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Setting Registry pointer / Registry redirector


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#1 FloKo84

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Posted 30 May 2007 - 07:59 PM

Hi all, i have very good news! :confused1:

By accident i found this lovely little tool, that works exactly like the mysterious Qualystem registry redirector, on this german site:
WinFAQ #1826 - look for a download link for SETREG.COM

Usage:

SETREG.COM X:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT

even SETREG.COM X:\SYSTEM.DAT

(will find USER.DAT in the same dir)

This method allows to use:
  • A big and/or corrupted Registry (anyone have experience with SETMDIR :confused1: ?)
  • A dynamic-letter Ramdrive for the Registry only
  • No SYSTEM.TAT hacks
  • Blank / universal MSDOS.SYS
Ive been testing it successfully in MS-DOS, and its specifically for other DOS-variants too.
Dont thank me, praise the creator of this tool :confused1:

Flo

#2 was_jaclaz

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Posted 31 May 2007 - 05:40 PM

VERY good find! :confused1:

This could be the start of a real re-vamp of the Winimize project! :confused1:

jaclaz

#3 winimizer

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Posted 01 June 2007 - 12:44 PM

VERY good find! :confused1:

This could be the start of a real re-vamp of the Winimize project! :confused1:

jaclaz


Nice going FloKo !!! ---

I've been using a basic program to patch system.dat and user.dat, changing all instances of C: to W: , but this little program sounds like it could make life easier.

My turn to thank you --- Winimizer (aka Mr. Risch or MIke)

#4 FloKo84

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Posted 02 June 2007 - 08:14 PM

Nice going FloKo !!! ---

My turn to thank you --- Winimizer (aka Mr. Risch or MIke)

The master himself, and ive heared its been a long time too - i am so flattered :confused1:

I've been using a basic program to patch system.dat and user.dat, changing all instances of C: to W: , but this little program sounds like it could make life easier.

Patching in the compiled registry is risky to say the least, and exporting a patched .reg is really fast because both patching and exporting can happen on a Ramdrive.
For a nice CD-run Mindows, its still required because the CD letter can change.
My Mindows running on CD still gives me a couple of errors (see problems with CD access thread), but its functional. Anyway i prefer to run it off a Ramdrive.

Flo

#5 was_jaclaz

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Posted 03 June 2007 - 09:29 AM

For a nice CD-run Mindows, its still required because the CD letter can change.


I guess we could use, at least for the "standard" winimize, the same convention a "standard" PE has of having CD-ROM as X:\, a more advanced user could have the option to change this assignment.

I have never tried the winimize together with letter assigner:
http://www.v72735.f2s.com/LetAssig/

but it did work at the time I tried this CD-ROM "HD-like" tutorial:
http://www.geocities...eedatarecovery/

I presume that one way or the other, problems with letters assigned to drives can be solved.

jaclaz

#6 winimizer

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Posted 03 June 2007 - 01:39 PM

I guess we could use, at least for the "standard" winimize, the same convention a "standard" PE has of having CD-ROM as X:\, a more advanced user could have the option to change this assignment.

I have never tried the winimize together with letter assigner:
http://www.v72735.f2s.com/LetAssig/

but it did work at the time I tried this CD-ROM "HD-like" tutorial:
http://www.geocities...eedatarecovery/

I presume that one way or the other, problems with letters assigned to drives can be solved.

jaclaz

Hey Jaclaz and Flo ---

Just to make sure we are all on the same page, I'll give a brief synopsis of how I've been creating my Mindows installation for the last couple of years.

Firstly, of course, I create a min98 setup directory on hard disk using files from the min98.zip and the 95 and 98 CDs. I also change config.sys and autoexec.bat to mount the CD in Dos (assigned drive letter X) and create a ramdisk (assigned drive letter W). A friend likes to assign R: for Ramdisk and S: for Storage, but W: and X: seem to have taken hold.

Then I execute setup.exe, and allow the program to install as C:\Mindows. The next step is to
tweak the installation, and get it into some finalized form with drivers, applications, etc. in place.

Now is when I apply the registry patch to edit system.dat and user.dat, and change all instances of C:\ to W:\. Another step is to revise the files in the root of C: to make a boot floppy.

