Experimental version of SpinRite not installing on USB stick

[rakosnik]

If this is not the correct place to post this, please let me know where would be the correct place to post this.

I'm trying to install one the experimental versions of SpinRite that Steve is currently working, but I can't get any of them to install on a USB stick. I've downloaded and tried to install 8b, 8h and 7b, but I can't get any of them to work.

When I try on my Windows 10 laptop it says, "This app can't run on your PC." When I try to run it as administrator it says it can't find the file.

When I try on a Windows 7 desktop it says that the computer is Memory protect mode.

When I try on a different Windows 7 desktop it says it is incompatible with this computer and that I should check if it is 32-bit or 64 bit.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[PHolder]

The release version of SpinRite 6.0 (not what you are trying to run) has two modes. If run under Windows, it operates to help you build a bootable DOS device to build the environment where SpinRite runs, under legacy mode DOS.

The test versions you're trying to use presumably do not work under Windows in any capacity.

You should try downloading the ReadSpeed tool, and run it under Windows. It will help you make a bootable USB device that can run ReadSpeed. Once you get that working successfully, then you can copy any test version of SpinRite onto it to try out. (The ReadSpeed tool offers the option to abort to DOS before running, or after.)

 

[DanR]

rakosnik,

The SpinRite experimental demo versions are NOT windows executables.

They are DOS executables that need a DOS environment to run in. They need to be simply copied to a bootable USB stick, then boot your system with that USB stick, and run the SpinRite experimental versions you wish to run.

To create a bootable USB stick, first go here: https://www.grc.com/initdisk.htm

Download InitDisk.exe and run it in a command prompt window with admin privilege: InitDisk /FreeDOS

Follow the prompts with the USB stick you wish to use. It will create a bootable USB stick with FreeDOS on it that wll boot up a FreeDOS environment suitable for the SpinRite experimental versions. Drop the SpinRite experimental versions you wish to run on this now bootable USB stick.

Then just BIOS boot your computer with this stick in a USB port. Note: That this requires a BIOS boot capability. Those with UEFI only boot machines will have to will have to wait for SpinRite 7.0.

 

[DanR]

PHolder's ReadSpeed suggestion is actually my preferred way of doing things.

Go here: https://www.grc.com/readspeed.htm and download ReadSpeed.exe

Run it in a command prompt window with admin privilege. It invokes InitDisk to create a bootable USB stick, then creates an optimized custom FreeDos environment for running ReadSpeed or SpinRite DOS executables. A copy of RS.exe, the ReadSpeed DOS executable, will also be written to the USB stick. Just drop the SpinRite experimental demos you are interested in on the USB stick and BIOS boot on a BIOS boot machine to to run the SpinRite's or RS.

 

[Barry Wallis]

Be aware that your device needs to be able to run in legacy boot mode (as opposed to UEFI). If you can only boot with UEFI, you can't run any version of SpinRite until V7.

 

[cyberzod]

Also, be very aware that your USB stick will be wiped out when you run initdisk on it. I am pretty sure it warns you of this, repeatedly, but one more warning cannot hurt.

 

[rakosnik]

Thank you so much.
I got a few experimental versions of SpinRite working using the ReadSpeed method.
I didn't realize that the experimental versions didn't install by themselves using Windows.

Is there an experimental version of SpinRite that actually tests hard drives? I kept running into the "Here There Be Dragons" Message. From listening to Steve on Security Now I thought he had released a version that ran much faster than 6.0 currently does.

So far I've tried 7A, 8B, and 8H. (Those are just the first ones that I downloaded)

Also is there a version that works on hard drives bigger than 2 TB? I have several drives that are bigger than 2 TB that I've never been able to run SpinRite on. It would also be impractical to run SpinRite on larger drives at the old speed of 6.0.

Thanks Again

 

[PHolder]

Is there an experimental version of SpinRite that actually tests hard drives?

No, not yet. @Steve is still focused on full device detection and the speed profiling done to be able to estimate a full device sweep.

Once there is any disk testing in the final code, one presumes Steve will switch to requiring you to use your credentials to download the test version the same way you would download any paid version. (The assumption being that he won't be releasing any freely available version that does everything a paid version would do.) His ReadSpeed code is a preview of some of the final product, such as the USB device installation and speed of his new methods of interacting with disks.

