Working on PCs since the days of The Shat selling VIC 20s with his TJ Hooker hair you learn that its the little things that can make your day sooo much easier. From WSUS Offline allowing you to update any version of Windows via DVD or flashstick (as well as having your own Windows Update on a network drive) to Ninite allowing you to install most of the "must have" third party software without any toolbars and fully unattended by simply checking the boxes, its the little tools that really take out the drudgery. Tools like Driver Booster to get rid of the always "fun" driver hunt for old or weird hardware drivers or Comodo Cleaning Essentials to get rid of bugs take out the work for the Fixit guy or those that end up stuck doing the job for their family.
With this in mind allow me to introduce a tool many here may not have heard of which can be extremely nice to have, WinSetupFromUSB or as I like to call it "Every OS in my pocket". Do not let the name fool you, this tool works with not only Windows but also Linux ISOs and even preinstall environments like BartPE or the Linux based recovery environments used by many disc imagers like Paragon B&R Free. So with this one tool you can install OSes, run different Live CDs, restore backups using recovery CDs, all from a single flashstick, VERY handy.
So I hope these little tools help somebody out there stuck doing the "family IT GUY" role and I hope to learn in return what tools do YOU use to make your life easier? What tricks and little pieces of software do you use to make your day run smoother? I'm sure with as many different walks of life represented here we can make this a most enlightening and informative post!
(Score: 3, Informative) by PinkyGigglebrain on Tuesday October 21 2014, @02:23AM
I tried WinSetupfromUSB and found it lacking.
I would recommend YUMI for anyone who wants a single USB stick that lets me load/remove any OS setup CD/DVD that you have an image of. I've got an 8GB that has Windows 7 Universal, 32 & 64bit, installers, RIP-Linux and Knoppix with a few GB left over for all the utils and other useful applications (Firefox, 7-zip, VLC, Skype, LOL installer, etc.).
And it runs on multiple platforms.
When I get around to it I'm going to load up a 16GB with the Vista installers as well (I still have to support Vista systems for now).
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/ [pendrivelinux.com]
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Tuesday October 21 2014, @02:32AM
An USB stick used for installation would be a high value target for any malware writers. And also vurnable to insertion in infected machines. The USB stick better have write protection implemented in hardware with a small switch to enable or disable it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @11:06AM
Calm down. Bootables aren't the typhoid Mary they may have once been. Boot viruses have not been common since last millenia. Most multiboot options are not persistent. I.e. the OS boots from a fresh ISO every time.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Tuesday October 21 2014, @02:47AM
from DigitalRiver.
Legally.
Here's some hints on how to do it. [howtogeek.com]
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by Popeidol on Tuesday October 21 2014, @03:07AM
The offline NT password and registry editor [pogostick.net]. It seems like a niche case but it's surprising how often somebody brings in an old windows box where everybody has forgotten the admin/user passwords. Sure, you could backup and reinstall or you could load up the Ophcrack liveCD [sourceforge.net] and try to recover the original password, but this gets them their working install back in just a couple of minutes.
It's available on kits like UBCD [ultimatebootcd.com] and Hirens boot CD [hirensbootcd.org]. If neither of those is part of your standard toolkit, you should probably fix that.
(Score: 2) by Hairyfeet on Tuesday October 21 2014, @07:49AM
I thought about mentioning Hiren's but I didn't think it wise to advertise pirate software on a site as young as this, last thing we want is the lawyer brigade.
For those that don't know (and work at places where shit like pirate software could get you the boot) Hiren's has on it a copy of an "XP Live CD" which is IRL a copy of razr1911 Corporate, AKA XP Pirate Edition. Needless to say Hiren has no more right to distribute copies of XP than the guy on the street corner has the right to pass out camrips, so while the other tools on that CD are certainly handy I thought it wise to give it a pass in TFA.
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Tuesday October 21 2014, @08:50AM
If you don't get the full Hiren's Boot CD Restored Edition, the only questionable thing on there is the XP PE environment, which you could have made yourself, with a PE builder from your installation disc.
XP is no longer supported, and there's a few sources around the net claiming that MS "said" the won't prosecute the creators (which they could have a long time ago).
