46 replies to this topic

[phox]

I have a feeling that this post generates very interesting discussion about
potentially promising feature for further development of WinBuilder.

@Olof,

Could you please, publish some GUI for ImDisk, so that non command language
oriented members could taste goodies of your product.

Thank you.

[was_jaclaz]

phox,
FYI IMDISK already has a GUI, in the form of a .cpl file that is installed in Control Panel.

Nuno took a screenshot at it, you can see it here:
http://www.911cd.net...o...=19711&st=2

It covers all the normal operations.

jaclaz

[TheHive]

I tried in BartPE XPE and it works. Ofcourse using gui myself after paraglider mentioned it was in the control panel. Its very good.

I love that you can make it removable, CD type or HD type. Excellent!
I would be cool if some one created a virtual CDRW type.

[phox]

phox,
FYI IMDISK already has a GUI, in the form of a .cpl file that is installed in Control Panel.

It covers all the normal operations.

jaclaz

Thank you! I found it and it's great.

[ispy]

Hi Olof LagerKvist ,

I know maybe this is not the right time or place to post a request for features within Imdisk & maybe this request may have been better coming from someone with more technical know how but can I ask for some cross platform co-operation with tinybit the author of Grub4Dos so that there would be a viable freeware alternative for BootSDI.

I have been discussing this subject with Jaclaz in the main at this link:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=5512

Also I have not approached tinyBit about this suject but I feel there is a forthcoming hole that would be nice to plug in respect of freeware BootSDI. If both programs were to communicate in the right way rambooting would be a mainstream reality. I would of course offer my services in any way I could e.g. tutorial writing or testing?

Regards & Respect,

ispy

[TheHive]

FUSE under Windows XP and Vista?, Provides for a "translation" to avoid writing Kernel drivers
http://www.boot-land...?...ost&p=39125

[mk_steve]

Hi,

Got a small prob. I can't get imdisk to start during the boot sequence of my win xp. I have read the threads on the topics on this forum but don't fully understand them all. I have looked at the .inf file posted here with registry entries for using imdisk on a BartPE disk but I couldn't migrate it to my win xp and couldn't get the ramdrive to start up.

Anyone got a ready made .reg or .inf for win xp so I can use imdisk on my win xp? I am currently using gavotte's rramdisk but it doesn't work with ntfs and even the updated versions (25.1.08) don't work with ntfs. I would prefer to use imdisk. Even just a list of registry changes to make will suffice to load imdisk drive during the boot sequence before the kernel starts.

ta
steve

[maanu]

why not use the following script ( i suppose u have not used it yet )

http://livexp.boot-land.net/LiveXP/Basic/Shells/Addons/ImDisk.Script

[was_jaclaz]

Got a small prob. I can't get imdisk to start during the boot sequence of my win xp. I have read the threads on the topics on this forum but don't fully understand them all.

It's not such a small prob.

IMDISK, right now is NOT able to load that early.

This is more or less what the threads around say.

Read this one, maybe it's clearer:
http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=19960

Or do you mean that you cannot have it start automatically?

If yes, see here:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=5149
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=3183

jaclaz

[was_jaclaz]

why not use the following script ( i suppose u have not used it yet )

http://livexp.boot-land.net/LiveXP/Basic/Shells/Addons/ImDisk.Script

And it works on XP? Or on PE's ONLY?

jaclaz

[mk_steve]

I have read the replies and other posts. Can't say as I fully understand them - far from it. I think in much simpler terms so I don't really see what the issue is. Clearly this subject is more complex than I realise.

However as I see it, Gavotte's rramdisk starts at boot, it just doesn't work with NTFS. So what is rramdisk doing that imdisk does not and why can't imdisk do likewise with respect to starting during the boot? Are they not similar things just with different features; ie red apples and green apples are still apples.

or is this too simple minded?

[was_jaclaz]

or is this too simple minded?

NO, it is just "vague".

At the moment I do not understand, and though rather unpolite to say so, mainly because you completely fail to give details, WHICH is the question.

If the problem is Autostart, I gave you the link, or however, once IMDISK is installed,
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=3183

sc config imdisk start= auto

If the problem is something else , maybe if I can understand the question, I will be able to provide an answer.



jaclaz

[mk_steve]

Sorry!!! I didn't think it was vague. You're the one complicating the issue. I said imdisk doesn't start during the boot sequence before the kernel loads. You answered that by saying it doesn't.

"IMDISK, right now is NOT able to load that early"
,you said. That's the answer to my question, thank you.

I then followed up with I don't see why it shouldn't be able to. Gavotte's rramdisk starts during the boot so why not imdisk? You continue to complicate the issue. Forget the autostart question, which is yours not mine. You clearly knew what I was asking cos you answered it but then decided to think I was asking something else. I didn't bring it up, you did. Please don't complicate your life and then tell me it's my fault for being vague.

I have my answer. It doesn't do it. OK, so imdisk ain't so good after all. It has been weighed and found to be wanting. That's life. I'll get over it.

I don't need any more answers, thank you.

[MedEvil]

I said imdisk doesn't start during the boot sequence before the kernel loads.
I then followed up with I don't see why it shouldn't be able to. Gavotte's rramdisk starts during the boot so why not imdisk?

Gavotte's Ramdisk starts before the Kernel?
How do you know that and what for do you need a ramdisk, that early in the boot process?

[was_jaclaz]

Sorry!!! I didn't think it was vague. You're the one complicating the issue. I said imdisk doesn't start during the boot sequence before the kernel loads. You answered that by saying it doesn't.
....
I have my answer. It doesn't do it. OK, so imdisk ain't so good after all. It has been weighed and found to be wanting. That's life. I'll get over it.

