butter aka booter partition and setup routines

[jtdoom]

Hi,

what seems like two eons ago, early versions of "butter" saw first light.
A strange name perhaps.
Anyway, there are things mentioned in this thread that may be of help.

butter originally was mainly about bootdisk creation, but just like things go in this world, it went beyond.

for instance;

• When people cannot/SHOULD NOT boot from CDROM
  and/or
  have no boot disk that supports their CDROM-drive.
  (Cannot... can mean BIOS does not have the option, or CDROM is connected on a controller one cannot boot from... Should not, can mean when one shouldn't run setup while booting from CDROM, which is the case when they need an overlay)
  
• Or;
  When people have no "specialist third party" utility to partition/repartition.
  
• Or;
  When people need a virus free booter.
  Please, DO create your rescue disks...
  
• Or;
  you got "cannot copy to C:" error
  you got "invalid media, disk needs to be formatted" error.
  
• HP, Compaq, and Packard Bell get mentioned too
  
• or.....
  
• last edits dual boot setup gets brief mention
  

btw, I'll often say boot floppy or booter. All of them can be called "system disk". The various bootable floppy disks have disimilarities. One could wonder "what's in a name?", but, it's not just for semantics.

_____________________________________________

this is what butter was originally about.

BOOT DISK CREATION,
(RE)-PARTITIONING using FDISK
and SETUP procedures.
.............................................

When one needs a "start disk", this first method to create one is most widely known.
However, I'd like to mention that when you want to create it, you got to have a working computer, and even more IMPORTANT, it's has to be free of VIRUS.
Therefore, and first of all, again scan the PC for viruses using a RECENTLY updated antivirus tool.
Then create a bootable floppy on your known good PC.
CONTROL PANEL > SOFTWARE > START DISK > CREATE
In most cases, this floppy will support your cdrom reader.
I call it a setup floppy (w/i the booter that creates a ramdrive....)
it's much more advanced than the setup floppy that came with an OEM win95.

If you are sure this computer is free of virus, I recommend you copy
C:\windows\smartdrv.exe and C:\windows\command\diskcopy.com
to that floppy.

******

Creating it from "control panel" may not work!
Yes, I saw some systems fail making one.... When it happens, chances are this was caused by an option chosen during windows setup, and thus your \command\ebd\ folder is missing in windows.
Anyway, you can perhaps make an EBD (emergency boot disk) straight from CDROM.
How ?
Pop your original windows CD in, hold shift so it won't load, open
explorer & navigate to tools\mtsutil\fat32ebd\fat32ebd.exe
(You probably won't find this on a RESTORE cdrom)
Pop in a new floppy, and run fat32ebd.exe
Strange as it may sound, it has a slightly different content than the one made from control panel in windows.
This EBD has a lot going for it.
Primo; It got made from virus free media.
Secundo; it does not create a RAMdrive at boot, which eliminates driveletter confusion.
tertio; it supports all them CDROMs the normal start disk does.
The EBD is the booter I prefer.
If you are sure this computer is free of virus, and sure it runs the SAME version of windows than the CDROM you just created this EBD from, I would suggest you copy

C:\windows\smartdrv.exe
C:\windows\scanreg.ini
C:\windows\command\scanreg.exe
C:\windows\command\chkdsk.exe
C:\windows\command\diskcopy.com

to that floppy.

by the way, soon as you can access your windows CDROM, you can run this from DOS too.
And, you can do this on another machine, even if it has another operating system.
the floppy it makes will be the Emergency Boot Disk for the version on the CDROM.
(Remember that, it may save you a lot of trouble.)
for instance; from DOS, run
[cdromdriveletter]:\tools\mtsutil\fat32ebd\fat32ebd.exe

(Well, when you read FAT32EBD.TXT you learn it should make a virus-free floppy. However, when you keep on reading this thread you’ll find yet another method to create a boot floppy, which will make it same version as the windows-CDrom no matter what, and just about GUARANTEES you have NO VIRUS loaded and copied to floppy. However, it requires you have a bootable windows Cdrom, and an upgrade isn’t. also, some machines cannot boot from CDROM, period. I mentioned this method as an afterthought, but there may come a time when you have to make one such floppy.
I think it's good to know all available options for the time you have to make a viral free boot-disk
(For instance, gotta work on an infected machine? NEVER trust the boot floppy/any floppy recently used... you better start cleanup with a clean booter..)

