jaclaz

Well, that won't be difficult, just delete what you don't need! Config.sys: Autoexec.bat (but you cam also leave it as is): However both files could be "better" written, avoiding some duplicates entries, using a [Common] part. jaclaz

This is a multi-configuration autoexec.bat. You cannot say what it actually does unless you look at the accompanying CONFIG.SYS. Moreover it calls a few other .bat and "not-standard" .exe files, each of which can do several other tasks: setramd.bat makeboot.exe archive.exe ... ... runlast.bat It seems to be "hardcoded" for the A:\ drive. Basically it appears to let the user choose between three possible configurations, "NETCD", "NET" and "GIGNET", then (most probably) through setramd.bat creates a RAMdisk where a number of programs and settings are copied and executed. It is not at all difficult to follow it, but you need some basic primer on batch commands and autoexec.bat/config.sys to be able to customize it, some links: http://www.claymania.com/dos-primer.html http://home.att.net/~gobruen/progs/dos_batch/dos_batch.html http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~ak621/DOS/BatBasic.html jaclaz

If I may, two pieces of info you might be missing: 1) Microsoft 2K/XP have the utility convert.exe, no need for PM http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314097/en-us 2) It is perfectly possible to install Vista on a FAT32 volume: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...181&st=1712 though the procedure is not really straigtforward jaclaz

I don't see the problem. Just use the round() function to the desired precision, which is (or should be) common practice. Alternatively, somewhere in options there is a "set precision as displayed" or something similar. jaclaz

Also, 7-zip can be configured as a dual-pane file manager, though it's a bit slow in enumerating a volume or directory with lots of files. jaclaz

You can try with original MS-DOS instead of FreeDos: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...c=16745&hl= Or you can try using either this way: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...c=16713&hl= http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...c=19745&hl= This needs either a small FAT16 or 32 partition or a later conversion of the "main one to NTFS. Using NTFS4DOS was never tried (or at least noone ever reported about it). or the new "direct from USB" install: http://www.msfn.org/board/boot_install_USB_key_t61384.html http://www.msfn.org/board/boot_install_USB...html&st=199 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...1384&st=325 (you'll need some work to adapt it from USB CD, or you can use the external USB HD) jaclaz

Not if you don't care about a small edit in txtsetup.sif: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=65541 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=87938&hl= http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=99385&hl= jaclaz

A small correction, there is no such thing as a "Dietmar's dummy.sys". The file is on CodeProject, it's author is Anton Bassov http://www.codeproject.com/system/soviet_direct_hooking.asp and it comes with source code and an article explaining it. At the time I "found" it and suggested it to Dietmar: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...181&st=1954 as an alternative to the Hitachi Microdrive one (that has no source code), and Dietmar tested and adopted it. Now we need someone with programming skills and the correct DDK/Compiler etc. jaclaz

So, if I get it correctly, you now have booted a PC with windows (on a third hard-drive) and connected the one with corrupted data as slave/secondary. Now you should make a sector by sector image of the drive with the corrupted data on another drive (if you have enough space on the "new" one you booted from, otherwise on a partition on the "500 Gb" one. (due to the size of the image the partition needs to be NTFS) Depending of compression level (if used) of the imaging utility the image will range from 80 to 160 Gb, ideally you should use no compression, so that you will have a real 1:1 image. A thread with a number of imaging tools links is here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=100299&hl= Once you have an image (so that if anything goes wrong you can image the drive back and start from scratch), first thing to try, as suggested, is the use of Testdisk (win32 version), if you are lucky you can recover data this way. Next would be the use of Photorec (companion to testdisk) to recover just files. If the partition you have data on is NTFS, try first this: http://memberwebs.com/stef/software/scrounge/ and this (COMMERCIAL): http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm (but the trial should be enough to see if it can find/recover data) jaclaz

And of course, attached to it, some sense of guilt for not complying to the License: jaclaz

NO. Actually VirtualBox USES Qemu as engine. But your problem is that if the host OS hasn't a filesystem capable of accessing such large files, the Vm won't either. jaclaz

Bushidou2007, sorry to say so, but my guess is that your attempts to fix did make the situation much worse than it was. Do you have a spare HD (or is the 500 Gb available?) to install XP to? If you have not completely screwed up the system, your best option is to take your first disk out, attach it as slave and make a complete image of it. Then, and only when you have a verified "dd-like" image of the entire disk, we can start talking of recovering data/partitions. Working directly on the drive without a FULL image is equivalent to suicide, expecially for a newbie without experience and lacking some "tools and tricks of the trade". DO NOT make any other modifications to that drive, you could make data unrecoverable. jaclaz

You should go in steps: 1) re-create a "normal" XP install CD from the files you have 2) from the CD in point 1) above create an unattended install For re-creating a XP CD, you might want to read these threads and given links: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=16343 http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...c=16381&hl= http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=17568 http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...c=19109&hl= Then you should (manually, or through nlite or other app) slipstream service pack 2 and integrate your specific drivers (if any). Once such a Cd is tested and found to be working, you can go on slipstreaming further updates and start the unattended. jaclaz

