How to run the SpinRite Pre-Release

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  • BootAble – FreeDOS boot testing freeware

    To obtain direct, low-level access to a system's mass storage drives, SpinRite runs under a GRC-customized version of FreeDOS which has been modified to add compatibility with all file systems. In order to run SpinRite it must first be possible to boot FreeDOS.

    GRC's “BootAble” freeware allows anyone to easily create BIOS-bootable media in order to workout and confirm the details of getting a machine to boot FreeDOS through a BIOS. Once the means of doing that has been determined, the media created by SpinRite can be booted and run in the same way.

    The participants here, who have taken the time to share their knowledge and experience, their successes and some frustrations with booting their computers into FreeDOS, have created a valuable knowledgebase which will benefit everyone who follows.

    You may click on the image to the right to obtain your own copy of BootAble. Then use the knowledge and experience documented here to boot your computer(s) into FreeDOS. And please do not hesitate to ask questions – nowhere else can better answers be found.

    (You may permanently close this reminder with the 'X' in the upper right.)

To obtain your registered and
licensed SpinRite pre-release
  1. Go to GRC's SpinRite pre-pelease page here: https://www.grc.com/prerelease.htm.
  2. At that page, enter your own SpinRite Serial Number, as shown in your SpinRite's initial screens.
  3. You will receive a single-use link to download the latest SpinRite Pre-Release: "SRPR.EXE".
    If your existing SpinRite boot USB stick is currently inserted you can download the file directly to it.
Note that unlike all regular release SpinRites, this pre-release ONLY runs under DOS. If you run it in Windows you'll be told that it's incompatible. So you will need to move (and rename) it to a bootable DOS USB stick, as follows:
Running the SpinRite Pre-Release
  1. Insert your existing SpinRite boot USB stick into Windows and view its contents in Windows Explorer.
    You should see your original SpinRite 6.0 file "SPINRITE.EXE".
  2. In Windows, rename your original SPINRITE.EXE -to-> SR6.EXE.
  3. Copy your own SRPR.EXE (pre-release spinrite) to the USB stick.
    See below for how to obtain your own SRPR.EXE SpinRite pre-release.
  4. In Windows, rename SRPR.EXE to SPINRITE.EXE.
  5. Safely eject the USB stick and you should be good to go!

Boot that USB stick on any PC compatible machine and the pre-release of SpinRite will run!

Booting SpinRite (Plan B)
If the steps above don't work for you

GRC's InitDisk utility was created at the start of the work on SpinRite v6.1. It is far more capable than the USB preparation system that's built into SpinRite 6.0, and its technology will be moved into SpinRite 6.1's USB preparation system. Until that happens, you can use InitDisk to prepare any USB drive for booting:

  1. Download the InitDisk utility from this page at GRC: https://www.grc.com/initdisk.htm
  2. Open a Windows Command Prompt as an Administrator.
    Under the Start menu is the Windows System folder. It contains "Command Prompt".
    Right click on it, and under "More" is "Run as Administrator".
  3. Change directories to the location of the InitDisk.exe you downloaded.
    If it's in "Downloads" enter the command: "cd downloads"
  4. Enter the command: "initdisk freedos" (and press enter)
  5. Carefully read and follow the instructions presented.
    When InitDisk finishes, the new drive letter will appear in Windows Explorer.
  6. Copy your SRPR.EXE obtained with the earlier steps above to the USB stick.
  7. Safely eject the USB stick and you should be good to go!
 
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Click to expand...
Well that was weird ( and worked-sort of, of course.) I'd already had hidden items enabled and *thought* I had system files visible. Now I get:

1701189335301.png


but the command line gets:

1701189387866.png


I really dislike it what stuff is hidden to "reduce distractions" in a way that makes it almost impossible to see - like URLs and email addresses.

Still looking for my copy of DOS and a floppy drive to read it. Have both here somewhere...
 
ozindfw said:
I really dislike it what stuff is hidden to "reduce distractions" in a way that makes it almost impossible to see - like URLs and email addresses.
Click to expand...
Yeah. But I don't want anyone to "hurt themselves" by messing with system level things. It makes sense for the moment while things are still settling. But in the future, less so. (y)
 
Wasn't really talking about you, more about Windows, ios and browser aggressively hiding information. It'd be nice to be able to look at a URL on that otherwise convincing SPAM email on my phone without opening the link, but that ain't gonna happen.
 
Curious and curiouser. Booting with a 'known good' MSDOS image (tested with laptop) doesn't error out but will not recognize either command.com. I keep getting a prompt to enter the path and name of the command interpreter. My laptop works fine, and I can use either command interpreter with the MSDOS boot on it. And he laptop uses the command.com automatically in either case by renaming command com appropriately.

Something weird with the Dell. A quick browse through the bios config options didn't reveal anything obvious. Need to deal with it when I can dedicate more time not part of the workday. Need to do it soon, I think the boot drive has issues.
 
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Still can't figure out why this crashes. The clean MSDOS 6.22 boot starts without errors, but can't find command.com. I suspect a post-boot driver issue.

I gave up and swapped the spinner with an SSD as the degradation was advancing. Dramatic improvement.
 
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