Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

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pimjoosten
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:37 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by pimjoosten »

I recently upgraded my BIBM license to BootIt Collection and have made an installation CD with BIU v1.10, IFU v3.31 and scripting. When I do not install BIU but go to the maintenance mode of the CD I have noticed two things that are different from doing the same in the maintenance mode of the BIBM CD. I do not know whether these options are not available anymore or different in BIU CD maintenance mode or that these are bugs. This happens on both an UEFI VM and a physical machine on which I boot the CD as an UEFI CD.

1. After selecting Disk Imaging (IFU) I get
“Unable to open "IFU.DAT".
The program directory is no longer accessible.
Press <enter> to reboot.”

Should I not be able to start IFU from the BIU CD in maintenance mode?

2. After selecting Scripting I get:
“Upgrade to Professional for BootIt

To upgrade to the Professional for BootIt version, enter the name and key as shown on your BootIt purchase receipt. Leave the fields blank to continue with the Professional version.”

If I leave both fields blank I then get:

“You are using the professional version. In the future, use the "REGISTER" command to upgrade to the Professional for BootIt version.”

Should I not immediately see the TBOSDT prompt, because I already entered my license key when making the installation CD? It is strange that the text states I have to enter a license key to upgrade to the Professional for BootIt version, while it also says that if I leave the fields blank I will (also) continue with the Professional version.

Please note that I have not used TBOSDT yet, as it is (for now) over my head. After discovering the above issue with selecting IFU I just checked all the options in the CD maintenance mode to check whether they worked.
TeraByte Support
Posts: 3598
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:37 pm

Re: Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by TeraByte Support »

Check for a firmware update. It appears the uefi file system becomes
unavailable or not tracking the directory. You can view in tbosdt where
the bootit.ini file was created (and if you can find the other files).

What VM?


On 8/26/2019 6:28 AM, pimjoosten wrote:
> I recently upgraded my BIBM license to BootIt Collection and have made an installation CD with BIU v1.10, IFU v3.31 and scripting. When I do not install BIU but go to the maintenance mode of the CD I have noticed two things that are different from doing the same in the maintenance mode of the BIBM CD. I do not know whether these options are not available anymore or different in BIU CD maintenance mode or that these are bugs. This happens on both an UEFI VM and a physical machine on which I boot the CD as an UEFI CD.
>
> 1. After selecting Disk Imaging (IFU) I get
> "Unable to open "IFU.DAT".
> The program directory is no longer accessible.
> Press to reboot."
>
> Should I not be able to start IFU from the BIU CD in maintenance mode?
>
> 2. After selecting Scripting I get:
> "Upgrade to Professional for BootIt
>
> To upgrade to the Professional for BootIt version, enter the name and key as shown on your BootIt purchase receipt. Leave the fields blank to continue with the Professional version."
>
> If I leave both fields blank I then get:
>
> "You are using the professional version. In the future, use the "REGISTER" command to upgrade to the Professional for BootIt version."
>
> Should I not immediately see the TBOSDT prompt, because I already entered my license key when making the installation CD? It is strange that the text states I have to enter a license key to upgrade to the Professional for BootIt version, while it also says that if I leave the fields blank I will (also) continue with the Professional version.
>
> Please note that I have not used TBOSDT yet, as it is (for now) over my head. After discovering the above issue with selecting IFU I just checked all the options in the CD maintenance mode to check whether they worked.
>
>

pimjoosten
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:37 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by pimjoosten »

Thanks for your response and my apologies for my late reply. I thought I would get an e-mail when there was a response, but I did not. I have now changed a setting and hope next time I will get an e-mail if there is a reply.

