The ultimate bootable USB Stick

[just_there]

some helpful info:

during my research i encountered cer_tain events which might change the master boot record of your usb stick.
one possible event is, that the drive itself is getting changed somehow from a bootable usb-fdd to usb-hdd.
which means, that the byte for it is getting changed from 0E to 06.
i had that problem lately and i just couldn't figure out what was happening in a sudden.
from one time to the other the stick boots only from usb-hdd, but not from the old mainboard (usb-fdd) any longer.
so i took a look into it with "beeblebrox" and saw the the problem.

get it here:
http://beeblebrox.org/software.php

normally when you create a bootable usb stick with the hp-tool it will appear as a removable usb-fdd (0E) and not
as a normal fat 16 hdd (06).

hope that helps somebody

[just_there]

today i tried slax (lg3d-livecd-3.0.0.iso).
the size is about 270mb.

i had to copy the whole stuff to the root directory (it doesn't work from a folder).
and it also doesn't work from my old pc which boots up only usb-fdd, it needs a bios which boots usb-hdd.
slax has some nice features, but the compatibility is not given (maybe i could adjust it in the "MENU.LST" so it
will run also on older mainboards, but i'm to lazy to figure out how).
so i just deleted it again from the stick.

i started it with this entry for grub4dos:

title SLAX lg3d-livecd-3.0.0
find --set-root /grldr
kernel /boot/vmlinuz max_loop=255 initrd=initrd.gz init=linuxrc load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 ramdisk_size=4444 root=/dev/ram0 rw
initrd /boot/initrd.gz
savedefault
boot

the kernel line in this example is quite long, so keep in mind, that this line ends with (root=/dev/ram0 rw), it's not a extra line,
i don't know how it will show up on the screen until i post it, so.....!

[just_there]

ok,
first to begin with...there was a bug in my late menu.lst.
the problem was behind after the find --set-root
because before it declined floppy drives (which is essentially for old bios versions, so please change it the way i post it now):

#
# Grub4Dos boot menu
#

find --set-root /just_there.txt

splashimage /dunes.xpm.gz
foreground = ffffFF
background = 000077
#color black/cyan yellow/cyan
#timeout 30
default /default


i just saw it, when i tried to get another background picture for grub4dos.
right now i use the "dunes.xpm.gz" as an example.

you can download some pics for it here:
http://schragehome.de/splash/

but, maybe it is possible to create your own pictures (i don't know).
you can also change the color of the entries for the for and background color (just try something out, i haven't done that right now).
ohh, you have to copy the splash image to the root directory of your drive (maybe you can setup also another directory for it,
i didn't try it).

[just_there]

about some splash images for grub (or grub4dos).

after some research i found the following link for a good tutorial how to create your own background pictures:
http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/splash.htm
http://ruslug.rutgers.edu/~mcgrof/grub-images/

as you can see, the xpm format which is created by gimp is not compatible with grub.
i found out, that you can save it as xpm file with gimp the first time and after that, just open it with xnview
which you can get here:
http://www.softpedia.com/get/PORTABLE-SOFTWARE/Multimedia/Graphics/Windows-Portable-Applications-Portable-XnView.shtml

and save it again as xpm (the file will be compatible to grub afterwards).

here is a link for some good pictures which i use:
http://freenet-homepage.de/supergoodies/upload/splash11b59e98099.rar
(the file will be deleted after some time, so you should get it before).

here are some other links to grub splash images:
http://art4linux.org/catalog?filter0=**ALL**&filter1=15
http://www.schultz-net.dk/grub.html
http://schragehome.de/splash/
http://www.queervisions.com/arch/2007/04/9_grub_splash_i.html
http://ruslug.rutgers.edu/~mcgrof/grub-images/images/working-splashimages/
http://mirrors.geeks.org/debian/pool/main/g/grub-splashimages/

take care

[just_there]

i forgot to post my color setup in the menu.lst which fits for the most pictures:

splashimage /splash/The_Moon.xpm.gz
foreground = F0F000
background = 0000CA

[just_there]

today i nearly finished off my 4g intenso usb stick by using a floppy disk image with memdrive
from the stick (i'm not completely sure about it though, but that thing is in fact highly destructive
to any kind of master boot records.

