334 replies to this topic

[ericgl]

v77,

 

I can't download the new version. Symantec Anti-Virus stops the download and deletes the file, as it's detected as a virus.

[Olof Lagerkvist]

v77,
 
I can't download the new version. Symantec Anti-Virus stops the download and deletes the file, as it's detected as a virus.

Such things happen now and then, unfortunately. Sometimes this solves itself over time with some future update. Sometimes someone need to tell them about it by sending a request for analyzing the download url. Sometimes it just takes a very long time to get it sorted out.

Anyway, the file does not seem to contain a real virus. You could always check with for example Virustotal online url scanner if you are unsure about it. https://www.virustotal.com/en/#file

There you could get a hint about a possible false-positive, for example if none or very few of the used engines report a virus and other say it is clean.

[ericgl]

Hi Olof,

 

It's probably a false positive. Could you (or v77) send a request to Symantec to allow this file?

[v77]

v77,

 

I can't download the new version. Symantec Anti-Virus stops the download and deletes the file, as it's detected as a virus.

 

Oh yes, I forgot to check with Virustotal, and it is... not very pretty.
Thanks a lot for the report, I will upload a new version as soon as I find what is wrong.

By the way, the very first version of the Toolkit could have had the same issue without some tricks...

[v77]

This will be difficult... 

 

About Symantec, this one is complaining because I removed some files from the driver (the needed files for IA-64 architecture). It seems that Symantec already knows the Olof's package and don't like that someone change something.
So, the remedy would be to restore them, but it would be a big fix (about 100 KB more for the installer)...

Suspicious.MH690.A is a detection technology designed to detect entirely new malware threats without traditional signatures. This technology is aimed at detecting malicious software that has been intentionally mutated or morphed by attackers.

So, with Symantec, repackaging is forbidden.

 

 

Most of the other alerts appear because of the use of SetServiceStatus function for the new service used in RamDiskUI.exe. This function is required to send proper messages to the service control manager. I tried to change some parameters, I even tried to use a dynamic call to the function, nothing works.

 

Edit: about the other alerts, I just found something: compiling without the -nostdlib switch fixes the problem, but the executable is 8 KB bigger. I will try to find something better.

Edited by v77, 25 August 2013 - 01:55 PM.

[v77]

Version 20130825
- restored support of IA-64 architecture, because of Symantec antivirus that forbids repackaging
- changed RamDiskUI.exe compilation switches to avoid several false positives of antivirus

 

 

Unfortunately, Symantec is too popular to just ignore it, and I cannot send them a request for each new version, this would be time consuming and I am not even sure that they accept my requests. Moreover, what they are using is too old (February 6, 2009) and they probably already had a lot of requests about it. So, I think there is nothing we can do.

About RamDiskUI.exe, I found another funny fix: instead of bringing back the CRT, simply compiling it as a console program. But we get the console window along with the GUI.

So, for now, this will make a bigger package (not so big after all), but at least, it works without too many false alerts of antivirus.

[steve6375]

http://www.metacafe....illa_daily_tip/

[v77]

http://www.metacafe....illa_daily_tip/

 

This video can also be found on youtube. Quite impressive. Thanks a lot to Tekzilla for this, I really much appreciate.

[v77]

Version 20130905
- RamDiskUI.exe: added the ability to mount several ramdisks at startup
- installer: in case of update, options are now checked according to the previous installation
- fix in RamDiskUI.exe: service used for startup was removed with the Unmount button even if you chose to keep it with the driver dialog boxes
- minor fixes and improvements
 

 

In this version, the ramdisk configuration tool adds the possibility to define several ramdisks at startup.
Except the tooltips, there is no change in the GUI. Simply define the ramdisks you want, one by one, with "Launch at Windows Startup" checked. To unregister one, use the "Unmount" button with the drive letter you want.

For RamDiskUI.exe, I now can use the previous compilation switches, because the false alerts of antivirus have gone in this version. Unfortunately, there is too many changes to find out why.

[lehusan]

Hi,

first I want to say - I really appreciate this toolkit, works sweet for me. But I have a little suggestion (not a request since it's a freeware ) - could You add an option to autocreate custom folders (beside "Temp") listed in a text file for example? Now i'm using sheduler task for this, but it would be nice to have it integrated within this utillity.

[v77]

Hi,

first I want to say - I really appreciate this toolkit, works sweet for me. But I have a little suggestion (not a request since it's a freeware ) - could You add an option to autocreate custom folders (beside "Temp") listed in a text file for example? Now i'm using sheduler task for this, but it would be nice to have it integrated within this utillity.

