UBCD V5.1 alpha 1 available for download

[Victor Chew]

THE NEWER DEVELOPMENT VERSION IS AVAILABLE AT:
viewforum.php?f=7

UBCD V5.1 alpha 1 is now available for download.

Torrent: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download/ ... so.torrent
HTTP: http://ubcd.mirror.fusa.be/ubcd51a1.iso
Magnet URI: magnet:?xt=urn:btih:MKJTVTNSPL5JX33ZSNWNJQGFWHRKO47R
md5sum: 959811fc9361f51ba5a7f09a91f5297e
sha1sum: 4dd3ab6836abc88e3793103ab090ba15e6c455d3[/list]

Description:

This is the first alpha for UBCD V5.1 whose primary purpose is to solicit feedback.

The major structure change in this release is moving FreeDOS UBCD and DOS apps to an ISO image (\ubcd\images\fdubcd.iso.gz). The reason for this change is to allow FreeDOS-based apps to work even on systems where FreeDOS has problems recognizing/mounting the source CD or USB memory stick.

A new script has been created (\ubcd\tools\win32\mkfdubcd\mkfdubcd.cmd) that lets you create your own fdubcd.iso.gz after extracting it to a folder outside of the extracted UBCD folder hierarchy.

Changelog:

- Added Kon-Boot V1.1
- Added Dsrfix V3.12
- Update ES-Tool to V3.01p. Added historical info about ES-Tool help text.
- Added AleGr MEMTEST V2.00
- Added DIMM_ID V3.57. This is a special UBCD-only contribution.
- Add IBM Disk Manager V9.57.
- Added AVG Rescue {V9.0.100}.
- Updated UBCD FreeDOS to V1.40. Updated AUTOEXEC.BAT and added "-n" to mdiskchk.com to avoid hanging on certain BIOSes. Removed "MOUSE_NCFG=0" in etc\global.set.
- Updated HDAT2 to V4.8.1.
- Updated ASTRA to V5.46.
- Added older version of HDAT2 (V4.5.3).
- Updated ubcd2iso and ubcd2usb to remove "boot.images" subdirectory (created by IZArc) before image creation.
- Added HWiNFO V5.5.0. Thanks to Johannes Hauber for suggesting this.
- Substitute econfig.c32 with whichsys.c32 and removed ubcd\menus\isolinux\main.cfg.
- Update Seagate DiscWizard to V11.0.8326.
- Updated Darik's Boot and Nuke to 2.2.6beta (rebuilt with isolinux V3.86 to improve compatibility).
- Updated files from syslinux 4.0.2.
- Updated grub4dos to V0.4.5b (2010-09-22) to support syslinux V4.
- Updated Hardware Detection Tool to V0.3.6.1 (from Syslinux 4.02).
- Updated HDClone to V3.9.4.
- Updated NSSI to V0.60.45.
- Updated Offline NT Password & Registry Editor to v100627.
- Updated Parted Magic to V5.5.
- Updated ubcd2iso.cmd to support optional "/g" parameter to use grub4dos as the bootloader.

[StopSpazzing]

Unfortunately both downloads are not working properly...wanted to torrent share it. My download stopped at 15MB's file size when downloading it from the HTTP mirror. The torrent has no active shares either.

[ady]

I wanted to help with testing, but since I am not a technician, I don't have a "spare" PC to use for tests.

I used MobaliveCD (qemu) to, at least, try to help with 2 cents. So, the following paragraphs are more aesthetic-related than real functionality testing.

RAM Diagnose:

_ Memtest 86 v3.5: When selecting this tool in the menu, the text reads "...order were arranged...". I think it should be "...order was arranged...".

_ Memtest 86+ v4.10: When selecting this tool in the menu, the text reads "...and display useful information". I think it should be "...and displays useful information".


Device Info Management:

_ Ultra ATA Manager June, 2003 (Western Digital): I would like to suggest the text to start at: "Enables/disables the Ultra ATA 33/66/100 capability on Western Digital EIDE drives that support this feature."


