Can't duplicate boot DVD

[JustinH]

Hi all,

I have a Compaq OS restore DVD (2 disc set). I want to duplicate the first disc. I can extract an ISO using ImgBurn or the files using IsoBuster and even get the boot image file from either program. When I burn a new DVD and boot off it the computer boots, does POST, then the screen goes blank with a blinking cursor. I've tried a few variations (i.e., 5 discs...) of burning with no difference.

 

This is what I know:

- the original disc has ISO9660 and Joliet file systems and a "Bootable Disc" folder (with .img and .cat files)

- when I use ImgBurn to extract the ISO I get a MDS file with it

- when I burn to disc, I use both file systems, use hidden/system files, boot image file (file name "BootImage.img" on hard drive, same as on disc)

- tried with and w/o the MDS file

- the ISO ImgBurn creates from the original DVD is 4,201,447,424 bytes but when I extract the files (using IsoBuster) and compile it back into an ISO it is always 4,104,912,896 bytes

- I can use IsoBuster to review the new DVD or compiled ISO and it looks like the original except for the boot image filename (see below)

- using ImgBurn 2.5.0.0 and IsoBuster 2.7

 

Besides the obvious question of 'how do I do this?', I have a few others, since I am pretty new to this stuff:

a) Does the name of the .img file on the new DVD matter? (sometimes it is "unknown.img", "ImgBurn.img", or "BootImg.img"<--original name)

The ImgBurn documentation indicates that if you get a MDS file when you create an ISO from the DVD, you'll need to use it when you burn the DVD.

Does this mean you have to recompile the files into and ISO first before burning, instead of just writing the files to disc?

c) Why isn't the file size of the original ISO and compiled ISO the same? (Even if I don't change anything, but just extract and compile it will be different as shown above.)

 

My ultimate goal is to modify one of the text files off the DVD then burn the duplicate, but I can't even make an exact duplicate yet! :-(

 

Help would be much appreciated,

Justin

[LIGHTNING UK!]

If you want an exact duplicate then you should be using this method:

 

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=6380

 

If you want to edit something then you should just copy everything off the original disc and into a folder using Explorer.

Then extract the boot image using ImgBurn (note that this does NOT involve using 'Read' mode).

 

Then build your new disc based on the boot image you extracted and the contents of the folder you copied over via Explorer. At no point should you be using an ISO/MDS when doing this method.

[JustinH]

If you want an exact duplicate then you should be using this method:

 

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=6380

 

If you want to edit something then you should just copy everything off the original disc and into a folder using Explorer.

Then extract the boot image using ImgBurn (note that this does NOT involve using 'Read' mode).

 

Then build your new disc based on the boot image you extracted and the contents of the folder you copied over via Explorer. At no point should you be using an ISO/MDS when doing this method.

 

Well, Mr. UK, I tried the straight duplicate method and it worked. However, when I used the second method (copy files using Explorer, etc) I get the same result as before - the computer boots and just a blank screen with cursor.

 

This may be worth mentioning: When I tell ImgBurn to 'go' it pops the dialog saying I have set ISO+Joliet file systems, I answer Yes (because the original disc is like this). Then it pops this dialog:

---------------------------

ImgBurn

---------------------------

It looks like you might be trying to build an Operating System installation disc!

 

That's fine by me, except you have some conflicting settings that could stop it from working properly.

 

Proposed Setting Changes:

 

ISO9660 - Interchange Level - Level X

ISO9660 - Character Set - DOS

Joliet - Interchange Level - Level X

 

Would you like me to adjust the settings for you?

---------------------------

Yes No Cancel

---------------------------

 

 

If I answer Yes, I get the blank screen. If I answer No, I get the blank screen for a couple seconds then it reboots again, and again...

 

Any other ideas? The new discs (that don't work) have a boot image file of "ImgBurn.img" - does this matter? The duplicate disc that works has the original name of BootImage.img. How can I force the original name?

 

My DVD spindle is running dry. I really need to get some RW discs

 

Thanks,

Justin

[mmalves]

The boot image name is made up by IsoBuster from the Developer ID field: the real boot image doesn't have a name.

 

Sounds like the problem you're having has to do with the filesystem(s) used and their respective restrictions. Have you tried editing the ISO with UltraISO/PowerISO/MagicISO/*ISO/etc?

 

Alternatively you could output to an Image File and boot it into a virtual machine like Micro$oft Virtual PC, VMWare or similar until you make it work.

[JustinH]

The boot image name is made up by IsoBuster from the Developer ID field: the real boot image doesn't have a name.

 

Sounds like the problem you're having has to do with the filesystem(s) used and their respective restrictions. Have you tried editing the ISO with UltraISO/PowerISO/MagicISO/*ISO/etc?

 

Alternatively you could output to an Image File and boot it into a virtual machine like Micro$oft Virtual PC, VMWare or similar until you make it work.

 

Hi mmalves,

To be clear, I am talking about the .img filename that is burned on the disc and that shows up in the "bootable disc" node in IsoBuster. When I burn with ImgBurn the Developer ID field is blank - so does this mean ImgBurn is putting this name in for me?

 

Thanks for the suggestion on testing the ISO's virtually instead of physically!

 

Justin

[mmalves]

When I burn with ImgBurn the Developer ID field is blank - so does this mean ImgBurn is putting this name in for me?

Yup

[LIGHTNING UK!]

When you extracted the boot image, did you tell ImgBurn to use those boot settings in the current project?

 

If you look at the folder structure on the cd you've burnt that doesn't work, does it match (exactly) the one that works?

[JustinH]

When you extracted the boot image, did you tell ImgBurn to use those boot settings in the current project?

 

If you look at the folder structure on the cd you've burnt that doesn't work, does it match (exactly) the one that works?

It might be semantics here, but I want to be sure. I used the .ima file (i.e., populated the "Boot Image:" field on the Adv\Bootable_Disc tab). I didn't tell it to use any 'settings'. The emulation type is always the same when I look at this tab - type=None, load seg=07C0 and sectors to load=4.

 

I extracted the 'tree' from both discs, and they have the same number of files, folders, and bytes. However, two things are different:

1) the order of folders and files, like:

file1.txt file2.txt

file2.txt file1.txt

2) volume serial numbers are diff

7C91C22C D842:6E92 vs. 7C91C22C 6D7B:F1A9

 

What determines the vol s/n?

 

Justin

Edited January 19, 2010 by JustinH

[LIGHTNING UK!]

When you extract the boot image from a disc ImgBurn will ask if you want it to populate the fields in the current project with values taken from the source disc. You should say 'Yes' to that.

 

If one of those values is wrong, it could explain why it's not booting.

 

The values, as taken from the source disc, are also written to the log window.

 

The SN is probably generated from stuff on the disc, sounds like a Windows thing so I wouldn't worry about it being different.

[JustinH]

This sure is a wicked thing. I used ISO Master to edit the ISO to just swap one file and save to a new ISO. Open it in VMWare and it does the same thing as all the failed DVDs I burned. The original ISO will boot in VMWare. Man, this might not even be possible...

 

BTW, UK, I did say Yes to using the boot image settings, and the log file shows the same as in the prg window. Those were the settings I used when burning the discs.

[JustinH]

well, it looks like the boot process does some kind of validation check or else any modification just corrupts it. If I just open the ISO in an editor and do Save As it won't boot, and the new ISO is always smaller than the original. When I boot it in VMWare it just runs up the CPU and does nothing else. I guess I'll just have to drop this idea and move on. I'm glad it wasn't because my novice ImgBurn skills!

 

Thanks for your help guys!

 

Justin