then there are People with a recovery CDROM.
Packard bell or HP, and so on...
Their CD is not an original windows CD.
the makeboot.bat they find on CDrom makes them a recover boot floppy.
this is NOT an EBD.
But, it may very well be their last resource, and they should create it.
(floppies do get damaged/go bad...)

and, they can probably still make a start disk thru option panel even when the system says the files it needs are missing/or when it begs for the windows CD.
In this case, point it to \windows\options\cabs where the creation will then extract the files from the cabinets it finds there (provided this folder is not damaged/wiped)

****** ******

Of course, once you made a booter, you have to test the thing.
Boot from this floppy and see if you can access your cdrom from it.
HOW? It is at A:\> _
(and it also tells you which letter was assigned to cdrom)
For instance; letter given = G: then type DIR G:
In most cases, it shows files and directories on the cdrom.

*****--*****--******--*******
*****--*****--******--*******
SOME PITFALLS AND FOOTANGLES
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PLEASE NOTE, a boot disk with another version of DOS may cause trouble for Windows SETUP.
Please try stay within same version, ESPECIALLY if you NEED to make C: BOOTABLE.

why?
in some instances IO.SYS is not properly refreshed by setup. http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q149/1/10.ASP
In light of this; if you have no matching version boot floppy, you can either create a matching version, OR...
during format, simply not use the SYS switch. And, not run SYS command.
This io.sys problem seems to be specific to older DOS versions
(up to and including MsDOS 6.22a)
You should not be using a DOS6.22 booter to prepare your hard disk anyway, since it cannot handle FAT32...

So, if you have a dos 6.22/win95 booter with CDROM support, make that win98 Emergency Boot Disk straight from CDROM. And then use the win98 EBD.
it will have FAT32 support and you are then able to make partitions greater than 2 Gigabyte

(when EBD doesn’t support your old reader, this DOS 6.xx/win95 booter has a propriatary cdrom driver you can copy to win98's EBD, and you can also copy its config.sys and autoexec.bat to the EBD. If you do that right, booting from this floppy will then load the correct driver.)

Determining which windows version you have in use windows Version numbers
You can also determine which windows CDROM version you have, using a working machine...
Just rightclick setup.exe on the CDROM to look up the version number.

Okay, Fdisk has versions, dos 6x and win95 could not handle FAT32
Fat 32 began with win95 OSR2, which started support for larger drives and partitions.
(win95 still does not support drives greater than 32 gigabyte.)

And....there is a limitation in the version present in win98
WHEN YOU WANT TO USE FDISK ON A DRIVE WITH A CAPACITY LARGER THAN 64.8 GIGABYTE, YOU NEED A NEWER VERSION OF FDISK.EXE.
IF your hard drive is larger than 64.8 GIGA, you COPY a newer version of FDISK on this floppy first.
see Microsoft article on issues with Fdisk over 64 giga, where you can download and install it
You can even do this on a puter with smaller drive.
( if you want to retain the original on this machine, FIRST save the old FDISK.EXE, then install ) http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q263/0/44.asp
installing this update will replace fdisk.exe in windows\command and in \windows\options, but not in \command\EBD folder.
Because of this, when you make a floppy from control panel it will NOT have the newer fdisk, so you still need COPY the NEW version of fdisk found in \COMMAND\ over the one on FLOPPY.

and then make a diskcopy (have you found out how useful diskcopy on floppy really is yet?)

* * * * * *

there is at least one more possible pitfall

1; what if you have OVERLAY software;
Overlay is used to overcome a BIOS drive size limit.
When you're machine BIOS is set to first try boot from FLOPPY or CDROM, the overlay is bypassed when you do not load the overlay from hard disk.
Overlay software normally gives you an option to boot from floppy, but does that only after it got the options screen while initiating the bootprocess from HARD-DISK
In other words, if you boot straight from a floppy, you may have bypassed the overlay, and the hard disk may "inexplicably" become invisible to DOS...or show a size of 504MB only...
fdisk not giving you the fat 32 option seems to be a giveaway symptom too...
(there are ways to find out if there was/is an overlay which is discussed later in the thread...But this symptomatic info is needed here as well, since you may want to load the overlay during boot time if your disk uses an overlay.)