Then, using Nero (I have had success with versions 5, 5.5,and 6) I make a bootable CD
which boots into Dos from the floppy files, copies the Mindows directory on C: to W:, navigate to W:\Mindows and execute win.com. Voila.

All this may be laboriously obvious, but I want to make sure we are speaking the same language (English, in this case, which I have the advantage as having as my native tongue).

The only troubles I have had to date is drive A being recognized correctly - sometimes A: is seen as the floppy, sometimes as A: on the CD - sometimes opening A: produces a hang. In the case of A: being seen as the CD, the floppy is usually seen as B:.

I have remained blissfully unaware of the intricacies of El Torito, etc., as the default settings in Nero have always worked for me.

I'll try, using this as a base to give fuller instructions for the entire process. A "Thank You," "Danke," "Grazie," or whatever goes out to you both. Until the recent interest shown on Boot-land, I had lost interest, since I, like nature, abhor a vacuum.

Best --- Mike

#7 winimizer

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Posted 04 June 2007 - 02:29 AM

Consistent with my post immediately above, I booted a Mindows disk to Dos, copied system.dat and user.dat from W:\Mindows to C:\reg, deleted system.dat and user.dat in W:\Mindows, and then ran win.com. Using regedit, I then made a few changes to the registry, "dropped down" to Dos, and ran win.com once more. Now, back in Mindows, the changes to the registry were preserved.

The advantage : Since there is no resettable Ramdrive for Windows (a ramdisk that survives a reset), the use of Setreg provides a means of altering the registry each time Mindows is run. :confused1: Thanks again Flo!

#8 sheepdog

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Posted 07 June 2007 - 06:29 PM

Hi all, i have very good news! :1st:

By accident i found this lovely little tool, that works exactly like the mysterious Qualystem registry redirector, on this german site:
WinFAQ #1826 - look for a download link for SETREG.COM

Usage:

SETREG.COM X:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT

even SETREG.COM X:\SYSTEM.DAT

(will find USER.DAT in the same dir)

This method allows to use:
  • A big and/or corrupted Registry (anyone have experience with SETMDIR :thumbup: ?)
  • A dynamic-letter Ramdrive for the Registry only
  • No SYSTEM.TAT hacks
  • Blank / universal MSDOS.SYS
Ive been testing it successfully in MS-DOS, and its specifically for other DOS-variants too.
Dont thank me, praise the creator of this tool :thumbup:

Flo

Anybody able to translate that web site to english please, seems very interesting, I tried babelfish but it translated it to something more akin to an Allo Allo script

#9 FloKo84

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Posted 13 June 2007 - 12:36 AM

Anybody able to translate that web site to english please, seems very interesting, I tried babelfish but it translated it to something more akin to an Allo Allo script


The article describes creating a 32-bit DOS, by replacing Winows' 9x krnl386.exe with a flavor of command.com, it works like a permanently full-screen DOS-box.
The author says its rather unstable with sudden reboots. It supports "real" long file names as well as running console applications in their native environment.
The advantage of being able to use Windows hardware drivers is quickly reverted with them being platform-dependant, and command.com clearly doesnt offer auto-detection.

So in my conclusion, comparing features, setup precedure and stability, its still no match for freeware DOS utilities. Maybe except console support, but who needs these programs anyway.
If youre still interested, i would translate all steps for you.

Flo

#10 was_jaclaz

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Posted 13 June 2007 - 10:56 AM

Is the overall article connected to this:
http://www.boot-land...?...ic=2343&hl=

if yes, it would be VERY interesting if you could publish a translation of it.

:1st:

jaclaz

#11 FloKo84

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Posted 13 June 2007 - 09:37 PM

Is the overall article connected to this:
http://www.boot-land...?...ic=2343&hl=

if yes, it would be VERY interesting if you could publish a translation of it.

:1st:

jaclaz


Almost every guide ive seen talks about manually starting a renamed vmm32.exe, wich loads the krnl386.exe automatically. I believe vmm32 doesnt load the registry, so this procedure is the most basic one, which has advantages and disadvantages. This one loads the registry too, while avoiding soft-off problems = preferred method.

