16 replies to this topic

[fuwi]

currently (in my spare time) i'm programming an all-in one-GUI for MbrFix (from http://www.sysint.no)
and for bootsect.exe (from Microsoft Vista).

The Startscreen looks like this:


fuwi

[TheHive]

Nice clean Gui. It will make a great addition.
Just a suggestion. Since the middle upper right button Maximize is not being used, Can you instead put a small question mark that when click gives explanations to what MBR is and what Partition Boot code is.

What is Partition Boot Code?

[fuwi]

What is  Partition Boot Code?

"Partition Boot Code" means the Bootsector, see jaclaz posting above.

is this more clear?


fuwi

[MedEvil]

I think you could leave the >code< part out of the descriptions.

[Brito]

Good work!

But shouldn't you have posted this GUI on the project forge section?
http://www.boot-land...s/?showforum=64

Keep it up!

[was_jaclaz]

Good work!

But shouldn't you have posted this GUI on the project forge section?
http://www.boot-land...s/?showforum=64

Keep it up!

Actually there is not (yet ) ANY GUI, fuwi posted in another thread:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=4476
and I moved it here to a new topic, as it had no or little relevance there.



jaclaz

[TheHive]

What is  Partition Boot Code?

"Partition Boot Code" means the Bootsector, see jaclaz posting above.

is this more clear?


fuwi

This one is better because I can find info on the Bootsector, but I could not find any info on Partition Boot Code.

[was_jaclaz]

Just to clarify:

The MBR is the first sector of a hard disk.

The bootsector is the first sector (several sectors in the case of NTFS) of a partition.

BOTH MBR and bootsector have a "dual" nature, a part that is "static" and a part that is "dynamic".

The "static" part is boot code, and given an Operating System and filesystem (and in some cases language), it will be exactly the same on all hard disks partitioned and/or formatted on that OS.

The "dynamic" part is composed of addresses, labels, serials, signatures, that are peculiar to each hard disk and that will always, at least partially, be different between two identical hard disks partitioned and/ir formatted with the same OS.

The MBR has mainly three parts:
1) Boot code - static (within same language)
2) Partition data or partition table - dynamic
3) Disk signature (only on NT/2K/XP/2003/Vista) - dynamic

The bootsector has manly four parts:
1) Boot code - static (within same language)
2) Partition and filesystem data - dynamic
3) Volume serial - dynamic
4) Volume label - dynamic

MBRfix is capable, KEEPING the dynamic data UNCHANGED, to rewrite the static data of the MBR of a HD, be aware that it will refresh or rewrite English code.

Bootsect.exe is capable, KEEPING the dynamic data UNCHANGED, to rewrite the static data of the Bootsector of a partition, be aware that it will refresh or rewrite code in the language of the source.

Programs like PTEDIT, PTEDIT32, BEEBLEBROX, MBRWIZARD, Roadkil's BOOTBUILDER, are aimed mainly to the opposite, i.e. to changing the dynamic data keeping the static ones UNCHANGED.

In the context of this app:
bootsector code=partition boot code
MBR code = HD boot code

first terms are more accurate.

jaclaz

[ktp]

Be careful : with latest version of MBRfix, using the fixbootsector option, I experienced twice the writing of boot sector to wrong hard disk. MBRfix use drive number and partition number (use mbrfix /drive n driveinfo, mbrfix /drive n listpartitions command first to check).

I did check carefully the drive number and partition number before using the write option (fixbootsector). But MBRfix writes to wrong hard disk (not the drive number I put in the command). So be very careful with this new option, and always backup first the boot sector, then double check the final result afterwards, unplug and replug and check if necessary for external hard disks, since otherwise the problem will be observed only on next reboot or next plug-in.

[was_jaclaz]

Be careful : with latest version of MBRfix, using the fixbootsector option, I experienced twice the writing of boot sector to wrong hard disk. MBRfix use drive number and partition number (use mbrfix /drive n driveinfo, mbrfix /drive n listpartitions command first to check).

That appears like a SERIOUS bug, did you notice Kaare Smith about it?

jaclaz

[ktp]

Well I have to find out his email address :-).
By the way, on writing boot sector with mbrfix fixbootsector option (to set WIn98-type boot sector), I always checked immediately with HDhacker for the result, and always verify that the target hard disk access light is ON during boot sector write operation. This is how I found the problem (no disk light access on expected hard disk), and no change on boot sector of target disk.

Few days ago I discovered the problem first time, after replug my external disk. I was forced to use Testdisk and chkdsk to recover my NTFS disk (since it boot sector was overwritten with FAT32 Win98 one!).

I believe the bug was due to presence of identical hard disks model (same manufacturer, same capacity), so same idenrification string. Somehow mbrfix did not only base on the drivenum for operation.

[was_jaclaz]

Well I have to find out his email address :-).

Post a comment here:
http://www.sysint.no...US/Default.aspx

jaclaz

[wendy]

Should be able to save/load boot-sectors from other operating systems, eg MS-DOS, PC-DOS, Lilo. Alternately, support an option that allows one to save/write boot-sector files.

Add the ability to write to a boot-disk, and ye have also a proggie that can "SYS" boot-disks.

[fuwi]

sorry for the long delay...

here is the final version of my Boot Code Restoration Wizard: http://www.fuwi.ethz.ch

fuwi

[Lancelot]

Nice collection fuwi, thanks for sharing

[was_jaclaz]

sorry for the long delay...

here is the final version of my Boot Code Restoration Wizard: http://www.fuwi.ethz.ch

fuwi

I told you were a bit late!

There is a new version of MBRFIX:
http://www.msfn.org/...o...30378&st=57

MBRFix.exe has been updated.

v1.3.0.0 changelog

- Fixed bug in the fixbootsector command, which always wrote to drive 0.
- Added support for Windows 7 MBR.

Get it here: http://www.sysint.no...US/Default.aspx

Cheers

I guess we should call the current GUI thingy the pre-final version.



jaclaz

[fuwi]

There is a new version of MBRFIX:
http://www.msfn.org/...o...30378&st=57

Get it here: http://www.sysint.no...US/Default.aspx

Thanks jaclaz!

fuwi