Spybot Christmas Presents, Part 1: Bootable CD - Safer-Networking Forums

**PepiMK** · 2007-12-12, 17:32

Disclaimer: this is a beta - work in progress (means feedback is quite welcome)! The tool creates a bootable and usable CD, but the CD is quite bare currently, no runtime optimization etc.. Also, a 1 GB (yepp, that's right, 992 MB to be exact) requires a broadband connection. That said, let's get some description...

Some malware can best be removed if the infected system, including the malware itself, is not active during the cleaning. To use another system, one needs either a second full installation, or a operating system bootable from CD.

There are existing solutions to create bootable Windows CDs that include Spybot-S&D, including the well-known BartPE environment (this is not intended as competition to it). The BartPE solution has the disadvantage that the user needs to own a full Windows XP CD though (no recovery CD or partition only, and Win9x/ME CDs are not sufficient either), and some understanding of the process to create the CD.

The goal of this tool is to create a bootable CD with a minimum of interaction by the user required; our method skips or automates the difficult parts and tries to be as simple as possible using these steps nearly every user should be capable of (*):

Download a DVD image from Microsoft (Windows Automated Installation Kit).
Burn that DVD image to a real DVD
Install the software from that DVD
Run our tool to create an ISO file of a bootable CD
Burn that ISO file to a real CD
Boot from that CD and use Spybot-S&D

(*) The only downside to this solution is that the user needs to download a Microsoft file of 1 GB, which needs broadband access.

So your requirements would be:

DVD burner (or CD burner if you extract the DVD image and install from the extracted files)
Empty DVD (if you don't have one, you can install from an extracted version of the image)
Empty CD (unless you only want to test the created image in VMWare)
Broadband connection (or any other way to get the Windows Automated Installation Kit DVD)

And to create the CD, Microsoft specifies the following OS as a requirement:

Windows Server 2003 SP1; Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista
Windows XP SP2 with KB926044
Windows Server 2003 SP1 with KB926044
Windows Server 2003 SP2
Windows Vista family

Download: spybotbootcd.exe (Version 1.0.3)

And of course some screenshots:

Wizard page 1, prerequisites:

Wizard page 2, application selection:

Wizard page 3: ready to start:

Wizard page 3, again: CD image was created:

**PepiMK** · 2007-12-13, 21:22

Quick update: current version detects applications only on 64 bit systems, updated one will be available tomorrow or the day after

**PepiMK** · 2007-12-16, 07:24

Ok, the download link above now has an updated version (1.0.3), which should work on 32 and 64 bit systems.

Also comes with a basic plugin system that would allow easy extension, while keeping it the same simple three-steps-only way.

beltman713 · 2007-12-16, 22:32

Couldn't get it to work, got this message...

Press the Finish button to start creating the CD.
Started creating CD...
Copying regalyzer...
Copying runalyzer...
Copying spybotsd...
Application menu created.
Copying operating system files...
Mounting image file system...
Executing C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\imagex.exe...
ImageX Tool for Windows
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. 1981-2005. All rights reserved.
Mounting (RW): [C:\SpybotBootCD\winpe.wim, 1] ->
[C:\SpybotBootCD\Mount]
Error mounting image (RW):
Access is denied.
Something went wrong, system hive file does not exist!
CD was not prepared sucessfully!

Check the above for error messages, we could not create a valid ISO file.

**PepiMK** · 2007-12-17, 10:12

Hmmm.... I just tried with a fresh installation of it, works fine.
Which OS are you using to do create the CD? Vista maybe (in that case I would have to take a closer look at the Microsoft tools used here, e.g. the image mounting tool, on how to run it with sufficient rights)?

beltman713 · 2007-12-17, 10:39

Using XP Pro.