And then there are drives [Compaq comes to mind] which need a small partition which will hold their proprietary BIOS and system utilities. I can but suggest you take good care of the restore and rescue diskettes, or make them, and, you should DISKCOPY them...

2; not really what butter was originally about, but...
what if you have been using dual boot, where parts of the drive were formated into another filesystem, like NTFS or linux.

M$-DOS won't see NTFS nor linux.
(there are specialist tools to do it, and some of those i heard about cost an arm and a leg)
win98 fdisk cannot even delete linux partitions.

I've noticed that in dualboot systems -win98/win2000 or XP- where win98 was put on first, if one formats the C: drive, you zap the dual boot option.

we also know that fdisk /mbr kills LILO, and having no bootloader, you risk making the linux partition inaccessible.
and seting up linux can make your windows inaccessible, that's for sure...

what I am driving at here is that you want to prepare for circumstances like these, and should create the system rescue floppies in win2000 and XP (may be one also finds such things in linux)
just do it folks...

nose around in the OS, and/or on the CDs it came on, and you will find the tools to make these disks.

I never used linux.

++++======================================+++
++++======================================+++

RE-PARTITIONING / PARTITIONING
on standard systems
-------------------
FDISK uses a DESTRUCTIVE METHOD, DATA GETS WIPED
doing this while more than one drive is hooked up is a kinda hairy.
You can disconnect the old system drive if you don't want to mistakenly delete or re-partition the wrong drive.

you should not run FDISK from within a DOSBOX in windows.

Another word of warning,
you may think the drive on IDE1 master is system disk C:
This is not always the case.
You have to check this, because windows will set up on the first ACTIVE it finds and can set up on.
(sidenote; in dualboot; if the active partition is NTFS, it will go for another partition).

Before you start partitioning a new disk, consider this;
Whenever you can, you should consider the MANUFACTOR DISK TOOLS.
Some of those they provide at their website can save you a LOT of time.
you can use them on a used disk too, and it will warn you that all data on the drive you work on will get lost.

*******

Knowledge Base >>How to Use the Fdisk Tool and the Format Tool to Partition or Repartition a Hard Disk
Okay, I assume you just read the Knowledge base article,
Well, you'll find I've added a few twists, so as to avoid a few pifalls
*******

*******

this procedure assumes you have more than one hard disk, and you want to use a new disk as C: drive.
I repeat, Doing this while another disk with your data is hooked up can be dangerous to your data.
One can disconnect the old drive if you don't want to mistakenly repartition the wrong drive.....
______________

If one has a second or third hard disk still connected...
One begins, pen and notebloc at the ready...

fdisk /status
fdisk
y
4 (show info on drive one)
esc
5 (option to choose other hard-disk, choose the next number)
4 (info on chosen drive)
esc
5 (I once had as many as six hard-drives in a machine....)
4
und so weiter until you have all the details, and then
esc
esc

Better take notes of the results you saw.
You do NOT want to partition / repartition / format any drive by mistake, so you better LOOK, take notes, and be REAL CAREFUL.
If you hit the wrong option and it asks to delete or create a partition,
hit ESC and ESCAPE out of there.
you really want to take these notes. You see, doing the above, you may find out about overlay and proprietary disk partitions.

Similarly, when you are going to format, you better first run a dir command against the driveletters you intend to format. For instance
dir C: /w /o /p
This way you can look if it really is the drive you want to format.
Once you are sure, you can format C:
Similarly, For drive E:
dir E: /w /o /p
check it out, before you run format E:

Believe me, you better take these extra steps since you do not want to format a hard-drive or partition containing data you want to keep.
_______________

the spiel begins....
----------------
you checked, and know which drive you want to partition, right?
you have started fdisk from REAL MODE DOS, and selected the drive you want...
(drive 1 is default, it may NOT be the one windows is on, since windows will be on/(go onto) the first ACTIVE partition)

