This is a DOS boot CD based on MS-DOS 7.1. It contains various DOS drivers for many recovery situtations. Useful stuff includes: Long File Name support, CD-ROM Drivers, USB Drivers (intended for Thumbdrives but has been tested with an MP3 Player and an iPod with success), a READNTFS recovery program, and Linux recovery tools.
The ISO image was created using UltraISO. It has been tested rigorously since 2005 and should work under a variety of shitty situations. Good luck! Hopefully you'll never need it...
Oh yeah, and if you want you can use a program like UltraISO to add more files to the image before burning, seeing as how the Panic folder doesn't even take up 15 MB.
Provided that your CD-Rom not only boots but actually works, you'll also have access to the following directories (which, incidentally are put in the path by the AUTOEXEC.BAT by locating \PANIC\PANIC.ICO. It only looks in root directories so if you feel like copying the contents of the CD to a hard drive or a USB drive just remember to make sure everything is under \PANIC.
\PANIC\_BAT\ contains a few support batch programs.
\PANIC\DOS\ contains the original files from MS-DOS 7.1 - Only Dosshell has been deleted (I just couldn't get it to work).
\PANIC\IMAGE\ contains disk images and Rawrite2 to create disks Just use IMAGE.BAT to create them.
\PANIC\THUMB\ contains support files to create a bootable USB Thumbdrive.
\PANIC\TOOLS\ contains some recovery tools for Linux and NTFS.
\PANIC\UTILS\ contains utilities collected over the years.
\PANIC\ZIP\ contains Partition Magic that is copied to the RAM Disk before being run.
Note that there are two sets of USB Drivers included. The first option works in most cases. The second (the USB CD-Rom drivers) may or may not work. I tried with my LG Portable burner and it didn't work. Maybe it'll work for you.
First, you should know that the USB storage driver is meant for Thumbdrive-compatible devices. Yours may not be compatible. If you'd like to know more about this USB driver, please search the Internet regarding the 'Motto Hairu' ASPI USB driver.
If your device does not properly activate, there are a couple of things you can do. Check your BIOS options and make sure that 'USB Legacy Support' is turned on. Activating 'Thumbdrive Support in DOS' may allow you access to your USB storage even if you select a non-USB option at the boot menu. If you are still having problems, unplug non-essential USB devices, especially storage devices (like diskette or CD drives).
At the boot menu verify that your USB device is turned on and is connected. Some devices may require being unplugged, reset, then plugged-in again. You may also need to try various USB ports in your computer. When your device indicates that it is connected, then you can begin boot-up.
The USB CD-Rom drivers may or not be compatible with your USB CD device. You may also try this driver for your USB Mass Storage.
This is mostly intended to be used as a boot CD but I will make a quick explanation here how to make a bootable USB Thumbdrive using this ISO image...
1. You will need a program to extract the files. WinRAR and UltraISO or ISOBuster will work. You can even just burn the ISO to CD and copy the files. If you didn't burn the CD you will need to make a Don't Panic boot disk. Just use IMAGE.BAT in the IMAGE folder.
2. Now you will need to make your USB device bootable. I used the HP USB Format Utility. You can search the Compaq website or use the commandline version I include in the THUMB folder. Use the following command: HPUSBF X: -B:A:\ if you used a diskette in step 1. Otherwise subsitute A for your CD-ROM Drive letter. Also substitute X for your USB device's drive letter. Be sure to check that COMMAND.COM, MSDOS.SYS, IO.SYS were copied to the root after this format.
3. Recreate the ISO directory structure on your USB device. Don't forget that the \PANIC folder should be exactly as it is.
4. In the THUMB folder, you will find ROOT.ZIP. Extract the contents to the root of your USB drive. The AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS are especially for your Thumdrive.
5. Also in the THUMB folder, You will find PANIC.ZIP. Extract the contents to the \PANIC folder. This supplies CD-ROM and other system drivers.
6. Don't forget to select a USB-HDD option in your BIOS boot order before trying to boot from your Thumbdrive or USB device.
Check out http://www.bootdisk.info/ for more info on bootdisks.
This collection probably contains commercial software. It is placed online at http://panic.conventionalchaos.com as a personal backup.
Oh yeah. Don't copy it. You can't hold me responsible for your own ignorance of whatever...
http://www.conventionalchaos.com
darkpoet . Z-R0 . Trail of Dead