jaclaz

Russian is unfortunately a bit hard (though better than Chinese ) to my western eyes. But I will wait with interest an English release of it, here or on boot-land. jaclaz

Why not 7-zip? http://www.7-zip.org/ 32-bit 7-Zip Command Line Version http://downloads.sourceforge.net/sevenzip/7za465.zip Why using EXTRAC32.EXE instead of EXTRACT.EXE? Both EXTRAC32.EXE and EXTRACT.EXE are normally in %Windir%\System32 on XP systems, i.e. in path. C:\WINDOWS\system32>extrac32 /? | more Microsoft ® Cabinet Extraction Tool - Version 5.1.2600.2180 Copyright © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.. EXTRACT [/Y] [/A] [/D | /E] [/L dir] cabinet [filename ...] EXTRACT [/Y] source [newname] EXTRACT [/Y] /C source destination cabinet - Cabinet file (contains two or more files). filename - Name of the file to extract from the cabinet. Wild cards and multiple filenames (separated by blanks) may be used. source - Compressed file (a cabinet with only one file). newname - New filename to give the extracted file. If not supplied, the original name is used. /A Process ALL cabinets. Follows cabinet chain starting in first cabinet mentioned. /C Copy source file to destination (to copy from DMF disks). /D Display cabinet directory (use with filename to avoid extract). /E Extract (use instead of *.* to extract all files). /L dir Location to place extracted files (default is current directory). /Y Do not prompt before overwriting an existing file. C:\WINDOWS\system32>extract /? Microsoft ® Cabinet Extraction Tool - Version 5.1.2600.2180 Copyright © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.. EXTRACT [/Y] [/A] [/D | /E] [/L dir] cabinet [filename ...] EXTRACT [/Y] source [newname] EXTRACT [/Y] /C source destination cabinet - Cabinet file (contains two or more files). filename - Name of the file to extract from the cabinet. Wild cards and multiple filenames (separated by blanks) may be used. source - Compressed file (a cabinet with only one file). newname - New filename to give the extracted file. If not supplied, the original name is used. /A Process ALL cabinets. Follows cabinet chain starting in first cabinet mentioned. /C Copy source file to destination (to copy from DMF disks). /D Display cabinet directory (use with filename to avoid extract). /E Extract (use instead of *.* to extract all files). /L dir Location to place extracted files (default is current directory). /Y Do not prompt before overwriting an existing file. But 7-zip can extract from .cab files allright. Also, I would suggest using a more "structured" approach. In BUILD_WIN98LIVE.cmd there are 371 lines with more or less the same content including a few COPY /L (most probably due to copy and paste ). Instead of (example): 115 PROJECT\TOOLS\EXTRAC32.EXE /Y /a PROJECT\SYSTEM\SYSPREP.CAB GETCLINF.DLL /L TARGET\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ 242 PROJECT\TOOLS\EXTRAC32.EXE /Y /a PROJECT\SYSTEM\SYSPREP.CAB PSYDMSOS.DLL /L TARGET\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ 243 PROJECT\TOOLS\EXTRAC32.EXE /Y /a PROJECT\SYSTEM\SYSPREP.CAB PSYDO957.DLL /L TARGET\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ 244 PROJECT\TOOLS\EXTRAC32.EXE /Y /a PROJECT\SYSTEM\SYSPREP.CAB PSYSDUP2.EXE /L TARGET\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ 264 PROJECT\TOOLS\EXTRAC32.EXE /Y /a PROJECT\SYSTEM\SYSPREP.CAB RUNONCE.EXE /L TARGET\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ One could have a plain .txt file SYSPREP.LST: and in BUILD_WIN98LIVE.cmd something like: @ECHO OFF SET SOURCE_PATH=PROJECT\SYSTEM\ SET TARGET_PATH=TARGET\WINDOWS\ CALL :DO_EXTRACT SYSPREP ::... GOTO :EOF :DO_EXTRACT FOR /F "tokens=1,2" %%A IN ( %1.LST) DO ECHO EXTRACT.EXE /Y /a %SOURCE_PATH%%1.CAB %%A %TARGET_PATH%%%B GOTO :EOF I guess it would be easier to add/remove things in a further stage. @luluthefirst Because it would be a plain WAREZ release. jaclaz