The WinFAQ guide take a more Windows-like approah, here the filelist with descriptions:
  • \dos.com
    renamed win.com
  • \system.ini
    should contain only " [386Enh]" at this point
  • \SYSTEM\vmm32.vxd
  • \SYSTEM\krnl386.exe
    renamed command.com
  • \SYSTEM\VMM32\ios.vxd
  • \SYSTEM\VMM32\ifsmgr.vxd
  • \SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\bigmem.drv
  • \SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\rmm.pdr
Problem: Registry
win.com (dos.com) will search for a registry, if none is found there will be error messages. The WinDos can live with an ampty registry, import a file with only
REGEDIT4
with "regedit /l:system.dat /r:user.dat /c <this file above>".
As always, make sure your normal %WinDir%is not in PATH, and use a modified MSDOS.SYS. Alternatively, use SETREG.

Problem: ATX shutdown
Once you exit WinDos, win.com triggers the soft-off command.

The author modified his win.com, i will lay out the steps here, assembler knowledge required:
Find the first call to function "APM 1.0+ Installation-Check" (ax = 5300h, int 15h) and modify, unsing a hex editor, the command "int 15h" (CD 15) to "cmp al, 15h" (3C 15). Now windows wont detect APM and display LOGOW.SYS and/or return to real DOS.

He includes the offset for the german Win98se, wich seems to be not only the same for english, but for Win98fe as well, its 0x1267 CD 15 => 3C 15
Havent tested myself, yet :thumbup:

Feature: Swapfile
Its possible to have a swapfile with the following system.ini
&#91;386Enh&#93;

ConservativeSwpafileUsage=1

PagingFile=&#40;dir; adjust to your setup&#41;

MinPagingFileSize=&#40;kb; adjust to your setup&#41;

MaxPagingFileSize=&#40;kb; adjust to your setup&#41;



&#91;vcache&#93;

MinFileCache=&#40;kb; adjust to your setup&#41;

MaxFileCache=&#40;kb; adjust to your setup&#41;


Feature: All files in same dir
To do this, you either need to use a hex editor, or know that edit.com can insert a NUL character with Ctrl+2 (not on numpad).
  • dos.com (win.com)
    "system\vmm32.vxd" => "vmm32.vxd<NUL>32.vxd"
  • ios.vxd
    "IOSUBSYS\*.vxd" => "IOSUB\..\*.vxd" (note by me: smart! though i would prefer "*.vxd<nul>")
  • vmm32.vxd
    "VMM32\*.VXD" => "VM\..\*.VXD"
Feature: CD-Rom (and other) drivers
You need to copy these drivers:
C&#58;\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\BIOS.VXD

C&#58;\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\PCI.VXD

C&#58;\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\CDFS.VXD

C&#58;\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\CDTSD.VXD

C&#58;\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\CDVSD.VXD

C&#58;\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\ESDI_506.PDR

C&#58;\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\VOLTRACK.VXD
And export/import these registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ENUM\BIOS

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ENUM\MF

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ENUM\PCI

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ENUM\Root

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\VCDFSD
He says some "irrelevant subkeys" need to be removed, they would produce error messages.

So, thats all there is in it (well i excluded some trivial batch examples).
If you ask me, i would either prefer the vmm32.exe method, or a real GUI with modified system.ini shell=

At least the shutdown fix is very useful, ive been using the version by MDGx to return to DOS on "restart in MS-DOS mode", and if it works this one is way better. Edit: Tested, but it doesnt work for me (in normal Windows) :thumbup:

I have no idea how this could be useful in any way. Please tell me what you think!

Flo

#12 winimizer

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Posted 15 June 2007 - 02:06 AM

Flo ---

I long ago took this off the site, but I was down a similar road, and had on my site the following:

http://www.winimize.com/xdos.html

Likewise, I don't know if any of this is useful.

I got the inspiration from Andrew Schulman's 'Unauthorized Windows."

--- Mike

#13 was_jaclaz

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Posted 15 June 2007 - 09:34 AM

What I am really failing to see is how we can turn this into a "PORTABLE" solution, as Mike's report and the links I posted on this thread here:
http://www.boot-land...?...pic=623&hl=
suggest, though this one:
http://www.helpwithw...iles/vmm32.html
seem to lead to opposite conclusions.

Now, mind you I may be completely and totally wrong, but what happens if we put a series of .vxd files into the \system\vmm32 and we just make an empty or "dummy" vmm32.vxd?

