Running IFL on BIOS without a Boot Disk

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by Mr.X, Feb 6, 2016.

  1. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    @Brian K
    I decided to better open a new thread for getting help on this matter since I can deal better/feel comfortable with it than a private conversation. Now going to make a recollection of other posts of mine and yours, and PMs conversation.


     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2016
  2. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Too hard to read....
     
  3. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Yeah, sorry about that. Harder it is to manage private conversation though. This is why I dumped everything I've got into this thread.
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2016
  4. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Mister X,

    Let us know when you have the script working on your UFD. Then we can progress to the "Without a Boot Disk" phase.
     
  5. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Sure sure, please bear with me as I have chores and family affairs to deal everyday and my technician job...
     
  6. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    No problem. The final phase doesn't take long.
     
  7. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Done. Now I'm ready for the final phase.

    Btw this is my RESTORE.tbs:
    Code:
    sub main()
      exec("/tbu/imagel --r --uy --um --d:l0@0x1 --f:l0@0x246:^"/win7x64^" --v --t --rft --log:0 --rb:4 --nvn:^"^"", 1)
    end sub
    I made sure to test the validation part to know the script is actually working.
     
  8. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    OK. Follow....

    http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/howto/howto-ifl-bootfile.htm

    ...put RESTORE.tbs in the ifl_scripts folder of the iflsetup folder
    edit setupifl.bat as per readme.txt
    (make sure "set TARGETDIR=C:\IFLBOOT" as this folder MUST be on HD0)
    double click setupifl.bat
    double click C:\IFLBOOT\run_ifl.bat
     
  9. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Fine. Going to try that tomorrow asap. Thanks and have a nice day.
     
  10. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    I forgot. Edit ifl_boot.cfg too.

    RUNSCRIPTS=(RESTORE.tbs)
     
  11. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Ok thanks.
     
  12. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    You could use...

    TIMEZONE="America/Mexico_City"

    ... but it would make no difference to the restore.
     
  13. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Can I use this directory in place of C:\IFLBOOT ?:
    C:\Program Files (x86)\TeraByte Unlimited\TeraByte OSD Tool Suite Pro\IFLBOOT

    I don't want someone to delete it by accident if it is too visible on C:\
     
  14. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Yes, that's OK. You can even put it in another partition on HD0. But it HAS to be on HD0.
     
  15. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Got it. Thanks.

    I use to prepare my machines' HDDs (just 1 disk per machine) like this, always:
    1. Active OS partition
    2. Data partition
    3. Hidden partition (where I save the image backup)

    So when performing a backup operation all data goes from 1 to 3.
    Then at restore time data goes from hidden 3 to 1.
     
  16. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    That's fine. I do that too with laptops. Easy. But I expect you have another image backup stored on a separate HD, for use if your primary HD fails.
     
  17. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Yes I make an image of the whole HDD, it includes those 3 partitions, although the hidden third one is empty. All this in an external HDD dedicated to save images from various laptops and desktops.

    At the last, I do a "local" (because it's done on the same HDD) OS backup and put it inside the third hidden partition.
     
  18. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    I delete the IFLBOOT folder after a restore as I'm more concerned about starting an accidental restore in the future. It only takes one second to create a new IFLBOOT folder. Having the IFLBOOT folder deeply "hidden" as you indicated is a good idea if you don't intend to delete the folder.
     
  19. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    I'm having trouble to edit setupifl.bat, could you tell me what's wrong please:
    Code:
    @echo off
    
    ::
    :: TARGETDIR parameter must be set to a drive letter located on boot drive
    :: (HD0). This directory is where the files needed to boot IFL will be
    :: placed when setupifl.bat is executed. From this directory a batch file
    :: can then be executed to boot into IFL.
    ::
    set TARGETDIR="C:\Program Files (x86)\TeraByte Unlimited\tbosdts_pro\iflsetup\IFLBOOT"
    
    ::
    :: IFLFILE should be set to the IFL ISO file name to use (iflnet.iso by
    :: default). This file will be looked for at the path defined by the IFLDIR
    :: parameter below, and will be used to copy IFL files from.
    ::
    set IFLFILE="C:\Program Files (x86)\TeraByte Unlimited\Image for Windows\V2\IFL\iflnet.iso"
    
    ::
    :: IFLDIR defines the path where the IFL ISO file defined by the IFLFILE
    :: parameter above can be found. The default value below is the default path
    :: when when the IFW/IFD/IFL package is installed on 32-bit Windows.
    ::
    ::set IFLDIR="C:\Program Files\TeraByte Unlimited\Image for Windows\V2\IFL"
    
    :: Uncomment the line below if IFW/IFD/IFL is installed on 64-bit Windows.
    set IFLDIR="C:\Program Files (x86)\TeraByte Unlimited\Image for Windows\V2\IFL"
    
