Incorporating the Dell Diagnostics

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superchuck
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:01 pm
Location: Cincinnati, OH
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Incorporating the Dell Diagnostics

#1 Post by superchuck » Wed May 04, 2011 9:19 pm

Hello All;

I have sucessfully incorprated the AVG Rescue CD, DOS v3.30 & v6.20 boot images, TRK v3.4, and the Windows Recovery Console into UBCD 5.0.3.

However, I just can't seem to get the Dell Diagnostics incorporated.

I have tried using both the "cdd_1284.iso" and "cdd_1298.iso" using:

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Dell Diagnostics v1298 (APPEND iso)
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/custom/cdd_1298.iso
APPEND iso
in my config menu file. Both .iso's load to a point -- I get:

Code: Select all

Loading PBR for description 1... done.
Loading DRMK version 8.0.00...
and the box is hung (have to power down and re-start)

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

I have also tried using the HD forms of the dell diagnostics:

1) Un-zipping them into "c:\ubcd\ubcd\dosapps\dell1282" (and dosapps\dell1284)
2) Place "startup.bat" in each directory:

Code: Select all

cls
cd \ubcd\dosapps\dell1282
DELLDIAG.COM
3) Place the following in my config menu file:

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Dell Diagnostics v1282
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/images/fdubcd.img.gz
APPEND raw ubcdcmd=dell1282
In this instance I get:

UBCD Error!! missing dell1282.bat or
UBCD Error!! missing startup.bat or
UBCD Error!! missing startup.bat.bat or... whatever

It depends on what I actually put in the config menu file (and I have tried lot's of variations).

I have looked through the forums and read several articles on incorporating the
Dell diagnostics, but have not found anything for UBCD 5.0.3.

Can any one tell me how, or point me to an article that does?

TIA.

Charles...

ady
Posts: 832
Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 5:26 am

Re: Incorporating the Dell Diagnostics

#2 Post by ady » Thu May 05, 2011 4:48 am

I haven't tested those tools myself, so I don't even know if those are DOS-based bootable CDs, floppies, or something completely different, so I'm going to through some possibilities without really knowing.
superchuck wrote:

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Dell Diagnostics v1298 (APPEND iso)
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/custom/cdd_1298.iso
APPEND iso
Try changing the "APPEND" to:

Code: Select all

APPEND iso raw
and be patient :wink: .
I have also tried using the HD forms of the dell diagnostics:

1) Un-zipping them into "c:\ubcd\ubcd\dosapps\dell1282" (and dosapps\dell1284)
2) Place "startup.bat" in each directory:

Code: Select all

cls
cd \ubcd\dosapps\dell1282
DELLDIAG.COM
3) Place the following in my config menu file:

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Dell Diagnostics v1282
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/images/fdubcd.img.gz
APPEND raw ubcdcmd=dell1282
In UBCD503, try searching for aida16 and see how it is set up. This includes the syslinux config menu, but also includes looking at the ubcd.ini and the content of aida16.cab.

Try to imitate the structure of the 3 stages (menu + custom.ini + cab), with the difference on the content of "startup.bat" for the tools you are interested on, and using "custom.ini" instead of "ubcd.ini".

If you need more details for these steps, you are welcome to ask again.
Can any one tell me how, or point me to an article that does?
Have you checked the "customizing" page at http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/customize.html. Check also the FAQs and other tutorials by clicking on the left-side menu on any UBCDs website page.

Let us know if this works for you and how.

superchuck
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:01 pm
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Contact:

Re: Incorporating the Dell Diagnostics

#3 Post by superchuck » Thu May 05, 2011 9:07 am

Hi and thanks for the reply;

I have already tried "APPEND iso raw" -- same problem.

and... I've already read the "customize" doc.

I will take a look at aida16 and see how it is set up.

Not sure what you mean by:
Try to imitate the structure of the 3 stages (menu + custom.ini + cab), with the difference on the content of "startup.bat" for the tools you are interested on, and using "custom.ini" instead of "ubcd.ini".
Can you explain?

Thanks.

Charles...

ady
Posts: 832
Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 5:26 am

Re: Incorporating the Dell Diagnostics

#4 Post by ady » Thu May 05, 2011 11:52 am

superchuck wrote:Hi and thanks for the reply;

I have already tried "APPEND iso raw" -- same problem.
It seems the Dell iso uses a hdd emulation boot method with a fat16 filesystem (I may be wrong though). You may need to search for the best memdisk arguments at the syslinux/memdisk wiki for this specific situation.
Not sure what you mean by:
Try to imitate the structure of the 3 stages (menu + custom.ini + cab), with the difference on the content of "startup.bat" for the tools you are interested on, and using "custom.ini" instead of "ubcd.ini".
Those are the 3 steps for booting aida16 (first take a look at those 3 steps/stages, and if you still need help with them, I'll be happy to help you).

It may help you if the iso method won't work (so to try with the Dell hdd version method).