 

[Mike in Cambridge]

With due respect to Steve - The above post sets an important reality check to everyone involved in this project - I wa a coder in a much less involved way than Steve.but the domain of activity involved the continuing processing of a large amounts of data (not a closed domain of responsibility) - demanding a high degree of input of effort -Yes I used pre cooked ASM modules as part of my efforts, but the demands required continuous effort in terms of integrity of the maintenance of data. Not a discrete testing regime - I'm younger than Steve but I suffered a Spinal Stroke (with no warning) 6 Weeks ago - So this fingure typed. Perhaps the development of the application should be distributed (commercial considerations to be considered ) to group of developers - Please delete this post if considered inappropriate. (I''m a spinwrite paid owner).

Thank you

 

[DanR]

Is there an experimental version of SpinRite that actually tests hard drives? I kept running into the "Here There Be Dragons" Message. From listening to Steve on Security Now I thought he had released a version that ran much faster than 6.0 currently does.

As PHolder replied, No. Not yet. Stave is currently busy working on getting the detection and enumeration of drives working correctly. That work benefits greatly with public "demo" testing. Hence the "Here There Be Dragons" message.

When SpinRite 6.1 gets to beta test stage (after more development and much testing) it will test drives. That version will be for registered SpinRite owners only.

And, yes, when SpinRite 6.1 eventually releases it will be much faster than 6.0 is.

Also is there a version that works on hard drives bigger than 2 TB? I have several drives that are bigger than 2 TB that I've never been able to run SpinRite on. It would also be impractical to run SpinRite on larger drives at the old speed of 6.0.

SpinRite 6.1 will have no 2 TB drive size limit; it will handle larger TB size drives with ease. And it will be faster than 6.0.

SR 6.0 is constrained to work through the BIOS. It is therefore limited to BIOS I/O speed which, compared to modern day controllers and drives, is almost glacial.

SR 6.1, on the other hand, will work directly with controllers and drives. It will operate at whatever speed a controller-drive combo is capable of.

 

[Ralph]

Do I recall correctly that SR monitors drives for over temperature? I have a couple USB flash drives, one in particular, that get what seems to be too hot with SR. Even in continuous normal use they 'cook'. The worse one heat wise is an older Aegis Secure Key. Maybe SR does not have access to all drive's temperatures, I am guessing that info comes from SMART. While the increased speed of a new SR is certainly welcome especially for larger drives there may be some cases where heat may be an issue. It is true that like SSDs I don't SR flash drives very often, but I do run it, more so on flash drives to keep an eye on their errors. I suspect not many people SR their flash drives, but has anyone else notice this?

 

[PHolder]

Flash memory is block oriented. Erasing blocks for future (or immediate) reuse takes time and energy. If you are stressing the drive, it will get hot, and there is little to be done about it as the USB drive form factor is very small and there is very little they can do to dissipate the heat. Given the limited write cycles of flash, and the wear and tear of the heat they produce while being written to, you're better off not writing them unless you have to.

 

[DanR]

Do I recall correctly that SR monitors drives for over temperature?

For spinning drives, yes. SR will throttle back if/when the SMART data indicates the spinning drive is getting too warm.

For SSD's and USB sticks, however, this does not apply. See PHolder's post just above for valuable information re these drives.

 

[miquelfire]

Oh, they apply to SSD's, just only those with RGB displays have had to deal with the issues of overheating SSDs...

Actually, until those SSDs with RGB on them came out, I don't think anyone actually knew that SSDs could overheat. That might be why some current NVMe SSDs tend to have heat sinks on them (mainly PCIe 4.0 ones as those are the only ones whose speed can get hot)

 

[Ralph]

I don't run SR to flash drives often, but almost always when they are new. An occasional level 2 just to see how things are. I have noticed that with very rare exception errors are on writes. The manufacturer is probably aware of the heat issue as mentioned above since a newer version of my flash drive has heat throttling built in. Both drives have a built in battery which I am sure does not appreciate the heat either.

 

[DanR]

Oh, they apply to SSD's

Yes, SSD's do have SMART data. I do not know however, how how it compares to HDD's or if/how SR 6.0 may be able to make use if it.

Steve has hinted from time to time that SR 6.1 will be able to make more intelligent use of SMART data. It remains to be seen how that will turn out.

Steve has also hinted from time to time that SR 6.1 will be more SSD aware. Again, it remains to be seen how that will turn out.

 

[miquelfire]

I was talking about the overheating issues. I think the drives without SMART data are the "cheap" USB flash drives, and drives that are basically SATA (and NVMe) to USB because the converter doesn't handle SMART data.