 

This would be a good idea, but in fact, you can already do that easily, but in another way: create the empty folders you want somewhere, gather them in a folder, and select this one in "Load Content from Image File or Folder", in the Advanced tab.

[lehusan]

This would be a good idea, but in fact, you can already do that easily, but in another way: create the empty folders you want somewhere, gather them in a folder, and select this one in "Load Content from Image File or Folder", in the Advanced tab.

This is even better of what I wanted, I didn't saw that option, because I was using an older build. Thanks for the tip 

Edited by lehusan, 26 November 2013 - 10:06 AM.

[mgutt]

Feature Requests:

1.) Allow the creating of multiple folders (not only "Temp")

2.) Instead of creating a 1:1 e.g. 4 GB image with only 10 MB content, it should create an image of the lowest possible value. This means if I click on the image creating the volume is shrinked in the background to the lowest possible value, then creates this small image and expands it again. On the next startup the steps are similar. It loads the small image and expands it to the configured value. This should be much faster.

3.) Set Browser Cache for Firefox, Chrome (is there a solution instead of adding --disk-cache-dir="R:" to all existing shortcuts?!), Opera, etc.

4.) Set Photoshop Cache (if installed)

5.) Disallow windows search indexing

6.) The Context menu should only be active if I use it on an *.img file or the ramdisk volume etc.

I hope you like some of the ideas.

Edited by mgutt, 13 December 2013 - 08:04 PM.

[v77]

Feature Requests:

1.) Allow the creating of multiple folders (not only "Temp")

2.) Instead of creating a 1:1 e.g. 4 GB image with only 10 MB content, it should create an image of the lowest possible value. This means if I click on the image creating the volume is shrinked in the background to the lowest possible value, then creates this small image and expands it again. On the next startup the steps are similar. It loads the small image and expands it to the configured value. This should be much faster.

3.) Set Browser Cache for Firefox, Chrome (is there a solution instead of adding --disk-cache-dir="R:" to all existing shortcuts?!), Opera, etc.

4.) Set Photoshop Cache (if installed)

5.) Disallow windows search indexing

6.) The Context menu should only be active if I use it on an *.img file or the ramdisk volume etc.

I hope you like some of the ideas.

 

Thanks for all these suggestions.

 

1) Already answered in message #61.

 

2) Same method as for the first point: use the field "Load Content from Image File or Folder" of the Advanced tab to load the data from a directory that you specify.

3 & 4) Each software has his own solutions and problems. For instance, about Firefox, you can disable the disk cache and increase the memory cache. And from a version to the next, location of the cache can change. This would be endless to handle that...

5) It seems that Windows doesn't index the ImDisk volumes. For the other volumes, this is not really related to ImDisk...

6) I agree, there is things to do about that. However, some of them require to implement a "shell extension": this is a lot of work for only a small feature. But I could at least try something without it for some file extensions...
For now, the "General Settings" of ImDisk Toolkit, in the Start menu, can completely disable the menu entries of ImDisk.


That said, as I am now able to write proxies for the driver, the next planned feature for the ramdisks could be very interesting...  But this will require some weeks.

[mgutt]

2.) If you create a volume with 4 GB then the image file is 4 GB. This slows down the startup time. Thats because I suggested a smaller image if it contains only a few files / folders and expand it afterwards.

3+4.) I know, but every software is only interesting for noobs if its easy to use. And of course the other ramdisk tools don't have it, so imDisk would have a unique feature. Of course it would cause problems on version changes, but all options could be optional and work without warranty. Maybe it would be interesting to add this as premium features for 5,- eur.

5.) Right click -> Properties shows enabled indexing?!

7.) Translation

[v77]

2.) If you create a volume with 4 GB then the image file is 4 GB. This slows down the startup time. Thats because I suggested a smaller image if it contains only a few files / folders and expand it afterwards.

3+4.) I know, but every software is only interesting for noobs if its easy to use. And of course the other ramdisk tools don't have it, so imDisk would have a unique feature. Of course it would cause problems on version changes, but all options could be optional and work without warranty. Maybe it would be interesting to add this as premium features for 5,- eur.

5.) Right click -> Properties shows enabled indexing?!

7.) Translation

 

2) You are not forced to specify an image file. Like I said, you can directly specify a directory. With this, you can build a large ramdisk with data very quickly, because only the files and directories you want are copied, not a whole image.