You should ALWAYS look which partitions you have, which letters it has and which partition shows an A in it (A for active)
if it shows a non dos partition, the drive may have overlay, linux, or NT (see further in thread).
You ought to know... if you do not know why that non dos partition is there, you will have to find out.
LINK about recognising what some partitions are FOR

Take notes, and REMEMBER that if a non dos partition exists and is active, you most likely DO NOT want to mess with it with FDISK.
If the non-DOS is NOT active, and you want to repartition, you may have to activate the non-DOS to be able to remove another partition, and later on choose primary dos as active.
You do NOT want to leave the NON-DOS active if it wasn't
I ask to check into all this because you cannot delete an active partition while there are other partitions still present on this drive.
You'll also not be able to delete a primary partition while an extended exists on the drive.

Remember about overlay, an overlay needs to load before you pop the floppy in.
(this also means that when Overlay is needed, you should not boot straight from CDROM to do the fdisking..)

Onwards....

the following is menu stuff,
since this is just an example to show you what to look out for, you should use your head, and not always blindly follow these steps.

if you need delete partitions
option 3
from the highest letter we work down to C:
for instance
E: (if it isn't active drive)
esc
3
delete logical drive D: (if it isn't active drive)
esc
3
delete extended partition
esc
3
delete primary DOS partition
esc
esc
do a cold boot (it's quite important you reboot)

again fire up fdisk
y
--(if needed, first select drive)--
4
(it shows you have no partitions? good! If a NON-DOS exists and you know why it is there, don't wipe it)
esc
1
make primary DOS partition
well, here is where you decide how you set it up.
I would say "dont let it use all space" because an extra partition is great to put data and installable files on.
so, don't let it use all space.
then, create extended partition (let it use the rest)
it will say there are no logicals defined
make them (select the the sizes you want, or let it use all space)

* if you had to make NON DOS active to remove PRI-DOS, this is the point you make PRI-DOS active *

when you are finished with partitioning
esc
esc
and again do a cold boot

=============================================

you finished FDISK and have REBOOTED
This newly partitioned drive is set active?

after partitioning,
dir C: /w /o /p (if empty, it will give an error)
format C:
dir D: /w /o /p (if empty, it will give an error. However, if it shows data, you found out why I ask to do that...)
if empty.
format D:

dir E: /w /o /p (Honest, you better check...)
format E: (if you need to)

IMPORTANT, after formating, REBOOT

Now run smartdrv (well, I hope you put it on the disk, it speeds up things)

put windows cdrom in tray, and fire away

D:
md win98
cd win98
copy [cdromdriveletter]:\win98\*.*

(this copies the windows setup files and cabinets to hard drive)

setup

personally, I think it is better to copy the "cabinet" files onto another partition or hard drive.
(Just as long as it is on a hard drive you can access)
to put them on C: you start that sequence with
C:
md win98 etc..

you may have noticed I don't have you do format C: /s
if you can avoid it, don't use the switch.
let windows setup create the system files for you.
(overlay creation tools will ask for a system floppy with the boot system of the windows version you intend to use, and thus C: is made bootable. That's one more case in which you have to make sure the floppy is the correct version.)

Oh, you may need to use an other switch at times.
the unconditional
format C: /u

why?
when the new system you gonna set up is another version of windows than you used before, or when Fdisk version was different than the one it was fdisked with before you started, then you may actually NEED that unconditional switch to clean off the old FAT copies.
It's rare, but it happens. I seen it, and I know the switch still has its meaning.


_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

"PROBLEM" cdrom readers
-----------------------------------

when EBD/setup floppy cannot read data from CDrom, and there is no proprietary cdromdriver on hard disk
yep, what if the standard win 98 start disk and EBD wont read your old drive..
this usually happens with older cdromdrives, and those connected to a soundcard.

one can try;

cdromgod, a self extracting floppy-image, which has a helluvalot of antique/proprietary drivers;
this link has version 5.5 of cdromgod.
http://www.tweakfiles.com/misc/cdromgod.html

this link has an older cdromgod 5.0, but it also had the ULTIMATE BOOT DISK, which has various utilities, and antivirus...
http://www.cybertechhelp.com/pages/downloads.html

http://www.bovistech.com/disks.htm
for some reason Bovistech was forced to remove the bootable versions.
so now They too require a sys command to make the floppy bootable.


bootdisk.com is currently defunct?

http://support.micronpc.com/file_lib/boot.html


please bear in mind that some downloaded floppies may require you to make them bootable.
iow, run sys A:

Of course, you can try find the drivers install disk using hardware model info
you may have to open the case, and look on the reader.
When a cdrom reader ribbon is connected to a soundcard, you'll most likely have to use whatever info you found on the card because you want to install the controller driver for that card. (interfaces can be sony, panasonic, mitsumi, atapi)
(but hey, you may already have such an install floppy.)

