Welcome to GBAtemp Project Spotlight, where we shine the spotlight on the incredible creations and projects from within the GBAtemp community. For our first issue we're taking a look at MediCat USB by GBAtemp member @Jayro

MediCat USB

✔ Project is still active.
✔ This project is absolutely free to use; I do not charge anything for MediCat USB.
✔ The full MediCat USB aims to replace Hiren's Boot CD/DVD, for bleeding edge computers.
✔ Derivative projects are allowed and encouraged.
✔ MediCat USB is clean of viruses, malware, or any kind of malicious code.
✔ Modify MediCat's ISOs and menus as you see fit!
✔ USB bootable using ImageUSB.
✔ Supports Legacy BIOS (CSM) and UEFI
✔ Now has a page on http://alternativeto.net/software/medicat-dvd/
✔ Gluten-free, non-GMO, gender neutral, and no trans-fats!

What is MediCat USB?

Made by GBAtemp member @Jayro , MediCat USB is a bootable operating system that is loaded with useful PC tools to help users diagnose and test PC's in an easy-to-use and user friendly environment. Following in the footsteps of the ever-popular Hiren's BootCD, MediCat USB has been massively modernized and is designed to target modern 64-bit PC's.

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The MediCat USB discussion thread has been going since February 2014 and has recently surpassed 3,172,584 views!

Q&A with Jayro, developer of MediCat USB

• What is Medicat USB in a nutshell?
  MediCat USB is a bootable USB stick for PC repair. But unlike many others out there, I keep it updated frequently, and it's for bleeding-edge computers. (64-bit, UEFI and at least 4GB of RAM)
  
  
• What features and functionality does Medicat USB provide?
  Functionally, MediCat USB is a multiboot USB stick that provides users with everything from password removal of Windows Accounts, malware removal, partitioning of hard disks, among a bunch of other features.
  
  
• What sets MediCat USB apart from the alternatives?
  MediCat USB has one major feature that many others don't, and that's ease of use. I try to keep it as easy and user-friendly as possible. It uses Ventoy as it's base to boot up, which allows a user to add their favorite ISOs, and they'll magically show up in the main menu when it's booted up.

• When did you begin work on MediCat USB?
  I began writing MediCat USB in early 2012, but kept it to myself.

• Any advice for wannabe coders?
  My advice is to never stop trying to improve your code. I'm constantly trying out new ideas and ways to go about making things operate, and it's a very fun learning experience.

• What got you into this project in particular?
  I needed to have my own software toolbox to do PC repair, but the ones available to me were lacking in covering all the bases. So I made my own using YUMI, and later made it into a bootable ISO. And in 2014, I decided to share it with the rest of the world.

• Do you have anything else you'd like to say?
  In closing, I'd just like to say thank you to everyone that's given me advice in the official thread, I've learned a lot for my fellow GBAtemp members, and I'm thrilled to have MediCat USB live and thrive on GBAtemp. You guys keep me going!

You can find out more about MediCat USB in the official thread, the author @Jayro is very active in the thread and is continuing to update the software with new features and updates.

Thanks for reading. If you are a developer and have a project you'd like given the GBAtemp spotlight treatment please feel free to PM me here !

MediCat USB official discussion thread (GBAtemp)
Download links for MediCat USB

 

[calagan]

Why not a MediDog?

Why not a MediKitten, as a lighter 8GB version of MediCat?

I know USB storage is cheap, but sometimes, you find yourself without your super-duper USB toolkit at some friend's home who desperately need his/her computer fixed and a 25GB download might be an issue.

 

[calagan]

On Mac, I would recommend using Etcher to flash you USB drive instead of dd. It works great and also validates you disk after flashing.

 

[mituzora]

On Mac, I would recommend using Etcher to flash you USB drive instead of dd. It works great and also validates you disk after flashing.

Honestly, Etcher is great in general. I'm pretty sure they have a Linux GUI as well as a windows version as well. I know I should learn dd, and it's not the most difficult thing in the world, but I'd rather have a GUI to do it.

 

[SquirlyTech]

Been Trying to download Medicat but it keeps saying download quota has been reached? and further more the files that did download are binary files? how do i open them and how to i make this new usb?

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

I've used MediCat several times to ressurect computers, can deffo recommend it!
10/10 tool no shilling <З

It awesome, i love it, too bad there is not an iso for it instead of downloading binary files

 

[Jayro]

Been Trying to download Medicat but it keeps saying download quota has been reached? and further more the files that did download are binary files? how do i open them and how to i make this new usb?

It awesome, i love it, too bad there is not an iso for it instead of downloading binary files

You download the 7-zipped files from any of the links on the front page. If 004.7z says bandwidth has been exceeded, then try getting it from the other links. The torrent is the best option. You can also copy the magnet link into your torrent client as well.

Once you have all the 7z files, you extract only the 001.7z, and it will take out the .img file from the rest automatically. Once you have the .img file, you can burn it to usb using Rufus, ImageUSB, or balenaEtcher in Windows, USB Image Writer or dd command in Linux, or dd command in MacOS. (I don't have a Mac, so I'm not sure what your options are there)

 

[Tecos]

Hello @Jayro

Thanks for thie awesome Medicat Tool, I've repaired so many Pc with it.