Just for the record (UNTESTED) inside this archive: ftp://ftp.ennyah.com.tw/drivers/drw/4420u_2kxp.zip There is a USBSTOR2.SYS file, dated 24-10-2000, size 20,576 bytes, which is a renamed USBSTOR.SYS with version 5.1.2296.1 jaclaz

Hmmm, you need some kind of script anyway, batch is as good as any other solution, isn't it. You can write your own in AutoIT and compile it, however. There is a script add on for Daemon Tools: http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/download.p...ory&catid=2 though I never used it and cannot say if it can do what you need. Otherwise, I may suggest you the use of IMDISK: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/ImDisk-f59.html which is easily scriptable, un batch, AutoIt or whatever and has many more uses coupled with a minimal footprint. jaclaz

The problem might be in Zar itself. I mean the idea of Zero Assumption Recovery "implies" that everything, even remotely similar to a file of some kind is recovered. This means that several fragments of the same file can be recovered, including those overlapping with other files. Given the amount of fragmentation, moved files, renamed or updated files on a hard disk that has not been (possibly) defragged/optimized previously, it does not surprise me that a x6 factor comes out. Now, telling what is good from what is not is a hard work. This is why I suggested using more than a single app for attempting the recovery, as each app has a different "logic", it is possible that a certain app succeeds where another failed, I found this particularly true with different filesystems. The .rtf file fragment you posted, specifically, appears to be part of a Word document with embedded equations, as a rule of thumb files with embedded objects tend to be harder to be fully recovered (the text is usually recovered allright, but embedded objects are trickier). If I were you, before trying to rebuild from the files you already recovered, I would have a couple of tries with other utilities, first one I would try would be PHOTOREC: http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec If it does not work, if the filesystem was NTFS, your best bet is File Scavenger (COMMERCIAL): http://quetek.com/prod02.htm or Scroungge NTFS (Freeware): http://memberwebs.com/stef/software/scrounge/ Next again it should be some filetype specific app, like this one (COMMERCIAL - untested by me): http://www.tech-pro.net/doc-regenerator.html jaclaz

Just for the record, a few years back I had a problem (with Registry) on a Win2K box, so that Explorer would not start (as SHELL). So, as a temporary fix, I installed a trial of AstonShell (COMMERCIAL). Once done that, I found that Explorer (as FILE MANAGER) did not work as well. So, again as a temporary fix, I adopted the Dimension File Manager, a very minimalistic filemanager. Since I am somewhat "old-school" and I always do my "file moving/copying/managing" in a NC compatible app, see OFM here: http://www.softpanorama.org/OFM/Paradigm/index.shtml http://www.rmonet.com/commander/ I found that combining the two of them I had BOTH an easy "visual" File Manager and a handy "advanced" one, so, even once I had the Registry fixed on that machine, I do like using them. Dimension File Manager can still be found here: http://www.aplusfreeware.com/categories/ut...lemanagers.html or here: http://www.tinyapps.org/file.html This should be its "successor": http://members.tripod.com/dj_tow/minex.htm http://members.tripod.com/dj_tow/files/MiniExplorer_03b.zip Some screenshots are here: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...pic=95&st=2 jaclaz

Hallo, Ilko_t. Some updates, I was successful in booting recreated virtual hard disks from your previously posted files, so I can confirm that it must be something outside the bootsector/MBR. I doubt the above, sorry. Try resetting the usual, say first 100 sectors, to F6 and try formatting the stick under XP WITHOUT the Hitachi Microfilter Driver..... I just checked the files in your last post, and again, there is no reason in them why they shouldn't boot. A few ideas for you to test (for the FAT32 ones): 1) Try, after the WINNT32 (and thus on a stick that it is not booting) to copy over the bootsector a "BootSector_Before.dat" generated before (when the stick was booting ok) 2) Try changing the "spare" bootsectors found on sector 6 with a copy of the current one, theoretically if the two bootsectors 3) Check this: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1647 maybe from comparing the outputs of findpart with the various options on the stick "before" and "after" one could find some other difference that might matter jaclaz

(bolding is mine) This appears case 4. of FAQ #10: Besides the other consideration about speed, even if you format the stick as Superfloppy, such behaviour will NOT work for NT/2K/XP/2003 as NO ARCPATH is generated, the problem has been discussed at length on Dietmar's thread, but unfortunately no solution/workaround has been found (yet): http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=14181 The only viable solution is (possibly) through the use of makebootfat "special" MBR, but it appears that noone ever tested this (or reported findings): http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...13784&st=44 It seems like we are in some kind of CATCH22 here, noone with a "Superfloppy only" motherboard has the technical abilities/time/will to experiment, whilst noone that has the latter has a "Superfloppy only" motherboard to experiment with. jaclaz