    ::
    :: IFLPK is your IFL Product Key, required to run the registered version.
    :: Example: set IFLPK=0000-1111-2222
    :: If using trial version of IFL, leave this parameter set to default.
    ::
    set IFLPK=XXXX-YYYY-ZZZZ
    
    ::
    :: IFLBIN is the file name for the bootfile being created in the TARGETDIR
    :: defined above. This is the file that bootfile.exe will boot in order to
    :: boot into IFL from Windows. This filename will have a .bin extension
    :: added automatically.
    :: Example: set IFLBIN=ifl results in a bootfile named ifl.bin, and the batch
    :: file created to boot from ifl.bin will be named run_ifl.bat
    ::
    set IFLBIN=ifl
    
    
    ::-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    ::
    :: Setup name of windows version of TBOSDT (to support older releases)
    ::
    set TBOSDT=tbosdtw.exe
    if not exist ..\win\%TBOSDT% set TBOSDT=tbosdt.exe
    
    ::
    :: verify directory and files
    ::
    for %%i in (ifl_boot ifl_boot.cfg ifl_boot.tbs setupifl.bat ifl_scripts ..\win\bootfile.exe ..\win\%TBOSDT%) do if not exist %%i goto baddir
    for %%i in (%ifldir%\%iflfile%) do if not exist %%i goto badifldir
    
    ::
    :: create copy of original bootfile with specified file name
    :: the file ifl_boot is the template bootfile
    ::
    copy ifl_boot ifl_boot.tmp
    
    ::
    :: copy iflnet.iso over from specified location
    ::
    copy /y %ifldir%\%iflfile% %iflfile%
    
    ::
    :: run the ifl_boot.tbs script and pass the Product Key and ISO file name
    ::
    ..\win\%TBOSDT% ifl_boot.tbs %iflpk% %iflfile%
    
    ::
    :: setup target directory
    ::
    if exist %targetdir%\. goto skipmd
    md %targetdir% > nul
    if not exist %targetdir%\. goto badmd
    :skipmd
    move /y ifl_boot.tmp %targetdir%\%iflbin%.bin >nul
    copy /y ..\win\bootfile.exe %targetdir% >nul
    echo %targetdir%\bootfile %targetdir%\%iflbin%.bin > %targetdir%\run_%iflbin%.bat
    start %targetdir%
    goto end
    
    ::
    :: report errors
    ::
    :badmd
    echo Unable to create target directory %targetdir%
    pause
    goto end
    
    :baddir
    echo This batch file must be launched from the iflsetup folder, which must
    echo be a sub-folder of tbosdts_pro. The following files are required to be
    echo in the iflsetup folder:
    echo ifl_boot
    echo ifl_boot.cfg
    echo ifl_boot.tbs
    echo ifl_scripts (folder)
    echo The following files are required to be in the tbosdts_pro\win folder:
    echo tbosdtw.exe
    echo bootfile.exe
    pause
    goto end
    
    :badifldir
    echo Unable to find the IFL ISO file.
    echo Please check the IFLDIR and IFLFILE variables above
    pause
    goto end
    
    :end
    
    del %IFLFILE%
    set IFLFILE=
    set IFLINI=
    set IFLPK=
    set IFLDIR=
    set TARGETDIR=
    set TBOSDT=
    set IFLBIN=
    
     
  20. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Try this. Remove the " " from four of the set lines.

    What is the error?
     
  21. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    My previous suggestion is probably incorrect.

    set IFLFILE=ifl.iso

    is the correct line. Not
    set IFLFILE="C:\Program Files (x86)\TeraByte Unlimited\Image for Windows\V2\IFL\iflnet.iso"
     
  22. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Didn't work.

    The RESTORE.tbs file was made on the same machine BUT another HDD with Win7 x64 installed.

    Now I'm trying to edit setupifl.bat, ifl_boot.cfg, ifl.ini to create run_ifl.bat file on the same machine but with my current HDD with Win8.1 x64 machine where I am logged on now, do you think I'm doing it wrong?

    Edit: let's do this, I'm going to come back later in around 2 hours to keep doing this. You know real life is calling me to help my wife LOL. I hate to make you keep awaiting for me to reply your posts.
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2016
  23. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Did it boot into IFL and the restore fail?

    Not sure about that. You probably need to make another RESTORE.tbs for the current system.

    Edit... If using Win7 (or maybe Win8 ) you might need to right click run_ifl.bat and Run as Administrator. I vaguely recall double clicking the file doesn't work in Win7.

    Edit... having an incorrect RESTORE.tbs won't stop IFL from booting.
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2016
  24. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Try

    set TARGETDIR=C:\IFLBOOT

    I got an error with

    set TARGETDIR="C:\Program Files (x86)\TeraByte Unlimited\tbosdts_pro\iflsetup\IFLBOOT"
     
  25. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Thanks Brian, I'm back.

    For starters my problem is to generate the run_ifl.bat, bootfile.exe and ifl.bin files, next I'm not sure about paths or I am messing things up, dunno.
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2016
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