I just have one problem.
The config file isn't a ventoy.json anymore ?

I have 2 partitions Medicat 20.06.1 and VTOYEFI.

In the medicat part, I've a ventoy folder with a ventoy.json file.
But, when I modify the file to call another theme.txt, it doesn't change anything.

So I digged in, I found in the VTOYEFI part, a grub.cfg config file,
and in that file a lign which calls a theme.txt file, and modify that lign will modify the grub theme.
Is that normal ?

I would like to modify the line and the bottom, left handcorner, which informs the BIOS version, legacy or UEFI, but modify the json file doesn't work.
Is here a way to modify the lign which informs BIOS version ?

Thanks to you !

 

[Cooliator]

Hi @Jayro. Are you aware that Windows Defender detect some trojans (hacktools too but that is normal) in some Medicat files? Is this some fake alert or something?

For example: Trojan:Win32/Occamy.CC6

 

[MON5TERMATT]

This may just be the most useful tool I've ever used

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

Hi @Jayro. Are you aware that Windows Defender detect some trojans (hacktools too but that is normal) in some Medicat files? Is this some fake alert or something?

For example: Trojan:Win32/Occamy.CC6

False positives btw

 

[Megaenderdragon]

When will you update it for 2021?

 

[Megaenderdragon]

will you compress it to .iso file?

 

[Jayro]

When will you update it for 2021?

When it's ready. Still a ways off.

will you compress it to .iso file?

No, it will never be iso ever again. But we have an installer that's in beta, to make the simple process even simpler for people that can't seem to read.

 

[drukqs72]

Just a FYI, but letting you know that Norton AV flags the site that hosts the torrent, opentracker.xyz, as a known malicious site, saying something about malicious domain requests. Not tech savy enough to know what that means, or if it is actually important, but a lot of people use Norton and it could be offputting.

Never had any alerts like that from any other tracker, ever, and we all know various trackers anyone can upload to are havens for viruses, trojans, and malware in general, so at the very least I can affirm it's very unusual. Might just quit the torrent and grab it elsewhere, though I am certain the files themselves will be absolutely fine and just as they were uploaded.

Although, saying that....I just double checked with Bitdefender, and it says the download is infected with Trojan.GenericKD.38440971. I presume that wasn't included as part of the originally uploaded software package? I guess if there are warez in there, like some cracked program, that would probably explain it. If I recall correctly the page did say it included some software that generally costs money, but I could be wrong?

 

[Jayro]

Just a FYI, but letting you know that Norton AV flags the site that hosts the torrent, opentracker.xyz, as a known malicious site, saying something about malicious domain requests. Not tech savy enough to know what that means, or if it is actually important, but a lot of people use Norton and it could be offputting.

Never had any alerts like that from any other tracker, ever, and we all know various trackers anyone can upload to are havens for viruses, trojans, and malware in general, so at the very least I can affirm it's very unusual. Might just quit the torrent and grab it elsewhere, though I am certain the files themselves will be absolutely fine and just as they were uploaded.

Although, saying that....I just double checked with Bitdefender, and it says the download is infected with Trojan.GenericKD.38440971. I presume that wasn't included as part of the originally uploaded software package? I guess if there are warez in there, like some cracked program, that would probably explain it. If I recall correctly the page did say it included some software that generally costs money, but I could be wrong?

Everything it's detecting is a false positive due to the way some of the portable apps get packaged. None of the files are actually malicious.

 

[Blesmore]

Hello it's possible to do the install process manually? I don't really like to run an obfuscated bat file that downloads files from internet as admin on my computer...

 

[Jayro]

Hello it's possible to do the install process manually? I don't really like to run an obfuscated bat file that downloads files from internet as admin on my computer...

Yes, the installer is just an alternative, it's completely optional. Just Install Ventoy to the USB, format the USB as NTFS, and then have 7-zip (included) extract the .7z.001 file to the root of the USB drive, and you're all set!

 

[supptQ]

Yes, the installer is just an alternative, it's completely optional. Just Install Ventoy to the USB, format the USB as NTFS, and then have 7-zip (included) extract the .7z.001 file to the root of the USB drive, and you're all set!

First off - Thank you for the Medicat project & it's excellent noob friendly install routine.

Need some help in understanding & to hopefully fix my Medicat USB install. I used the most current install.bat and 7z Medicat files - turned off my win 10 defender for the install which appeared to install fine with 0 file errors and 0 missing files reported by the QuickSFV file scan. The USB drive is labeled MediCat v21.12. The Drive when booted appears like the install was successful & all is well. The problem I am having is Under the Live OS menu and selecting the Mini Win 10 the launch routine seems to *sometimes* create a Drive Y: which allows the portableApps icon to launch the portableapps pop-up menu but confusingly then on subsequent Medicat USB boots does not create the Y: Drive & one can not launch the portableApps from it's icon which is looking for start on Drive Y:

How to fix this this variable & inconsistent Mini Win 10 launch & configuration?