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.
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If SpinRite tries to write to the log file, but the boot drive has stopped responding, will SpinRite recover gracefully or freeze?
I was using a small thumb drive and thought maybe the log file was filling the drive. I put spinrite on 32gb thumb drive and it had the same problem. I also heard on the SN podcast (I have listened from the beginning) that you made changes to over rite the log with the new SC release. I have 50+ hard drives in all different sizes and problems. I don't have problems with anything under 3TB. I'm not an expert on using spinrite so normally user error is the first place I look.
millQ (bless his heart) has really wrung the crap out of SpinRite's logging system—much as you have with so many drive-related edge cases!
. But SpinRite just calls MS-DOS to perform its writing. So it ought to return an error that it cannot write to the log.
Thanks! Yes It stopped at the same spot on the 3TB with a little over 3 hours to go and 5 hours on the 4TB. I ran it first on the old SC and when I heard your podcast I went out and got SC5 and they both stopped at the same place. I'm mostly playing with old drives for fun. The 10TB was one that I had in my computer with my life on it. I really need to recover it even though I have most of it on my NAS. I only ran the 10TB once since it took 30 hours + when the computer stopped taking input at 49% something like 24 hours to go. I'm at work but can get any detailed information you need when I get home. I didn't expect the quick response.@sweeney746: Thanks for the additional feedback. I don't know that I've ever, myself, run a huge drive on a higher level just due to the time it would take. So this evening I'll set SpinRite going on huge drive at level 4 and see what happens.
Another super-useful thing to know would be whether this repeats for you? ... as in: If you run the same drive at the same level on the same machine does it hang at the same place?
