Official MediCat USB - A Multiboot Linux USB for PC Repair

[CardcaptorRLH85]

No promises, but I'm trying my best. This is my third attempt at an EFI version, and so far it's confusing and frustrating.

Hey, excellent work on this tool! I was wondering if you've made any progress on this front for the upcoming 20.04 release. I just got a new 128GB USB drive from Amazon and I'm wondering if I should just install 18.10 again or if I should wait one (or more) week(s) for your next version.

Again, thanks for all you do!

 

[Chansm]

Hey, excellent work on this tool! I was wondering if you've made any progress on this front for the upcoming 20.04 release. I just got a new 128GB USB drive from Amazon and I'm wondering if I should just install 18.10 again or if I should wait one (or more) week(s) for your next version.

Again, thanks for all you do!

Hope the new version will have mini Win10 integrated on same image. I do not seem to be able to make min10 work by copying the files in 19.10 version. I either get min win 10 or windows recovery. So I have to switch BCD file each time depending on which one I need.

 

[mageezer_06]

I can't access the Installation part of the image. It comes up with some kind of grub4dos text instead of a grub4dos boot menu. I also looked inside the iso and there was nothing in the InstallWindows10 folder.

 

[FadeMind]

Hello, please in future version merge TotalCommander or DoubleCommander app for better manage files.
Alternative for legacy 7zip app is boosted 7-zip-zstd with a lot more compression options.
Regards

 

[BuxB]

Hey @Jayro , am I on the right track when I say that you might appreciate some help with this project?

 

[BuxB]

@Jayro @Chansm @Ruizito , I figured the combined version with both bootable linux and mini Win 10 out (main_menu.cfg edits, two BCDs for leagcy BIOS booting). I need to clean up now and turn this into a proper contribution archive.

Also I know and verified how to have the combined version be *both*, legacy and UEFI BIOS compatible/ bootable (for which the FS has to be FAT32... [in addition to the MBR partition scheme]).

It's too late now for that and tomorrow is fully booked, so give me a day or two. Just that you know no more efforts need to BE put into this, it's solved

 

[OMGWTFBBQWAFFLE]

I STOPPED burning your MiniCAT DVD because the Portable Apps were detecting as viruses
Please FIX

DriveHiveEngine.dll
Auslogics.Driver.Update.1.15.Portable

and

SetupCustom.dll
from Auslogics.Driver.Update.1.15.Portable

This is all using WinUSB.exe ( or perhaps WinUSB is injecting viruses )

Proof:
ibb.co/7kPx3vh
ibb.co/x543GMz

 

[Chansm]

Great. Thanks.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I STOPPED burning your MiniCAT DVD because the Portable Apps were detecting as viruses
Please FIX

DriveHiveEngine.dll
Auslogics.Driver.Update.1.15.Portable

and

SetupCustom.dll
from Auslogics.Driver.Update.1.15.Portable

This is all using WinUSB.exe ( or perhaps WinUSB is injecting viruses )

Proof:
ibb.co/7kPx3vh
ibb.co/x543GMz

Just delete this 2 portable application will do. Not much use if boot from USB or DVD as you do not get the update in real.

 

[CardcaptorRLH85]

I STOPPED burning your MiniCAT DVD because the Portable Apps were detecting as viruses
Please FIX

DriveHiveEngine.dll
Auslogics.Driver.Update.1.15.Portable

and

SetupCustom.dll
from Auslogics.Driver.Update.1.15.Portable

This is all using WinUSB.exe ( or perhaps WinUSB is injecting viruses )

Proof:
ibb.co/7kPx3vh
ibb.co/x543GMz

Many system repair tools trigger all kinds of virus alerts. In my case, Sophos was actually deleting files from my USB drives until I added a few exceptions. In your case, both files are included in the Auslogics Driver Update program but, it's seen as a "potentially unwanted program" because of their monetization strategy. Simply put, when installed, it tries to convince you to purchase its full version by telling you about a bunch of issues that aren't really there. However, as a portable app, you can use it to install updated device drivers just fine.

 

[BuxB]

Yahoo, both parts are done and working beautifully, BIOS and EFI. BIOS with two BCDs, one for Recovery, one for Mini Win 10 PE, and one combined EFI BCD (for now/ to start with). MS DaRT now also works in UEFI mode.

I also applied some improvements to main_menu.cfg for quicker booting of the Windows modules, omitting Grub4DOS.

It's again already too late now for the final upload - I know I'll make some mistakes or miss something, thus shooting for tomorrow.

.. but for the curious ones, here's a preview :

LABEL Windows 10
MENU LABEL Mini Windows 10 PE x64
com32 linux.c32
APPEND /wimboot initrdfile=/MiniWin10PE/bootmgr,/MiniWin10PE/bootmgr.exe,/MiniWin10PE/boot/bcd,/boot/boot.sdi,/sources/boot.wim
text help
                         Boot into Mini Windows 10 PE 64bit
endtext

label Windows Recovery
    menu label Windows Recovery (7, 8.1, 10) ==>
#      kernel /boot/grub.exe
    COM32 chain.c32 ntldr=BOOTMGR
#      APPEND --config-file="find --set-root /Win10PE.cd; chainloader /bootmgr"
    APPEND fs
text help
                         Boot into Windows Windows Recovery with MS DaRT [WinRE_x64]
endtext

Folks, again be aware that EFI can NOT work with NTFS directly, and GPT + FAT32 is NOT a good choice at all, either, for legacy BIOS booting, so Rufus is a bad choice to begin with!!! If your MediCat USB flash drive is currently formatted NTFS, use the free Macrorit NTFS to FAT32 Converter to convert it to FAT32 - it's super fast and reliable. The MBR is maintained, just the PBR must be rewritten back to SysLinux 6.0.3. For that sake use the free BootICE utility: choose your MediCat USB as destination disk, button "Process PBR", choose "SysLinux 6.0.3", click onto the "Install/ Config" button => Reboot and test.

