1.0.0.22
added : CTRL+R to refresh interfaces
added : [map] section, before=after
fixed : free stream after transfercomplete
added : safety counter when downloading from remote http server (udp to http)
added : /config:x:\path\config.ini
added : pick up another config file (menu)
added : CTRL+I to display current config file path
See previous article to understand why and what.
Previously we have created our master / parent disk.
Lets now create our differencing / child disks using our host (windows 8.1) virtual disk capabilities.
Lets do it in one batch.
rem list disks before
vmount disks
rem create child1 against parent iscsi.vhd
vmount createchild e:\_images\child1.vhd e:\_images\iscsi.vhd
rem create child2 against parent iscsi.vhd
vmount createchild e:\_images\child2.vhd e:\_images\iscsi.vhd
rem attach child1 without assigning any letter to it
vmount attach e:\_images\child1.vhd noletter
rem attach child2 without assigning any letter to it
vmount attach e:\_images\child2.vhd noletter
rem list disks
vmount disks
rem check attributes of disk2
vmount attributes 2
rem check attributes of disk3
vmount attributes 3
rem disk3 is most probably offline because of disk signature collision between disk2 and disk3
rem lets force it online : windows will generate a new signature
rem make sure to use a BCD using LOCATE and not using disk signature or else bootmgr will error
rem more about locate here http://www.mistyprojects.co.uk/documents/BCDEdit/files/device_locate.htm
vmount online 3
Notice how the second virtual disk now has a different signature (since we forced it online…).
See previous article to understand why and what.
In this article, we will see how to create our master / parent VHD and how to install windows onto this disk.
To manipulate virtual hard disks on the command line, i use vmount.
Create parent vhd
vmount createdynamic e:\_images\iscsi.vhd 102400
Attach vhd as physical disk without a drive letter
vmount attach e:\_images\iscsi.vhd NOLETTER
Check it out
vmount disks
At this stage, we have a new \\.\physicaldriveX on your host which we can use within our iscsi target (using Starwind San Free).
Last step, lets boot our diskless computer to install windows.
To do this, I will use TinyPXE Server and iPxe.
I also use QuickPE to customize my winpe (but default ms waik or adk will do as well).
First boot : we will attach our iscsi disk then boot our WinPE from where we will launch windows setup (over a network share)
#!ipxe
#dhcp net0
clear net0.dhcp/gateway:ipv4
set keep-san 1
sanhook iscsi:${next-server}:tcp:3260:0:iqn.2008-08.com.starwindsoftware:erwan-pc2-master
set boot-url http://${dhcp-server}
echo ${platform}_${buildarch}
kernel ${boot-url}/wimboot
iseq ${platform} pcbios && initrd -n bootmgr.exe ${boot-url}/BOOTMGR.EXE bootmgr.exe ||
iseq ${platform} efi && initrd -n bootmgfw.efi ${boot-url}/bootmgfw.EFI bootmgfw.efi ||
iseq ${platform} pcbios && initrd -n bcd ${boot-url}/BOOT/BCD bcd ||
iseq ${platform} efi && initrd -n bcd ${boot-url}/EFI/MICROSOFT/BOOT/BCD bcd ||
initrd ${boot-url}/BOOT/BOOT.SDI BOOT.SDI
iseq ${platform} pcbios && initrd -n boot.wim ${boot-url}/SOURCES/x86/BOOT.WIM BOOT.WIM ||
iseq ${platform} efi && initrd -n boot.wim ${boot-url}/SOURCES/x64/BOOT.WIM BOOT.WIM ||
boot
Second boot : lets boot to complete the windows installation
#!ipxe
#dhcp
clear net0.dhcp/gateway:ipv4
set initiator-iqn iqn.2006-11.1
set keep-san 1
sanboot --keep iscsi:${next-server}:tcp:3260:0:iqn.2008-08.com.starwindsoftware:erwan-pc2-master
Windows server iscsi target is a nice product allowing one to boot diskless computers over the network (using iscsi).