Anyway, with MS offering installation media [howtogeek.com] through Digitalriver, as anubi [soylentnews.org] pointed out, and them even letting you download an XP iso with SP3 directly from themselves, you can you can go ahead and create the PE environment, even if you don't have the installation media yourself using BartPE and other tools. [microsoft.com]
It's a great tool, when you need to repair any windows installation, including legal ones. I don't believe there is an issue with that, no need to spread FUD, hairyfeet.
(Score: 2) by Hairyfeet on Tuesday October 21 2014, @10:04AM
Tell that to legal and see how quick you get a pink slip. And can you give a first party citation from MSFT saying XP is now PD, or that pirate keys are legal? Sure you can download ANY Windows ISO from MSFT but that don't change the fact you need a legitimate key which Hirens does NOT have, nor can I find anything on their site where they say that MSFT has given them the right to distribute XP PEs.
So before you start accusing anyone of FUD you better have the sources to back up your assertion, so lets see the page on Hirens where they have permission to distribute XP Pes or the page where MSFT says keygens for XP are legal because last I checked the XP keyservers are still online and authenticating [zdnet.com] which would indicate the exact opposite of what you are claiming. But if you wanna risk YOUR job on what some random guy says MSFT said? Far be it from me to stop you, pirate away.
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Tuesday October 21 2014, @02:54PM
You don't need a key to do a PE, genius! Stop shouting.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Hairyfeet on Tuesday October 21 2014, @04:36PM
Who is shouting? And stop trying to change the subject, the XP "Live CD" as it was originally called is still using a Razr1911 key. Again show me any place on the Hiren website where they have permission from MSFT to redistribute XP PEs, show me a single page where MSFT says keygen generated keys are cool, in fact show me any proof at all other than "I heard some guy said that MSFT don't give a fuck yo". Saying you COULD make your own means fuck and all, I COULD make a backup of my Win 7 DVD or I could buy a burnt DVD from eBay, that doesn't make the second one legal to sell, laziness AFAIK has never been an affirmative defense for piracy.
Quit trying to justify your pirate software with anecdotes and bullshit. If you wanna be a pirate? be a pirate, I don't give a fuck if you want to risk your job or not. But I provided citations backing up my position with facts, lets see yours.
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
(Score: 2) by Hairyfeet on Wednesday October 22 2014, @12:53AM
How is it a troll to point out they are promoting pirate software? if you want to pirate shit? Go right ahead, just don't pretend you have the moral high ground here or as the poster claimed they have "permission" from MSFT to pirate.
Please, don't take my word for it, go to the Hiren website and find me ONE citation where MSFT has given them permission to build XP Preinstall Environments, using Razr1911 Corporate no less. again do not take my word for it, burn your own copy of Hiren, look at the serial and put it into Google, its the Razr1911 key.
If Soylent wants to be pro piracy? Hey no problem, lets all start sticking links to TPB and the video sites, groovy man. But don't be hypocrites and pretend that you have permision, that some guy says its cool, stand up and admit you are a fucking pirate okay? Nobody likes a hypocrite.
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Wednesday October 22 2014, @03:02AM
do not take my word for it, burn your own copy of Hiren, look at the serial and put it into Google, its the Razr1911 key.
Please do so yourself, you'll be surprised.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Wednesday October 22 2014, @03:09AM
Hint, the ProductId key in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion is missing.
(Score: 2) by Hairyfeet on Wednesday October 22 2014, @10:59PM
Then its changed from 1.4 because in that one its Razr1911...and I'm STILL WAITING, where is the citation? MSFT does NOT let anybody do shit without providing paperwork, waviers, etc, and it says clearly on the MSFT website that they are the ONLY site permitted to distribute Windows.
So lets see that citation because otherwise its pirated, no different than if you bought a burnt disc from eBay.
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Thursday October 23 2014, @01:14AM
As long as you have a license, or using it to repair a licensed XP/ultimate/other eligible licenses machine, it's perfectly legal. Also, you can find enough scripts to create the image yourself on http://reboot.pro [reboot.pro] and other sites (e.g. ubcd4win), if you're so afraid of legal.
I'm not. I don't give a fuck and they don't give a fuck. I cite from personal experience. YMMV.
otherwise its pirated, no different than if you bought a burnt disc from eBay.