Unfortunately, that may be a symptom the drive is "toasted". In some cases, the drives can be recovered. You will need to try (cannot say if it will be possible) to access it directly from direct \.\PHYSICALDRIVEx in order to possibly recover some data. If you already have a backup of the data, you can skip the above and use the appropriate "Recovery" or "Mass Production Tool" for that stick/controller. Have a look at these: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=17701 http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...14292&st=20 http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=15776 then, if you cannot find your USB Vid/Pid between those listed, post them here, I will see if I can find an appropriate utility or contact Kingston, they may be willing to send one to you. jaclaz

To (hopefully) clarify the matter: DOS 6.22 had a /s switch for FORMAT that did FOUR things (last three specific of the /s switch): 1) Formatted the filesystem (FAT16 only) 2) made a bootable partition bootsector invoking IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS 3) copied IO.SYS as FIRST file in the partition 4) copied also the other "system files" MSDOS.SYS and COMMAND.COM DOS 7.x (aka Windows 9x/ME) had a /s switch that did exactly the same, with these changes: a. filesystem could be both FAT16 and FAT32 (starting from Windows 95 OSR 2) b. there is no more the need for IO.SYS to be first file in partition In all the above OS a hard disk needed to be partitioned by the FDISK command into one or more volume(s) before beiing able to use the FORMAT command. Starting from Windows NT: 1) there is no more the FDISK command but one needs to use Disk Management to partition drives 2) the format command has no more the /s switch, ANY partition formatted has a bootable bootsector, invoking NTLDR, and NO system files are copied to the partition by the format command. NT originally supported FAT16 and NTFS (an early version, need at least SP3 to access newer "Win2K" NTFS) Win2K, XP and Server 2003 support FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS natively. Specifically with your IDE "second" drive, you might find problems to boot from it, not because it is not bootable in itself, but because if you boot from it, it will get letter "C:\" shifting your normal drive letter assignments. There are a few workarounds for this, most notably using a "migrate.inf" file to "keep old settings" and/or use a loader like grub4dos to exchange hard disk order. Some info is given in these threads, that, though aimed to installing from a USB device, can be adapted to your situation: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=81788&st=6 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=61384&hl= Using a PE of some kind and WINNT32 is a good solution, as if you build the PE from XPSP2 the booted volume should get the X:\ letter. jaclaz

Nice , but if I may, the same can be made in "pure" batch, as long as data in the chosen column are integers. A quick example: file dirlist.cmd: @ECHO OFF SETLOCAL ENABLEEXTENSIONS dir /-C %1 | find /i "%~x1" >dir.txt file addsize.cmd @ECHO OFF SETLOCAL ENABLEEXTENSIONS SET TOTAL= rem SET COL=%1 rem SET FNAME=%2 FOR /F "tokens=%1" %%A in (%2) DO CALL :addsize %%A ECHO TOTAL is %TOTAL% GOTO :EOF :addsize rem SET size=%1 SET /A TOTAL=%TOTAL%+%1 GOTO :EOF (if data is "space" or "tab" separated, otherwise one needs to add a delims= statement in the FOR loop) Run: and then: jaclaz

Check this: http://nt4ref.zcm.com.au/usb.htm jaclaz

OK, first thing, SWITCH OFF that laptop and DO NOT switch it on again, every boot you make, any fiddling you make, anything you make on that hard disk lowers the possibility and amount of recovery. You need ANOTHER (desktop) PC and a IDE 2.5" to 3.5" adapter. Take the hard disk off the laptop and mount it to the desktop PC through the adapter as "slave". Make an image of the laptop HD AS IS saving it on the desktop PC hard disk, it is better if you make TWO such images. The image(s) must be made with a byte-by-byte or sector-by-sector imaging utility, some are listed here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=100299 Now try one of several data recovery utilities against the laptop hard disk. A list is here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=97759&hl= http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=84345&hl= Saving each time whatever has been recovered to the desktop hard disk. Once you have done with an utility, if you are not satisfied by results, restore the image to the laptop hard disk and start anew with another utility. Depending on the value you attribute to the data, you might want to contact a professional service, rates can go from "flat rates" of a few hundred dollars to several thousands, but all companies will give you for free or for a very small fee an exact estimate or you will be spending for the recovery. Next time, ask here for opinions/suggestions BEFORE resorting to your "the local computer 'whizz'" (unless he is really is a 'whizz', of course ). jaclaz

Links to the most relevant posts (link already given, here): http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...ic=2807&hl= are in this post : http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=99453&st=3 Last one is here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...1384&st=293 Eventually, and that means WHEN everything will be found to be working and it will be tested, ilko_t will publish a complete guide, but there is NO "road-map" established, it may happen in the next 15 days as well as in the next 15 months, this procedure is something experimental and everyone contributing to it do so in their spare time, so please, do not ask for a release date, just wait and check back once in a while or experiment with info already provided. Check this: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...1384&st=273 By the way, it is rather amazing how at this moment the thread had 51,818 views and the number of people that have actually contributed or gave a useful feedback can be counted on fingers without taking one's shoes off.... To provide a solution that works on the most hardware we need some people that test the procedure on their hardware and report problems or success. jaclaz