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[Development] TotalMounter - Virtual CD/DVD burner


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#26 TheHive

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Posted 24 August 2011 - 07:31 AM

Thanks!

#27 Matt_Williams

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Posted 25 August 2011 - 08:33 AM

If everything will went fine, TotalMounter 1.50 will be officially released at the beginning of next week.
Along with video tutorial on YouTube and White Paper on our website.

PS. It will also have build-in User's Manual.

#28 Brito

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Posted 25 August 2011 - 02:57 PM

Very good, I will mention this at the newsletter and create an article on the info page or reboot.pro

:cheers:

#29 TheHive

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Posted 01 September 2011 - 06:27 AM

If everything will went fine, TotalMounter 1.50 will be officially released at the beginning of next week.
Along with video tutorial on YouTube and White Paper on our website.

PS. It will also have build-in User's Manual.

Ok! Thanks!

#30 Matt_Williams

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Posted 02 September 2011 - 09:49 AM

I'm happy to announce that TotalMounter 1.50 is officially released!

Update list:
  • Add support for Windows 7
  • Add Versign signature, support for Vista 64bit and later OS
  • Add 64 bit LBA support
  • Add Virtual Hard Disk (.VHD) support
  • Add support for Virtual DVD+RW emulation


Click the below link to read more information.
http://www.kernsafe....talmounter.aspx

Download link:
http://reboot.pro/fi...14-totalmounter
Mirror(direct link):
http://www.kernsafe....Mounter1.50.exe

Starters Guide PDF:
http://www.kernsafe....data-sheet.aspx

YouTube Video Tutorial:


Press Release:
http://www.kernsafe....unter-1.50.aspx



#31 TheHive

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Posted 03 September 2011 - 05:14 AM

:good: :jump:
I will see if I get time to test final some more. Love the PDF Tutorial and Video.

Thanks!

#32 ambralivio

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Posted 03 September 2011 - 08:17 AM

I'm happy to announce that TotalMounter 1.50 is officially released!


@ Matt_Williams,

thanks for the tool .
I can say it's a nice application , maybe the first among the free ones../public/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif, permitting to edit/modify ISO images, even if with some limitations.

I'm making some test now and the first question that comes in mind is : what about the boot image ?

I tried to mount a bootable ISO image with the tool, and then making some change in the file content (adding or deleting files); ../public/style_emoticons/default/questionmark.gif but after having saved the ISO image I saw it is no more bootable. ../public/style_emoticons/default/sad.png../public/style_emoticons/default/sad.png

Looking at the tool features, maybe I'm missing something ../public/style_emoticons/default/character32.gif so the next question for you is : ../public/style_emoticons/default/questionmark.gif is there a way to preserve the boot image or actually this is a no available feature and it could be added in the next versions ?

BTW, I appreciated a lot the tool and thanks again.

ambralivio

P.S. - Sorry for the look of my comments, but I tried to insert some smiley (visible while writing) which are not reported on the final post !!!!!! I highlighet this issue in the past, asking for help to Nuno, but the fault was not identified.

Edited by ambralivio, 03 September 2011 - 08:22 AM.


#33 Matt_Williams

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Posted 05 September 2011 - 03:27 AM

:good: :jump:
I will see if I get time to test final some more. Love the PDF Tutorial and Video.

Thanks!



Glad you liked it!


@ Matt_Williams,

thanks for the tool .
I can say it's a nice application , maybe the first among the free ones../public/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif, permitting to edit/modify ISO images, even if with some limitations.

I'm making some test now and the first question that comes in mind is : what about the boot image ?

I tried to mount a bootable ISO image with the tool, and then making some change in the file content (adding or deleting files); ../public/style_emoticons/default/questionmark.gif but after having saved the ISO image I saw it is no more bootable. ../public/style_emoticons/default/sad.png../public/style_emoticons/default/sad.png

Looking at the tool features, maybe I'm missing something ../public/style_emoticons/default/character32.gif so the next question for you is : ../public/style_emoticons/default/questionmark.gif is there a way to preserve the boot image or actually this is a no available feature and it could be added in the next versions ?

BTW, I appreciated a lot the tool and thanks again.

ambralivio

P.S. - Sorry for the look of my comments, but I tried to insert some smiley (visible while writing) which are not reported on the final post !!!!!! I highlighet this issue in the past, asking for help to Nuno, but the fault was not identified.



Can you please say what software you used to edit that bootable ISO file? Then I can test it myself and see if it will work or not but earlier I did a very simple test by just copying all content from one bootable DVD to folder on HDD and then burn all those files from folder using default Windows 7 burning software to ISO file and that file was still bootable.


P.S. When I'm replying to your message, I can see those smiles.. Pretty weird..