HDD Diagnosis:

_ DLG Diagnostic v4.15 (Western Digital): I don't know why this version is "marked" (in UBCD website) as having different hardware support than v5.04f. According to WD website, the alternative version to 5.04f should be v2.8, which is just a DOS tool (not a full floppy image). Version 4.15 is not mentioned at http://www.wdc.com . For v2.8, only the DOS tool is available. For v5.04f, a floppy image and a CD image are available.

_ Hutil v2.10 (Samsung): When selecting this tool in the menu, the text could read "Diagnosis program for the following drives:...", eliminating the word "models" just after that sentence. Then, the end of the text could read "...model numbers.".

_ ES-Tool v3.01p (Samsung): This tool also wipes hdd, so it is also a replacement to the old Samsung's Sutil tool, in addition to being the replacement to Hutil. The text does not mention the wipe function.


HDD Clone:

_ HDClone v3.9.4 (Free Edition): The text should be updated. I am copying (with my own wording) the following info from HDClone website. This tool not only supports USB 1.1, but also USB 2.0 (UHCI, OHCI, EHCI). The data transfer speed for the free edition is not 300MB/min, but 1GB/min. A very important info that IMHO should be added to the text is that the FREE EDITION clones only full HDD (no PARTITION-only cloning), and the target can only be a full LARGER (not equal, nor smaller) HDD. Other editions of HDClone have better transfer speeds and more cloning options. Additionally, HDClone supports Advance Format 4k partitions.

_ PC INSPECTOR Clone-maxx 1.0: The text gives the impression that this tool achieves better transfer speed than others. The "high speed" is only relevant when using the supported chipsets, which are several years old. The tool hasn't been updated for years.


HDD Wipe:

_ PC INSPECTOR e-maxx v0.95: My comment about this tool's text is equivalent to the one about Clone-maxx.


HDD Partition Management:

_ PTDD Super FDisk v1.0: The text "...performsurface..." should be "...perform surface...".

_ Cute Partition Manager: I actually wanted to check if this tool could at least start running while testing UBCD using MobaliveCD VM. After starting with one of the "defense modes", I got "Error; Initialization Failed; Reason: Invalid Partition Signature". I don't know if this error is happening because of my particular system, or is it the tool not being able to run in a VM.

[StopSpazzing]

Finally there are some seeds, seeding myself now. Going to test it myself on spare computer later tonight.

[Victor Chew]

@ady: I have adopted all your suggestions for improvement to the help text. Thanks!

Other replies below:

DLG Diagnostic v4.15 (Western Digital): I don't know why this version is "marked" (in UBCD website) as having different hardware support than v5.04f. According to WD website, the alternative version to 5.04f should be v2.8, which is just a DOS tool (not a full floppy image). Version 4.15 is not mentioned at http://www.wdc.com . For v2.8, only the DOS tool is available. For v5.04f, a floppy image and a CD image are available.

This is due to user reports, and requests to include the older version as an alternative. Another example is Samsung's HUTIL. It is not WD or Samsung's official positions. Typically, this happens when UBCD upgrades to the latest version of an app and leaves the older version behind. Then someone reports that the latest version doesn't work with their hardware, and requests that the older version be reincluded.

This tool also wipes hdd, so it is also a replacement to the old Samsung's Sutil tool, in addition to being the replacement to Hutil. The text does not mention the wipe function.

It does mention "low-level format". Isn't that the same as wipe?

HDClone v3.9.4 (Free Edition): The text should be updated. I am copying (with my own wording) the following info from HDClone website. This tool not only supports USB 1.1, but also USB 2.0 (UHCI, OHCI, EHCI). The data transfer speed for the free edition is not 300MB/min, but 1GB/min. A very important info that IMHO should be added to the text is that the FREE EDITION clones only full HDD (no PARTITION-only cloning), and the target can only be a full LARGER (not equal, nor smaller) HDD. Other editions of HDClone have better transfer speeds and more cloning options. Additionally, HDClone supports Advance Format 4k partitions.

Help text updated to:

Code: Select all

Copies one hard disk to another. Supports IDE/ATA/SATA/SATA II/eSATA (AHCI) + USB 1.1/2.0 (UHCI, OHCI, EHCI). Transfer speed is limited to 1GB/min for the Free Edition. Clones only full HDDs (no partition-level support). Target HDD must be larger (not equal/smaller) than source. Supports 4k sector alignment.

