Using ESET SysRescue to create ...

This inquiry is about the Knowledge Base article "How do I use ESET SysRescue to create a bootable USB flash drive, CD or DVD? (4.0) " in
http://kb.eset.com/esetkb/index?pag...earch&viewlocale=en_US&searchid=1241134476204.

"burn the Microsoft Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) to a DVD±R(W) disc ... After installing the Windows Automated Installation Kit, restart your computer. You can now use ESET Smart Security 4.0 or ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4.0 to create a SysRescue CD, DVD. ..."

Not clear about where the installing of WAIK is supposed to be, I guess it is to the PC not to the DVD. (Is the installation the same as a successful burning?) But I have problem in burning the WAIK DVD disk already.

Cannot decipher "You may have to download and install other files before installing the Windows Automated Installation Kit, depending on which version of Microsoft Windows and which other applications are installed on your computer." Does ESET imply this burning to be a bootable one or not? If No, when upon restarting the PC went into Vista SP1 and clicking "create a SysRescue CD" ESET claimed WAIK was not installed. If Yes, I sure need some leads to a free burning software as I have problems in using either Ashampoo (paid) and Cdburnerxp (free) to burn from the iso file to a bootable disk. (I can post to their forum or tech support when I get cleared about this Knowledge Base article first.)

Any help will be appreciated.

 

Hello,

Let me see if I can answer your questions.

The Windows Automated Installation Kit is a set of programs from Microsoft which allow you to make a bootable disk (CD, DVD, USB flash drive and so forth) containing a special bootable version of Microsoft Windows called Windows PE, which is often referred to as "WinPE," for short.

Although the version of Windows which is created is much smaller than a typical Windows installations, the copy of this miniature version of Windows plus the set of tools used to configure it occupies about 1.3GB of space. Accordingly, Microsoft has chosen to distribute it on DVD-ROM discs or, over the Internet, in the form of an .ISO file (an .ISO file is a copy of a CD or DVD disc). It is that file that you need to burn to a DVD-R or DVD+R disc. The WAIK DVD does not have to be bootable. All you have to do once it is created is run the SETUP program on it which installs WAIK to your computer, just like any other software that comes on a disc.

Normally, computer manufacturers use WAIK to create the environment which runs the first time you start a computer and get asked to set up the operating system, provide a standalone operating environment for a recovery partition and so forth.

ESET uses WAIK to create a bootable disk with copies of ESET NOD32 Antivirus or ESET Smart Security on it in order to check a computer for malware. However, in order to do this you must first download and install the WAIK software from Microsoft. Once that is done, you can then use the ESET SysRescue module in your ESET program to make a bootable CD, DVD or USB flash drive.

You might want to call ESET's technical support department directly at +1 (866) 343-3738 toll-free [or +1 (619) 876-5400] if you are having difficulty making an installation DVD from the WAIK .ISO file you downloaded from Microsoft's web site, and one of the technical support engineers can help you with that.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

 

Hi, Aryeh,

Thank you very much for the detailed response to my query post. I did think about this myself and searched "setup" or "install" in the WAIK DVD but didn't see it in the root directory. Upon reading your advice I made a directory print of the whole DVD and still failed in finding either word from searching it in the directory print out file. Is it possible they used different words?

Thanks for referring me to the ESET direct link. But I emailed them the same message as in my post here. The ESET tech support (actually in San Diego as well) is not of the same caliber as the development side, I had to reply to them with "Thanks for the response. But sorry that the my main questions and issues were not addressed at all." I hope they can reflect upon themselves after reading your post.

Now I do find an autorun.inf file in this DVD, with the following three lines in the body:
[AutoRun]
OPEN=StartCD.exe
ICON=StartCD.exe,0

Just realized the fact that it didn't run probably is related to the memory the PC retains after I used notepad to view the contents or some security software's setting about Autorun. (I already know that Online Armor is not responsible after I 'untick Launch Online Armor on next startup'.) I may need to find whether these conjectures are relevant and if so how to undo them.

If you have any comments, I sure will be very grateful.

SanDiegan11

 

Is there a program / application on the DVD called STARTCD? If so double click it.

 

Hello,

You should be prompted to automatically install the software when the DVD is inserted into the computer, unless AutoPlay is turned off on it. As PaulB2005 noted, though, you could try running the STARTCD.EXE program directly to begin installation of the Windows Automated Installation Kit.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

 

Thanks to PaulB2005 and Aryeh for suggesting to run the STARTCD.EXE program. So my problem stemmed from disabled autorun, I don't recall how this decision was arrived and whether it is wise to keep it this way. (Anyhow I am more aware of its status and ramification now.) Then it was compounded with lack of understanding about the rational behind the burning the beginning DVD and imstalltion of WAIK. (MS could use Aryeh to help communicate better for average users, as WAIK is no longer considered only for specialists.)

After running STARTCD.EXE, I glanced the first few pages of "Getting Started with the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK)" and found the requirement of Windows Vista product DVD which I don't have.

I started to wonder whether it is an overkill to install the ESET SysRescue in my case. While I remember there were discussions (may be from Langa) about how to deal with those OEM PCs without Windows Vista product DVD, I also recall in some old Newsletter from Scot Finnie where he questioned the need for XP slipstream disks as he considered regular disk imaging be preferable for keeping it up to date, etc. As I use TeraByte's Image for Windows to keep two monthly images of the primary partition off line and have only a single desktop PC (the router is only serving as a hardware firewall).

Any comment on this?

 

Hello,

From a security perspective, leaving AutoRun disabled will help prevent the computer from being infected by malware which use it as a vector to spread. The US CERT has an article on how do do this here.

I am reasonably sure I installed WAIK on a computer running Microsoft Windows Vista without having a Vista installation disc present, so maybe this is not required if the operating system was preloaded by the computer manufacturer.

ESET SysRescue is provided as a convenience. It gives the user a way to boot an otherwise-infected computer from a clean operating system free of any malware. Making one is not a requirement, but it can simplify removal of certain types of malware.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

 

Hi, Aryeh,

Thanks for the response. Do you mind to comment on the relative merit of ESET SysRescue over "clean" disk image? I got the notion "clean" disk image is preferable in the case of single PC user (not for a network administrator). Am I right?