Your Computer Toolbox

Hi D4\/!d, Don't worry about how deep it goes on some things. We can and work at various levels of expertise. All you have to do is join in add to or ask a question. You want to learn, do like hongman just did - stop the show and get the answers. In this LotusAstra is answering some of hongman's question. You will not hold any of us up. We all ask questions so we can learn. So jump in. Ask or talk away. You can learn alot on how to take care of your computer I guarantee that and if you get involved you will learn faster. Make Sense? :):)

Ditto to that. I often stop people in their tracks to ask a question, and even take it up in PM's if I feel its more appropriate that way. Surprised I havent got the boot yet for asking too many questions!!

Haha

Hong

Yup, that's what it's all about, join in and hopefully we can work through it together...

:)

Quote:

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Originally posted by LotusAstra
Just built the Windows UBCD (the "expansion pack" for BartPE i discovered earlier)... Tested it, there's loads of software included in it and so far everything seems to be in working order, unless i find any new mods for it I'll probably burn it to CD later to replace my regular BartPE CD.

Well impressed with it, highly recommended from what I've seen of it so far. A lot more user friendly to me than using Knoppix :)

---

Many thanks for your warm and friendly words. :):):)

Let's start with this BartPE thingy, or is that a bit too adv to start with. It looks a bit hairy to me. What's it all about (Alfie)

From what I understand of it, the Preinstall Environment is a way to perform certain tasks on your system, without having to actually access it, so to speak.

The PE runs completely seperately from your Operating System, but alows you to access and modify it.

Handy in many ways (just a few examples)

1)If you wanted to recover files PE would be ideal. This way, you would prevent any further writing to the HDD, thus increasing the chance of successfully recovering it.

2)To perform certain diagnostic checks, without having system services running (esp. viri and the like). This way you wouldnt get 'this file is in use' error, and generally makes life a lot easier.

3)If you accidentally made some registry changes that you shouldnt of, etc. You could undo and bad changes (that may have stopped you booting up) and boot up again normally afterwards.

Hopefully I have got this right. Guru's, please correct any errors!

BTW I hope this makes sense!! ;)

Hong

Quote:

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Originally posted by hongman
BTW I hope this makes sense!! ;)
Hong

---

Yes. Perfect sense. It is well written. I can understand it. Thanks :)

Good, glad it helped in some way.

;)

My Groovy BootCD will run the following wonders:

Minimal Dos Boot
Command Prompt with CD Support
Ghost
PowerQuest DriveImage
ReadNTFS
Partition Magic
Fdisk
Format
Wipeout (Very Dangerous)

I should also mention that I like to keep a Fat32 partition on my HDD for saving Ghost images.

Step 1 Create a boot Floppy

Insert a blank floppy disk in the drive.

In Windows Explorer right click the A: drive and choose “Format” then in “Format Options” tick “Create an MS-DOS Startup Disk”, then press Start.

After completion you will need to delete and add files to your bootdisk, until you have the following combination: (Ensure Windows Explorer is configured to show all system files and not hiding the extensions)

Autoexec.bat
Command.com
Config.sys
Display.sys
Ega.cpi
Io.sys
Keyb.com
Keybrd2.sys
Mode.com
Mscdex.exe
Msdos.sys
Oakcdrom.sys
Smartdrv.exe

You will need to search for these files from within your computer, oakcdrom will be found on a 98/ME startup disk.

The next step is to make two files Autoexec.bat and Config.sys, then copy them to your bootdisk and overwrite the two already there. I’m afraid mine are quite long winded as I like them that way and I can’t remember a lot of the Dos stuff.

Open notepad and copy and paste the text between the lines:

---------------------------------------------------
[menu]
menuitem=1, Minimal Boot.
menuitem=2, Command Prompt with CD-Rom Support.
menuitem=3, Ghost.
menuitem=4, PowerQuest Drive Image.
menuitem=5, ReadNTFS.
menuitem=6, Partition Magic.
menuitem=7, Fdisk
menuitem=8, Format
menuitem=9, Wipeout ***** Will erase HDD completely and remove partitions *****
menudefault=2,20

[1]
files=10
buffers=10

[2]
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:cdrom001
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z
device=display.sys con=(ega,,1)

[3]
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:cdrom001
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z
device=display.sys con=(ega,,1)

[4]
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:cdrom001
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z
device=display.sys con=(ega,,1)

[5]
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:cdrom001
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z
device=display.sys con=(ega,,1)

[6]
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:cdrom001
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z
device=display.sys con=(ega,,1)

[7]
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:cdrom001
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z
device=display.sys con=(ega,,1)

[8]
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:cdrom001
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z
device=display.sys con=(ega,,1)

[9]
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:cdrom001
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z
device=display.sys con=(ega,,1)


------------------------------------------------
Then save in A: as Config.sys (ensure that all files are selected in the “save as type” box, otherwise it will be saved as a text file).