after i used it to boot from usb, it changed the mbr automatically from usb-fdd to usb-hdd (0E to 06).
and after that, my pendrive was unable to boot any more, even when i changed it back to 0E.
i tried to reformat it again with all kinds of software (also killdisk), but it won't boot again after i used the hp-tool.
that was completely weird.......i really wonder what kind of advanced software is capable to do so...

fortunately i also had a backup copy created with acronis true image, which i used to restore the stick.
afterwards it was able to boot again, but still, if i use the hp-tool to format it and give it the needed dos files to boot,
it won't work.

how can this be possible?

the only logical solution i can find is, that there is some bad code in an area of the memory, which is normally not accessible
by regular software...maybe a new kind of boot sector virus...who knows...

anyways, don't use the plop bootmanager right now, it's way to dangerous

[just_there]

installing acronis true image

here the entry for the menu.lst in grub4dos (or grub):

title Acronis TrueImage
find --set-root /grldr
kernel /acronis/kernel.dat vga=794 ramdisk_size=32768 acpi=off quiet noapic
mbrcrcs on
initrd /acronis/ramdisk.dat /s
boot

you have to create a folder called acronis in your root directory of your usb drive and copy the files
"KERNEL.DAT" and "RAMDISK.DAT" to it.

those files are from the Recovery Manager and not from the windows install version!
(which means that they are from the bootable cd which you can create, when you have installed the software
first to your operating system.

unfortunately it doesn't provide any kind of usb functionality so far, you can use it only on installed hard drives.
maybe there is a way to use it also for usb drives, but i don't now right now.

if you try to start it from an old bios, which boots up only usb-fdd, it might take some time to react, so be patient!
it also didn't show up the way like it would be if you start it from a cd, maybe there is also a solution to get the
whole menu. i don't have the time to explore that to it's depths, so, if somebody has more knowledge about it, please
let me know 

as far as i have tested it, it's highly compatible, but maybe it might be more compatible if you don't use a folder
for the files and instead copy the two needed files to the root (i don't know, i just want to minimize the files there).
just in case you would like to install also the directors suite, it sure would be better to use a dedicated folder for the stuff.

[just_there]

i've got some mayor problems here right now to get any kind of windows based os running from
another partition on my usb stick 

as i can see, there are still many people around which are interested in this topic (right now, more than 2000 views).

i think it's about time, that somebody lifts his lazy bud and tries to help me out with that one

the problem might be the usb drivers which are loading during start up of bart-pe, which is also xp based.
which means, that it's also not capable to recognize a second partition on a usb pen drive.

maybe it's possible to implement the dummy.sys driver from the link i posted before to the bart-pe registry.
i don't know if the driver will be loaded after the usb reset or before, or what ever...hehehe...
unfortunately i couldn't find a tut by now, which tells me how to edit the registry of bart-pe easily!

right now i could write a diploma about all the stuff if have read so far, but i definitively don't wanna study
how to create my own bart-pe 

due to the fact, that i also was unable to boot an xp based os with usb-fdd support only, the compatibility doesn't matter,
because it only starts from a bios which provides usb-hdd (in my case right now, i know it is possible to boot it from an old
system, but then you might loose the other stuff).

so, please, if there is somebody out there who can help........just do it 

[just_there]

as i can see, there are only watchers around that topic (no practical influenced people)
that's sad, but normal.

anyways...
i tried to integrate hiren's boot cd into the whole stuff, because many people told me it's good.
due to the fact, that it might be a little bit problematic...i don't post any kind of links to it!!!

my intention is only to get some stuff running from usb, so here is a possible solution for that one:

follow the steps which hiren posted in his page to create a bootable usb pen drive, but don't format your
stick or do any changes on it, just store the whole stuff on your hdd.

make some changes (the compatibility is only 90%, some applications might not work out and on some pc's
especially amd 64 you might need to do some changes in the bios or they don't run anyways).
but the menu will start on the most bios versions, so you still can choose the grub4dos loader to bootup the rest!

--search for a file called io.sys with the creation date of 01.12.01 17:37 with about 218kb (depending on your system).
   exchange it with the original one which has only 124kb.

