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Thread ID: 42233	2004-02-04 21:11:00	Bootable CD's and Auto run CD's	mikep (1856)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
212922	2004-02-04 21:11:00	El-Torito Bootable CD's... Making an El-torito bootable CD-ROM with a dos style boot menu is a fairly easy task using either Nero or Adaptec, but how can one make a bootable cd with a boot option like that found on the likes of the Windows9x CDs, that gives the user the option to boot from CD or hard disk with a countdown timer before the DOS menu appears when the option to boot from CD is requested? Is there a program/utility that allows you to read and/or edit the boot sector of a CD like the example above? I test programs and use Ghost to restore my PC when finished and find it utterly frustrating and time wasting when I have left the CD in the machine. Auto Runner... The instruction to make a CD that auto runs when inserted seem fairly simple when a windows executable is requested, but how do I make a html document or other non executable display when the CD is inserted? For example, I want a web interface to display a html document, or a windows media file to play. So far, all I have achieved is a harmless error - " is not a valid win32 application "	mikep (1856)
212923	2004-02-04 21:52:00	I believe that there is a FAQ on creating autorun CDs though it may or may not be exactly what you require. Wouldn't hurt to look though would it? ;-) Link at top of this page.	Fire-and-Ice (3910)
212924	2004-02-05 00:20:00	Hi mikep, Bootloader programs are probably the method you require for those Windows type CDs. It really just depends on how it was programmed which is why you get the choices given to you to boot to the CD, which will point to the CD's Boot Records or to the Hard Drives Boot Records (MBR), then those records would perform their usual function of just loading the OS or program. There are many methods for making an HTML page load, but autorun requires .exe files. You can create simple splash screen .exe files that just open up an HTML page (doesn't have to have a splash screen, just loads the HTML page), you can convert HTML pages to .exe pages using a program called WebCompiler (use to be used on DSE CDs). As long as autorun executes an .exe file it should be fine. There have been other methods suggested like using start.exe but I prefer the latter. HTML pages are not executable, the program that launches them is, which Internet Explorer or any other web browser are. I have to say you just need to research more into this and read the FAQs on this. Noel Nosivad	Noel Nosivad (389)
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