Unable too boot into DOS to run SPINRITE

[pats2265]

I have an ASUS ROG STRIX X570-E Gaming Mobo and it supports booting from USB and CD/DVD.
It supports SecureBoot and non-SecureBoot.

I've learned how to disable SecureBoot on this MOBO (See https://www.technorms.com/45538/disable-enable-secure-boot-asus-motherboard-uefi-bios-utility).

And I've created:
1. A USB Bootable version of SpinRite using SpinRite
2. A USB Bootable version of SpinRite using initdisk freedos and then copying SpinRite onto the USB
3. A DVD Bootable version of SpinRite using SpinRite's ISO image and Windows 10 burn image feature (by right clicking the image).

I've tested combinations of the above using:
(1) UEFI Enabled OS vs Non-UEFI enabled OS in ASUS bios
and (2) USB DVD, (3) Internal DVD, and (4) USB JumpDrive.

When the SPINRITE configured USB Drive and DVDs failed to boot, I switched to other bootable CDs/DVDs/USB's I had around from prior years.

I've tried booting CD/DVD bootable versions of:
(1) USB SpinRite created both ways (using SpinRite, and using InitDisk freedos),
(2) An old copy of Knopix,
(3) An old copy of Ghost PE boot,
(4) An old copy of SpinRite 6.0 (from 2006) (yes, I've used it for a long time).
(5) USB Windows 10 boot jumpdrive, and Win10 DVD install disk.

So far I've gotten only Windows 10 install USB drive, and Windows 10 install DVD rom to boot. So I know that I've got the ASUS BIOS it configured correctly to allow it to boot from alternate media (USB or CD/DVD).

Everything other than Windows install media fails to boot. The observation is that after selecting the DRIVE to boot the ASUS Bios checks something and maybe runs something, and that fails so it returns back to the ASUS BIOS screen where I selected the device to boot from.
So basically it doesn't boot to DOS.

NOTE: I found pressing F8 on the ASUS bios boot screen that says Press DEL or F2 to enter the BIOS was the easiest way to try booting using USB Drive, USB DVD-RW, and internal DVD.

So AFAIK, the problem is related to creating a modern bootable USB drive and/or DVD.
Can anyone send me any pointers to something that might create a DOS bootable drive so that I could run SpinRite?

I think I threw away my old USB Floppy Disk, but that is the only other thing I can think of to try.

Thanks, in advance, for any help.

 

[pats2265]

Well, before I even got approval to post this, I tracked down the answer/solution.
In ASUS BIOS, I had disabled secure boot, but I never enabled legacy boot mode.

After this was enabled I was able to boot, press F8, select the USB Drive (or legacy CD/DVD boot) option and SPINRITE 6.0 started just fine!

 

[PHolder]

ASUS ROG STRIX X570-E

I believe this is your manual: https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/.../E15826_ROG_STRIX_X570-E_GAMING_UM_v2_WEB.pdf

Find page 3-18 and read about the CSM. You need to enable the CSM to boot a legacy OS, including DOS.

 

[pats2265]

I believe this is your manual: https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/.../E15826_ROG_STRIX_X570-E_GAMING_UM_v2_WEB.pdf

Find page 3-18 and read about the CSM. You need to enable the CSM to boot a legacy OS, including DOS.

Yes that was it!. Thanks

 

[80sJack]

Thanks for the original posters but CSM (Legacy BIOS) is not an option in the Firmware of my ASUS (ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603) a 2021/2022 laptop. Asus removed it and I'm not happy about it, at all. ChatGPT concludes that it's been removed.

Any other way to do this without physically removing my HDD (there is no port for doing this on my laptop, it would require disassembly!) ?

Thanks

 

[DanR]

Any other way to do this without physically removing my HDD (there is no port for doing this on my laptop, it would require disassembly!) ?

There is:

https://forums.grc.com/threads/how-to-run-spinrite-on-a-uefi-only-machine-part-1-of-5.1613/

It is not for the faint of heart however.

 

[80sJack]

Thanks for this! The idea of booting into a UEFI USB has occurred to me but I thought it was going to be OTT. The article is a really good find because it proves it can be done and provides a blue-print but it also confirms it's complex and time consuming.

The effort and time involved means it's not viable as a preventative step at the moment but I might change my mind. Considering I think Steve, who I'm a huge-huge fan of, first started talking about Spinrite 6.1 a long time ago (episode 200ish ?) , I'm not going to expect version 7 within the next 2 years, but do expect it to come faster than 6.1. did as he has often talked about the ground work he has done. That said, he may start to add a lot of new features or get way laid by another side project. I hope he gets 7 done soon for the sake of humanity and all of those HDD / systems that that can be saved

 

[ColbyBouma]

That said, he may start to add a lot of new features or get way laid by another side project.

He is currently working on version 2 of the DNS Benchmark, and I believe he plans to build Beyond Recall after that. It will be a while before he starts on SpinRite 7.

 

[DanR]

I'm not going to expect version 7 within the next 2 years, but do expect it to come faster than 6.1. did as he has often talked about the ground work he has done. That said, he may start to add a lot of new features or get way laid by another side project.

There may be a SpinRite 7 windows app, for scanning external USB drives only, sometime in 2025.

However, the full SpinRite 7 Pro app is likely 2+ years away yet. (It's impossible to predict! )