--edit the file called STARTUP.BAT:

@echo off
if %1'==' goto EOF
REM -- For Alternative USB Config --
REM -- DELETE "REM " from Next line
REM if exist bootcd\uharcd.exe set RAM=102400
IF "%RAM%==" goto s
echo Creating %RAM% Kb Ram Drive as %ramd%:
xmsdsk %RAM% %ramd%: /t /y
shsurdrv /D:%RAM%K:D512:$RAM-DRIVE,%ramd% %M98% /QQ
set ram=
goto cp
:s
echo Creating 100Mb Ram Drive as %ramd%:
xmsdsk 102400 %ramd%: /t /y >nul
shsurdrv /D:102400K:D512:$RAM-DRIVE,%ramd% /QQ
:cp
if exist %ramd%:\nul goto ramok
echo Failed to load SHSURDRV ram drive
echo Loading Standard RamDrive.sys with 32Mb...
devload ramDrive.sys 32767 512 512 /E >nul
findramd
IF ERRORLEVEL 255 GOTO RAMPROB
IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 3 GOTO RAMPROB
IF ERRORLEVEL  3 SET ramd=C
IF ERRORLEVEL  4 SET ramd=D
IF ERRORLEVEL  5 SET ramd=E
IF ERRORLEVEL  6 SET ramd=F
IF ERRORLEVEL  7 SET ramd=G
IF ERRORLEVEL  8 SET ramd=H
IF ERRORLEVEL  9 SET ramd=I
IF ERRORLEVEL 10 SET ramd=J
IF ERRORLEVEL 11 SET ramd=K
IF ERRORLEVEL 12 SET ramd=L
IF ERRORLEVEL 13 SET ramd=M
IF ERRORLEVEL 14 SET ramd=N
IF ERRORLEVEL 15 SET ramd=O
IF ERRORLEVEL 16 SET ramd=P
IF ERRORLEVEL 17 SET ramd=Q
IF ERRORLEVEL 18 SET ramd=R
if exist %ramd%:\nul echo RamDrive.sys Successfully Loaded as %ramd%:
if exist %ramd%:\nul goto ramok
echo error creating ramdrive
pause
goto stop
:RAMPROB
echo.
echo !! Failed To Create Ram Drive as %ramd%: !!
echo    this could be because of more than 2GB RAM
echo.

:ramok
for %%v in (command.com extract.exe mouse.com drivers.cab usb_aspi.cab) do copy %%v %ramd%:\ >nul
set comspec=%ramd%:\command.com
if exist bootcd\uharcd.exe BootDriv.exe>%ramd%:\z.bat
type autoexec.dat>>%ramd%:\z.bat
type autoexec.bat>>%ramd%:\z.bat
REM -- For Alternative USB Config --
REM -- if you get "General failure reading drive"
REM -- DELETE "REM " from LINE 5 (if exist bootcd\pqpm.uha set RAM=102400) and
REM -- DELETE Next Line "GOTO NORMAL" (or add REM)
GOTO NORMAL
if not exist bootcd\uharcd.exe goto NORMAL
md %ramd%:\BootCD
md %ramd%:\BootCD\vdefs
copy bootcd\uharcd.* %ramd%:\BootCD
copy bootcd\*.uha %ramd%:\BootCD
copy bootcd\vdefs\*.* %ramd%:\BootCD\vdefs
:NORMAL
%ramd%:
z %1 %2
:stop

--as you can see, i have removed two "REM" entries before "xmsdsk" compared to the original.
   if this doesn't work out for your pc, you also could leave the rem entries as before and change the ones which
   hiren describes in the other remarks (try it out if it doesn't work for you and also try to use the original io.sys).
   but remember, that the original io.sys doesn't boot from old systems....hmmm...maybe you can also try one from a
   w98se boot disk.

--do the steps he describes about to remove the attributes of the command.com in any case (it can't hurt)!

--now copy the whole stuff over and overwrite the existing files with it (don't forget the bootcd and temp folder).