I have done some more tests, also on more computers and have found mixed results.
• First, I updated the firmware of the physical machine I noticed the issue on (an ASRock Beebox J3160). The latest firmware is from March 2018. Unfortunately the issue remains.
• On a computer with a Gigabyte GA-H110M-HD3 DDR3 motherboard the issue also occurs with the latest firmware, also from March 2018.
• On a Dell Latitude E6430 and an Asus VivoPC VC62B the BIU CD starts correctly with a registered license and I can start IFU from the CD, but then it asks for a license key. If I then cancel entering the key, BIU restarts but now also asks for a license key. In BIBM I never had to enter my license key again if I had entered it when making the CD. It seems that the key is not remembered. On the Asus computer I have also tested BIU when installed. In that case everything works fine. I could not install BIU on the other physical machines, because they have an MBR drive.
• The VM I used is a freshly made empty UEFI machine on VMware Workstation 15 Player v15.1.0 build 13591040, with the BIOS set to UEFI. On this VM, as stated in my first post, the issue occurs. When installed, BIU works fine.

I also noticed that when selecting Scripting on the machines that have the issue I first get the message from my first post “Upgrade to Professional for BootIt. To upgrade to the Professional for BootIt version, enter the name and key as shown on your BootIt purchase receipt. Leave the fields blank to continue with the Professional version.” After leaving both fields blank I then get: “You are using the professional version. In the future, use the "REGISTER" command to upgrade to the Professional for BootIt version.”
After that I get @C:\EFI\BOOTIT> but when I enter “exit” I get “The program directory is no longer accessible. Press <enter> to reboot.” If I enter dir /p instead, it says 0 files, 0 dir(s).

It indeed seems that data are missing/cannot be read when running from CD. This also seems to happen when the IFU start issue does not occur, because in that case the license key is not remembered.

I have used a CD with BIU v1.11 and IFU v3.32.
TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1644
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

If the systems support booting from a flash drive you could try using that instead of a CD. That method may be better supported (it lets it work in VMware Workstation, for example). You could also try creating specific boot media for IFU/TBOSDT instead of booting through BIU.

In general, newer systems (last few years to current) have better UEFI support. Older systems can be very problematic -- some stuff may work, some won't.
pimjoosten
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:37 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by pimjoosten »

Thanks for your reply. I went for an IFL CD with TBOSDT, I think that is the easiest solution for me. I prefer using CD’s instead of flash drives, because CD’s are easier to manage. I do not want to have a flash drive for every program that needs a boot medium. I know there are programs that can include many boot iso’s on just one flash drive, but that is something I need to look into first. IFL is the best option ATM.

In my case it is strange: the systems that do not work as they should are newer than the systems that do.

There is still one question open from my previous post: is it normal that on the machines on which IFU is correctly started from the BIU CD that I have to enter the license key again when starting IFU?
TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1644
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

It's normal when it can't read the license info due to the drive and/or file system being unavailable. Nothing is found so it prompts for it.
pimjoosten
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:37 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by pimjoosten »

I understand, but in this case I was referring to the computers on which the BIU CD is working properly. I can open IFU and TBOSDT. For IFU I need to enter the key, for TBOSDT not. In TBOSDT the commands work fine and dir shows me all files and folders on the CD. The license key is requested when starting IFU and when exiting IFU or TBOSDT to get into BIU again. It seems only the license key cannot be read, but the other files can. That seems weird to me.
TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1644
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

Does IFU still ask for the key if you start it from TBOSDT? I assume it would, but you could try it. Boot to BIU, start TBOSDT, then run: exec imageu.efi

When you come back into BIU from IFU or TBOSDT and reenter the key for BIU, does TBOSDT show the same when you start it (doesn't ask for key, shows C:\, sees bootit.ini okay)? Or does it also now prompt for the key?
pimjoosten
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:37 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by pimjoosten »

Yes, IFU started from TBOSDT requests a key. When I exit IFU in that case I return to TBOSDT without having to enter a key.

TBOSDT never asks for a key, also not after returning to BIU from IFU/TBOSDT and then starting TBOSDT. It sees the contents of C:, including bootit.ini.
pimjoosten
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:37 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Problems using Image for UEFI/TBOSDT on BIU CD

Post by pimjoosten »

BUMP
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