#34 Brito

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Posted 05 September 2011 - 03:36 PM

Hi,

Can you try to add the youtube video on the presentation topic at the download portal?

This would be a good improvement to the overall look.

:cheers:

#35 ambralivio

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Posted 05 September 2011 - 06:01 PM


Can you please say what software you used to edit that bootable ISO file?


Matt_Williams,

I think there's a misunderstanding. The process I used for this trial was :
  • By using TotalMounter, I mounted a bootable ISO as a Virtual CD-ROM media (the ISO was checked to be bootable by using MagicISO)
  • I created/mounted a new Virtual CD-RW media (empty)
  • All the files/content of the Virtual CD-ROM media were copied in the empty Virtual CD-RW media
  • An additional file was copied to the same media
  • The related (new) ISO was created and checked (with MagicISO) : NO BOOTABLE
Besides, I do not understand what you're saying with "I did a very simple test by just copying all content from one bootable DVD" !!!!!!

That is, presuming you copied the "visible content" (files and/or folders), why you think to have copied also the boot image ?

ambralivio

#36 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 05 September 2011 - 06:32 PM

It seems to me like the misunderstanding is going to go on. :ph34r:

@ambralivio
Can you detail your steps:

All the files/content of the Virtual CD-ROM media were copied in the empty Virtual CD-RW media

HOW exactly?


The related (new) ISO was created

HOW exactly?

@Matt_Williams

I did a very simple test by just copying all content from one bootable DVD to folder on HDD and then burn all those files from folder using default Windows 7 burning software to ISO file and that file was still bootable.

WHAT is the "default Windows 7 burning software"?
HOW exactly it was used?

:cheers:
Wonko

#37 ambralivio

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Posted 05 September 2011 - 09:06 PM

Wonko,

I do not understand your questions, since all the steps I described (and those related to your questions) were all performed by using the features declared by the tool and following the Starters Guide (see Post #30).
Anyway, just to be clear and to anticipate your clarifications :
  • The tool is given to open/mount an existing ISO on a Virtual CD-ROM media --> I opened a bootable ISO
  • The tool is given for permitting to create an (empty) Virtual CD-RW media (Read/Write) on which you can copy, even with a simple copy/paste, any files/folders --> I copied all the files/folders from CD to CD-RW media
  • Once finished, the tool then permits to create the related ISO file, for example by using the capabilities inside Win 7 (as described in the guide) --> once made, I checked the ISO is not bootable
One thing I noted is that when mounting the bootable ISO a BOOT.CAT (containing the boot image) folder is present and, therefore, was copied to the CD-RW media.

May this be related to your question to Matt_Williams (related to what is the default Windows 7 burning software) ? - due to the fact that this burning software is not able to rightly transfer the boot image in the correct place ?

ambralivio

#38 Icecube

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Posted 05 September 2011 - 09:20 PM

  • The tool is given for permitting to create an (empty) Virtual CD-RW media (Read/Write) on which you can copy, even with a simple copy/paste, any files/folders --> I copied all the files/folders from CD to CD-RW media

If you just copy the files, the bootable part will be lost. The bootable part will now just be a regular file (if the bootable part was in the filesystem).

#39 ambralivio

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Posted 05 September 2011 - 09:40 PM

Icecube,

I agree with you, but when mounting a bootable ISO the boot image is presented in the BOOT.CAT folder.
I cannot see how the tool can preserve the bootable part.......

If this is true, the functionalities of the tool will be limited......

#40 Matt_Williams

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Posted 06 September 2011 - 03:35 AM

Hi,

Can you try to add the youtube video on the presentation topic at the download portal?

This would be a good improvement to the overall look.

:cheers:



I already did that. Thank you for mentioning about TotalMounter in the newsletter!






Matt_Williams,

I think there's a misunderstanding. The process I used for this trial was :

  • By using TotalMounter, I mounted a bootable ISO as a Virtual CD-ROM media (the ISO was checked to be bootable by using MagicISO)
  • I created/mounted a new Virtual CD-RW media (empty)
  • All the files/content of the Virtual CD-ROM media were copied in the empty Virtual CD-RW media
  • An additional file was copied to the same media
  • The related (new) ISO was created and checked (with MagicISO) : NO BOOTABLE
Besides, I do not understand what you're saying with "I did a very simple test by just copying all content from one bootable DVD" !!!!!!

That is, presuming you copied the "visible content" (files and/or folders), why you think to have copied also the boot image ?

ambralivio



I understand what you are trying to do but as other users already said, it won't be possible.

Earlier I made a mistake saying that when I copied files from bootable DVD to new blank DVD-RW created by TotalMounter will make it bootable. I must have done something wrong yesterday that make that DVD bootable.