Or, you have a old DOS/win95 systemdisk with the driver properly working.
in this case, you can copy your-card-driver.sys, and config.sys and autoexec.bat to root of the newer version floppy.
Now, if the systemdisk was your hard disk, you will need edit out the path, so as to point to root of A:

And then, TEST the floppy...

---------------------------------------------

Let's assume you have a cdrom install disk.
Well, It's hard to come by, so make a diskcopy of it...
(believe me, one day you'll learn how useful diskcopy on a floppy really is)

SINCE YOU WILL MAKE YOUR HARD DRIVE BOOTABLE, IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING IF YOUR BOOTER IS SAME VERSION AS THE Operating System YOU GONNA INSTALL
Have you made that start disk with smartdrv.exe and diskcopy.com on it ????
make a diskcopy of it
delete A:config.sys
delete A:autoexec.bat

then you open notepad (when you save, you need save with "all file types" option enabled)
[if you still know how to use EDIT in DOS, you can use that too]

create a file called
A:\autoexec.bat
all it really needs is (in notepad this is easy, paste the following into it )

LH smartdrv

save it

again open notepad (or edit in DOS) create
A:\config.sys
this one needs;

device=himem.sys /testmemff
DEVICE=EMM386.EXE NOEMS
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z

save it (I'll repeat it, when you save, you need save with "all file types" option enabled)
comment; when you're in a truly big fix, and no windows machine is available, yes, you can do all this having nothing else than a boot floppy.

Write protect that floppydisk by sliding the little plastic tab away fron the hole.

boot the formatted computer from it, and here we go

C:
cd\
md dos
cd dos
copy a:\
cd\
copy C:\dos\
A:
sys C:

Pop cdrom driver for DOS disk in and;
install
you may have to change directory to the dos setup file (usually, but not always called install.exe)
dir install.exe /s should find it.
if not, try dir setup.exe /s

(you could also browse this floppy on your good puter)

Let's say you find it in a folder called FORDOS.
Then you would type
cd FORDOS
install
when it finished, reboot from hard disk.
with a bit of luck, you can read stuff on your CDROM.
Why luck?
Well, the adresses and dma it/you picked can be wrong
if so, assuming it was in FORDOS, again run A:\FORDOS\install

(lets hope you don't need do all this; after all, there is cdromgod, they truly did a great job.)

once you can access your cdrom reader, copy the windows setup cabinets to a harddisk or partition, and launch setup

1+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++1

PARTING SHOTS;

drive manufactor tools are often A LOT FASTER and suitable than above....
western digital tools http://www.wdc.com/service/ftp/drives.html

maxtor http://maxtor.com for maxblast

[ samsumg.com ] is a pain to navigate, but DrMDJ found this for you http://www.samsungelectronics.com/hd...ies_index.html

quantum have merged with maxtor.
direct link = http://www.maxtor.com/Quantum/suppor...e/softmenu.htm

seagate.com for discwizard and disk manager (link was broken,.. this one = updated, nov 2001) http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/...s/discwiz.html

suggestions for procedural and textual improvement STILL welcomed.

this message-text has been edited "halfaquadrizillion" times to incorporate things we later learned about and suggestions/corrections some gentle people offered.


Hi guys.
GG1's had an issue on a Compaq hard drive, which made me edit this thingy again, to add a warning about the COMPAQ pitfall.
(it's covered somewhat more below)

[This message has been edited by jtdoom (edited 11-07-2001).]

this edit to add stuff about dual boot systems

[This message has been edited by jtdoom (edited 03-09-2002).]

[This message has been edited by jtdoom (edited 03-30-2002).]

[Train]

Just a little add jt if I may, .

