device in grub4dos. Before you ask: (0xff) is the last virtual CD-like device in grub4dos, sometimes it works better then (hd32) If you actually READ on boot-land, you should already know the answers to most of your questions. READ the stickies: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showforum=66 particularly: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7328 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8944 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5041 Then SEARCH a bit. Among other, these : http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9863 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5041&st=33 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5041&st=39 may interest you. There are more Acronis products versions than stars in the sky , so just try it! Well, you read, but maybe did not fully understand. When you load bootmgr, it will look on the ROOT of the device from which it is booted, for a folder \boot\ and inside this folder for a file named "BCD", i.e. ROOT\boot\BCD - this can be chnaged though really NOT recommended, expecially until you are more familiar with the tools: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8043&hl= http://sites.google.com/site/rmprepusb/tutorials/how-to-create-a-usb-drive-that-will-install-vista-win7-and-server-2008 Unfortunately the boot-land "main" server is down right now (not the Forum one, the one with the guide). You'll have to wait one or two days in order to be able to access the guide. In the meantime you can google translate backwards the Russian version: http://greenflash.su/Grub4Dos/Grub4dos.htm http://translate.google.it/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fgreenflash.su%2FGrub4Dos%2FGrub4dos.htm&sl=ru&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8 jaclaz

Really? jaclaz

I still don't get it. It seems to me like you don't want to solve a problem, but rather continue hanging on your personal assumptions. There is NOT one reason in the word why the fact that the cd's use isolinux and not another loader should create a problem, the problems are only in the way the actual OS in the .iso is set: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8944 Anyway, here is how to load grub2 from grub4dos: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=11562&st=6 and viceversa: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10276 For the record capabilities of grub4dos and grub2 are VERY similar (they are actually coded by mostly the same people). jaclaz

Do I get it was a single partition NTFS, Primary, partitioned and formatted under XP? Make a copy of first 100 sectors, compress the resulting file in a .zip and attach it to your next post (or upload to a file sharing site an post the link): get the dsfok toolkit: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~nulifetv/freezip/freeware/ unzip in a new directory, say C:\dsfok Open a command prompt and navigate to that directory. Now, you must be sure that you get the "right" physicaldrive number n(if you have just one hard disk, it will be "0", and the USB device will probably be "1" if you have one of those stoopid card readers this number may be incremented accordingly) Run following command: If the drive was previously attached (working) to your machine, open Regedit, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices and export the whole key. add it to the compressed file. State which drive letter the hard disk drive partition had assigned before. jaclaz

The proposed solution simply "resets" the HD internal log, the one that if reaches certain values, bricks the drive. Read the read-me-first: Unless OTHER things went wrong (concurrently or before the bricking), DATA will be AS accessible AS before the bricking. jaclaz

I don't get it. grub4dos supports booting SOME .iso images (the SAME ones that grub2 can load). jaclaz

On the drive? Remember that this is VERY risky! Point is how you got there. Check this step-by-step as reference: http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step If the drive was originally partioned under Vista or 7, in Options (4th screen) set: Cylinder boundary: No Allow partial last cylinder: Yes When testdisk asks if you want to search for partitions created under Vista reply Yes. Then when you get to that screen you posted, select Continue and do a "Deeper search". If you could state HOW the drive was previously partitioned (like how many partitions, which type, which filesystems, etc.) and under WHICH operating system ( Linux, 2K/XP, Vista , 7, etc.) it would be a plus, as it is likely that we can find the actual bootsectors manually.... jaclaz

Which means TWO of them.... NO. http://homepages.tesco.net/J.deBoynePollard/FGA/questions-with-yes-or-no-answers.html YES. http://homepages.tesco.net/J.deBoynePollard/FGA/questions-with-yes-or-no-answers.html You are welcome. Notwithstanding that you obviously missed the read-me-first: whaere you would have learned how your problem is pretty much a non-target and thus should have NOT been posted here, we are good guys after all. From what you write you have probably had a problem somewhere (can be BOTH on the hard disk AND on the actual power supply) that blowed a TVS. A TVS is a sort of protection diode (there are normally two of them on modern hard disks, one on the 5V and one on the 12 V rail) that, in case of problems shorts to ground to prevent (in theory) further damage. In reality if this has happened, STOP moving the hard disk here and there, some power supplies have a protection that simply shuts them off if a short is found, some will simply blow silently. The drive needs to be checked thoroughfully from an electrical/electronic view point before ANY further step can be taken. Before you ask, NO, a PCB SWAP won't work (without a procedure outside of your reach) and it is possible that will also damage the donour PCB. It is technically possible to: open the hard disk remove the platters from it re-assemple the platters on another identical hard disk recover the data BUT it is NOT anything you can do at home as you would need tools and expecially experience that you simply cannot have (otherwise you won't be here asking about it). If the disk drive contains important data you may want to fork from a relatively huge amount of bucks and have a specialized recovery firm look at it. (only you can judge the value of that data but we are talking of several hundred dollars, probably in the $600÷1,000 range) If the idea is to just recover a functional drive, forget about it, if the problem can be repaired without opening the hard disk, like replacing the TVS or fixing a cold solder, it would be allright, but a drive with exchanged platters is to be considered functional (hopefully ) only for the sheer time needed to get the data out of it, and should be thrown in the bin immediately after the recovery. PLEASE, remove from your previous post the integral quote of Gradius' initial post, it only contributes to make this thread less readable. jaclaz

The mapping is wrong. You are mapping an executable to a virtual CD device. You can map a .iso file to a CD device , but not a loader to it! WHERE did you find such an example? Check the grub4dos forum : http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showforum=66 Particularly these two threads: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5041 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8944 An XP install or PE 1.x won't work anyway unless it has special provisions (RAMDISK build). jaclaz