I am having trouble using cd-shell getting a floppy image file to boot.

It hangs after using my menu to select it. The image is good because I can write it to a normal floppy and it will boot fine. The same file exists in both / and /images. I created /images to try and clean up the root directory.

Here is a copy of my cdshell.ini

There is also a copy of my boot disk here http://www.tgreatone.com/anon/gdisk.ima if anyone thinks that there may be a problem with that.

boot:
cls
Print "\n"
Print "Press enter to boot from DVD...\n"
getkey 5
if $lastKey ==key[enter]; then goto time
#When no key found
boot 0x80

#Function to display time of day
time:
set hour=$timeHour
set ampm= "am"
if $timeHour > 12;then set hour= $timeHour -12
if $timeHour > 12; then set ampm="pm"
set time= "$hour:$timeMinute$ampm"


#Function to display date
date:
set month="n/a"
if $dateMonth == 1; then set month = "Jan."
if $dateMonth == 2; then set month = "Feb."
if $dateMonth == 3; then set month = "Mar."
if $dateMonth == 4; then set month = "Apr."
if $dateMonth == 5; then set month = "May."
if $dateMonth == 6; then set month = "Jun."
if $dateMonth == 7; then set month = "Jul."
if $dateMonth == 8; then set month = "Aug."
if $dateMonth == 9; then set month = "Sep."
if $dateMonth == 10; then set month = "Oct."
if $dateMonth == 11; then set month = "Nov."
if $dateMonth == 12; then set month = "Dec."
set date = "$month$dateDay,$dateYear"


#Function Display OS Install Menu
menu:
cls
print c "\n\cXXÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ<\c0B$time $date\cXX>ÄÄ \n\n"
print "\n1) Install Windows XP Professional SP1\n"
print "\n2) Install Windows Server 2003 Standard\n"
print "\n3) Install Windows 2000\n"
print "\n9) Other tools\n"


getkey 20
if $lastKey == key[1]; then goto XP_Pro
if $lastKey == key[2]; then goto SERVER_2003
if $lastKey == key[3]; then goto WINDOWS_2000
if $lastKey == key[9]; then goto other
goto time


XP_Pro:
cls
print "\n1) Standard WindowsXP Pro Install\n"
print "\n2) Automated Windows XP Pro Install GX260 with Admin Stuff\n"
print "\n0) Back to previous menu\n"
getkey 10
if $lastKey == key[1]; then chain /dat/pro1.dat
if $lastKey ==key[2]; then chain /dat/pro2.dat
if $lastKey == key[0]; then goto time;
goto XP_Pro


SERVER_2003:
cls
print "\n1) Windows 2003 Server Standard\n"
print "\n0) Back to previous menu\n"
getkey 20
if $lastKey == key[1]; then chain /dat/3STD.DAT
if $lastKey == key[0]; then goto time
goto SERVER_2003


WINDOWS_2000:
cls
print "\n1) Install Windows 2000 Server\n"
print "\n2) Install Windows 2000 Professional\n"
print "\n0) Back to previous menu\n"
getkey 10
if $lastKey == key[1]; then chain /dat/2srv.dat
if $lastKey == key[2]; then chain /dat/2pro.dat
if $lastKey ==key[0]; then goto time;
goto time

other:
cls
print "\n1 Norton GDISK\n"
print "\n2 Norton GDISK test on root\n"
print "\n0 Back to previous menu\n"
getkey 10
if $lastKey == key[1]; then memdisk /images/gdisk.ima
if $lastkey == key[2]; then memdisk /gdisk.ima
if $lastKey == key[0]; then goto time
goto time


end


Thanks.

Here is a copy of the screen it is locking up with when booting in VMware:

same here, I gave upwith cdshell, now I'm using diskemu instead

Loaded your ima w/ diskemu instead of memdisk with success.
memdisk hung your ima for me as well.
if $lastKey == key[1]; then diskemu /gdisk.ima

Always try memdisk before diskemu, but there are times when diskemu is the better choice. This seems to be one of them.