3 & 4) Don't worry, as far as I know, only one ramdisk software on Windows has the next planned feature, and I want something even better. But my goal is not to be the "number one", I just want to implement what I find useful and take my fun.
And yes, even with my financial difficulties, I want to make a tool completely free and open source.

5) Yes, you can find this flag for NTFS volumes. But it does not necessarily mean that the Windows Search service will index this volume. Starting from Vista, you can check the indexed folders in the Control Panel ("Indexing Options" in english).
But if the indexing is an issue for you, you should consider to completely disable the indexing service.

7) Yes... This will not be for right away... And even if I had the time and enough translators, I wonder if this would be very useful for a software like this.

[nhymxu]

I'm using windows 8.1 Pro, enabled .Net framework on program and feautures ( support .net from v2 to v4.5)

but when mount vmdk, vdi create from virtualbox. Alway request format partition.
Using winmount app, work well.

Who can help me?

 

Thanks!

[Sha0]

I'm using windows 8.1 Pro, enabled .Net framework on program and feautures ( support .net from v2 to v4.5)

but when mount vmdk, vdi create from virtualbox. Alway request format partition.
Using winmount app, work well.

VMware's VMDK and VirtualBox' VDI are different formats.

[v77]

I'm using windows 8.1 Pro, enabled .Net framework on program and feautures ( support .net from v2 to v4.5)

but when mount vmdk, vdi create from virtualbox. Alway request format partition.
Using winmount app, work well.

Who can help me?

 

Thanks!

 

This could occur if your image files don't have the correct extension, that is, .vmdk or .vdi. Is that the case?

[nhymxu]

This could occur if your image files don't have the correct extension, that is, .vmdk or .vdi. Is that the case?

correct? you kidding me? create virtual disk from virtualbox app. alway correct extension.

[Nethan]

Hi,

 

I was wondering if is it possible to create a PERMANENT CD drive, whatever there is an image loaded or not, this with Imdisk itself or with the help of your toolkit ?

 

In fact, I am not really sure of what is exactly the problem but an old software that I still got the 2 ISOs just refused to install. In short, at the moment that he asked to insert the 2nd disc, I ejected then mount it using the same drive letter than the first, then press "continue" but it seems that he "lost track" of the fake CD drive and was unable to see that I inserted it, and so I couldn't continue the installation.

 

I think that the short moment that the drive letter disappear - as any ejection with Imdisk remove the drive letter from the drive list - made him unable to continue. This reasoning is due to the fact that after some tries, I had to use an alternative mounting software (daemon tools) to be able to install it, and the only real difference I see is that at all times, the CD drive is online even if empty.

 

As I rarely use ISOs, it is not really a big problem and it is the first time I see that. I compensated by keeping a copy of the folder once installed, but I wonder if it is possible or not to do it to prevent any further similar bug.

Edited by Nethan, 12 January 2014 - 06:06 PM.

[Olof Lagerkvist]

I was wondering if is it possible to create a PERMANENT CD drive, whatever there is an image loaded or not, this with Imdisk itself or with the help of your toolkit ?

Unfortunately, ImDisk is not designed in a way that would make that easily possible. It lacks support for it at driver level so any Toolkit or similar would not be of any help. Of course driver could be modified to support it, but I fear it would mean lots of work for solving a very small and application-specific problem.

[Nethan]

Hi,

Thanks for your answer. I understand the reasons, and it is the first time I saw this curious behaviour but maybe the last too. I will keep a link somewhere to download a portable alternative if required.

[v77]

Version 20140119
- added dynamic memory management for ramdisks
- fix in RamDiskUI.exe: size limits beyond 10 GB were incorrect
- cosmetic: slightly reduced font size of RamDiskUI.exe

 

 

With this new version, you can now create ramdisks with dynamic memory management. This means for example that if you create a 2 GB ramdisk filled with 100 MB of files, memory consumption will be only a few more than 100 MB (the space required by the files and the file system).

 

This is done with a proxy, RamDyn.exe, which is compiled in 32 and 64-bit. Only the appropriate version is automatically installed.
Memory is allocated by block of 1 MB. Since there is currently no simple way to know if a file is deleted, memory is released when a block is filled with 0. After a time that can be set in the Advanced tab of the RamDisk Configuration Tool (for now 180 seconds by default), the drive is filled with a file with zero data, up to 90% of the total space of the drive in order to keep a security margin. As a result, blocks that were allocated for deleted files are released.

For now, please consider it as an experimental feature. There is almost no optimization and it could remain some bugs.

[Olof Lagerkvist]

I must say I really appreciate your work! Thanks a lot!