Well I was trying to do a reload of my Windows and I am in setup right
now waiting to put in a key so I'm not sure that any of the files have
been deleted but they may or may not have.
Oh, OK. Then what you'd do is use a key finder such as Nirsoft
ProduKey from a Bart CDR boot, redirecting it to operate relative to
the stricken HD's registry via the RunScanner plugin.
You will need:
- \i386 (see other post)
- Bart builder (check)
- RunScanner plugin
- Nirsoft ProduKey
You could first use a CDRW to build a test Bart CDR (needing only the
first two items) to test that you have the basics down pat.
Then, download and integrate the RunScanner plugin from here...
http://www.paraglidernc.com/plugins/runscanner.htm
....and follow the blurb to integrate this with your Bart project.
I'll write more about Bart plugins later, at the end of this post.
At this point, do a test build to see if you integrated the plugin
correctly. You can UNcheck the "burn CD" part as all you want to know
is whether the compilation process completes without errors.
Then, download Nirsoft ProduKey from here:
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html
At this point, you can either formally plug that into the Bart
project, which builds reusable Bart skills and ends up with an
easier-to-use Bart CDR, or you can just "ad hoc" it.
To "add hoc" it, you can extract the tool to a USB stick and have that
stick present in the target PC at the time that you boot it from the
Bart CDR. You'd then work from the command line so as to enter the
command, with proper paths etc., that does this...
X:\Programs\RunScanner\RunScanner.exe D:\ProduKey.exe
....i.e. runs first RunScanner as the wrapper, then (omitted here) any
parameters RunScanner may need, then the full filespec for the
ProduKey tool on the USB stick.
Slightly more refined, is to include the ProduKey.exe on the Bart CDR
itself, so you don't have to fiddle with USB sticks. To do that, drop
the ProduKey.exe file into the "custom" directory as pathed within the
Bart builder. This is really the base of an "include" subtree, e.g.
If "custom" = C:\Included
If ProduKey.exe is in C:\Included\Programs\Nirsoft
Then CDR boot shows X:\Programs\Nirsoft\ProduKey.exe
Best is to formally plug in ProduKey, so that it appears within Bart's
easy menu as an integrated tool.
A "plugin" typically comprises the following:
1) A "readme" .HTM to help the user
2) An .INF to integrate the tool into the build process
3) An *_nu2menu.xml to integrate the tool into the menu
4) A .CMD to integrate the tool at runtime
5) The files that comprise the tool itself
Generally, you would download a tool that "knows nothing" about Bart,
such as ProduKey, which is (5). Then you'd find and download a Bart
plugin for the tool, which would give you (1-4).
You would then read (1), which explains how to integrate (5) into the
Bart build. You'd follow those instructions (typically "create a
directory called X in your Bart builder's Plugin directory, and copy
the program's files into it, with the files from this plugin") and if
all was well, the next Bart CDR you build has the tool working in it.
If all does not go well, you may need to take an active interest in
the contents of the plugin's .INF, .XML and (if needed) .CMD files.
Troubleshoot a few broken plugins, and soon you will be creating your
own plugins from scratch - it's not too difficult to do, though
complex apps that have to be harvested from an installed state will be
difficult, especially if there is system code and registry stuff.
FWIW, here are the parts of my own plugin for ProduKey. Well, they're
actually untested edited simplifications of my "real" plugin,. which
integrates a dozen or so Nirsoft tools
ProduKey.CMD
---------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
@Echo Off
Set RS=%~dp0\..\RunScanner\RunScanner.exe /t 0
Set Tool=%~dp0\..\ProduKey\ProduKey.exe
If "%SystemDrive%"=="%~d0" (
Start %RS% %Tool%
) Else Start %Tool%
---------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
ProduKey.INF
---------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
; PE Builder v3 plug-in INF file
[Version]
Signature= "$Windows NT$"
[PEBuilder]
Name="NirSoft ProduKey"
Enable=1
; Help="ProduKey.htm"
[WinntDirectories]
a="Programs\ProduKey",2
[SourceDisksFiles]
ProduKey.cmd=a,,1
produkey.*=a,,1
[Append]
nu2menu.xml, ProduKey_nu2menu.xml
---------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
ProduKey_nu2menu.XML
---------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
<!-- Nu2Menu entry -->
<NU2MENU>
<MENU ID="Programs">
<MITEM TYPE="ITEM"
DISABLED="@Not(@FileExists(@GetProgramDir()\..\ProduKey\ProduKey.exe))"
CMD="RUN" FUNC="@GetProgramDir()\..\ProduKey\ProduKey.cmd
ProduKey.exe">Product Key Lister</MITEM>
---------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
I could re-write the .CMD to avoid line breaks, but I can't do that
for the XML; everything from "<MITEM TYPE=..." to "...Product Key
Lister</MITEM>" is a single indented line.
If you stare at these for long enough, you can figure them out.
The .INF builds the relevant files into the CDR and .XML into the Bart
menu's .XML at compile time.
The .XML logic greys out the menu item if the file isn't there, else
UI'd it so you can run it.
The .CMD logic tests whether you have booted the CDR or not (e.g. you
may be Autorunning it in Windows) and if it is booted, it invokes
RunScanner redirection, else it runs it directly. I used Set commands
to avoid line breaks and also assist in reusability.
The %~dp0\..\ syntax allows this to work from the pre- and post-build
Bart subtrees for easier testing and use, no matter where your Bart
builder subtree is located (the "dp" means "drive letter, dir path")
--------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - -
To one who only has a hammer,
everything looks like a nail