Should the winimize project build on-the-spot a specific vmm32.vxd, would it give an advantage (speed, stability, reduced size)?

Is there a similar way for Win 3.x (stilll trying to find a way to "complete" the minibox project)?

Yeah, I know everyone is talking about VISTA nowadays, and even if VistaPE and Winbuilder projects LiveXP and NativeEx are really great, still when you happen to have elder machines, to be repaired or just to be hacked into something else for the fun of it, a Winimize or a Minibox will come handy.

Maybe the original idea of Minibox, (basing it on Win98 files) is flawed and we should look back at Win95 sources?

Would any file coming from Win32S be useful?

Any idea, link, anything that can help answer these questions is welcome, and I am not talking just to Floko84 and winimizer, the game is open to all members. :1st:

jaclaz

#14 sheepdog

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Posted 15 June 2007 - 06:30 PM

What I am really failing to see is how we can turn this into a "PORTABLE" solution, as Mike's report and the links I posted on this thread here:
http://www.boot-land...?...pic=623&hl=
suggest, though this one:
http://www.helpwithw...iles/vmm32.html
seem to lead to opposite conclusions.

Now, mind you I may be completely and totally wrong, but what happens if we put a series of .vxd files into the \system\vmm32 and we just make an empty or "dummy" vmm32.vxd?

Should the winimize project build on-the-spot a specific vmm32.vxd, would it give an advantage (speed, stability, reduced size)?

Is there a similar way for Win 3.x (stilll trying to find a way to "complete" the minibox project)?

Yeah, I know everyone is talking about VISTA nowadays, and even if VistaPE and Winbuilder projects LiveXP and NativeEx are really great, still when you happen to have elder machines, to be repaired or just to be hacked into something else for the fun of it, a Winimize or a Minibox will come handy.

Maybe the original idea of Minibox, (basing it on Win98 files) is flawed and we should look back at Win95 sources?

Would any file coming from Win32S be useful?

Any idea, link, anything that can help answer these questions is welcome, and I am not talking just to Floko84 and winimizer, the game is open to all members. :1st:

jaclaz

Thank you flok for your translation, mike i sent a pm does not seem to have posted it to you though, sorry. Regarding vmm32.vxd on my test win9x it has a size of 834kb, which can have about 70kb shaved from it using vxdlib. But combining it with compression software (needs program to enable it to run from dos boot, upper memory manager etc) I have the file size down to 468kb from an unpacked 2meg file. Problem being it requires quite a lot of time and 512m memory to perform this, this was no problem for me though as a long time ago I wanted a proof of concept that mindows could be put onto 1 floppy disk, all be it formated to 1.7mb. This happened and booted fine from the floppy to the ramdisk, it only had basic functionality but achieved what I desired. Like I say this was some time ago and on one of my old machines somewhere.
For portability I guess you have already considered installling the os to the ramdisk, subst.exe etc stopping the install by mikes renaming of setupx to make a universal barebones sysyem,which will run on any machine, or creating an image from it, then using memdisk to launch that file. I also messed about with this, as i wanted my own version of hyperos. The system really booted fast once the image was copied over.All the best

#15 FloKo84

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Posted 15 June 2007 - 08:27 PM

Now, mind you I may be completely and totally wrong, but what happens if we put a series of .vxd files into the \system\vmm32 and we just make an empty or "dummy" vmm32.vxd?

I did this once, and the empy vmm32 loads all required vxds from \vmm32 (its a long list! thankfully the error messages putting an empty vmm32 come all at once, so you know which to copy from cabs) - but i didnt pay attention if it actually integrated them at that time :thumbup:
At least its easy to reproduce, but ive had enough of Windows for now so someone else should test that :thumbup:
If it doesnt (my bet), the seperate vxds take maybe 150% of the space of a complete vmm32.vxd

Oh, and i would say its time for a new thread :1st:

Flo

#16 MedEvil

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Posted 10 August 2007 - 12:09 AM

Since there is no resettable Ramdrive for Windows (a ramdisk that survives a reset), the use of Setreg provides a means of altering the registry each time Mindows is run.


:) Isn't a DOS resettable Ramdrive sufficient for your purposes?

:yahoo:




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