PC INSPECTOR Clone-maxx 1.0: The text gives the impression that this tool achieves better transfer speed than others. The "high speed" is only relevant when using the supported chipsets, which are several years old. The tool hasn't been updated for years.

Help text updated to:

Code: Select all

Hard disk cloning tool. Data transfer rate of up to 3.3GB/min via optimal utilization of the DMA chipset on the PC motherboard with supported chipsets. The cloning process is performed at the disk level and is independent of the filesystem.

Ditto for e-maxx.

Code: Select all

Cute Partition Manager: I actually wanted to check if this tool could at least start running while testing UBCD using MobaliveCD VM. After starting with one of the "defense modes", I got "Error; Initialization Failed; Reason: Invalid Partition Signature". I don't know if this error is happening because of my particular system, or is it the tool not being able to run in a VM.

Could be your system. What partition type is it, created by which OS?

[ady]

This is due to user reports, and requests to include the older version as an alternative. Another example is Samsung's HUTIL. It is not WD or Samsung's official positions. Typically, this happens when UBCD upgrades to the latest version of an app and leaves the older version behind. Then someone reports that the latest version doesn't work with their hardware, and requests that the older version be reincluded.

About WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics:

Version 5.04f should work for any WD drive which model starts with WDxxx...

Previous models of WD should be diagnose with version 2.8. So, according to WD "official position", older HDD are not covered by versions 5.x, nor 4.x.

IMHO, it seems really strange that WD would still provide version 2.8 for older HDD compatibility, while providing version 5.04f for newer drives, but not covering specific drives that, allegedly, are supported "only" by version 4.x.

If the "official position" is correct, then actually UBCD is leaving out the older drives (not starting with WDxxx), and including version 4.x would be of no use.

In the case of WD, is there any forum post or anything else to look at those user requests?

About Sutil, maybe at the Sutil help text would be useful to somehow point out that newer/other drives than specific models should be wiped by the newer ES-Tool, and Sutil should be use only for the supported drives.

About Cute Partition Manager:

Could be your system. What partition type is it, created by which OS?

I tried it running it from UBCD using MobaliveCD, which uses qemu VM, so it is not a real physical HDD/partition. I don't have a "spare" system/HDD to test it, and that's why I tried it on a VM. Is the described behavior reproducible?

TIA.

[Victor Chew]

In the case of WD, is there any forum post or anything else to look at those user requests?

I searched but couldn't find the original request. That must be before we migrated to the web forums, so it could have been via private email.

Anyway, why don't I deprecate V4.15 in 5.1a2? If the original complaint is still relevant, it should pop up as a request sooner or later.

BTW, where can I find the V2.8 DOS app for WD drives that you are referring to?

About Sutil, maybe at the Sutil help text would be useful to somehow point out that newer/other drives than specific models should be wiped by the newer ES-Tool, and Sutil should be use only for the supported drives.

Help text updated.

I tried it running it from UBCD using MobaliveCD, which uses qemu VM, so it is not a real physical HDD/partition. I don't have a "spare" system/HDD to test it, and that's why I tried it on a VM. Is the described behavior reproducible?

What partition type is your "virtual" HDD/partition? I tried it on a VM (VMPlayer) running WinXP, and it had no problems displaying the partition table of the virtual HDD (one NTFS partition).

[ady]

BTW, where can I find the V2.8 DOS app for WD drives that you are referring to?

http://support.wdc.com/product/download ... 18&lang=en

If it is necessary, select "Old Data LifeGuard Diagnostic", and then follow the instructions in the same page.

As stated in the same page:

This Diagnostic utility is intended for use on older Western Digital EIDE drives starting with the model number ACxxx. It allows you to test the drive, print results for last drive tested, repair errors found during the Test Drive option and write zeros to the drive.

I don't really know why they mentioned there a list of supported OS's. Following the instructions at the bottom of the page, you can see it is a simple DOS executable.


About CPM:

What partition type is your "virtual" HDD/partition? I tried it on a VM (VMPlayer) running WinXP, and it had no problems displaying the partition table of the virtual HDD (one NTFS partition).