But I test it again, this time using cloning software and when I will clone a bootable DVD to an empty DVD-RW created by TotalMounter, such DVD will be bootable. I know that this is not what you want to do, so I will try to find a solution for your problem.



It seems to me like the misunderstanding is going to go on. :ph34r:


@Matt_Williams


WHAT is the "default Windows 7 burning software"?
HOW exactly it was used?

:cheers:
Wonko


Default Windows 7 burning software is just the 'Burn to Disk' window. I don't think it have any other name. You can initialize it by opening blank CD/DVD, copy some files to itand press on Burn button on the top bar.
I just copy and paste all files from one bootable DVD to blank one.

But apparently I did something more because somehow it make that DVD bootable or it was just my imagination. Like I said earlier, I will test it again and try to find a solution for that problem.

#41 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 06 September 2011 - 09:27 AM

Very good :), as expected, there was a misunderstanding.

Let's see if I can try and explain my perception of the issue (sometimes an "external view" and using different terms helps) :dubbio:

When you "start" a device in a "virtual disk like" application, you use *something* as the "contents" of the device.
For a Disk (hard disk or superfloppy) the *something* is represented by a file filled with 00's.
Then, one way or the other, you write to the device contents structures such as the MBR, the PBR, FATs or the various NTFS filesystem structures.
In other words you partition and format the device contents.

What mkisofs does is the same thing (writing the .iso structures), only it does it without "mounting" the "contents" to a "device".
(due to the nature of CDFS filesystem and the original approach these structures are writtten "in the same pass" of the actual "visible" contents)

Now what are the "contents" of a newly created CDRW device in Total Mounter?
I presume still a file filled with 00's.
What happens when you add a file to it?
I presume the needed .iso format structures are created.
What creates the "booting" part?
Seemingly nothing.

Think of mkdosfs, or FAT32 formatter, what it does is to create the BPB data, and the FAT filesystem structures, BUT it does NOT write the bootsector CODE.

What would happen if instead of starting from a 00ed file you would start from a "template" already containing the Boot Code?
One could create (say) a number of files created with mkisofs or a similar tool with NO content exception made for the no-emulation bootsector (or gub4dos or Isolinux) or various ones containing just the floppy emulation floppy image.
These might be "bootable".

If Total Mounter could be integrated by the possibility of creating and inserting these "templates", it would become to all effects a .iso editor (like MagicIso and similar software).

Of course if you clone (dd-like copy) a bootable CD or DVD first you have the same effect of the mentioned "templates", the contents of the device are those of the original bootable CD/DVD and IF Total Mounter can delete and add files leaving the "boot" part alone, the result will be bootable (with the possible exceptions raised by "high LBA positioning" of soem files with "limited" loaders such as NTLDR and SETUPLDR.BIN).

:cheers:
Wonko

#42 bilou_gateux

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Posted 06 September 2011 - 09:54 AM

I'm very pleased with any feedback I can get. Also if you would like to see any additional feature in upcoming release, feel free to ask!


Would you consider adding command line support for some / all tasks?

currently i use Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator and ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver because they both have this feature and it would be nice to have the same for your tool.

#43 Matt_Williams

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Posted 07 September 2011 - 04:27 AM

Very good :), as expected, there was a misunderstanding.

Let's see if I can try and explain my perception of the issue (sometimes an "external view" and using different terms helps) :dubbio:

When you "start" a device in a "virtual disk like" application, you use *something* as the "contents" of the device.
For a Disk (hard disk or superfloppy) the *something* is represented by a file filled with 00's.
Then, one way or the other, you write to the device contents structures such as the MBR, the PBR, FATs or the various NTFS filesystem structures.
In other words you partition and format the device contents.

What mkisofs does is the same thing (writing the .iso structures), only it does it without "mounting" the "contents" to a "device".
(due to the nature of CDFS filesystem and the original approach these structures are writtten "in the same pass" of the actual "visible" contents)

Now what are the "contents" of a newly created CDRW device in Total Mounter?
I presume still a file filled with 00's.
What happens when you add a file to it?
I presume the needed .iso format structures are created.
What creates the "booting" part?
Seemingly nothing.

Think of mkdosfs, or FAT32 formatter, what it does is to create the BPB data, and the FAT filesystem structures, BUT it does NOT write the bootsector CODE.

What would happen if instead of starting from a 00ed file you would start from a "template" already containing the Boot Code?
One could create (say) a number of files created with mkisofs or a similar tool with NO content exception made for the no-emulation bootsector (or gub4dos or Isolinux) or various ones containing just the floppy emulation floppy image.
These might be "bootable".

If Total Mounter could be integrated by the possibility of creating and inserting these "templates", it would become to all effects a .iso editor (like MagicIso and similar software).