You seem brainwashed. Please continue wasting your time, if you so please.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Wednesday October 22 2014, @02:59AM
You are.
We're talking about current Hiren's? This is a Windows PE image.
See: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303891, [microsoft.com] or " rel="url2html-17021">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Automated_Installation_Kit
I COULD make a backup of my Win 7 DVD or I could buy a burnt DVD from eBay
Or you can save the effort and download it from Microsoft directly.
is still using a Razr1911 key
[Citation needed]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @08:52AM
its unfair to call something as useful as hirens bootcd pirate software, as it clearly has non piracy related uses.
Or did you mean that pirates are more likely to use it, cos it contains badly-licensed software?
its just bytes anyway. yarr.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Tuesday October 21 2014, @09:17AM
yarr.
Arr, matey! This scurvy landrat doesn't know what he be blathering 'bout.
(Score: 2) by cafebabe on Tuesday October 21 2014, @03:57AM
I've already discussed Comodo with Hairyfeet [soylentnews.org]. In summary, I think they're called Comodo because Commode [thefreedictionary.com] was already taken.
1702845791×2
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by Hairyfeet on Tuesday October 21 2014, @05:46AM
Funny how you consider circular logic [wikipedia.org] as a "discussion". I provided citations you provided anecdotes and bullshit. How many systems do YOU administer again? oh that's right NONE, move along please oh clueless one. Nothing worse than clueless armchair quarterbacks.
As for Hiren's Boot CD? Yeah its good but I didn't think linking to pirate software would be a wise thing to do. just FYI but Hiren's comes with an "XP Live" based on the Razr1911 Corporate edition, AKA "XP Pirate Edition" so its probably best not to bring that disc to anyplace where they care about software legality. Also how EXACTLY is a flash drive in my pocket designed to install and update Operating systems OFFLINE supposed to get a bug? Magic? that's the whole point of having the install and software updates offline, no worries about getting any internet bugs.
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Tuesday October 21 2014, @06:36AM
I took the Harefeet challenge! It lead me to pirate software, which it must have been, since it worked with Linux too. Everyone knows that all linux users are pirates. Unauthorized copies of Microsoft: I am not able to tell which part of this is sarcasm. Hare (foot) Krishna! Hare (foot) Krishna! Oh, the karma that one has to work off when one takes on the Microsoft dharma. The only way out is to not be attached to the fruit of the dharma, the money you make from fixing fundamentally broken systems. So I think, in this case, total fail?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @01:56PM
I don't know why you bother to respond to him. His message sig tells you everything you need to know, namely that his over-inflated opinion of himself isn't worth your time nor attention. I guarantee he is one of those insecure losers who would pitch a major bitch if the phpbb boards he hangs out on ever decide to disable the total message count display next to the avatar because, obviously, the more one posts, the higher their prestige.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 22 2014, @12:37AM
I don't know why you bother to respond to him
Hairyfeet may not take notice of responses to his ramblings, but I read those.
Invariably, the response is more insightful than the original.
-- gewg_
(Score: 2) by cafebabe on Tuesday October 21 2014, @06:48AM
You've definitely got the wrong person.
Anyhow, I'll respond to the remainder when I return to my armchair.
1702845791×2
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Tuesday October 21 2014, @08:53AM
It's a PE environment, Hairyfeet. You can do it yourself, legally, using e.g. BartPE and a copy of the XP installation media from Microsoft themselves [microsoft.com]. Stop spreading FUD.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday October 21 2014, @04:23PM
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=25129&751be11f-ede8-5a0c-058c-2ee190a24fa6=True
Which contains the following at the bottom of the page:
"""
The Microsoft Download Center site is your only authorized web source for downloading a licensed copy of Windows XP Service Pack 3. To report a website offering unlicensed copies of Windows XP SP3 for download, please send e-mail to: piracy@microsoft.com or visit http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/ReportingUs.mspx.
"""
You appear to be confusing "Microsoft distributing something for free" with "Microsoft permitting something to be distributed freely".
