To all

Why is this a better driver--see my reasons at the end of this post.

I started working on this after I posted this question in this forum and did not receive much response:

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=10897...

The original resources I have used are as follows:

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=10215

http://www.stefan2000.com/darkehorse/PC/DOS/Drivers/USB/

http://www.freedos.org/freedos/news/technote/203.html

http://www.computing.net/dos/wwwboard/forum/13447.html

http://www.bootdisk.com/usb.htm

I will call this the 'Panasonic Universal USB Driver'.

So I have created a boot floppy as follows:

[config.sys]

Device=himem.sys
rem :The following line loads Panasonic's universal USB-controller driver
rem :those are spaces between the file name and each of the switches
rem :The '/e' switch forces USB 2.0 only, remove for USB 1.x also
Device=usbaspi.sys /e /v
rem :The following is an aspi mass storage driver for usb-connected HDD's
rem :and compactflash memory cards
rem :The 'Motto Hairu USB Driver'
Device=di1000dd.sys
Dos=high,umb
Lastdrive=z


[autoexec.bat]

rem :My USB HDD is drive 'l', if you wish, you will have to change this
rem :in your path statement to match your USB HDD drive letter
path=a:\;c:\;c:\pqmagic;l:\;l:\pqmagic
mouse.com
rem :Type 'rem' and a space in front of 'ghost' below
rem :if you do not want ghost to automatically load on bootup
ghost


[Files on the Floppy Disk]

Autoexec.bat
Command.com
Config.sys
Di1000dd.sys
Himem.sys
Io.sys
Mouse.com
Mouse.ini
Msdos.sys
Usbaspi.sys

How to create the boot disk and where to find the files:
(I'm using Win98se for the following)

-Put a blank floppy in the drive
-Open Windows Explorer
-Right-click the '3 1/2 ( A: )
-Choose 'Format...'
-Select 'Full' and 'Display summary when finished'
  and 'Copy system files'
-Make sure you have full capacity and no bad
  sectors after formating, i.e. a good floppy
-Check the files on the floppy, you should have:
  Command.com
  Drvspace.bin
  Io.sys
  Msdos.sys
-I delete the 'drvspace.bin' as it's not needed

-Now create the config.sys and autoexec.bat files
  -open Wordpad and copy and paste the text lines under
   [Config.sys] above into Wordpad
  -then 'save as' config.sys to the floppy in drive A:\

  -then open a new document for Wordpad and copy and paste
   the text lines under [Autoexec.bat] above into Wordpad
  -then 'save as' autoexec.bat to the floppy in drive A:\

-Copy the Himem.sys to the floppy-it can be found in the Windows
   directory

-Mouse.com can be found in this directory if you have installed
  Norton Ghost 2003:  

  C:\WINDOWS\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\common

  or if you have PartitionMagic v8.x, it's here:

  C:\Program Files\PowerQuest\PartitionMagic 8.0\DOS
 
  -Put a copy of Mouse.com on the floppy disk

-The first time Mouse.com runs when you boot, it will create Mouse.ini
  on the floppy for you

-The last two files are found on Rad's download page at the bottom where
  it says 'USB-DOS files':  http://radified.com/Files/

-After you download the 'usb-dos.zip' file, you will need to extract the files

-The kxlrw40an.exe is a self-extracting file you have to execute
  -it contains the Panasonic Driver 'usbaspi.sys' in the F2H directory
  -copy the 'usbaspi.sys' file to the floppy

-The mhairudo.zip has the di1000dd.sys file
  -extract the file
  -copy it to the floppy
  -Warning:  There is a 'usbaspi.sys' file here too--it's the wrong
   one!  Use the one above from the kxlrw40an.exe file.

So what have I done here:

Ghost will not fit on the boot floppy with the other drivers and files.  So I have copied the Ghost.exe to the root directory of the C:\ drive.  

PartitionMagic v8.x has a sub-directory labeled 'DOS' (C:\Program Files\PowerQuest\PartitionMagic 8.0\DOS) which has the necessary dos files to run PartitionMagic under dos.  So I created a sub-directory on the C:\ drive and I labeled it 'pqmagic' and copied the files from PartitionMagic's DOS sub-directory to my 'pqmagic' directory.  I chose 'pqmagic' because that's the program name that loads PartitionMagic when using dos and it reminds me what to type to start PartitionMagic.

