Windows 7 PE and Hard Disk Manager 12 Professional

I am still trying to get Hard Disk Manager 12 Professional to work with Windows 7 PE 64-bit. I am able to get the system to build, but the Paragon software does not start up.

I'm using the WinBuilder script created by Arvy.
http://reboot.pro/files/file/168-paragon-hdm12/

At the moment, the problem is that the application hangs when I try to start it. I have found that if I delete a registry key and abort a process each time, I can get the program to run.

I have to delete this registry key.
hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\minint

Each time I run the program it will hang, but I can get it to run if I abort the process "plauncher_s.exe". That only works if I have also deleted the above registry key.

On a Windows XP PE system I always have to delete the registry key, but then the application then starts up properly.

Arvy's script is not exactly for Hard Disk Manager 12 Professional, and I'm apparently getting different results than those with Paragon Hard Disk Manager 12 Suite.

I plan to try Windows 7 PE 32-bit next, just to see if the results are any different.

I did try using the program folder from the Windows 7 PE CD provided by Paragon. It behaves the same way. I noticed that there is a folder on the Paragon CD called "Runner" that has software to start up the application. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the problem I'm seeing.

Any suggestions to get the application running on Windows 7 PE will be appreciated.

 

When I tested with Windows 7 PE 32-bit I found that the Paragon software will run if I delete the "MiniNT" registry key. For some reason, either using 64-bit Windows or having the "MiniNT" key defined prevents the software from running.

That is essentially the same situation as I have with Windows XP PE. The software runs on 32-bit Windows with the "MiniNT" key deleted from the registry.

I guess the next thing is to see if I can change Arvy's script to run a batch file like I do on Windows XP PE. At least then I should be able to use a 32-bit Windows 7 PE boot disc.

I've never been able to find out why deleting the MiniNT key is necessary. I believe that I was told to do that by Paragon when I was trying to get Hard Disk Manager 2010 to run.

 

I don't need to delete any keys to get HDM12Pro working in 32 or 64 bit winpe 3.1

Might be something to do with putting uim and hotcore in the pe build.

I can not see any point in that.

No reg entries are needed to run HDM12Pro - it runs just fine portably.

I think Arvy was interested in seeing if the mount function would work - it doesn't.

Fortunately, it is not needed - you can copy files out of a paragon archive using volume explorer or file transfer wizard.

 

It's quite strange, because I have not been able to get any Paragon software that I purchased to run in Windows PE unless I delete the "MiniNT" registry key. I started having to delete that key with version 2010. I also think that I found out about the registry key from someone else's post, not from Paragon.

I have built both Windows XP PE and Windows 7 (32-bit) PE with the UIM and hotcore drivers and I see them running. I'll try a few more things when I have time. I am also a bit puzzled about why the software doesn't run in a 64-bit system (plauncher_s.exe hangs).

Could my problem have something to do with testing in a virtual machine? I use VirtualBox for testing the ISO images.

 

I don't know if the vm is the problem, I don't use one.

I just make the .wim and boot it off the hard drive to test it.

 

OK, things are starting to make more sense now. The problem I have with the "MiniNT" key defined is that the CD drive is somehow getting unmounted when I launch the Paragon Software. When I delete the "MiniNT" key then the CD drive does not get unmounted, and so the program can load from CD.

I have the same problem with Windows 7 PE because the WinBuilder happens to put the application programs on the CD rather than in the RAM disk boot image.

I don't know if the same problem happens with a real computer and CD drive. I'll give that a try any see what happens.

 

Well, testing with an actual CD drive and also with a normal Windows 7 system produced the same results.

If the MiniNT registry key is defined, the Paragon Hard Disk Manager 12 Professional software ejects the CD. The drive drawer opens.

If the MiniNT registry key is not defined, the CD is not affected.

I don't understand how it can possibly work without deleting the MiniNT registry key unless there is some other setting that I'm missing. I checked and there is no obvious option in the Paragon software to control ejecting of the CD on launch.

 

As you are using winbuilder - I think there is an option to run all programs from RAM.

I have always run it from ram in my own builds - maybe that's why I haven't had this issue.

I recall Paragon Tommy from the California office mentioning he deleted that key when he used Bartpe - because then it is run off the cd.

 

Ther is an all in one cd for some products - though I would d/l it and see if that throews any light on the matter.

Strangely, I am unable to download anything from My Account - all the d/l links just revert back to the My downloads page.

Weird.

 

I discovered an undocumented "Dont_Eject" option that can be used when running "launcher.exe" or "explauncher.exe". You can find more details in my thread about BartPE and Hard Disk Manager 12 professional.

I added the "Dont_Eject" option to my shortcuts that launch the program and also edited the "explauncher.ini" file. That solved my problems, and I no longer have to delete the "MiniNT" registry key.

So far as I can tell Paragon assumed that the "MiniNT" system would be booted from a RAM disk, and defaults to ejecting the CD. I can't say whether all versions behave the same. I have only used a few different versions of the software.

 

I think that you are correct. You aren't seeing the problem because you are loading the program from RAM. Also, I know that earlier versions of the software did not eject the CD. I was able to use version 8 without deleting the MiniNT registry key.

I am using WinBuilder and Bart's PE Builder with the same results. I have also tested on a real Windows XP (not PE) system. If I define the "MiniNT" key on a normal Windows XP system then the Paragon software ejects the CD and hangs on startup.