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Hairyfeet on Wednesday October 22 2014, @01:06AM
Thanks Phil, but even if they didn't have that written in black and white...dude Hiren is using the Razr1911 key! I mean do you seriously think MSFT would condone the use of one of the most pirated keys in the history of XP instead of merely handing them a volume license key which takes MSFT all of 5 seconds to generate?
Look they can waste modpoints attacking me all they want, I really don't give a fuck. if they want to pirate shit and put the links here? Go right ahead, i don't own the site, post pirate links until this place looks like TPB for all I care...but when they are trying to claim, with a straight face no less, that a site has permission to use pirate software because "hey you could have just pirated it on your own...and I heard some dude say MSFT don't give a fuck yo...and hey MSFT has links to XP on their site yo, that means they WANTS you to take it right?" I'm sorry but I thought this was a website for adults with functional brains, not 15 year old PC gamers trying to justify why they spent $2200 on a gamer rig to pirate BF4.
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Wednesday October 22 2014, @02:40AM
Bohoo, "Hiren is using the Razr1911 key!" Boho-hoo "Hiren is using the Razr1911 key!" [citation needed]
Do you even know what a PE environment is, Mr. "I administer so many systems, I gotta know better"?
I thought this was a website for adults with functional brains
Take your ad hominem, inform yourself, and then shove it up somewhere dark and personal.
K? Thx. Bye.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday October 22 2014, @02:16PM
Regarding just redistribution of binaries, I have seen a similar, or should I say *identical*, argument in the past. Someone was packaging and plugging MASM with a few extras (yes, this was about a decade ago), and nothing anyone could say, no links to MS's websites with copyright statements plastered all over them, saying "not to be redistributed in any form", could persuade him that he was violating MS's copyrights. The only argument was "but they give it away for free".
This one appears to have the same comprehension failure. Even when explained in simple terms. Not simple enough, clearly.
[* http://imgur.com/cMIx1UP , probably just about safe for work]
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Wednesday October 22 2014, @02:35AM
Your quote actually supports my argument. Thanks.
It's a licensed copy of Windows XP SP3.
Whether you use it on a system with a real Key or one from an "unsanctioned" keygen is a whole different story.
You can use this link to create a Windows Preinstallation Environment [wikipedia.org], usually referred to as WinPE.
From the aforementioned link:
it is now widely available free of charge via the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK).
Further, it can be used as:
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday October 22 2014, @01:56PM
And you are yet again confusing the copyright owner distributing something freely, and the copyrighted material being freely distributable.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Thursday October 23 2014, @01:09AM
Go look for yourself, and find the relevant sources, if you want.
confusing the copyright owner distributing something freely, and the copyrighted material being freely distributable.
Fact remains that you can download both necessary parts and create the same thing absolutely legally. Also, if you do have a license for XP, not even Hiren is breaking a law. 'mkey?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @06:51AM
(A) Drive has single partition containing single host operating system. Further operating systems are loaded as virtual machines in VMware or such.
(B) Drive has multiple partitions and each partition is setup with a different operating system selectable at boot time by Grub4Dos or such.
I am thinking of doing some spring cleaning to my computer system and I am not sure which of those two approaches I should take. Do you guys have a few tips and suggestions? Thanks.
(Score: 2) by PizzaRollPlinkett on Tuesday October 21 2014, @11:05AM
YMMV, but for my personal use, I like the virtual machine approach (I use VirtualBox in Linux) because it's much easier to back up and restore the disk images and your config. If your disk goes bad, you just rsync the backups to the new disk and keep going. It's also much easier to take a snapshot if you think you're going to do something that might trash an OS, since all you have to do it copy the disk images. I'm not a big fan of partitions. I ran out of room in a VM last week and just gave a command and doubled my disk size instantly. That's hard to do with a partition. Backing up partitions is a pain.
(E-mail me if you want a pizza roll!)
(Score: 1) by Jtmach on Tuesday October 21 2014, @02:22PM
It's going to totally depend on your needs. I would prefer to just have a Linux host with a windows VM when I need it. Except for the fact that my biggest use case of the Windows machine is to play games. So I duel boot for now.
Parenthetically, my favorite setup was back when XP was king. I had it configured so that I could duel boot to either Linux or XP, but also launch each in a VM from the other host. It was super cool, but I could never get it working again on Windows 7, and then I got too lazy to deal with it. I don't boot into Windows that often anyway.