For what it's worth on problematic boot files... i ALWAYS make them into .wbt's and use reanimatolog's bcdw module for cdshell.
Your ima turned wbt was successfully loaded for me much faster than diskemu.
if $lastKey == key[2]; then bcdw /gdisk.wbt

So for floppies in bootscriptor or cdshell... i suggest to try:
1. memdisk
2. bcdw <-2nd only because you need WinIso for wbt's and bcdw is not included in the cdshell d/l package.
3. diskemu

_http://bootcd.narod.ru

bcdw module---> _http://bootcd.narod.ru/bcdw150e_cs_en.zip

If you have problems turning a ima,imz,img etc into a wbt.....
make sure to load the image file as a boot file, save as an iso 1st (i prefer right at c:\) THEN reopen WinIso and save the boot file. Loading an image file then immediately saving as a .wbt will almost always generate errors.

chon_
Don't give up! cdshell is very open ended...a double edged sword if there ever was one. Just keep at it!

Hello, I am new to all of this and am now trying to make my images work
since about 10 hours of work, but with no success, coul dsomeone please
tell me how to convert IMA / IMG into BWT FIles ?

DarK RaideR

open winiso, and choose to to load your floppy img.ima,..etc as the Boot File. Save your project. Open the .Iso file you just saved againg in WinIso and now choose to save boot file. WinIso will then create xxxx.wbt. Be caurios when using WinIso on any .ISO you love or optimized builds....great for floppy boot files or small iso boot files however

The converting of the images worked, but the error I get still remains,
PRESS KEY TO REBOOT

Thist happens instantaniously after activating the disk image via
"bcdw /IBM.BWT"

Of course also with Ghost, PQ8, Maxtor, Seagate ...

I am going insane with that, why doens`t he boot the image correctly ?

Maybe someone has an Idea !

Best Regards,

DarK RaideR

a lot of things....

1st, floppies turned wbt are a 50/50 for being bootable so try to stick w/ img, ima, bins if possible. (WinIso wbt are dynamic in size and thus have a non-standard boot record.(dos disks in particular have problems booting correctly although they boot in wbt format)

2nd, check cdshell syntax look for trailing spaces and make sure you have current ver.

3rd, do your floppies boot on their own correctly?

4th. Check file attrib's for all files and folders in your floppy images. Set them to 'read only'. Sometimes a floppy tries to write back...not a big deal w /memdisk, big problem with diskemu, and a problem in general since your floppy is on a cd.

5th, if using a virtual pc, for hd tools try to have a fixed-size virtual disk that has been formatted before hand. Try to mount your iso w/ alcohol 120% or daemon tools instead of accessing the image directly from a v. pc. Try your Iso on a real pc! a lot of things still don't work (boot) on v.pc testing

6th. maxtor / seagate etc have iso builds to d/l. get those and use IsoBuster to extract .img's and such. Try to extract any img files from diskette builders that you must download and use.

7th. Check your floppy build method! copy a floppy with barts bbie.
_http://www.nu2.nu/download.php?sFile=bbie10.zip

pm me if things are still look murky

I already made sure that the floppies i used to create the images,
I now tried IMA & WBT both with bcdw and the IMA also with memdisk
diskemu, boot okay form 3,5" !

I used the following methods :

1) Create Bootdisk with Harddisk Manufacturer Tool
2a) Read disk with WinImage and saved it as *IMA File.
2b) or Copied whole disk content to a temp dir and then
created new 1,44 Disk and inserted all files.
2c) Read disk 1+2 (i.e. for Partition Magix 8) to Temp Dir
and created a new 2,88 mB Disk and inserted files.

All previos created *IMA-Files were recognized as Boot Disks
when used in WinISO so i guess there was no problem.

The programm memtestx86 v3.0 can be downloaded as CD-ISO,
but the IMG File included in the ISO wasn`t able to boot either using
memdisk/diskemu.

Why does this have to be that hard ?

What I also do not understand, is that the 98SE und ME IMA
work either by using memdisk or diskemu.
Could the problem be the DR.DOS or Caldera DOS Boot Disk
format ???