How to check what is on bootdisk:
If you did a Dir of A from the C prompt, then you wouldn't see all files. You need to remove the attributes to see everything.
Those files are hidden system files. You can do this from a Dos box in Windows.
EDIT
Try this
A: enter
attrib -s -h -r enter
dir /p enter
or if you want to generate a list on your desktop in a file named floppy.txt
A: enter
attrib -s -h -r enter
dir>C:\windows\desktop\floppy.txt enter

Should be 24 files.

This will bring up all the files that are supposed to be on that disk---check to make sure they are all there. When you reach the end of the list that's showing on the screen--hit ENTER and it will show a few more. Here is everything--are there any missing?

• Aspi2dos.sys
  Aspi4dos.sys
  Aspi8dos.sys
  Aspi8u2.sys
  Aspicd.sys
  Autoexec.bat
  Btcdrom.sys
  Btdosm.sys
  Command.com
  Config.sys
  Drvspace.bin
  Ebd.cab
  Ebd.sys
  Extract.exe
  Fdisk.exe
  Findramd.exe
  Flashpt.sys
  Himem.sys
  Io.sys
  Msdos.sys
  Oakcdrom.sys
  Ramdrive.sys
  Setramd.bat

------------------
SMILE
and post back

[jtdoom]

Hi, Train,
thanks.
that's the one I call setup disk.
_________________________________
the EBD made from cdrom has most of the files that are hidden in ebd.cab (which a setup dissk copies into ramdrive)....
yet, in the EDB made from CDROM one sees that chkdsk.exe is missing, and this is a useful tool.(chkdsk can be used to determine if there is a discrepancy in memory size, which can tell you about the presence of a boot virus. The normal memory size is 655.360 Bytes. http://support.microsoft.com/support...s/Q82/9/23.ASP

AFTER THIS, there is still space left for small tools.
I suggest one copies...
C:\windows\smartdrv.exe
C:\windows\scanreg.ini
C:\windows\command\scanreg.exe
C:\windows\command\chkdsk.exe and
C:\windows\command\diskcopy.com
C:\windows\command\scandisk.ini (strange, but it's missing, and useful for scandisk /CUSTOM)

to that floppy.
____________________________________

You may remember this old butter version, which described a method for creating a booter with most of the native DOS utilities.
I still have and use utilities disks
.....................................

this was such a method
_______________________
FORMAT AND COPY SYSTEM TO FLOPPY
Then you copy the following files to it;
attrib.exe
chkdsk.exe
deltree.exe
edit.com
edit.hlp
emm386.exe
fdisk.exe
find.exe
format.com
himem.sys
label.exe
more.com
move.exe
scandisk.exe
scandisk.ini
smartdrv.exe
sys.com
xcopy.exe
xcopy32.MOD

then you open notepad (or edit in DOS) and create the file
A:\autoexec.bat
all it needs is (this is easy, paste the following into it )

LH smartdrv
rem
echo type DIR to see the tools on this disk
echo for help, type <commandname> /?
echo for help on scandisk, type scandisk /?
rem
echo IF drive was locked by previous unsuccessful
echo scandisk, type unlock [driveletter:]

----------
save it

again open notepad (or edit in DOS) create
A:\config.sys
this one needs;

device=himem.sys /testmem :off
DEVICE=EMM386.EXE NOEMS
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=Z

-----------
save it

BTW, the line with lastdrive=Z is quite important.
------------------

a truly basic boot floppy for other DOS utils
[start button] [run] command (opens a dosbox)
format A: /s
del A:drvspace.bin

this makes a bootable basic floppy I use to copy selected utilities onto.
One can build an essential toolbox.
for instance, I make disks with the norton utilities for DOS, Norton's GHOST, and a virus scanner/virus remover kit for DOS.
Some utilities want plenty low memory space,
This requires a memory manager, which gets loaded when himem.sys and emm386.exe are configured to be loaded from within config.sys and autoexec.bat (see above)
==================================

suggestions for improvement have been included... Jaak

[jtdoom]

yet another method.

assuming cdrom is a full copy of windows (not an upgrade/not a "restore" disk)
well, then you can boot from it.

select to boot from it in BIOS,
boot from it, accept cdrom support, but do NOT accept licence.

put empty floppy in floppy drive
type the following
format B: [enter]
copy *.* B:\ [enter]
sys B: [enter]

remove the floppy, and slide the write protect tab to write protect it
mark it BOOT FLOPPY WIN98


edit >
and for your very own "boot off hard disk" "boot off CDROM" booter, you use xclone (use google to find xclone)

[driveletter xclone is on]:[path]\xclone A: B:

[Enki]

thanks Jaak, great thread and info, it's now in my "tips & tricks" bookmark.