I see , so the only use is to create the WIN98.IMG that is later used by grub4dos mapping: title Mini Windows 98 find --set-root /WIN98/WIN98.IMG map --mem /WIN98/WIN98.IMG (fd0) map --hook chainloader (fd0)+1 rootnoverify (fd0) In other words, the "result" is not "really-really" a bootable .iso, but rather a bootable .iso containing a bootable superfloppy image, this was the part that wasn't clear to me at first sight. I.e. the .iso is just a "container", you can copy the WIN98.IMG to (say) a USB stick booting grldr or grub.exe and add an entry for it in menu.lst and it will work just the same. About "removing" I meant "removing", I mean are the msn files redistributable? As well the use of rar.exe should be replaced by the use of freeware 7-zip or of any similar freeware command line archiver, IMNSHO. As an addition, I would suggest the use of Qemu for the test(s). There is a pre-packed solution: MobaliveCD: http://mobalivecd.mobatek.net/en/ that seems to me like ideal, and much easier than VMware and VirtualPC for people not already familiar with Qemu (or Qemu Manager). jaclaz

That is exactly the debatable part, you cannot recover that file, and depending on how the file was written to the device you may not have the original anymore. And additionally, yes, if a given manufacturer uses a wear-leveling algorithm it is possible that it goes "beserk" and you also lose something else. And, as mentioned there is the problem of data leakage from the cells, for which AFAIK, apart "generic" assumptions there are no reputable "field tests" confirming the actual data retention period on a "sound" stick, let alone on a "worn out" one. Problem is that apparently some wear-leveling algorithms do operate even when reading only: http://www.forensicfocus.com/index.php?nam...opic&t=3542 Yes and no. Not all USB controllers for USB stick have wear-leveling capbilities, and of course each of them uses it's own algorithm, all of them being rigorously UNpublicated. The theory is exactly like that, but we don't know (or we don't know specifically for "each" device) if the writing (and swapping) is done in "bursts" at a 512 byte sector "granularity", at filesystem cluster "granularity" or what. @dencorso JFYI: http://www.msfn.org/board/vxds-and-related...lp-t135527.html jaclaz

It seems to me like a really nice project. I haven't tested it by running, only peeked a bit inside the .cmd's to get the general idea. Are you ready for questions/suggestions/critics? I can see IMDISK called in five occasions, two to "mount" and three to "dismount": Of course the only part that actually runs (if one follows the instructions) is the one in rar.cmd, and the "just to make sure" dismount command in BUILD_WIN98LIVE.cmd. And here is where I am lost. What is the use of the WIN98.IMG? I see great potentialities in your approach, but I would like to better understand it, so that I can (should you allow it, of course ) to give you a few suggestions I have in mind. Why there is an uumerge.exe and an uumerge2.exe? They seem identical to me. About MSN messenger, I would remove it (besides from your project from the whole world ). jaclaz

Well, AFAIK the "\tinybit\" repository is somehow a (temporary) "fork" from "main" to experiment some new things. I wouldn't use it if not for experiments ONLY, as we don't know if it will be "merged back" to main. yes. From what I can understand, the () is interpreted slightly differently by the various commands. Of course geometry ONLY uses the actual device part, i.e. if on a multi-partitioned disk you run: geometry (hd0,0) geometry (hd0,1) geometry (hd0,2) you get exactly the same result, as you would have with both: geometry (hd0) geometry () if current root is ANY of the partitions on the disk. In this case is the geometry command that "trims away" the unneded partition specification. If you try this: root (hd0) you get an error 17: cannot mount selected partition If you try: rootnoverify (hd0) root () you get an error 17: cannot mount selected partition which is expected. In this, the [TAB] autocompletion helps, if you boot from floppy and issue: root (hd0 [TAB] the autocompletion adds a comma "," and not the closing brackets, waiting for you to choose a partition on the drive. On the other hand if you run: root (hd0,0) map () (hd1,0) map --hook cat --hex --length=512 (hd0)+1 cat --hex --length=512 (hd1)+1 cat --hex --length=512 (hd0,0)+1 cat --hex --length=512 (hd1,0)+1 you get the SAME results as: root (hd0,0) map () (hd1) map --hook cat --hex --length=512 (hd0)+1 cat --hex --length=512 (hd1)+1 cat --hex --length=512 (hd0,0)+1 cat --hex --length=512 (hd1,0)+1 which means that also map command "trims away" unneeded partition specification, thus, if root is (hd0,0), ANY of these: actually mean: map (hd0) (hd1) jaclaz

This is debatable. Actually you only "know" that a fleash has worn out when you try writing on it. It is NOT a "binary switch" ON/OFF, there is a progressive degradation, it is very likely that a number of cells will not take the new info, while some will, and the result would be a mix-up of old and new information. @LoneCrusader Remember, you asked for it : You are WRONG. Ext2 is NOT journaled: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ext2 Ext3 can be read as "journaled Ext2": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ext3 jaclaz