I actually have no idea, since I don't configure it. MobaliveCD is a very simple VM, based on qemu, to run Linux-based live CD's. Since it is portable and relatively small, I use it to test UBCD. When starting a live cd from MobaliveCD, it asks if I want to create a virtual hard disk. Then I just select the location where I want the virtual disk to be created. Then I give permission to use kqemu (I run MobaliveCD as administrator). That's all. The virtual hard disk created is a very small file (several KB only).

I guess I should test Cute Partition Manager using a more specialized VM.

[Victor Chew]

http://support.wdc.com/product/download ... 18&lang=en

If it is necessary, select "Old Data LifeGuard Diagnostic", and then follow the instructions in the same page.

Guess what, I downloaded and run the app. It says DLG DIAG 4.15 at the startup screen! So I compared the EXE files and they are the same. I dunno why the archive name is DlgDiag28.zip, which gives the impression of V2.8, but the EXE says V4.15, which is what I will go with.

But I have updated the help text to say:

Code: Select all

Diagnostic tools for older WD EIDE drives starting with the model number ACxxx. It allows you to test the drive, print results for last drive tested, repair errors found during the Test Drive option and write zeros to the drive.

[ady]

@Victor,

I apologize for wasting your time with this DTL Diag v2.8.

Since I have such an old WD drive (starting with ACxxx), I knew about DTL Diagnostics "2.8", but I haven't had the need to actually use it, so I didn't know it was version "4.15", which has a HDD database with even another number.

May I suggest pointing this "ACxxx" and "WDxxx" info? At http://www.ultimatebootcd.com (where the 2 WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostic versions are)

the ACxxx HDD models for v4.15 (v2.8 in WD website), and

the WDxxx HDD models for v5.04f (floppy image from year 2005 and CD image from year 2008).

Again, my apologies.

[dick.dunbar]

Hi,

| Ooops, I see the problem now. md5sum doesn't match.
| Downloading again, this time with torrent.

I downloaded 5.1.a1 iso and used p7-zip manager to extract the files,
because it worked well for me with the previous ubcd.iso
- 7zip 9.13 Beta claimed there were multiple corrupt files in the .iso
- MagicDisc 2.7.106 did a better job of showing the files,
so I extracted them from the virtual CD.

http://www.7-zip.org/
http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso- ... istory.htm

Comparing the two showed multiple discrepancies in the files;
many of those extracted by 7Zip were length zero.

"extra" files were extracted by 7-Zip (not visible in MagicDisc), showing sizes:
[BOOT]
Bootable_NoEmulation.img 2048
ucbd\images
fdubcd.iso.gz 0
avg.iso.gz 0
konboot.img.gz 0
ibmdm.img.gz 0
hdat2-453.img.gz
ubcd\tools\win32\mkfdubcd
mkfdubcd.cmd 0
ubcd\tools\win32\ubcd2usb
-f 0
ubcd\tools\win32\unxutils\bin\
gzip.exe 0
mkisofs.exe 0
ubcd\tools\linux\mkfdubcd\
mkfdubcd.sh 0
pmagic\pmodules\
pmagic-5.5.sqfs 48,076,800
boot\syslinux\
hdt.c32 276,352
localboot.c32 2,960
whichsys.c32 2,960
config.c32 5,132

154,509,312 ubcd51a1.iso
9bb3cb003e2c6005fccc28c305be05ff md5sum

[ady]

A new script has been created (\ubcd\tools\win32\mkfdubcd\mkfdubcd.cmd) that lets you create your own fdubcd.iso.gz after extracting it to a folder outside of the extracted UBCD folder hierarchy.

@Victor, does this mean that the method to add DOS apps has changed for UBCD5.1?

TIA.

[Victor Chew]

Yup. Basically, you extract "\ubcd\images\fdubcd.iso.gz" to a separate folder outside of the extracted ubcd folder. eg. if you extract UBCD to "c:\ubcd-extracted", extract to "c:\fdubcd-extracted" instead of "c:\ubcd-extracted\fdubcd-extracted".

Then add your own DOS apps (CAB, ZIP or 7Z) to "c:\fdubcd-extracted\custom" and edit "c:\fdubcd-extracted\dosapps\ubcd.ini" as per the current V5.0 instructions.

Run "c:\ubcd-extracted\ubcd\tools\win32\mkfdubcd\mkfdubcd.cmd" to recreate "c:\ubcd-extracted\ubcd\images\fdubcd.iso.gz".

