jaclaz

Already posted a few times, but won't this do? Nirsoft http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd2.html jaclaz

Haven't tested, yet, but I smell something fishy: From here: http://www.dachshundsoftware.com/hare/hfaq.html It's quite strange it is not the best-selling app of years 2001/2002/2003 and 2004, expecially because And it is jaclaz

GOOD ones, thanks. jaclaz

Pardon me, but I think that here there is some incomprehension. It is not that difficult. You need: 1) A USB memory stick with enough capacity to hold the /i386 folder of your original CP cd-rom 2) The HP USB format utility, find LATEST here: sp27608 Windows-based Format Utility for HP Drive Key or DiskOnKey USB Device (substitutes 27213) http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/hp...load/21284.html 3) A copy of these DOS/Win9x files COMMAND.COM IO.SYS MSDOS.SYS You can get them almost everywhere, or you can make a floppy from within XP along this guidelines: http://www.theeldergeek.com/create_ms-dos_startup_disk.htm 4) The original XP CD-ROM On a machine running either: a) Windows 98SE b) Windows 2000 c) Windows XP/Server 2003 Do the following: 1) make sure the Operating System assigns a drive letter to the USB stick 2) run the HP format utility making sure that you select: a) FAT filesystem b) CREATE a DOS startup disk (it will ask you for a location where the three files above mentioned are) c) copy the /i386 folder from the CD-rom to the USB stick d) got to the machine where you need to install XP, plug in the USB stick, make sure it is set to boot from USB in BIOS and reboot (please note that on some PC rebooting won't work, you need to switch it off and on again to let some BIOSes recognize the USB bootable device) e) once the machine has booted, at the C: prompt type: cd /i386 [ENTER] winnt.exe [ENTER] f) the XP setup will start, along the lines of this MS article: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...;307848&sd=tech jaclaz

@soulin Have a look here: http://www.users.on.net/~driver/bootdisk/index.htm http://www.users.on.net/~driver/bootdisk/about.htm http://www.users.on.net/~driver/bootdisk/set2var.htm And more precisely: http://www.users.on.net/~driver/bootdisk/f...swer=1091698136 jaclaz

Ok, a simpler one, then: Have a look at these WACtools: http://foxitsoftware.com/ http://foxitsoftware.com/wac/toolkit_intro.htm They do almost anything is needed for Administration in something like 4 Mb. A free version could be useful. jaclaz

Well, I do have an idea. Maybe a long shot, though. A big problem EVERYONE interested in Windows modding has is the booting from CD/USB stick, etc. There is no freeware/open source tool that I know of that can boot an NT based system from a DISK IMAGE, being it either an ISO or a FAT/NTFS filesystem RAW IMAGE, unless you go all the way with Syslinux, loopback, etc. (and, maybe it's me, I never succeeded with it) It is possible, as there is (or better there was, as the works seem to have stopped) this COMMERCIAL software: AbsoluteBoot http://www.apct.net/en/products/AB.php3 it is a French company that developed two products, one for NT 4.00, and the other for win2k that allows to make a bootable CD-ROM (not unlike WinPE or BartPE). The difference is that you image your system exactly as it is. They have a Functional download on their site (needs registration, but they NEVER hassled me after sending me the unlock code). It does work, from what I gathered it's a kind of filesystem driver that encrypts in a special filesystem the image of the FAT directory of your NT4/Win2k install. Limitation in downloadable file is that it reboots after 20 minutes (which by the way are often enough to do some check/recovery task). Development seems to have STOPPED in early 2002 (No version for Xp and it is claimed to work up to Win2k SP1 or SP2, cannot remember). I think that something along the same lines, but using a "normal" disk image, would be of the greatest utility. jaclaz

Well, then there are ONLY three possible causes: 1) The laptops are very old and their BIOS has the el-torito boot cd-rom specs badly implemented (VERY unprobable) 2) The laptops have dedective/worn out CD readers (possible) 3) The laptops CD readers are somewhat "weaker" than desktop ones, so that a CD that can be "barely read" by desktop PC is not read by laptops. Only test you can make is #3 in my previous post: try burning it again at the LOWEST possible speed and on another brand media jaclaz

kaares, very good tool, I made a few tests with it and it works like a charm. I did my test on win2k. I think it deserves to get "in the open". Can you host it on some web page? Or would you allow me to host it on mine? I am going to write down a pseudo-GUI for it, I'll post it here as soon as it is done, but I would like to put it on my page together with your prog. Here is a link to the other pseudo-GUI I have written: http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.n...ts/VDM/vdm.html Cheers, jaclaz

