kof94

lol I've actually had a change of heart and started posting fixes/changes over at the ubcd forum.

The reason I was trying to drum some support for the UBCD project was because I was fed up with fixing it all the time. I outlined in a post over at the ubcd forum some things that didn't work but Victor took no notice so I didn't bother posting again. To be honest I don't really care anymore. I've built my own FreeDOS NwDsk (non-netware) for executing the dos apps I really want to work. It was actually quite easy to do after reading the NwDsk site. Other simple things like dban and memtest86+ are easy fixes aswell. I hate to be a perfectionist but your statement really says it all... ... so I reiterate... 'if you want it done right, do it yourself'. Besides it's more fun that way anyway . -kof94

^^ See first post.

Don't know if this will help but here are the reg settings I applied to the Inno installer I created including your dll. Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\Cmd Prompt Here] @="Cmd Prompt Here" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\Cmd Prompt Here\command] @="cmd.exe /k cd \"%1\"" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\Cmd Prompt Here] @="Cmd Prompt Here" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\Cmd Prompt Here\command] @="cmd.exe /k cd \"%1\""

The question is have any of you tested the new beta? And more importantly will anyone post there feedback? Testing in a virtual machine doesn't count. Everything works great for me in VM but a lot doesn't on a real system!

I'm glad to have helped .

The reason I called Jet Yoda is because way back when this topic started he convinced me to switch from CDShell to Isolinux and now it seams everyones doing the samething. Just a bit of banter really! However, you do have a point, a future isolinux guide would probably be quite useful. Saying that though, if you can use the CDShell system it's pretty easy to switch.

spiritpyre, would you consider adding folders and drives to your Cmd Prompt Here extension. I've already created a modded installer including the extra reg entries for myself but it would be a nice addition to the original dll. Would you also consider adding a switch to your installer to not add shortcuts to the start menu. Thanks.

I know Hiren's Boot Disc contains warez but UBCD was create specifically to be a freeware project. If a particular app contains an EULA that's being infringed on I'd think Victor would want to know. There's nothing I've seen to suggest this though. Not to be up tight or anything but if was a warez project I wouldn't be using it nor posting a topic with a link to it on MSFN. I'm not stupid .

Victor could do with some beta testers for the new version of UBCD. I am presently the only person to have given any feedback since it was released. The new version is based on isolinux/syslinux and looks rather promising, however, certain aspects are causing me problems. I know UBCD is a favorite for integrating into our own projects so I wondered if some of the MSFN crew could lend him a hand. You can pick up a copy of beta 1 here, please post your feedback in the same topic. Thanks in advance. Well, what a pitty. Seams like this is just the beta re-badged! The same apps that didn't work in the beta still don't work in this final version. Only goes to prove "if you want it done right, do it yourself". Well, I'm presently eating a large amount of humble pie . Version 4.1.0 of the UBCD project was release yesterday including all the suggestions I made to fix the 4.0 beta and more. Much apologies go out to Victor (UBCD creator) for my previous rants in this thread. So, I urge anyone and everyone to do them selves a favor and grab a copy of this new and and improved version asap . -kof94

I always modded the disc so I could use diskemu or bcdw instead. I've just never found memdisk very reliable! Although memdisk does have it's uses. You couldn't pass variables to the FreeDOS image in UBCD without it. Neither diskemu or bcdw could do that. I've been messing with the switches for memdisk to see if they help to boot some failing apps. You could try the same. I don't give up either, I'm just really good at complaining .

Basically findramd.exe isn't doing it's job by finding your ramdrive. Why it's finding your project disc I have know idea though. There is one possibility... I've been refraining from saying it but memdisk is crap. I like the isolinux system but memdisk breaks everything it touches and I wouldn't at all be surprised if it's causing problems here. Sorry I can't be more helpful but these are my thoughts.

Hay Jet, I think I'm gonna start calling you Yoda . This topic i.e. using Isolinux instead of CDShell is becoming quite popular. Another convertee here.