Finally run ubcd2iso.cmd or ubcd2usb.cmd.

[ady]

@Victor,

What about

Finally, append this section to c:\ubcd-extracted\ubcd\custom\custom.cfg

, which is part of the DOS APPS section at http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/customize.html ?

If I understood correctly, the custom.cfg is still relevant for other apps, but it would be unnecessary for this new method of adding DOS apps, correct?

OTOH, the previous method for adding apps would be still available for DOS apps in particular, correct?

TIA.

[Victor Chew]

What about
Finally, append this section to c:\ubcd-extracted\ubcd\custom\custom.cfg

Not much change, but subsititute "fdubcd.img.gz" with "fdubcd.iso.gz" for DOS apps.

[ady]

Victor,

... and edit "c:\fdubcd-extracted\dosapps\ubcd.ini" ...

Finally, append this section to c:\ubcd-extracted\ubcd\custom\custom.cfg

So for adding a DOS app, both "c:\fdubcd-extracted\dosapps\ubcd.ini" and "c:\ubcd-extracted\ubcd\custom\custom.cfg" need to be modified?

Additionally, does the "custom.ini" file needs modifications also, or "c:\fdubcd-extracted\dosapps\ubcd.ini" is enough for DOS apps?

I apologize if these questions don't sound "wise", but I want to be sure which is the correct method.

TIA.

[Victor Chew]

So for adding a DOS app, both "c:\fdubcd-extracted\dosapps\ubcd.ini" and "c:\ubcd-extracted\ubcd\custom\custom.cfg" need to be modified?

Both "custom.cfg" and "ubcd.ini" need to be modified.

"custom.cfg" is for syslinux/isolinux to display your custom item in the launch menu.

"ubcd.ini" is for FreeDOS menuing system to display your application when you type "ubcd" at the comment prompt.

Additionally, does the "custom.ini" file needs modifications also, or "c:\fdubcd-extracted\dosapps\ubcd.ini" is enough for DOS apps?

Sorry, actually you should edit "c:\fdubcd-extracted\dosapps\custom.ini".

You could edit "c:\fdubcd-extracted\dosapps\ubcd.ini"directly, but editing "custom.ini" makes it easier to upgrade to the next version of UBCD (just copy the contents of the new version over minus the default stuff in the "custom" directory).

[ady]

Is there any (compatibility/other) problem if I edit both, ubcd.ini and custom.ini? In this case, is there anything to take into account? Or is it redundant or even not recommended?

While using UBCD, will I see any difference if I have edited only one of the ini files (ubcd.ini, or, custom.ini)?

Additionally, in previous versions, after customizing and editing the syslinux/isolinux menus, I used the script to update the grub4dos custom menus. Now that the method to customize DOS apps is going to change, is there anything different/new to consider about custom grub4dos menus? Or the script is going to work with the new method successfully?

TIA.

[Icecube]

Additionally, in previous versions, after customizing and editing the syslinux/isolinux menus, I used the script to update the grub4dos custom menus. Now that the method to customize DOS apps is going to change, is there anything different/new to consider about custom grub4dos menus? Or the script is going to work with the new method successfully?

The script will need some changes.

I am not sure if it is a good idea, that the script automatically converts the *.cfg files in /ubcd/custom/ to grub4dos config files.
If a user doesn't make its Syslinux config files EXACTLY in the same format, you will get bogus grub4dos config files.

I think an additional parameter should be added by the user to the conversion script, to convert the *.cfg files in /ubcd/custom/ to grub4dos config files.

[ady]

Icecube, I was referring to the "syslinux2grub4dos" script, which is mentioned at http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/customize.html -> "Converting menu commands to grub4dos format".

If I understood correctly, it is supposed to "convert" whatever the user (correctly) wrote in the syslinux/isolinux menus to the grub4dos menus.

I was asking if this method would still be valid, or in the future UBCD 5.1 version, the user should have to customize not only custom.cfg, ubcd.ini, custom.ini, but also the grub4dos menus.

Is your concern relevant for the new method of customizing DOS apps? Or is it also relevant for every previous UBCD version?

Or maybe we are talking about 2 different scripts?