------------------
Who put a 'Stop Payment' on my reality check?

[Murf]

GREAT INFO

But you can also get it here:
http://personal.picusnet.com/jtmurphy/home.htm

Just added CMOS Batteries and Floppies

Murf

[jtdoom]

Hi Enki and murf
the better it gets, the less times it's gonna be needed.

just made some minor edits.
I do not mind if it gets quoted or exerpts are taken from it.

it does cover some possible pitfalls seldom mentioned.

I read that instance about the guy with two drives who wiped/repartitioned the wrong disk because he had not doublechecked...

or the guy who had not looked and deleted the wrong partition thinking he was wiping D: (extended was set active)

as I say, ideas for improvements welcomed.



------------------
If what I heard was free advice, would I take it? Jaak

[funkybruv]

found this post tonight and its great.jtdoom well done mate!! excellent stuff!!

later

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Elvis left the building and came to mine

[Dodge]

I agree funky. Thanks for all the info Jaak. Just put it all in the favs list...

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Please remember to let us know if it worked or not...JJ

[jtdoom]

Hi all,

Our one and only Mosaic1 told me about this.
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q194/8/46.ASP
it kinda covers some as yet unexplored issues...
at this date, I am glad to report this tip came in handy on a couple occasions.
Thx, Mo.
------------------------------------------------------------
I'd also like to point out that NT, W2K and Linux issues have not (yet) been adressed in this thread.

ME introduced a few differences, which newgrl points out to theoran inthis thread re theoran's ramblings;

Theoran - Easy on the eyes. Easy to get around in. Nice content.

Really, Really Well Done!!!

I have a favor to ask though... on the
Format page http://members.tripod.com/theoran0/
... could you make mention of the fact that those folks formatting with an ME bootdisk cannot use the /s switch? ME will not let you transfer system files to a disk without an operating system already present, so this switch returns an error and confuses some folks.

Thank you,
Heidi
------------------
Moderator, Windows 9x/ME, Windows 2000, www.helpfromtechs.com

at this point in time, I haven't yet found a way to make a boot disk straight from ME cdrom, so where does that leave you when you are in a fix...?
boot from it (does ME upgrade boot?)
hmmm, am I gonna have to butter up newgrl to find out?


-----------------------------------------------------------
btw, I still wish someone could translate butter to English

-----------------------------------------------------------

jeesh, the new newest newernewest ramblings have moved again?

kind regards, Jaak


[This message has been edited by jtdoom (edited 11-07-2001).]

[Renovator]

I'm workin' on it.

Don't stand on one leg 'till it's finished...probably next week.

[jtdoom]

standing on one leg has never been my strong point.
btw, to add insult to injury, people at the plant have suggested I attach skeelers to my lite bike after that nasty fall end february.

they should advise sensible things like a pair of 2000W xenon headlights.


------------------
Remember, it's FREE advice. It may be worth all of two cents.

Jaak

[Train]

jt
maybe this will shed some light for you.
Not a boot disk but, I can hope. http://discussions.virtualdr.com/For...ML/000005.html

------------------
SMILE
and post back
[ Book mark this post to find it again]

[Renovator]

Ahh HA, That IS where you added...now you know why you won't get an edit button on the other deal.

[jtdoom]

Hi train,
thanks for sharing this info on ME

-------
why do I stress the importance of making virus free boot disks with cdrom support?
Simple, you may need one to get out of a fix.
-------
a small addition to all this.
once you get proprietary cdrom readers to work, make a booter with the files it requires, and copy config.sys and autoexec.bat from C: to A:
And then edit the lines install wrote to correct the path since these files are now on a:

btw, windows setup will often put REM in front of them...

Jaak