[xibur]

masterchi, on Nov 29 2007, 12:16 PM, said:

@XIBUR

Thanks that helped a lot. I have the two MEMTEST's and DFT working now (i didn't know they were on 4.09, i was still using 4.08) Thanks. Unfortunately Spinrite.iso is still not working for me. I copied and pasted exactly what you had and copied the files over from the UBCD4DOS CD and it loads through DOS just fine then sits at a prompt Q: and i typed DIR and saw nothing for startup.bat or spinrite so i went C: and went to the C drive (my USB) and i typed in spinrite.iso and even startup.bat and it didn't work, just an error that it is an unknown command.

I might not of fully understood your description for spinrite so correct me if so:

I edited SYSLINUX.CFG to be like this

LABEL SPINRITE
  MENU LABEL SpinRite V6
  KERNEL memdisk
  APPEND initrd=\syslinux\images\lzubcd.igz ubcdcmd=SpinRite.iso
  TEXT HELP
  Repairs Bad Harddrives
  ENDTEXT

and then i copied of the LZUBCD.IGZ file and created the bat file as you mentioned by copy pasting what you had and changing the path in the batch from the DOSAPPS to where the ISO is located for me and just get unknown command SpinRite. Any ideas if i did this wrong? If not i think i still have the executable so i can have it create a floppy image instead of a CD image. Thanks.

You need to be using Spinrite.exe directly, not Spinrite.iso and not a floppy image, though a floppy image might be usable with a different menu entry. And you need to put that exe in 1 of 2 possible places that I'm aware of for it to be automatically launched in this way, either the root folder or in the \dosapps\spinrite\ sub-folder. In other words, when you use the ubcdcmd=spinrite command (note the lack of an extension on the end), the LZ-DOS image that the UBCD4DOS guys specially crafted is going to look for \spinrite.exe or \dosapps\spinrite\startup.bat.

I was just trying to find where the ubcdcmd=<command> is documented but couldn't find it. I think maybe I studied the autoexec.bat file from inside the lzubd.igz image file or something in order to figure that out. Sorry I can't point you to better documentation at the moment.

The main reason I did it this way is that I was adding it to a boot disc where I had all the UBCD4DOS tools included, and just adding the exe was the smallest method. But I suppose if you're not using all the tools, a floppy image of Spinrite might be the smallest method. In that scenario, you can exclude lzubcd.igz, make a floppy image of Spinrite, maybe compress it using 7-Zip and the gzip method, rename the compressed floppy image file to spinrite.igz, and use a menu entry something like this instead:

LABEL SPINRITEF
  MENU LABEL SpinRite V6 (floppy image)
  KERNEL memdisk
  APPEND initrd=\syslinux\images\spinrite.igz
  TEXT HELP
  Repairs Bad Harddrives
  ENDTEXT

Just to be clear, here's a menu entry you can use for the UBCD4DOS method that better reflects your changes:

LABEL SPINRITELZ
  MENU LABEL SpinRite V6 (LZ-DOS)
  KERNEL memdisk
  APPEND initrd=\syslinux\images\lzubcd.igz ubcdcmd=spinrite
  TEXT HELP
  Repairs Bad Harddrives
  ENDTEXT

I haven't tested the floppy method, but if it works right, you now have the choice of two different methods. And actually, there's no reason (other than space considerations) you can't use both at the same time, if you wanted to see which one you prefer. If you want to use both, you just have to be sure they each have unique LABEL (and MENU LABEL) entries, which are modified for you above, and that you include the appropriate files of course.

And just to further clarify the overall idea here, syslinux appears to not like ISO image files. At least, nobody has figured out how to make ISO image files work with it directly and has cared to demonstrate it, yet, that I'm aware of.

This post has been edited by xibur: 29 November 2007 - 06:18 PM

[masterchi]

@Xibur

Ahh, use the EXE. It makes sense now I will try it tomorrow but as i mentioned before it loads the LZDOS but then just sits me at a Q: prompt for me to enter commands but with your method it should run startup.bat automatically as long as it see's it? I guess i was expecting an error about "cannot find file" or a "unknown command" if it was running it automatically.

Also, i'm not sure if using my EXE will work. When i double click my EXE in windows it brings up the menu where i can create an image, create a boot disc, or install it on local drive. There is no option to run it so i am skeptical if it will work correctly but i'll give it a try tomorrow and post back. Thanks.

[dummptyhummpty]

masterchi, on Nov 28 2007, 09:52 AM, said:

Quote

The SETUPLDR.BIN is specially edited. Unedited, it would see the MININT directory and boot from that instead of the CMDC (recovery console directory). I used a hex editor and replaced all references to MININT with CMDC and then hexed in "00" for each of the remaining spaces fom "N" and "T". Can you confirm that your recovery console loads correctly with your replaced SETUPLDR.BIN?

Yes it does work correctly. It loaded up and i hit R for recovery and it saw both partitions, My C: drive on the local computer and the MININT directory on my jumpdrive but i was able to successfully select 1 (for C:\Windows) and i ran CHKDSK \R without issue.

I used the SETUPLDR.BIN file you e-mailed me and your correct, it boots the Recovery Console correctly. I have not compared them with a hexeditor, but they must be different. I'll have to figure out if we should start using this file or use the one I edited. It's probably best to use the non-edited one.