(don't have enough privs yet to post links, but you'll easily find Macrorit NTFS to FAT32 Converter and BootICE yourself via Google)

More tomorrow.

 

[CardcaptorRLH85]

Yahoo, both parts are done and working beautifully, BIOS and EFI. BIOS with two BCDs, one for Recovery, one for Mini Win 10 PE, and one combined EFI BCD (for now/ to start with). MS DaRT now also works in UEFI mode.

I also applied some improvements to main_menu.cfg for quicker booting of the Windows modules, omitting Grub4DOS.

It's again already too late now for the final upload - I know I'll make some mistakes or miss something, thus shooting for tomorrow.

.. but for the curious ones, here's a preview :

LABEL Windows 10
MENU LABEL Mini Windows 10 PE x64
com32 linux.c32
APPEND /wimboot initrdfile=/MiniWin10PE/bootmgr,/MiniWin10PE/bootmgr.exe,/MiniWin10PE/boot/bcd,/boot/boot.sdi,/sources/boot.wim
text help
                         Boot into Mini Windows 10 PE 64bit
endtext

label Windows Recovery
    menu label Windows Recovery (7, 8.1, 10) ==>
#      kernel /boot/grub.exe
    COM32 chain.c32 ntldr=BOOTMGR
#      APPEND --config-file="find --set-root /Win10PE.cd; chainloader /bootmgr"
    APPEND fs
text help
                         Boot into Windows Windows Recovery with MS DaRT [WinRE_x64]
endtext

Folks, again be aware that EFI can NOT work with NTFS directly, and GPT + FAT32 is NOT a good choice at all, either, for legacy BIOS booting, so Rufus is a bad choice to begin with!!! If your MediCat USB flash drive is currently formatted NTFS, use the free Macrorit NTFS to FAT32 Converter to convert it to FAT32 - it's super fast and reliable. The MBR is maintained, just the PBR must be rewritten back to SysLinux 6.0.3. For that sake use the free BootICE utility: choose your MediCat USB as destination disk, button "Process PBR", choose "SysLinux 6.0.3", click onto the "Install/ Config" button => Reboot and test.

(don't have enough privs yet to post links, but you'll easily find Macrorit NTFS to FAT32 Converter and BootICE yourself via Google)

More tomorrow.

Right now, I'm willing to completely re-flash my MediCat USB drive if you've gotten this all figured out. What program do you recommend to do so since you've said that you don't recommend Rufus.

 

[BuxB]

@CardcaptorRLH85 : no utility at all because NONE of them (and I think I tested them all, hours waist of time to gain this conclusion). Simply mount ("attach") the images, format your USB MBR + FAT32, copy over with your fav file manager. I use Total Commander because of "skip files & folders if they already exist". Then set MBR and PBR with BootICE. Medicat's MBR is unknown to BootICE (and I'd like to know what it is - @Jayro ?), so I'll provide it as an exported backup which everybody can then restore with BootICE.

Not sure what my girlfriend's plans are for tonite, so I expect to share the final updater tonite or tomorrow. I'd rather do it right rather than misuse people here as beta-testers and raise unnecessary questions.

 

[BuxB]

I tried a few more tools aiming to facilitate writing medicat_v19.10.stable.iso to flash drive and disk, but they all are (and I'd claim must be) failing because the .ISO appears to be mal-formatted NTFS internally, which is a no-go for UEFI.

This again ate up all my time tonite so I'll shoot for another day for the final 19.20 update release hopefully tomorrow. Good news it's all working really fine. Nite .. zzz

 

[BuxB]

I'm constantly running out of time trying to fix this repo.. still haven't found time to do a proper write-up with all instructions.. So I'll just provide the current state w/o manual and therefore labeled it MediCat 19.20 pre-release 2020-05-02. Remember, MBR + FAT32 as a obligatory pre-requisite!!!!! Then BootICE MBR UltraISO, PBR SysLinux 6.0.3.

@Jayro @CardcaptorRLH85 @Chansm @Ruizito

 

[evanultra01]

edit: google drive bypassed, it is all good now

 

[mesrine_29]

Great job !!!

 

[evanultra01]

How do I add an additional ISO to the "bootable operating systems" menu (for the medicat iso, not min10)?

 

[BuxB]

In general, folks, please stick with the way Jayro has intended this boot release, which is extracted as open files and folders. That esp. applies to the Win PE part to be copied over into the Linux based part, skipping existing files, then use my 19.20 updater from above. That way we can update the portable apps because they are physically updated on the boot volume (NOT in the RAM part), so they remain updated ever after reboot. Needless to say this would NOT work if WinPE was booted from a mapped .ISO. Also .ISO mapping takes time...

@x65943 please leave my comment because I left it as general and plausible as possible. I decided to point this out because I still found recommendations across this thread to use the .ISO approach from people who do not know what they're talking about ..

 

[Chansm]

@Jayro @Chansm @Ruizito , I figured the combined version with both bootable linux and mini Win 10 out (main_menu.cfg edits, two BCDs for leagcy BIOS booting). I need to clean up now and turn this into a proper contribution archive.

Also I know and verified how to have the combined version be *both*, legacy and UEFI BIOS compatible/ bootable (for which the FS has to be FAT32... [in addition to the MBR partition scheme]).

It's too late now for that and tomorrow is fully booked, so give me a day or two. Just that you know no more efforts need to BE put into this, it's solved

Great, currently I just switch between the 2 bcd file in \boot directory using the same menu "Windows Recovery (7,8.1,10)" menu

 

[Smexhy]

Thought updates are every april and october, what happend?