Well, no. The 16/63 geometry is rather common, the 32/63 is far less common, but BOTH can be found on very small capacity sticks, I have never seen any of them on a "large" stick, this one is a 16 Gb one! Usually whatever goes above the CHS limits for a given geometry uses NOT the "smaller" geometry: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=9776&st=56 The CHS limit at 32/63 is obviously: 32/63->1024*32*63*512=1,056,964,608 >- as said very unusual in my experience Again, NO. Read the related thread here: http://www.msfn.org/board/ntfs-support-win...14-page-44.html At least in Europe, there would be NO problems in writing an exFAT driver from a legal standpoint, for interchange use, and most probably the same would apply to the "fair use" provisions of the US Law. The "licensing fee" is for devices using the filesystem, not for programs capable of reading/writing it. jaclaz

An interesting source, focused on data retention and durability of DATA records: http://preservationmatters.blogspot.com/ jaclaz

USB sticks (or more generally FLASH based devices) do have a finite amount of write cycles. They are NOT suited as permanent/safe storage as they also have a limited data retention threshold - actually unknown for sure - but estimated in 10 years: http://www.allmemorycards.com/glossary/reliability.htm Check these: http://www.freescale.com/files/microcontro...letin/EB618.pdf http://www.atmel.com/dyn/resources/prod_do...nts/doc2546.pdf About defragmenting, it is NOT a good idea. During a typical defragmenting operation, data is usually moved back and forth several times. An "offline" defragmentation", like creating an image of the stick, defragmentng the image and then restore the defragmented image is better suited. But again, and just as it is perfectly unneeded in a number of times on normal hard disks, do not overdo it: http://www.msfn.org/board/does-frequent-fo...dd-t134982.html Also read these, about the opportunity of NOT using NTFS (or other semi-journaled or journaled filesystem on Flash devices): http://www.msfn.org/board/help-remove-file...84-page-17.html http://www.msfn.org/board/usb-stick-dead-t137512-page-6.html SSD, like used in netbooks use a different kind of Flash: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory#...for_hard_drives which has presumably a much greater life expectancy, BUT read these too: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8757 http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9615 jaclaz

Are you sure that winntbbu.dll is actually in ROOT of C: ? I.e. that a file C:\winntbbu.dll exists? jaclaz

Only to happy to have contributed into making another happy bunny : http://www.msfn.org/board/cant-access-repa...27-page-10.html jaclaz

Yep. That's an offline "syspart" install. As you pointed out it will only work on a device that is seen as "Fixed", i.e. a USB Hard Disk or a USB pendrive/stick that has had the "Removable" bit "flipped". I don't think there are reports of using this method with the dummydisk.sys driver. The main drawback of it is that the device is "dedicated" to the Windows install, unlike the other solutions in the dedicated sub-forum. And of course I lied : jaclaz

Just in case: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...c=9916&st=6 There are a number of "strange things in the partitioning/formatting of that stick: Partition type is 1B (hidden FAT32 CHS Mapped) as dencorso pointed out: http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/partitions/partition_types-1.html The geometry is "queer", being HS 32/63 - which is unusual though the data in the MBR and bootsector are matching. The CHS values are UNbalanced with the LBA ones: CHS: (140+1)x(31+1)x63=284,256 sectors x512=145,539,072 bytes <- LBA 31,249,953+63=31,250,016 sectors x512=16,000,008,192 bytes <- which sounds like "right" The LBA is correctly aligned to Cylinder boundary, but the "virtual geometry" is: (15500+1)x(31+1)x63=31,250,016 which corresponds to a "real" CHS data of: 0/1/1/1023/31/63 "Something" must have changed the data. I would try first thing to set the partition as visible: 1B->0B Then I would try changing the partition type to a LBA one: 0B->0C Then again I would change the CHS end Cylinder: 140->1023 Finally, I would scratch the whole thing and re-partition/re-format it with the "usual" HS geometry of 255/63, using one of the tools listed here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9460 To do the changes manually, I suggest you the use of either beeblebrox (as it runs on BOTH 9x and NT based systems): (site down) available through Wayback Machine: http://web.archive.org/web/20080320075013/...byu.edu/~codyb/ http://web.archive.org/web/20080320075013/...byu.edu/~codyb/ http://web.archive.org/web/20060223003038/...brox9xsetup.zip http://web.archive.org/web/20060223003044/...broxntsetup.zip Or use tinyhexer, possibly using my Structure Viewers as help/guidelines: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8734 jaclaz

If it's "philosophically" different from this: http://www.msfn.org/board/2-t121446.html in practice: boot a PE of some kind from USB run winnt32.exe It would be interesting, as well if you found something not already found/documented. Let's make a deal: you post a report of what you did and how you did it And I promise I will refrain from telling you: even if it is. jaclaz