[buggie]

Thanks to the OP worked first time for me; pulled the files from server 2003
http://pcf.mundayweb...3c3449702d3e96a

This post has been edited by buggie: 01 December 2007 - 01:51 PM

[SteelTrepid]

After all these years I FINALLY have a bootable thumbdrive!! Well in the past I never really found the time to do it and honestly didn't have much desire for one. I've been content with booting from CD's, however users have always asked me/us how to do this. Since your instructions looked pretty easy I figured we finally had some easy to use instructions for users. I of course like to go through the process a few times that way if I make mistakes I can help answer user questions when they make a mistake.

The method has inspired a few of us to do a little more for USB booting. We're working on a few things so hopefully we'll be able to make it a little easier for users in a future release of UBCD4Win. Thanks for your help!

[myviolet]

Hi all,

First, thanks alot for your very nice help.
I followed your instructions above, and i can get it to boot when i select the "The Ultimate Boot CD for Windows" and i had the error:

"cant find the file" when it try to load the Jushua's Pre-config
is there a way to not to load the pre-config ?

i dont know how to fix this, pls help
thanks

This post has been edited by myviolet: 04 December 2007 - 04:00 AM

[Joshua]

myviolet, on Dec 4 2007, 09:53 AM, said:

"cant find the file" when it try to load the Jushua's Pre-config

Need to test that! I test only this:
http://www.ubcd4win.com/...?showtopic=9668

and that works!

Joshua

[myviolet]

thanks alot Joshua, i will try that, i ve been spending alot of hours doing this and i enjoy doing it
your help always save us alot of time,
cheers
Tony-Syeney

Joshua, on Dec 4 2007, 07:59 PM, said:

myviolet, on Dec 4 2007, 09:53 AM, said:

"cant find the file" when it try to load the Joshua's Pre-config

Need to test that! I test only this:
http://www.ubcd4win.com/...?showtopic=9668

and that works!

Joshua

[Joshua]

myviolet, on Dec 4 2007, 09:53 AM, said:

"cant find the file" when it try to load the Jushua's Pre-config

I can't reproduce this error !
Can you do a test with this DEBUG PreLogon Version and post the results ?
http://www.drowaelde...UG/PreLogon.exe

Joshua

[SteelTrepid]

In my testing I actually ran into this problem, however forgot to post what I think caused it and a few other comments.

That error message happened to me on my first build. I think I fixed it by changing some information in an XML file. Or it could have been caused by Vista Ultimate 64? I can't be sure of that because for the rest of my builds I did them in an XP Pro Virtual Machine.

My second build- worked but the menu was messed up. This was a simple newbie mistake, something that I didn't really think about until I had problems. After a little while my brain started working and I remembered some past discussions. In UBCD4Win builder I had elected to NOT build the ISO, big mistake. Mistake because then post processing is not completed because AutoBuild isn't run!! So you basically have to tell UBCD4Win builder to make the ISO, but then disable the "AutoBuild 95: Build ISO" plugin.

My third build- was my successful one!!


Now to fix the problem. Navigate to "C:\UBCD4Win\OEM1\nu2menu". Open the nu2menu.xml file to edit it. Do a search and replace, you need to search for:

@GetProgramDrive()\I386\Explorer.exe

and replace it with:

@GetWinDir()\Explorer.exe

There should only be one instance of this to change. Save it and then build again, I hope it works for you!!

[bengt]

Not that important, but if you add the below to the autorun.inf
it will show up in the AutoRun menu when the USB-flash is inserted

[autorun]
open=Programs\nu2menu\nu2menu.exe
icon=Programs\nu2menu\nu2menu.ico
action=Run the nu2menu Program

extract icons with BatchIconExtractor.exe

This post has been edited by bengt: 04 December 2007 - 09:59 PM

[myviolet]

Thank you all for your kind response, i am testing it right now and let you know if it is ok

bengt, on Dec 5 2007, 01:57 PM, said:

Not that important, but if you add the below to the autorun.inf
it will show up in the AutoRun menu when the USB-flash is inserted

[autorun]
open=Programs\nu2menu\nu2menu.exe
icon=Programs\nu2menu\nu2menu.ico
action=Run the nu2menu Program

extract icons with BatchIconExtractor.exe

[rhogue]

I was also running into the same problem.

I noticed you had a problem running under Vista. Could that be the problem? The iso created works fine but I can't boot from USB.

I am using a SanDisk Cruzer 2 Gb on a Gateway with a Phoeinx bios. U3 uninstalled. Followed directions without any errors.

I followed your instructions for editing the xml file but I am still getting the same error message.

Boot is recognized.
Setup inspects hardware.
Now loading...
Windows XP Splash Screen.
Blue Background with working mouse pointer.
Prelogn error. File not Found. Yellow Triangle with Exclamation Mark

Thanks for your help and hard work. It it appreciated.

===UPDATE===
I have the same problem when I use the other method that is pinned at the top of the forum.
So not an issue with your method. Maybe my build?

This post has been edited by rhogue: 05 December 2007 - 02:37 PM

[hilander999]

Did I see someone mention VISTA?

Please make sure you have disabled WINDOWS DEFENDER because it corrupts the driver files and causes all sorts of errors concerning the SHA HASH of the setup files.

[myviolet]

i am using Vista Home Premium

hilander999, on Dec 6 2007, 12:20 PM, said:

Did I see someone mention VISTA?

Please make sure you have disabled WINDOWS DEFENDER because it corrupts the driver files and causes all sorts of errors concerning the SHA HASH of the setup files.