My USB 2.0 hard drive always gets the drive letter 'L' assigned to it when booting, so I have put drive letter 'L' in the autoexec.bat path statement (you will have to change your path statement to match your USB HDD letter, if you wish this functionality), and also copied Ghost.exe and the 'pqmagic' sub-directory to the USB 2.0 hard drive's root directory.  So if the C:\ drive has been trashed, then the files are available on the USB 2.0 hard drive too.

In the autoexec.bat path statement, I have told the dos session to look for Ghost.exe and Pqmagic.exe in A:\, C:\, C:\pqmagic, L:\, and L:\pqmagic, and once it finds the program file, it will load and open the program.  I have set the command in the autoexec.bat file to run Ghost automatically when I boot.  If you do not want this to happen, delete the 'Ghost' line, or put 'rem + a space' in front of the 'Ghost' line so the line is ignored when read during bootup.

So why is this a better USB 2.0 DOS driver?:

1.  When booting it loads much faster and mounts and assigns drive letters more quickly.

2.  The Panasonic Universal USB driver may be a more 'universal' USB 2.0 driver that is compatible with more USB 2.0 components.  (Symantec clearly states that it's Iomega driver has limited compatibility:  http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/docid/1999062808022225?

3.  The Panasonic Universal USB driver was able to mount my Adaptec USB 2.0 powered hub and access the HDD through the hub, so I do not have to unplug my USB 2.0 HDD from the hub, and route the wiring directly to the PCI USB 2.0 adapter card port.

4.  The USB 2.0 transfer rate for Ghost was noticeably faster.  Using the Norton's Iomega USB 2.0 driver, I got a image creation speed of 295 MB/min and an image integrity check speed of 374 MB/min.  

With the Panasonic Universal USB driver, I got an image creation speed of 551 MB/min, and an image integrity check speed of 1024 MB/min!

5.  Using the Panasonic Univeral USB driver I was able to use the DOS version of PartitionMagic to access and perform all partitioning activities on the USB 2.0 HDD, again through the powered hub if I wanted to.

6.   Using the Panasonic Univeral USB driver I was able to use Fdisk under DOS to access and perform all partitioning activities on the USB 2.0 HDD, again through the powered hub if I wanted to.

7.  Using the Panasonic Univeral USB driver, if a memory card was loaded in my Lexar USB 2.0 Multi-Card Reader, I was able to mount the card reader, and the driver assigned a drive letter to the memory card, and I had access to the files on the memory card under DOS.

I put Ghost.exe on the memory card while in Windows, and then used the memory card to load Ghost after booting to DOS!  And the memory card showed up in Ghost as a drive that could be imaged.  I Ghosted (is that a word? ) it and the integrity check was successful!

(Note:--I went back and tested Norton's Iomega USB driver and discovered that it too will mount the Lexar Multi-Card Reader if a memory card is in the reader before booting.)

8.  This driver is the same one mentioned in this thread:  http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=10759...  

and is referenced in the Ghost Guide here at the bottom of the page:  http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_caveat.htm

So based on the information in this thread, the Panasonic driver appears to work fine with a NOTEBOOK & PCMIA CARD USB hardware.

Remember, your mileage may vary--this is what worked on my system.

I'm hoping El_Pescador is willing and able to try this out on his two USB 2.0 external enclosure kits to let us know if this works for those, and if the performance changes any.  See here:

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=10941...

El_Pescador

Sorry to hear you were in the area that has to deal with Ivan's wrath.  Hope things were not too bad for you.  I heard on the radio news that some areas will not get power back for upwards of two months--there's so much damage to repair.

Beware of the power surges!

El_Pescador

In your two threads below, I could not find mention of whether you tested the Bytecc enclosure on your Dell Demnsion 8100 using the Norton/Iomega USB driver.  Did you try that combination and what was the result?

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=10938...

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=10941...

Lemme know when you think I should include a link to this thread in the guide. I do not use a USB drive myself, but I know that many do.

This could even be made into an addendum page, much like the "Ghosting Across a Network" page was:

http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_network.htm

If we go that route, perhaps we could have a short & more elaborate version. Whatever you guys think is better, as you're the resident USB Ghost gurus.

El_Pescador

I don't think Ghost ever claimed that you could access a NTFS partition under DOS using it's software--only that you could image it and restore it, either to FAT partitions or NTFS partitions.

If you want to access NTFS files under DOS you need to install another driver--see here for an example:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdos.shtml

Drive letter assignment under DOS will be made to only those drives (partitions) that are FAT xx, such as FAT 16 and FAT 32 HDD's and floppy drives (I think these are FAT 12), CD and DVD ROM's if you load the MS-DOS optical drive driver (MSCDEX), and other card media such as a compact flash card, Xd card, etc., in a card reader.