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Tuesday October 21 2014, @04:46PM
As others have said, it depends on your needs. I used to do dual-boot with separate partitions, now I just have a Linux system with a couple VMs. The reason I switched? When I started dual-booting, I'd boot Linux for a couple weeks, then decide to do some gaming for a while and boot Windows for a couple weeks. For that kind of use where each OS is your full-time system for some length of time, you definitely want separate partitions. Or something like Wubi at least.
These days I boot the Windows VM for a few minutes per month. Testing things in IE or Safari, or trying some ancient game that doesn't need 3D acceleration.
The biggest issue isn't really performance today, performance of VMs on modern hardware is pretty good. The big issue is when you still need hardware access. 3D acceleration, while theoretically possible through some VMs, is always difficult to impossible to get working fully. I can't even get Direct3D 9 working on my WinXP guest in VirtualBox right now. USB support can be questionable. Any esoteric hardware is likely to not work through the VM. Networking can sometimes be a small challenge too.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 22 2014, @12:18AM
I was reading the Gentoo forum the other day and a guy noted that a M$ "improvement" caused him problems with extended partitions.
Windows update KB2949927. I big warning for [Windoze] users [gentoo.org]
Fitzcarraldo noted there:
"I prefer to keep the Windows Boot Manager as-is and use EasyBCD to configure it to chainload GRUB 2 on a different partition"
If you trust M$'s junk to behave itself, you will be disappointed.
M$ doesn't know the meaning of "heterogeneous".
-- gewg_
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Tuesday October 21 2014, @09:15AM
There are many tools to create bootable USB drives from Windows and linux, but few for OS X.
One of these is UNetbootin [sourceforge.net], which (is multiplatform and) basically performs the same function as YUMI (but it's more difficult to create a multiboot USB with it.)
A decent tutorial explaining the process of creating a multiboot USB with unetbootin can be found here [ininjas.com] and a more elaborate one here [insanelymac.com].
(Score: 2) by WizardFusion on Tuesday October 21 2014, @10:25AM
Instead of carrying a CD or USB key about, I use DriveDroid on my phone - because I always have my phone with me.
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.softwarebakery.drivedroid)
It will mount almost any ISO image from your phone allowing you to boot from it or install whatever you need/want.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @10:54AM
Been there, done that. Sardu works better than the other major multi-usb utilities.
http://www.sarducd.it/ [sarducd.it]
Put the drivers from driverpacks.net on the drive with SAD2 install script, and you'll have 90% of the software tools and resources necessary to fix an average person's computer.
(Score: 1) by danaris on Tuesday October 21 2014, @01:40PM
Apparently, despite being the only PC brand showing double-digit growth, Macs don't exist...?
Dan Aris
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @03:08PM
OSX isn't an OS, it's the firmware for iDevices (at least, that's how Apple wants it to be).
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Wednesday October 22 2014, @04:05AM
Last time I checked, the "Pro" line still exists and runs OS X, which is still based on Darwin.
(Score: 1) by dueckuwanga on Tuesday October 21 2014, @10:27PM
I wanted multiple Linuxes on one USB flash drive in order to robustify my desktop OS (cheap and easy to clone despite that I barely know how to `dd bs=4096 if=/dev/sdX of=/dev/sdY`) and give me some separation of environments (one for web browsing, one for money/communication matters, one for regular work). The following worked for me with a 16GB USB 3.0 stick I got for $12; there are drawbacks; it's convenient and maybe someone will benefit, so here goes (critique this setup to my delight!):
From some Linux:
Booted into the Live DVD:
I booted into the Debian install on my USB stick:
I made a similar entry for each of the Porteus installs. The --label and the sgnfile= options must be unique.
After hair-tearing and rebooting and reading internet, I found my typo in 06_custom and am now happily multibooting from USB stick.
If you want any of the Porteus installs to become more or less “read-only,” you can add the option ‘changes-ro’ to the options in the 06_custom menuentry line that begins with ‘linux.’ One more thing I liked: the XFCE version has a checkbox in the logoff screen to change your mind about saving the session!
tl;dr