--edit the config.sys (i don't post it all, only the needed part to change):

[menu]
submenu=PARTMENU, Disk Partition Tools...
submenu=CLONMENU, Disk Clone Tools...
submenu=VIRUMENU, Antivirus Tools...
submenu=RECVMENU, Recovery Tools...
submenu=TESTMENU, Testing Tools...
submenu=HDDMENU, Hard Disk Tools...
submenu=SYSTMENU, System Info Tools...
submenu=MOREMENU, Next...
menuitem=1,Start GRUB4DOS
menudefault=MOREMENU,
menucolor=11,0
[MOREMENU]
submenu=BOOTTOOL, MBR (Master Boot Record) Tools...
submenu=BIOSTOOL, BIOS/CMOS Tools...
submenu=MEDIA, MultiMedia Tools...
submenu=PASSTOOL, Password & Registry Tools...
submenu=NTFSTOOL, NTFS Ext2FS, Ext3FS (FileSystems) Tools...
submenu=EVENMORE, Other Tools...
submenu=DOSMENU, Dos...
submenu=FILEMENU, File Managers...
submenu=MENU, ...Back
menudefault=MENU,
[1]
device=grub.exe --config-file=MENU.LST
[EVENMORE]



--change the autoexec.bat:

@echo off
set path=
set ramd=R
set keyboard=US
if "%config%"=="1" GOTO 1
IF %config%==DOCMEM goto %config%
IF %config%==GM goto %config%
IF %config%==MEMTEST goto %config%
IF %config%==NORAM goto finish
IF %config%==DOSNOCD startup all nocd
IF %config%==NETWORK startup all nm
IF %config%==PC startup all nm
IF %config%==USB startup all usb
IF %config%==GHOSTUSB startup all usb
IF %config%==SCSI startup all scsi
IF %config%==GHOSTSC startup all scsi
startup all
:all


remember to change only the the first part as long as i posted it, don't delete it all!

some of the stuff won't work out properly, but it's still a little bit more compatible as before

[eMOLuVER]

d laGi ko karelatE..

[just_there]

@eMOLuVER
i know the whole stuff i very confusing and i cant assume, that everybody tries to read it all from the beginning.
it's about to create a indipendent bootable usb stick, which contains several useful operating systems and also all kinds
of good recovery, backup and other tools.
just a tool which you can use for all kinds of imaginable tasks without any use of a hard drive  
the one thing you still need is to have a pc which is able to boot from usb (and which you aslo can adjust to do so ).
my final solution will also integrate the ability to start from u3 and portable apps.

@topic
as usual, i forgot to complete my last post:
you also have to insert this into the autoexec.bat (at the end)

:1
GOTO END
:END

and about the io.sys i mentioned before, just keep in mind, that the creation date will show up as 12.01.01 in us based systems (ahmm..or was it the opposit?).

right now i try to integrate ubcd (ultimate bootable cd), but so far, i found only one nearly acceptable solution:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=4486&st=10#entry38234

i don't like it to boot from iso, especially if it is bigger than 100mb (on some old systems it will take more than 15 minutes to boot), that's not the right way to go!

so, i just wait until somebody found a better solution 

there is a syslinux and a isolinux boot on it, so i think, that there must be a way to boot it up in grub4dos without
the use of an iso image (maybe by loading another linux kernel first?).

[just_there]

i have done some testimonials lately with a Micro SD Card which is currently used in some new cell-phones.
the name was "Platinum MicroSD MultiCard 3in1-2GB".

actually, i was able to boot from it, but i forgot to make some images of the original state (at least with acronis and bootitng).
and now after some tries, it boots only on the pc with usb-fdd function.
the whole thing is very sensitive with those kind of storage media (and may also with other kind of, but it works the first time)!

please don't ask me how 
the thing i have done first with it was to transfer an old acronis backup to the card from my old 1gb usb stick with highren's on it.
it works out on both of my pc's (usb-hdd and usb-fdd).

anyways, if you try out a new media, please always try to make some backups with any kind of software before you try to change
the Master Boot Record!
just try to save the original settings of the partition layout itself before you try to change it!   
that's also applicable for any kind of new usb media which you try to use for some experiments!