The only problem could be that this "CAB" method is best suited for simple DOS tools in floppy images (replaced by fdubcd and the cab).

For a bigger fat16 hdd (instead of a fat12 floppy), you may need to make a bigger ramdrive.

It should be much simpler to look for the correct memdisk arguments for booting a fat16 hdd emulation iso.

You could see examples of Dell tools in the (much) older ubcd 4.1.1 section of the forum (search the correct forum sections with the correct keywords); but you would need to adapt those memdisk entries for the updated ubcd503, which is a little different.

superchuck
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:01 pm
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Contact:

Re: Incorporating the Dell Diagnostics

#5 Post by superchuck » Sun May 08, 2011 1:14 pm

Hi ady;

Well... I've had no luck in incorporating the Dell diagnostics into UBCD 5.0.3.

1) I've tried every combination of iso, raw, bigraw, int, and safeintUse, to try and get the Dell .iso file to work -- no joy.

Everything I've tried results in the same:

Loading PBR for descriptor 1 ... done.
Loading DRMK version 8.0.00...

and the box is hung.

2) I have looked at how aida16 boots and just don't understand what you are referring to with this:
Those are the 3 steps for booting aida16 (first take a look at those 3 steps/stages, and if you still need help with them, I'll be happy to help you).
I tried doing the same thing with the Dell diagnostics (I created a cab file). but all I get is:

Code: Select all

Extracting Q:\autorun.bat
Extracting Q:\bin\ubcd.bat
Extracting Q:\bin\ubcddos.bat

Press any key to continue...
UBCD: Type "ubcd" to return to menu
I am at a loss on where to go from here (surely it can't be this difficult to get this to work.)

ady
Posts: 832
Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 5:26 am

Re: Incorporating the Dell Diagnostics

#6 Post by ady » Sun May 08, 2011 3:45 pm

Well, I don't know if it's going to work with Dell Diagnostics the same way it works with common utilities.

The reason I think it won't work like aida16 is because Dell Diagnostics uses a FAT16 file system (FS) with MANY "big" files in it. The other tools that are being somehow run under FDUBCD DOS are just a few simple files in a FAT12 FS.

In addition, I think the original intention of using a FAT16 FS for Dell diagnostics is for the user to put it in a partition in the HDD. The other option offered by Dell is to use an ISO image to boot from CD.

In any case, just to answer to your question (and in case you'd like to try it anyway), the method used by aida16 and some other DOS-based tools is the following (please, read all the post first, before getting into the actual work, whichever path you choose to follow).

First use

Code: Select all

<ubcd503-extracted>\ubcd\custom\custom.cfg
to add a new Syslinux entry for Dell.

If the size and FS wouldn't be a problem (but I think it *is*), the entry in "custom.cfg" would be something like:

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Dell Diagnostics 1284
TEXT HELP
 Dell Diagnostics 1284 BLAH BLAH BLAH
 BLAH BLAH BLAH
ENDTEXT
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/images/fdubcd.img.gz
APPEND raw ubcdcmd=dell1284
The "APPEND" line might need changes ("raw" and/or any other additional argument, like the size of the ramdrive). Whichever the "APPEND" parameters used, you have to add the "ubcdcmd=dell1284" argument too, as shown in the example above.

That's the first stage (custom.cfg). Now you need to edit the "custom.INI" in that same

Code: Select all

<ubcd503-extracted>\ubcd\custom\custom.cfg
folder.

In the "custom.INI", you should add a new entry under the "[User Defined]" section:

Code: Select all

[User Defined]
dell1284; "startup.bat"; -$$; DELL1284 (Dell 1284 Diagnostics)
Now you need to create the "startup.bat" file with the correct commands. This "startup.bat" file is what is going to run after the normal "autoexec.bat" when you select "Dell Diagnostics1284" in the Syslinux menu.

I can't tell you which should be the content of the "startup.bat" file, since I don't really know how Dell Diagnostics works (boots). It is even possible that you would need a specific "config.sys" and "autoexec.bat", since the size and FS of Dell Diagnostics is much bigger than the normal tool that uses this method to boot under FDUBCD DOS.

In the "aida16.CAB" you can see which is the content (commands) of the "startup.bat" that aida16 uses/needs. I am NOT saying that you should use the same content. This is only a specific example, and as I already mentioned, aida16 does NOT need so many files/size to run, so the current "config.sys" and "autoexec.bat" are adequate for it. This may not be the case for Dell Diagnostics. An additional example in UBCD503 for the use of "startup.bat" is in "sst.cab".

After you build you "startup.bat", put it together with all the other files for Dell Diagnostics, and build a file named "dell1284.cab" with all the needed files/folders. The name of this CAB file is the name you used in the "custom.ini" file above (but without the "cab" extension). Note that "dell1284.cab" respects the 8.3 name format of DOS.