Join the party. More the Merry're (if thats a word or even two)!

I've found some problems with the current UBCD beta, actually didn't work as well as expected when tested on a live system. I've been giving feedback to Victor about this, just have to see what happens. If you manage to get diskemu to work by passing commands through isolinux please post your method cos I've drawn a blank. I can load the diskemu binary but I can't make it accept any arguments! I use Linux very little but I have a keen interest thats growing by the day. I have a permanent dual boot between Ubuntu and Win XP which means I can easily wonder into Linux land when the mood takes me. I have looked a Slax but it's just easier to whack Knoppix on my disc since I don't really have the knowhow or time to learn how to configure it. It is very fast though, even from a DVD.

All previous versions of UBCD were made using CDShell as the main menu system. The reason Docmem worked (after a few modifications) was because you had the choice to use Diskemu as the loader. The reason I find this version interesting is because Victor has switched to Isolinux as the main menu system and has managed to boot Docmem using Memdisk with some switches. I know this is purely academic when other apps such as Memtest86+ work anyway but information like this could help when you really want to get an important app working of your own. The main benefit of this release is I don't have to mess about adding tools to my DVD. UBCD takes care of that, besides a couple of paid for apps. Also, now I've finally worked out using Isolinux to a reasonable degree my project can go back to taking a couple of days to update. Woo-hay! You can now sigh in relief, no more stupid questions from that kof94... . Later.

@Jet The new version of UBCD is out in beta form and contains things like Docmem and most other apps I've been struggling with. I haven't taken a look at the guts yet to see how Victor has worked around these issues but it's looking rather good. Suppose it takes the experts to work these things out. You can pick up a copy of the beta here.. Later.

Ok, crash course in CDShell. CDShell was developed as an updated version of Diskemu, however, it became a shell (hens the name) for the most widely used CD/floppy boot loaders available. These included: - Diskemu - BCDW - Isolinux - Memdisk There is also another command called 'chain', mainly used for loading windows boot sectors but I have no idea where that came from. The main differences about Memdisk and Diskemu are: Diskemu reads the contents of the image from your disc bit-by-bit in memory as required. Memdisk loads the entire image in memory. Memdisk does have some advantages but in my personal experience causes more problems that it solves. The reason Docmem and many other programs don't like memdisk is because they require the memory space already occupied by it! The author of CDShell also enabled Diskemu to read the contents of .iso images aswell which in my opinion makes it vastly superior. Now onto BCDW (Bootable CD Wizard). This project has also been abandoned, however, it has some of the advantages of the above mention Diskemu. It can load windows boot sectors, binaries e.g. isolinux.bin and read floppy images in the same manor as Diskemu. It can also load iso's but it only reads the boot sector. At present I feel that BCDW may be our best option to hodge together a loader mechanism for our troublesome floppy images. I'm going to download 2.1a and try to see if I can past a command to boot various images from isolinux. Ideally I'd like someone to reverse engineer CDShell and extract diskemu from it but I can't see that happening. Besides, even if I wrote to the author and got the source code I'd need someone else to rewrite it. I hope this helps to highlight what I mean. If you still not sure, download a copy of UBCD, press [insert] before selecting any of the progs to enable the loader selection menu (so called "expert mode") and have play. Try Docmem using Memdisk, Diskemu and BCDW. Catch ya later.

You don't really need loads, just one like diskemu or BCDW that reads an image from the disc instead of loading it in memory! I'm not really sure how to get round this at the mo but I'm sure something can be done.

Personally I used CDShell cos it was the loader of choice from Flyakite's guide! I'm quite impressed about how easy it is to create an interesting menu using isolinux and I'm determined to make it work for me in the way I want it to. I haven't really ran into any problems except for memdisk which does cause problems. I'm still trying to look for an alt for booting floppies when memdisk falls over. As I said before my main reason for moving to isolinux is because CDShell is no longer an active project. If this was not the case I would probably still be using it just because of the selection of loaders available to counter any problems. This doesn't help though when your disc wont boot to start with on some machines (usually a machine you really need it for), something isolinux suffers less with. PS: I grabbed the image from DeviantArt, I though it looked interesting... . Your screens are much more involved than mine, I just get lazy after a while.