I don't need any more answers, thank you.

You are welcome.

Didn't mean to complicate anything , simply wasn't sure what the problem was.

And till now I don't understand it, I know I am tough , but still, I would be curious to know HOW/for WHAT you are using Gavotte's Ramdisk.

I mean, if you follow the phylosophy of the "common sense advice" attached to Rules:
http://www.boot-land...?act=boardrules
points #f1. and #f2., it may be possible that the actual problem you are having can be solved, using IMDISK or another tool.

To explain the "why", Gavotte's Ramdisk is more similar to (but not fully) a Miniport driver, i.e. it "resembles" a hardware device.
IMDISK is more similar to a a filesystem driver, i.e. it operates/connects at a "higher" level than Gavotte's.

There is a whole thread dedicated to listing known similar drivers:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=1507

maybe you can find there something that suits you.




jaclaz

[Maniaxx]

Hallo,
is imdisk a 64bit application that can create ramdisks larger than 4gb size?

[paraglider]

Did you read:

http://www.ltr-data....ode.html#ImDisk

Here is what it says:

Special note for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7
On Vista and Server 2008 you need to either turn off UAC, User Access Control, or setup the driver to auto-load on system startup..

About turning off UAC: http://blogs.msdn.co.../20/763275.aspx
-- or --
Set the ImDisk driver to auto-load at Command Prompt: sc config imdisk start= auto
or set the ImDisk driver to auto-load using GUI: Open Device Manager, View -> Show hidden devices. Under "Non-plug-and-play devices" right-click ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver and select properties. On the "Driver" tab, change start type to Automatic.

Using either solution it should work after next reboot.

Special note specifically for 64-bit editions only of Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7
Please note that 64-bit versions of ImDisk has not been fully tested but they share source code with the 32-bit version so they should be as stable as the 32-bit version.

The 64-bit driver files included in the install package will not load on 64-bit Vista or 64-bit Server 2008 unless the machine is running with testsigning switched on (type bcdedit /set testsigning on at Command Prompt and reboot to activate this). Testsigning mode means that 64-bit Windows will load drivers signed with test certificates and not only certificates backed by a trusted root certificate. The driver files are signed with my test certificate which can be imported to the Trusted Root Certification Authorities on the 64-bit Windows machine. You can download the test certificate here. This applies to 64-bit Vista and 64-bit Server 2008, it is not necessary on 64-bit Server 2003 or 64-bit XP where the driver will load automatically.

[Maniaxx]

Thanks, i somewhat missed the point about a separate driver.

[JonF]

64-bit driver files included in the install package will not load on 64-bit Vista or 64-bit Server 2008 unless the machine is running with testsigning switched on (type bcdedit /set testsigning on at Command Prompt and reboot to activate this). Testsigning mode means that 64-bit Windows will load drivers signed with test certificates and not only certificates backed by a trusted root certificate. The driver files are signed with my test certificate which can be imported to the Trusted Root Certification Authorities on the 64-bit Windows machine. You can download the test certificate here. This applies to 64-bit Vista and 64-bit Server 2008, it is not necessary on 64-bit Server 2003 or 64-bit XP where the driver will load automatically.

UAC is off. I can get IMDisk to load with bcdedit /set testsigning on, but then I get the dreaded "Test mode" watermarks, and I don't want that. I imported the certificate into the computer account under Trusted Root Certification Authorities and I see it there, issued to ltr-data.se(Test). When I try to mount an image I get "Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file..." and it fails.

???

[karyonix]

UAC is off. I can get IMDisk to load with bcdedit /set testsigning on, but then I get the dreaded "Test mode" watermarks, and I don't want that. I imported the certificate into the computer account under Trusted Root Certification Authorities and I see it there, issued to ltr-data.se(Test). When I try to mount an image I get "Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file..." and it fails.

???

You mean it fails in test mode or it fails when you turn off test mode ?
Test mode cannot be avoided unless a company that has Code Signing Certificate for Microsoft Authenticode signs .sys file for you. It has been discussed in another thread http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=8342

[was_jaclaz]

All the "nuisance" is the Watermarks?

If it is and you are sure of what you are doing, you can modify user32.dll.mui to remove tha watermarks or patch user32.dll to think the desktop has already been painted with the watermark.

http://tinyurl.com/yjnwvyt




jaclaz

[franner]

hello all,

I got imdisk working, loading image, unloading and saving, thats no problem.
My problem is now to let the image load at bootup/windows startup.

I have tried following your guide but I think I am missing something.
I run windows server 2008 r2 x64. I have enabled the imdisk service to autostart, that works fine.
But I cannot get the registry settings to work and I followed your guide as good as I could.
I want to mount the image: C:\04.img
to the drive: z:\
Drive size: 5G

This are my exported registry keys (I made them myself following your steps):

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\ImDisk\Parameters]

"LoadDevices"=dword:00000001

"FileName0"="c:\\04.img"

"DriveLetter0"="Z"

"Size0"=hex(b):00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

If someone else got an registry output of a working autoboot imdisk I would be very interested. Or if you can help me solve this problem it would be very appreciated.

Thanks for listening and I hope you can help me out
I found the solution:
change "c:\04.img" to "\DosDevices\c:\04.img"

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\ImDisk\Parameters]

"LoadDevices"=dword:00000001

"FileName0"="\\DosDevices\\c:\\04.img"

"DriveLetter0"="Z"

"Size0"=hex(b):00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

Edited by franner, 29 September 2010 - 09:28 AM.