Finally, put this new "dell1284.cab" file in the

Code: Select all

<ubcd503-extracted>\ubcd\custom\custom.cfg
folder, and remaster your customized UBCD503-custom.iso.

Test it in a VM. Try changing the "APPEND" arguments so to make the ramdrive bigger.


If you need a specific "config.sys" and/or "autoexec.bat", this method is not the easier one. In that case, it should be easier to build a new complete floppy or HDD image, and boot it in a similar way as you boot fdubcd.img.gz. In such case, the Syslinux entry is different than the example above, and you don't need the "custom.ini" nor the "startup.bat" editions.

If you use a complete new floppy or HDD image, you would need the correct booting files (as the original FAT16 should use), and the correct bootsector (as the original FAT16 should use). I don't know if Dell Diagnostics is expecting a FAT16 floppy (bootsector, no MBR, no partitions), or a FAT16 partition. This 2 possibilities might be part of the problem of these methods.


All / any of these possibilities are not so simple to build, and that's why I still think your best option is to use the original ISO image from Dell, and use the correct Syslinux entry for the ISO image.

I know that other users have been successful with this type of tools, because they already posted during the UBCD 4.1.1 / 5.0beta era. Have you search/found/read those topics?

UBCD503 should be using more updated syslinux-related files than those used during its development, so I guess that the Syslinux version is not the problem (although, there are newer releases available).

Since you already have other customizations made in UBCD503, I would NOT recommend you to try the newest UBCD alpha, simply because it uses a different method to boot DOS-based tools, and I don't think it would improve your chances for this specific case.

My recommendation would be to search for those old topics in the forum, and read the proposed solutions. One important comment: if you read about downloading special versions of Syslinux/Isolinux files, you don't need them!. Those syslinux versions were relevant 3 or 4 years ago. If you want to try newer Syslinux/Isolinux versions, then you should update ALL the related files to the newest package.

You may want to try other Dell Diagnostics versions (like the ones mentioned in those old topics with successful endings), just to be sure that the problem is not the specific tool you have. Once you manage to boo into those other Dell tools, you may change to your specific version. Use Qemu or VirtualBox to test.

Please let us know how you proceed and the results, or if you need/want more help. Feedback is important.

Victor Chew
Posts: 1368
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:59 pm
Contact:

Re: Incorporating the Dell Diagnostics

#7 Post by Victor Chew » Tue May 10, 2011 10:10 pm

I managed to get it to run using:

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Dell Diagnostics v1298 (APPEND iso)
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/custom/cdd_1284.iso
APPEND iso raw
This is with UBCD V5.1a3 under VMWare Player.

ady
Posts: 832
Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 5:26 am

Re: Incorporating the Dell Diagnostics

#8 Post by ady » Wed May 11, 2011 4:07 am

Victor Chew wrote:I managed to get it to run using:

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Dell Diagnostics v1298 (APPEND iso)
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/custom/cdd_1284.iso
APPEND iso raw
This is with UBCD V5.1a3 under VMWare Player.
In part, the syslinux updates are related (read older posts about the same subject).

For this specific case, I don't know which option is easier: to update UBCD503 with all the syslinux files, or to adapt all the other customizations he already have so they can work with the latest alpha version of UBCD.

You know, for some reason I find myself once again trying to help people that are TOO LAZY to read :evil: , or to come back to provide feedback for others :cry: .
superchuck wrote: Loading PBR for descriptor 1 ... done.
Loading DRMK version 8.0.00...

and the box is hung.
According to Dell, Dell Diagnostics will not run, unless it identifies your PC as a Dell system.

Some of the following topics include your (@superchuck's) own posts/questions, with several answers.

Simply READ ALL the posts, paying attention to the models, dates and UBCD versions. Not all the solutions will work with your specific version of Dell Diagnostics, and not all the solutions will work for UBCD503. But "some" probably do.

And once again, if you want to update syslinux/memdisk, you should use the current latest version available (instead of the links provided in the old posts, and update ALL the Syslinux-related files (it won't work with "partial" updates). You just need to know that updating ALL syslinux-related files is NOT so straightforward.

Syslinux (includes memdisk):http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Download


A little too old:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=751
From Wed Nov 01, 2006
To Fri Nov 03, 2006

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

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=753
From Fri Nov 03, 2006
To Mon Apr 07, 2008

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

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=978
From Sun May 13, 2007
To Wed Jul 04, 2007

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

Still old, but newer than the above:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1364
From Fri May 30, 2008
To Mon Jun 09, 2008

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

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1359
From Thu May 29, 2008
To Fri Jul 17, 2009

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

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1458
From Thu Jul 24, 2008
To Sun Aug 31, 2008

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

FOR UBCD5.0 BETA:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1696
From Sun Dec 14, 2008
To Mon Mar 15, 2010

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

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2028
From Tue Aug 04, 2009
To Fri Nov 20, 2009

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

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2042
From Mon Aug 17, 2009
To Thu Feb 04, 2010

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