Of course if you clone (dd-like copy) a bootable CD or DVD first you have the same effect of the mentioned "templates", the contents of the device are those of the original bootable CD/DVD and IF Total Mounter can delete and add files leaving the "boot" part alone, the result will be bootable (with the possible exceptions raised by "high LBA positioning" of soem files with "limited" loaders such as NTLDR and SETUPLDR.BIN).

:cheers:
Wonko



Thank you Wonko for such detailed information about it! I was really positively surprised when I saw it for the first time. :good:

Now I can say that in future version of TotalMounter, we will add such template that will allow users to create / preserve boot information. As soon as next beta version will be ready, I will post it here for all ReBoot members to test it in real world scenarios.

I need to add that now we will need to focus on our main product - iStorage Server, since we will release new version in upcoming weeks. When we will finish with that, we will come back to put our full efforts in updating TotalMounter with new functions that were previously mentioned in this topic.

Thank you one more time for such great explanation, Wonko!



Would you consider adding command line support for some / all tasks?

currently i use Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator and ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver because they both have this feature and it would be nice to have the same for your tool.


I don't think that many users would benefit from it since it is rather costumer grade product so UI is required to comfortably use it under Windows operating system.

Maybe we would be able to add it in some beta version to see how it will perform, but I can't promise anything.

#44 TheHive

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Posted 07 September 2011 - 08:29 AM

Suggestion for Website. Add the Words - Freeware and virtual CD/DVD burner
Total Mounter virtual CD DVD burner .jpg

Ive notice that you cant specify the Size of the CD or DVD or just specify a user preferred Size
Specify.jpg


The Ui is not re-sizable yet on 1.50.

Thanks for working on the Boot-able part. I didn't notice to test it until it was mentioned.

#45 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 07 September 2011 - 10:07 AM

@Matt Williams
Of course there is no pressure of any kind :) you have all the time in the world.

When you will be ready/have time to deal with this, maybe it would be useful to you this thread:
http://reboot.pro/12406/

;)

:cheers:
Wonko

#46 Matt_Williams

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Posted 09 September 2011 - 03:51 AM

Suggestion for Website. Add the Words - Freeware and virtual CD/DVD burner
Total Mounter virtual CD DVD burner .jpg

Ive notice that you cant specify the Size of the CD or DVD or just specify a user preferred Size
Specify.jpg


The Ui is not re-sizable yet on 1.50.

Thanks for working on the Boot-able part. I didn't notice to test it until it was mentioned.


Thank you for your suggestion about our website, we will think about it.

Can you explain how specifying size of CD/DVD can be useful? The ISO file itself if already expanding along with the content itself and changing size of the virtual disk can only cause problems with burning programs.
But in future release we plan to add more sizes (CD - 700MB, maybe even add a Blu-Ray size disk support).

UI not being sizable is a known problem. We will try to allow user to re-size the UI in upcoming version.

@Matt Williams
Of course there is no pressure of any kind :) you have all the time in the world.

When you will be ready/have time to deal with this, maybe it would be useful to you this thread:
http://reboot.pro/12406/

;)

:cheers:
Wonko



Ok, thank you!

I will keep you all updated on a TotalMounter development time line.

#47 Matt_Williams

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Posted 09 September 2011 - 06:58 AM

[..]

:(

How about a script version for Winbuilder Bootable PE Projects.


[..]
Thanks!



We have now prepared small tutorial on how to use TotalMounter under Windows 7 PE.

1. Install TotalMounter to standard Windows 7.
2. Copy these files to Win7 PE corresponding folder:

32bit:
%SystemRoot%\Drivers\Dscsiprt.sys
%SystemRoot%\Drivers\DsBus.sys
64bit:
%SystemRoot%\Drivers\DSprt64.sys
%SystemRoot%\Drivers\DSBus64.sys

You can also copy Totalmounter.exe from installation folder to any folder of WinPE if your customized OS has GUI component.
3.Export these registry keys from Win7 to Win7PE:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\dscsiprt
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\dsbus
If you want to use per-defined devices, you need to mount devices in Win7 before exporting these values.

TheHive, I hope that this will help you!

#48 TheHive

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Posted 11 September 2011 - 07:16 AM

Thanks! Matt
I believe the info you provided will help in allowing some one to create a usable script in Winbuilder Projects. :good: .

#49 Matt_Williams

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Posted 13 September 2011 - 02:43 AM

Thanks! Matt
I believe the info you provided will help in allowing some one to create a usable script in Winbuilder Projects. :good: .



Your welcome!

#50 jpelli

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Posted 15 September 2011 - 06:17 AM

Works great with Windows 8 Developer Preview. I managed to burn a system repair cd within Virtualbox.




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