Yep, that is one of the problems.That's why I said It has worked for me sometimes, and sometimes it did not. hint: results from a google search for "antiwpa" could enlighten you on this particular problem. jaclaz

This is just a clue, but it happened more than once that the cause is just a CD that cannot be read properly: 1) did you burn the CD at the LOWEST possible speed? 2) can you try the CD with CDCHECK? 3) try burning it again at the LOWEST possible speed and on another brand media (some work better than others on a certain burner) jaclaz

If I get it right, on your OLD HD, XP is installed on First Active Primary Partition oF HD, thus it is C:. On your new HD you have: 1) Primary partition for Linux (this would be either EXT2 or EXT3 or ReiserFS, so that it is ignored by XP) See below note. 2) Primary partition (Active?) for 2003 (if Active this one becomes C:) See note below 3) Primary partition (Not Active?) for XP 4) Extended partition with 9 Logical volumes inside The above, sorry to say it, is prone to give some problems, even if you re-install XP. NOTE: 1) Linux file system is BORN to live in EXTENDED partitions (hence the EXT) 2) The only part of a NT based windows Operating System that NEED to be on a Primary Acyive Patition are these files: a) NTLDR b) NTDETECT.COM c) BOOT.INI d) Only needed for SCSI systems NTBOOTDD.SYS You SHOULD NOT use the booted operating system to copy system files. The GHOST cloning procedure is much better. You can try booting from an XP CD-ROM and make a repair install, that "should" fix things up. How I would do that if I were you (my personal opinion): NEW 120 Gb setup 1) First Active Primary Partition 2) Extended partition with 9+2 Logical volumes inside Clone the old drive XP partition on the new HD one Install 2003 in a logical volume. Install Linux in another logical volume (remember that you will need another volume for the Linux SWAP partition see my other posts here for more partition related info: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=34761 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=33964 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=35351 jaclaz

UPDATE: This "could" work: http://www.mager.org/mkdosfs/ it is a WinNT port of linux command mkdosfs: jaclaz

Yes, it is possible, as I said it happened to me that PM dealt with partitions in some "non-standard" way.Can't say though if this applies to you. It does not say "what" it has found as bad? Try having a look at them with Ranish, and post results. Cannot say, usually the good old "if ain't broken don't fix it" applies. jaclaz

Not directly of course. You must make a dos/win9x floppy or installation with USB support. Even then, not ALL computers (due to the poor implementation of the USB standard in some bios) can access it properly. Here are some possible resources: http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=10215 http://www.stefan2000.com/darkehorse/PC/DOS/Drivers/USB/ http://www.datoptic.com/Drivers/DAT.exe The "Moto Hairu" Panasonic driver di1000dd.sys is reported to be working: http://www.computing.net/dos/wwwboard/forum/15210.html Another "possible" approach would be to create an empty "RAW" virtual drive file formatted as FAT12, then DD it to the stick. Finally one could try to use the DOS 3.3 format utility, which had only FAT12 support, if I recall correctly. jaclaz

Find info here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=33777 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=31434 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=29369 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=21845 (a board search for "unattended" in the Windows 95/98/98SE/ME area would have helped and another one for "msbatch.inf" will give you more material) Remember to set "search posts from" to "Any date". jaclaz

Yep, but if it works, doing well what it is supposed to do, what is the need to develop? Yep, it is what i mentioned as "the simplest way" jaclaz

soulin, yes it's a known fact. There is even this program BOOTPART (which you might have skipped in this thread): http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=35280 that does what is missing, i.e. recreates the boot sectors. See here for more info: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=33030 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25365 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25350 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=34761 if you run a SCSI machine you need a fourth file, ntbootd.sys! mattofak, to clear up things: NTLDR from NT4.00 can boot only from FAT16 and NTFS partitions NTLDR from Win2k, XP or 2003 can boot from FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS partitions Unless you have a third-party bootmanager, this refers to FIRST ACTIVE PRIMARY partition on FIRST hard disk. jaclaz

Just to clear things up a bit: Here is how DOS/Win9x/ME assign drive letters: http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/ar...es/Q51/9/78.ASP Here is how NT/W2k/XP/2003 assign drive letters: http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBA/tip0200/rh0288.htm http://www.dewassoc.com/support/win2000/driveletters.htm At boot time ALL NT based Os's give letters as follows 1) C: is given to FIRST ACTIVE PRIMARY partition on FIRST hard disk, if no primary partition is found on first HD, it is given to first active primary partition on 2nd HD, etc. 2) Subsequent letters are given to extended partitions, starting from the FIRST hard disk 3) Once ALL logical partitions have been given a letter, system re-scans for further primary partitions, starting from the FIRST hard disk BUT there is this problem (remote event, but who knows with XP): http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;307079 jaclaz