Once again open notepad and copy and paste the text between the next two lines:
------------------------------------------------

@ECHO OFF

IF "%config%"=="1" GOTO 1
IF "%config%"=="2" GOTO 2
IF "%config%"=="3" GOTO 3
IF "%config%"=="4" GOTO 4
IF "%config%"=="5" GOTO 5
IF "%config%"=="6" GOTO 6
IF "%config%"=="7" GOTO 7
IF "%config%"=="8" GOTO 8
IF "%config%"=="9" GOTO 9

:9
@ECHO OFF
mode con codepage prepare=((850) ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb uk,,keybrd2.sys
LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM001 /L:X
SMARTDRV
CLS
echo Loading Wipeout
X:\Wipeout\Wipeout c: /np
Goto End

:8
@ECHO OFF
mode con codepage prepare=((850) ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb uk,,keybrd2.sys
LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM001 /L:X
SMARTDRV
CLS
echo Loading Format
X:\Dos\Format.com
Goto End

:7
@ECHO OFF
mode con codepage prepare=((850) ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb uk,,keybrd2.sys
LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM001 /L:X
SMARTDRV
CLS
echo Loading Fdisk
X:\Dos\Fdisk.exe
Goto End

:6
@ECHO OFF
mode con codepage prepare=((850) ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb uk,,keybrd2.sys
LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM001 /L:X
SMARTDRV
X:\Mouse\Mouse
CLS
echo Loading Partition Magic
X:\Pqmagic\Pqmagic.exe
Goto End

:5
@ECHO OFF
mode con codepage prepare=((850) ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb uk,,keybrd2.sys
LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM001 /L:X
SMARTDRV
X:\Mouse\Mouse
CLS
echo Loading ReadNTFS
X:\Readntfs\Readntfs.exe
Goto End


:4
@ECHO OFF
mode con codepage prepare=((850) ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb uk,,keybrd2.sys
LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM001 /L:X
SMARTDRV
X:\Mouse\Mouse
CLS
echo Loading PowerQuest Drive Image
X:\PQDI\PQDI.exe
Goto End


:3
@ECHO OFF
mode con codepage prepare=((850) ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb uk,,keybrd2.sys
LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM001 /L:X
SMARTDRV
X:\Mouse\Mouse
CLS
echo Loading Ghost
X:\Ghost\Ghost.exe
Goto End


:2
@ECHO OFF
mode con codepage prepare=((850) ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb uk,,keybrd2.sys
LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM001 /L:X
SMARTDRV
Goto End


:1
Goto End

:End


-------------------------------------------------
Then save in A: as Autoexec.bat (ensure that all files are selected in the “save as type” box, otherwise it will be saved as a text file).

****NOTE I’m from the UK, so I have extra stuff for my keyboard. The American setting should be achieved by adding REM in front of the keybd lines or deleting them all together.

The first optical drive on your system will now be X: while using the Groovy BootCd ****


Now to copy some stuff into folders on your HDD assuming that you own the license to the same Software as me, or you can add other stuff to your own requirements.

Create a folder on your HDD and call it Groovy BootCd, you will then need to add these additional folders to it along with their files.


Folder Name = Dos
Fdisk.exe
Format.com
Plus any others you want

Folder Name = Ghost
Ghost.exe


Folder Name = Mouse
Mouse.com


Folder Name =PQDI
Dihelp.dat
Pqdi.exe
Pqdi.ovl
Pqdi.pqg
Pqdi.rtc


Folder Name = Pqmagic
Pmhelp.dat
Pqmagic.exe
Pqmagic.ovl
Pqmagic.pqg
Pqpb.rtc
Zabout.pqg


Folder Name = ReadNTFS
Readntfs.exe


Folder Name = Wipeout
Wipout.exe


Readntfs and Wipeout are downloadable freebies, search them out.

Wipeout is very dangerous read up on it and understand what it does first


Now to burn the CD using Nero 6 using the default settings in Nero Burning Rom.

Might be a good idea to use a CDRW first in case I’ve forgotten something or you make a mistake in some way.

Start smart > Make bootable CD > Bootable logical drive etc will already be ticked > New > Rename the compilation to Groovy BootCD > copy the individual folders from the Groovy BootCd folder you made from the right pane to the left and push the burn button.


That’s it you’ve created a monster, I hope I’ve remembered everything.

I hope you have too Philgo. :) :)


D4\/!d, You did it just right. A couple of more and you'll be a learning pro. Oh by the way. No one knows it all. First day I saw a computer in 1955 was the only day I knew it all - down hill from there. :D :D

Good job hongman.

Not to throw a wet blanket on the BartPE stuff, but it needs to be pointed out that there are some legal issues related to how/what it is used for (read the legal info page on Bart's site for details).

Now that being said, it does provide some very usefull capabilities.

Re your comment D4\/!d... Your probably right that jumping right to things like BartPE and such may be getting a bit too advanced for some/many. There are (as Goose said) generally going to be varying degrees of expertise, experience and need in these threads. Personally, I always like to see the threads start at the basics, and build (and hopefully in a coherent way).

My Toolbox has a screw driver and a shotgun. If I can't fix it, atleast I can get some target practice in.....:D

:D :D Hi Dodge- long time. But I know you might just have something else in there. :) :)

Philgo
I have had wipe out not do what it is suppost to do a few times in the past initially.
But after using Delpart to remove the partitions, it worked just spiffy.

Just my experience.
And a google search will find both utilities.

Another handy little tool is EVEREST Home Edition , so check the link and see what it can do for you.

Putting aside for a moment the specific tools/utilities/programs (name wise) people use, what all are some things that people feel are important in terms of the functional areas the tools in a proper "toolbox" should address, the capabilities they should provide? Not just in terms of the broad-strokes, such as say "diagnosis", but broken down in terms of more specific things, things within the broader category. What are things (again, not the specific names) felt to be appropriate for the "basic" (everyone should have) toolbox, the intermediate, then maybe a more advanced toolbox?

Well said DrMDJ. (Why didn't I think of that?) If we are trying to build up a basic toolbox that all can use then what DrMDJ said makes sense.

Or put another way what is the most important tool then the next and the next etc.

Or tools that will help you with maintenence, backups, and malware defense. And of course as said already how to use them.

Or which tool is used the most, and the next etc.

Opovet doesn't have a big mechanics toolbox to look at. He has it to use. Same way here.

We want a toolbox that will be used. And that means we have to know how to use the the tools in it.

What do you all think? :)