You may be luckier on a Russian site : http://flashboot.ru/index.php?name=iflash JFYI, the good thing about Chipgenius is that it has a database with links to topics on the (Chinese) Forum: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=4661 but of course... it's Chinese jaclaz

Sure I thought your method was based on a "real" .iso, i.e that the "XP_PRO_SP3.ISO" contained a "full" install. The "beta 1" is this one, right?: http://www.msfn.org/board/install-2000-xp-...37-page-27.html If I may, additional to the instructions, you could do a DIR /S D:\>C:\isodir.txt with the "XP_PRO_SP3.ISO" before and after the addition, so that it is clear. jaclaz

jaclaz

not root partition Yes, a "glitch in the matrix" , sorry. I confused "root partition" with "root device", but : You mistyped "current_boot_device" for "current_root_device" (in this case it makes no difference since boot and root device are the same). Or is the README_GRUB4DOS.txt to be corrected? Correcting previous post. jaclaz

Just a note. Using: the whole image is loaded into memory. This on low-ram machines may be a problem. In these cases you should try using: BUT you need to make sure that the .iso on the stick is contiguous. Contig or wincontig will do: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinte...s/bb897428.aspx http://wincontig.mdtzone.it/en/ More details: http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/Grub4dos.htm http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/map.htm jaclaz

Actually on MSFN we actually WRITE the results of Google for that search. Personally I don't think much of the "refurbished", on laptops. I mean the source of a "refurb shop" is usually large companies that trade-in their "old set" of laptops and buy a new set. You don't know how the machines were used, how many hours they were used, if they were subject to temperature drops or falls, all factors that may influence residual "life" of a notebook. I would first try a few of the local PC shops, often they have some trade-in that is perfect, and very little used, coming form someone that has bought a laptop just to have a smaller PC in-house, that never traveled with it, and only used a little to surf the internet. A typical checklist for a refurb (mind you I am not talking of "exceptionally good" refurbs, I am talking of the "average" that you are likely to find): Check the following: is external case "sound", without cracks? Yes/No does video work? Yes/No does backlighting work? Yes/No does keyboard work? Yes/No does touchpad work? Yes/No is RAM OK? Yes/No is HD OK? Yes/No do ports work Yes/No [*]If any of the ansers above is No, goto next PC in the lot. [*]When all PC's in the lot have run, check those remaining that have a "No" in the chcklist and replace part with another - as well used - part from another in the batch. [*] Try to reassemble the biggest number of laptops this way. [*]Throw away the rest. [*]Clean the case. [*]Clean the fan. [*]Sell as refurbished. The whole point is that there is no way to know if a component that today is perfectly working, will blow out tomorrow, the only exception being (maybe) the hard disk, that may show signs of premature wear, but even on hard disks there is no reliable way to predict their residual life. Some refutrb firms give a warranty, that is the thing you should look for. Also you should go exactly the other way round, when offered a Make/model, search with google if the particular make/model has a record of breakdowns of problems, if it has, stay clear of it, and find another refurb. Just as an example, Acer Aspire 136x and 152x series - which are otherwise good laptops - are reknown for a defect in their video card, a GeForce Go that has problems in the soldering of the GPU. The replacement part is very difficult to find (please read impossible) at a decent price, the alternate fix of reballing is costly, and you are likely to have a perfectly working laptop that suddenly dies on you with a black screen. jaclaz

NO. He is NOT trying to boot. He doesn't need the actual MBR CODE and PBR CODE. All is needed is MBR DATA and PBR DATA. If another system can access the filesystem (mind you NOT booting from the stick) these DATA must be correct. @Lonecrusader Start a new thread. Use HDhacker on your XP or dd from Linux and post in a .zip file a binary dump of your MBR and PBR (in hdhacker respectively first sector of PhysicalDrive and first sector of LogicalDrive) jaclaz

jaclaz

Cannot say for other people here, but putting awergh, fdv and me in the "You guys paying a lot more" is unfair. Personally, besides being notoriously cheap , I am also one of the few that actually still USE NT4.00 normally: http://www.msfn.org/board/still-running-wi...56.html&hl= But of course new OS have new vulnerabilities, the old ones are boring..... but still dangerous. In other words, and of course IMHO: Is NT 4.00 a great, simple OS? Yes. Is it appropriate today as a server? No, unless you have a "vintage" machine that always ran it, with all the drivers for the hardware, and still you are exposed to some unpatched vulnerabilities. Would 2000 be better? Yes, because it has better hardware support and some added features. jaclaz

You are welcome. More than a hint, I have a certain experience in this kind of stuff, and I have actually (seriously) had people telling me they couldn't find the "Any" key. http://www.tomwet.de/shop/catalog/images/AnyKey3.jpg I try as much as I can to suggest "foolproof" approaches, BUT: jaclaz