Actually you need to FDISK the drive as FAT12 Before FORMATTING IT. http://fdisk.radified.com/ http://www.23cc.com/free-fdisk/index.htm You might want to try these tools: www.ranish.com/part http://www.zeleps.com/ http://diskman.dyndns.org/ http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/...rmat/format.lsm This page is an interesting overview/comparison of FAT12 vs. FAT16 http://www.pscience5.net/CompactFlash.htm jaclaz

The BEST free one is XOSL: http://www.ranish.com/part/xosl.htm (graphical) You might want/need also: Ranish's Partition Manager: http://www.ranish.com/part/ BOOTPART: http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm and Windows Boot.ini C.U. http://www.dx21.com/SOFTWARE/Dx21/ViewItem...I=2&SI=2&OID=14 or editbini (from the same people who made BootIt NG): http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/utilities.html Please note that the simplest way to dual boot XP and ME (just read it as NT and 98) is to use the XP default boot manager and BOOTPART. (this way nothing is messed up on the Hard Disk). If you want to add a stunning beautiful graphical screen and password protect booting, add XOSL. jaclaz

Yep, sure it is possible, actually it's how "normal" systems i.e. those that do not have Raid capable controllers should be setup. I find much better to have separate partitions for DATA, as it is easier to backup and faster to defrag. About the SWAP file here are my two cents: 1) the swap must be set as FIXED (same amount minimum/maximum), size typically 2,5 times your memory. 2) if possible have your swap file in a separate partition 3) if possible have it on a different disk 4) if possible have it formatted as FAT32 (being a single file it will be faster) 5) if possible the partition should be in the part of the disk that have faster access 6) the swap file must be either deleted (from a parallel install) or defragged from time to time 7) you should turn off ALL not needed services, see here for reference: http://www.blackviper.com/ Please note that the " size typically 2,5 times your memory" is just a guess value, and, depending of the use you make of the computer, if you have more than 512 Mb of memory, it could even be UNUSED, see here: http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php jaclaz

Well, yes, I like Ranish's because: 1) it is freeware 2) lets you SEE what you are doing 3) lets you FINE TUNE every aspect of partition table It has it's drawbacks too: 1) it is not "EASY", you have to know what you are doing 2) you need to boot from a DOS floppy to use it In my opinion, the BEST utility is ACRONIS. I don't like Partition Magic as in some configurations can mess up things. More precisely: PM2 worked like a charm PM3 was the BEST edition (no drives larger than 8Gb, though) PM4 was CRAP PM5 was so and so (incompatibilities with some systems, namely ME) PM6 was CRAP PM7 was so and so PM8 cannot say as I don't use it anymore I never tried it, but there are good reports about BootIt NG. The guide of Ranish's is self contained, there is a "Partition Primer" and some Faq's linked from the homepage: http://www.ranish.com/part/primer.htm http://www.ranish.com/part/faq.htm and you could get to the discussion group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/partman Yes, LOTS of reading. About "repairing" a Partition that has errors, best option is to use the Checkdisk tool that comes with every Operating System. You could also try to test the partition with FSUTIL: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documen...-us/fsutil.mspx You should anyway backup the data BEFORE. I suggest you to backup the data TWICE, 1st by simply copying it to CD's from your Operating System, and 2nd making a digital image of that partition, if GHOST does not work, use another utility, you can try with dd under LINUX or it's Win32 ports: http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/rawwrite/dd.htm or http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/fileutils.htm or http://users.erols.com/gmgarner/forensics/ Once you have an IMAGE file, try doing all the repairs on the IMAGE, not on the original. You can use this program: http://chitchat.at.infoseek.co.jp/vmware/vdk.html to mount the RAW image (eventually using my little GUI to it): http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.n...ts/VDM/vdm.html jaclaz

This one works, sorry: http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/partitions/ About the multiple systems, it is perfectly safe IF it is accurately planned beforehand. Read here how I like to setup systems: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=34761 http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=33964 The above is just my personal opimion, the only thing I won't recommend is having more than one Primary partitions viewable by DOS/Win9x systems, as it is known to create problems. jaclaz

You have the "Write" Permission NOT checked. I would suggest you to put yourself in the Power Users Group and leave default Power User permissions. jaclaz