Under Fdisk, NTFS partitions are 'seen', but identified as 'Non-Dos Partitions', and no letter assignment is made for them, which is also true using PartitionMagic under DOS.

In your post above, what happened to your partitions D, E, and F under WinXP?  And there must be a D, and E being assigned under DOS in order for your FAT 32 partition on your USB 2.0 external Seagate 120GB HDD to be assigned drive letter F.

El_Pescador

You said in another thread:

Quote:


So I assume you have a built-in onboard USB controller on the motherboard.  Are there settings in the BIOS for that system that enable/disable the 'legacy support' for USB keyboards and/or mice.  And are there settings to enable/disable for booting from a USB device?  If so, possibly changing the settings (probably to disabled) may help let the Panasonic Universal USB drive work.

El_Pescador

I think this is what you need to make your CD drive visible in DOS:

[config.sys]

Device=himem.sys

rem :Add this line for CD-Rom Support
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001

Device=usbaspi.sys /v /w /e
Device=di1000dd.sys
Dos=high,umb
Lastdrive=z


[autoexec.bat]
 
path=a:\;c:\;c:\pqmagic;l:\;l:\pqmagic;x:\;x:\pqmagic

rem :Add this line for CD_Rom Support
mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /l:x /m:16 /v

mouse.com
ghost


[Files on the Floppy Disk]

Autoexec.bat
Command.com
Config.sys
Di1000dd.sys
Himem.sys
Io.sys
Mouse.com
Mouse.ini
Msdos.sys
Usbasipi.sys

Add these program files to the floppy for CD-Rom support:

oakcdrom.sys
mscdex.exe

Notes:

1.  oakcdrom.sys is the 'universal' CD-Rom driver on the Win98se startup disk.

2.  mscdex.exe will be on the Win98se startup disk, WinME startup disk, and in the Windows/Command directory of Win98se.

3.  The '/l:x' switch on the mscdex.exe line in autoexec.bat file tells DOS to assign the first optical device seen as drive=X:/.  If you want the drive letter to be something else, change it to what you want.

4.  Change your 'path=' statement to include the drive letter of the optical device you want to have your Ghost and PartitionMagic files on.  If Ghost.exe is in the root directory of drive 'X', then the above path statement will work.  If you want a separate directory for Ghost, the the path statement would need to include:

path=a:\;c:\;c:\pqmagic;l:\;l:\pqmagic;x:\;x:\pqmagic;x:\ghost

Again, if you assign a different drive letter for the optical drive, you will have to change the 'x' 's to whichever drive letter you have chosen.

El_Pescador posed an interesting problem in his reply #11 above regarding using the Panasonic Universal USB Driver--where I have put the DOS Ghost program and PartitionMagic's DOS program files on the internal HDD and the external USB HDD in a FAT-32 partition because they will not fit on a single floppy along with the necessary driver programs.

If you've made the decision to make all your partitions NTFS, you wont be able to run Ghost or PartitionMagic from the NTFS partitions.  El_Pescador proposed making a bootable CD with the DOS Ghost and PartitionMagic files on it.  And I think that's a good solution--but you can do it with floppys too--at least for Ghost--here's how:

If you use Norton Ghost Boot Wizard to create the 'CD/DVD Startup Disk with Ghost', the wizard creates a two floppy disk set, again because the driver files take up too much floppy disk space to fit on one floppy.  The 'config.sys' and 'autoexec.bat' files are fairly complex, but I think you could probably take that two disk set and delete the unnecessary files and add the 'Panasonic Universal USB Driver' files and get it to work, but I found that there's an easier solution:

Create the bootable, system floppy with the 'Panasonic Universal USB Driver' as follows:

[config.sys]

Device=himem.sys
Device=usbaspi.sys /e /v
Device=di1000dd.sys
Dos=high
Lastdrive=z


[autoexec.bat]

mouse.com


[Files on the Bootable System Floppy Disk]

Autoexec.bat
Command.com
Config.sys
Di1000dd.sys
Himem.sys
Io.sys
Mouse.com
Msdos.sys
Usbasipi.sys

Then, on another formated floppy, copy the 'Ghost.exe' DOS program.

After booting with the system floppy and you are at the A:\> prompt, simply put the other floppy in and type 'Ghost'.  You will now load Ghost and you do not have to rely on the 'complex' config.sys and autoexec.bat structure created by the Norton Ghost Boot Wizard nor on a CD for which you need to load additional DOS drivers in order to use.