Just though I'd post an update. Why didn't I use isolinux from the start?! This looks sick (see attached) well compared to the basic CDShell menu I used to have anyway. Not sure if I'll actually use this, I just wanted I idea of what I can to with the menu's. Now on to submenus.... *attachment deleted*

I haven't had time to mess with this today. Since I got home from work it's been one thing after another! With vesamenu I've probably just put something out of place and not seen it instantly, I'll re-do it again tomorrow and see what happens. As far as Diskemu goes, your right, I'm not gonna know til I try it. So I will. What's CAT.C32 all about? (I take it back your way a head of me) -kof Edit: I now have a background image using vesamenu. Converted my .jpg to a .png and changed the name of it from wallpaper.png (9:3 !!! ) to back.png. I didn't really need to convert the image but it was the first thing I did before realising my misstake. And the moral of this story is, 'don't try to learn something new when your far too tired to think'. -kof

Well, it seams that the author has ceased dev on CDShell for the foreseeable future so as far as I'm concerned isolinux is the next logical step! I'm glad this makes you so happy . I'm actually one step ahead on you with menu.c32 (yes, I've learnt to read ) but I can't for the life of me get vesamenu.c32 to work with an image. The reason I asked about mkisofs is partly because of this and because some of the images I've made wont boot using CDImage! I might just get a working menu.c32 system working so I can get everything else rolling but essentially I'd really like to get a menu system like Ubuntu's. I love the whole feel of it and by the looks of it the actual menu system uses the same labeling as menu.c32. I just need to know what files you need for the whole module to work. I'm also quite handy when it comes to graphics, I just need to get back in to it. On another topic: I asked about using diskemu instead of memdisk for emulating disc images a while ago. My reasoning behind this was (and still is), diskemu reads the contents of the image from the disc instead of loading it in memory which is beneficial for some apps e.g. memory diagnostics. Is there a similar method to use with isolinux? Diskemu can also read the contents of iso images but I think this extra functionality was added my the author of CDShell and not the author of diskemu. I think this thread is about to monopolise this board for a while to come. Laters.

@Jetman Ok, I want to convert my whole menu/boot system to isolinux/syslinux instead of CDShell. And I'm serious this time. I've been looking at the two included menu systems but I need help to get a system the same/similar as the Ubuntu boot menu. Apart from the look and feel, I like the fact you can drop to a prompt that allows you to modify the boot command of the menu entry you have selected! I have some questions though: 1. This type of menu seams to use something called gfxboot, How does this work? 2. How would I go about creating submenus? 3. How exactly do I create a usable background image? 4. I've obviously used cdimage in the past but know I'll need to convert to mkisofs instead. What are the best param's for Windows and Linux on the same disc and can you optimise the image (write duplicate files once) with it? If you have any better suggestions about making a funky menu system then go ahead, I'm now a n00b again ! I do have more questions specific to booting certain things but getting a usable menu system up and running is first on my list. Thanks -kof94

To be honest I've pretty much given up on re-mastering and/or modding Linux for my disc. At present my disc structure is quite clean, especially since I found that you only actually need four folders for Ubuntu at the root of the disc. I've also put my new booting process into practice (still using CDShell) and that's working a charm. I now have the full, original isolinux boot menu system for any OS or util that requires it. This has also enabled me to use all cheat codes and options that would normally be available. I can't see me using two OS's of the same type on my disc as I don't really require it i.e. I'm not considering Ubuntu and Kubuntu on the same disc! I'm still interested in this tread though because there isn't really another thread in this forum that just focuses on Linux. We should try to keep it going! Laters.