On my computer:
Write a 1,474,560 bytes bootable floppy image file to a USB disk sector by sector, beginning at sector 0.
The floppy content is visible in Windows.
Boot.
The computer hangs.
Make a copy of the image file, as example to the file dft.bin.
Do in a command box:
edit /64 dft.bin
Press insert to change to replace mode. Go to to line 1 col 27. The character will be ASCII 2.
Press space, which will change the ASCII value to 32.
Save the image file, and write it to the USB disk after verifying that the file size is still 1,474,560 bytes.
Boot, and use BIOS to select boot from USB.
It works.
Byte number 27 (offset 26) is the low byte of the FAT12 boot sector heads field. The BIOS on my computer will read the boot sector, and report the disk geometry using the heads and sectors values from the boot sector. Obviously for some reason, the BIOS will fail if the heads value is 2.
As long as the floppy content is not hard coded to assume a usual 2 heads, 18 sectors geometry, this method should work.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Windows PE USB Boot
Microsoft Windows PE is an operating system which can boot to command line from harddisk, USB disk, network or CD.
Windows PE is typically used for system maintenance. Another usage can be data recovery, where you as example boot Windows PE to a CD and copy files to a USB disk using data recovery programs.
Windows PE version 3.0 is available as part of "The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows® 7". The current download is in the file "KB3AIK_EN.iso", 1,789,542,400 bytes, date published 8/6/2009, SHA1 793F4CC4741EBAD223938BE0EEEE708EDA968DAA.
The user has to build the Windows PE boot media following instructions in the documentation. As example a bootable iso image is not included.
Windows PE can boot from a USB disk if the BIOS supports USB boot, but only in Windows PE ram disk mode. For BIOS versions from before about 2006 you have to know how. If not, you will get the error message:
"An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data."
Windows PE is typically used for system maintenance. Another usage can be data recovery, where you as example boot Windows PE to a CD and copy files to a USB disk using data recovery programs.
Windows PE version 3.0 is available as part of "The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows® 7". The current download is in the file "KB3AIK_EN.iso", 1,789,542,400 bytes, date published 8/6/2009, SHA1 793F4CC4741EBAD223938BE0EEEE708EDA968DAA.
The user has to build the Windows PE boot media following instructions in the documentation. As example a bootable iso image is not included.
Windows PE can boot from a USB disk if the BIOS supports USB boot, but only in Windows PE ram disk mode. For BIOS versions from before about 2006 you have to know how. If not, you will get the error message:
"An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data."
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Mobile Internet
The most important purpose of computers and Internet is to keep people away from the streets and take their money, so they do not disturb in real life.
With mobile Internet we however have a problem.
It is difficult to suggest a solution. Until a solution may be found, it is important to keep the price of mobile Internet high, so the real world can be compensated.
With mobile Internet we however have a problem.
It is difficult to suggest a solution. Until a solution may be found, it is important to keep the price of mobile Internet high, so the real world can be compensated.
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