[just_there]

there are some mayor errors if you try around to boot any kind of ntfs system from a pc which provides only boot
from usb-fdd or maybe zip.

the problem is, that your usb drive will be recognized as a floppy drive and not a hard disk drive, which means, that
if you have some entries in your grub4dos loader which refer to maybe hd0,0 or what ever starts with hd..., the loader
tries to boot from your installed hdd and not from your usb stick.

at some time you just end up to boot an ntldr from your local hard drives.
somehow windows will recognize, that it is booted up from another source and just write back some code to the
master boot record of your usb stick, which causes the loss of bootability on the fdd system some times.

one tip here, just let it boot and after it boots up, demount the usb stick in the down left corner (safely remove usb storage)
and just boot the system again.
(that helps in most cases for your os on the hdd).

to fix the mbr on the stick you should boot up another xp based system from it due to another pc which boots up from usb-hdd.
at least that works out for me (i know, that sounds not very logically, but since i don't know what the nt loader really does, it
is at least a way to go).
if you don't have one on it...ohh..well...just try something else..hehehehe...let me know if it works ok! 

[just_there]

about UBCD4WIN

first of all, here are some useful links:
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2006/03/25/install-and-boot-ultimate-boot-cd-ubcd-from-a-usb-device/

check this out, it's somehow very interesting:
http://ubcd4win.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10411&st=0&p=58488&#entry58488
i have used that one to install the whole stuff to one of my usb sticks.

if you have read the post from me about to edit the setupldr.bin (ntldr), then you know, that you have several choices to boot
some different nt based operating systems from the same partition (just edit the loader to another directory instead of i386 or
minint and change the name of it..also in the grub menu, but use the same amount of letters when you edit the ntldr).

i have used this entry for the menu.lst:

title Launch "The Ultimate Boot CD for Windows"
find --set-root /minint/setupldr.bin
chainloader /minint/setupldr.bin

but be sure, that it won't work together with a ntldr loader in your root directory, which normally loads another os.
you have to change the names!

for example:
if you have edited the ntldr (setupldr.bin) as i have described before, then you now have a loader which searches only
for a "i386" folder in the root (main) directory of your usb drive (if he doesn't find one, he gives you an error).
now, you just can rename this ntldr into maybe ntld1 and change the entry in your grub4dos menu.lst from ntldr to ntld1.

then just make the new entry for ubcd4win, which you can see above.
the setupldr.bin is the same as ntldr! if you start it with grub4dos the way you can see above, it still tries to search and boot
the ntldr in the root directory, so it's necessary not to have one there, otherwise you will end up booting only the first os
to which it points. (i try to keep the explanation as low as possible, so please don't bother!).

actually, as long as the main folders of the os don't collide with each other, there shouldn't be a big problem (if you edit the ntldr).
and if there are really the same folders involved, you still can check out if there are also the same files in those folders or not!
if it is the "images" folder, which has the same files, than it's even better, because different os can use the same floppy drive images. but if there are files which are different in size (not the image folder), it might be a problem!

i'm sure i can explain that a little bit better, but as long as i don't know, i just can't.

[just_there]

hopefully that task will be finished soon.

by now, the final conclusion ends up by creating only one primary partition on your usb stick which is
formatted in FAT16 and doesn't exceed 2GB, with a bootloader of win95 or win98.
any other ways will end up into a bad compatibility to older systems.

as i mentioned before, you still can use a bigger one for it, as long as you have the main partition smaller than 2GB.

for people with a new mainboard which boots up usb-hdd, they also can use a second partition for some linux based os.

and if you use a card reader with a common SD-Card, you also can use this one in it's locked state to boot up ubuntu
or DSL.
they don't need to write on your usb drive!
but be carefull!!! i have bought a card reader for about 180php in SM last time and it was total garbage (maybe it works
only good for usb 1.1).

there are not many usb sticks around lately with a integrated hardware switch to block the write function...
http://www.trekstor.de/en/products/detail_usb.php?pid=1
if you still have the old ones, which mostly had the switch, you can browse the net with DSL without getting some
unwanted stuff on your pen-drive.

actually, i have tried DSL and UBUNTU on several PC's with a fast internet connection and they were able to recognize it
to connect (PUPPY LINUX doesn't, so i deleted it).

right now i'm doin some more tests with different kinds of sd cards and adapters for micro sd cards (the adapters are
a little bit slow, but it still works out).