Furthermore, windows iscsi target supports differencing virtual hard disks (vhd) allowing one to build a « master » (parent) disk and then create differencing disks thus leaving the master disk untouched.
But you dont always have a windows server at hand and you may wish to go for a cheaper alternative, or just do it another way for fun 🙂
The next 3 articles will take you on a journey to achieve the above i.e boot diskless computers over the network (using StarWind San Free and TinyPXE Server) with differencing virtual hard disks:
–create the master / parent disk
–create the differencing / child disks
–boot diskless computers over the network using these child disks
Some weeks ago, I did buy this nice new drone Aurora mini fight BNF at Gearbest for a very competiting price.
During the order, you had to specify the radio protocol (flysky, frsky, dsmx, etc …).
Since I own a flysky i6 remote controler, I obviously went for flysky.
So far so good.
Unfortunately Gearbest shipped a DSMX version which I obviously cannot fly.
Very disapointing but as I have ordered lots of items on similar chinese sites, I did not panic and was pretty sure I could find a good way out with Gearbest : refund a new receiver, ship a new receiver, etc …
To my big surprise, after many attempts to explain / prove / demonstrate the issue thru pictures, Gearbest has proven to be extremely incompetent or mishonest and ended with the below (ticket opened on August 8th – item ordered on July 5th).
So my best advice if you are a drone guy : dont buy your stuff there.
These guys dont know what they are selling and wont be able to support you in any matter.
FYI : I thought I was a smart ass find this pun « gearworse », well it looks like i am not the first one : gearworse
«
Like many drone geeks out there, I own a flysky fs-i6 to pilot my drone racers.
As 6 chanels is a bit short (both sticks will take 4 chans which leaves you with 2 extra channels only), I wanted to flash my remote with a custom firmware.
I decided to use this fw : https://github.com/benb0jangles/FlySky-i6-Mod- and/or this one https://github.com/qba667/FlySkyI6/releases .
Issue is that using my usual usb to serial module, my remote would not be detected.
I check my baud rate (115200), switched rx/tx, but nothing would do.
I suspect that this is down the voltage of my usb serial module (5v versus 3.3v).
I finally decided to use a nano arduino module : i shorted reset to ground, connected rx to rx, tx to tx and voila : remote is detected (when opening port) and I could « program » my remote 🙂
Been playing with the excellent strarc from Olof.
The basics first:
-to backup a drive/folder to an archive: strarc.exe -cd:C:\ Z:\winxpsp3.sa
-to restore a drive/folder from an archive : strarc.exe -xd:C:\ Z:\winxpsp3.sa
Then, one can backup all files from one logical drive to another (on XP) in one go with this command : strarc.exe -crjd:c:\ | strarc.exe -xd:d:\.
Note the r parameter which will take care of loaded registry hives.
Ideally, rather than backuping a « hot » logical disk (i.e in used), you would use a Volume shadow copy as source (see a discussion here).
Dont forget that when you decide to backup files (i.e not a full physical disk), you need to take care of the MBR on the target disk (hint : grub4dos) and ensure that registry hives are included.
You can also perform such a backup over the network:
-On the « server / host A » side : nc -v -l -p 9000 -e « strarc -cd:x:\my_folder\ »
-On the « client / host B » side : nc 192.168.1.1 9000 > dump.sa (update the IP obviously with your « server » IP).
Host B will connect to host A (listening on port 9000) and dump all received data (from Host A) to dump.sa
Because I always have to google when I look for it … here it is.
MakeIso will create an ISO from a source folder.
Supports multi-boot iso : x86 and EFI.
Support ISO9660, UDF, Joliet or any combination of these 3 filesystems.
Supports isolinux (checksum will be taken care of).
Tested successfully with Grub4Dos.
Mkiso is native (no external dependencies), standalone, built in on windows builtin imapi2.
MkIso is also part of CloneDisk.
Questions, feedback, requests welcome here.
Download here.
Regards,
Erwan