Best Regrads,

DarK RaideR

dft 3.51 working w/ memdisk and diskemu.


i used winimage to copy disk as 1.44mb .Ima. Loaded with Shell 2.0.11.
My floppy is ram based (ramdiskNT) since my lappy doesn't have one.
(Makes saving .img easy though)

if $lastKey == key[F1]; then memdisk /boot/files/IBMHitachiDFT351.IMA
if $lastKey == key[F2]; then diskemu /boot/files/IBMHitachiDFT351.IMA

try it again... pm me for the file if you still can't get a valid build

go to Bootdisk.com and d/l 98 and me boot disks. see if that solves your problem.
then we can try to find the root of your woes

side note: maxtor's cd boot image looks for the cd to access a file called xbios and and such. dont use that one. should've mentioned that.

IBM DFT is working now, I do not know what i did differnt from the last time,
but now it worked, I will now use the same technic again on the other Tools,
but waht I still need is a "how to ... create IMA Files for Partition Magic,
cause those are 2 disks a need to be placed in a 2,88MB Image.

Maybe you can help me with this too !

Best Regards,

DarK RaideR

with regards to winimage, to put 2 disks in one requires you to load the 1st disk in winimage, then go to Image --> change format : 2.88 mb., then inject floopy #2.
If you just inject both floppies in a clean 2.88 image, you will lose the boot sector.

Okay, that i haven`t done so far, thank you very much for answering so fast,
I will report back to tell you if everythink worked.

Thankfully,

DarK RaideR

Nearly all Programs are working now, but some problem still remain :

- Western Digital Data Lifeguard v11.0 & Maxtor MaxBlast Plus v3.6
are crashing 3 seconds after entering the Mouse-Controlled GUI,
maybe there is the problem, but how to solve it ?
***** THE PROBLEM HERE IS THE DRMOUSE DRIVER *****

- Seagate Seatools (which is 2 disks large) doesn`t seem to realize
that both disks are on one 2,88MB Image File so it askes for disk 2
which cannot be inserted of course, so i suppose, there must be
some kind of modification to the files, maybe there someone can
help.
***** SAME AS ABOVE BUT ALSO "LETTER.BAT" MUST BE EDITED *****

- memtestx86 v3.0 is using some kind of mini minux boot interface,
this ma require a special command in CD Shell, does someone have
any idea, what to do ?

- Windows Memory Diagnostic is also using a strange kind of Bootdisk,
which still doesn`t want to boot. Since the only file on disk after creating
a boot disk via Softwaretool is a "windrive." file with no extension ?!?


Thank you very much in advance,

DarK RaideR

i can help you with most of those a little later if no one else does.
but for now...
memtest needs to be used w/ ISOLINUX command. take the memtest.bin (~88k) file from any build (i grab from cd d/l) and rename it to just memtest (lowercase). then

ISOLINUX <full path>

ex.
if $lastKey == key[F5]; then ISOLINUX boot/files/memtest

Thank you very much, the problems are all solved now, it was a good advise
to use the isolinux command. The Windows Memory Daig got removed by me
cause I do not want to mess around with it anymore.

It would still be nice to have mouse support in the above mentioned HDD Tools,
but it is not quite necessary !

Best Regards and thanks for all,

DarK RaideR

good to hear things are working!

now....grab a copy of ISOBuster and load windiag.iso.

go to track 1 ---> session 1 --> ISO. Right click on the 'I386' folder and EXTRACT I386. copy windiag to your 'boot' folder (where cdshell.ini, loader.bin etc are)

Go to track 1 ---> session 1 -->Bootable CD. Right click and extract the "Microsoft Corporation.img". (be sure that size is 2k)
Rename "Microsoft Corporate.img" to WINDIAG.DAT.

Now hexedit WINDIAG.dat...

Search for "I386" (4933 3836) & Replace with "BOOT" (424F 4F54). Make sure you are in overwrite mode and not in insert mode. Open this file only with a hex editor. Save it.
This file now will look for WINDIAG in the boot folder. This loader is like a winxp win2k file, it has to point to a four letter folder 1 level deep and you can only play with it in a hex editor. I picked cdshell's boot folder to keep everything neat & tidy. Now load windiag using CHAIN.

if $lastKey == key[1]; then chain /boot/files/WINDIAG.DAT.

If your cd has a i386 folder, or boot folders to install 2k/xp. you can also put WINDIAG in there to keep your cd looking clean since an install won't trigger windiag and windiag is called specifically by it's custom loader.

Thank you very much, worked perfectly !

DarK RaideR

Thanks using diskemu is working well for the floppy images.