**PepiMK** · 2007-12-17, 14:25

It works fine on XP Pro 64, but I could reproduce a problem, not exactly the same, but also with imagex.exe (Microsofts tool to handle the disk image), on XP Pro 32. The whole procedure is also described in an example from Microsoft, which fails as well, so I start to think there's a big in imagex.exe ...

beltman713 · 2007-12-17, 23:23

Yeah, I'm running 32 bit.

chewdz · 2007-12-18, 13:07

does this works on any Microsoft operating systems?

**PepiMK** · 2007-12-18, 23:03

Any? Well, the CD, once created, can be used to repair any OS.

Creating the CD is a bit different I'm afraid. On XP Pro 64 bit it works for sure :D
Microsoft designed it for the newest OS onl though... Here you can see a list of what they say these tools support:

Windows Server 2003 SP1; Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista
Windows XP SP2 with KB926044
Windows Server 2003 SP1 with KB926044
Windows Server 2003 SP2
Windows Vista family

XP SP2 is surely named there; and I think while the first one probably means the 64 bit version (since that is more 2003 than XP), the second mentioning should really mean 32 bit XP.

Test supported Operating Systems is the task I wrote for us where you'll probably find more information soon.

If this is all too bad, we might have to think about using a third-party extracting for those .wim files I guess, if one exists.

2007-12-12, 17:32	#1
PepiMK Member of Team Spybot Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 3,156 Blog Entries: 15 Rated LASSHes: 9,186	Spybot Christmas Presents, Part 1: Bootable CD Disclaimer: this is a beta - work in progress (means feedback is quite welcome)! The tool creates a bootable and usable CD, but the CD is quite bare currently, no runtime optimization etc.. Also, a 1 GB (yepp, that's right, 992 MB to be exact) requires a broadband connection. That said, let's get some description... Some malware can best be removed if the infected system, including the malware itself, is not active during the cleaning. To use another system, one needs either a second full installation, or a operating system bootable from CD. There are existing solutions to create bootable Windows CDs that include Spybot-S&D, including the well-known BartPE environment (this is not intended as competition to it). The BartPE solution has the disadvantage that the user needs to own a full Windows XP CD though (no recovery CD or partition only, and Win9x/ME CDs are not sufficient either), and some understanding of the process to create the CD. The goal of this tool is to create a bootable CD with a minimum of interaction by the user required; our method skips or automates the difficult parts and tries to be as simple as possible using these steps nearly every user should be capable of (): Download a DVD image from Microsoft (Windows Automated Installation Kit). Burn that DVD image to a real DVD Install the software from that DVD Run our tool to create an ISO file of a bootable CD Burn that ISO file to a real CD Boot from that CD and use Spybot-S&D () The only downside to this solution is that the user needs to download a Microsoft file of 1 GB, which needs broadband access. So your requirements would be: DVD burner (or CD burner if you extract the DVD image and install from the extracted files) Empty DVD (if you don't have one, you can install from an extracted version of the image) Empty CD (unless you only want to test the created image in VMWare) Broadband connection (or any other way to get the Windows Automated Installation Kit DVD) And to create the CD, Microsoft specifies the following OS as a requirement: Windows Server 2003 SP1; Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista Windows XP SP2 with KB926044 Windows Server 2003 SP1 with KB926044 Windows Server 2003 SP2 Windows Vista family Download: spybotbootcd.exe (Version 1.0.3) And of course some screenshots: Wizard page 1, prerequisites: Wizard page 2, application selection: Wizard page 3: ready to start: Wizard page 3, again: CD image was created: __________________ Just remember, love is life, and hate is living death. Treat your life for what it's worth, and live for every breath (Black Sabbath: A National Acrobat)

2007-12-13, 21:22	#2
PepiMK Member of Team Spybot Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 3,156 Blog Entries: 15 Rated LASSHes: 9,186	Quick update: current version detects applications only on 64 bit systems, updated one will be available tomorrow or the day after __________________ Just remember, love is life, and hate is living death. Treat your life for what it's worth, and live for every breath (Black Sabbath: A National Acrobat)

2007-12-16, 07:24	#3
PepiMK Member of Team Spybot Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 3,156 Blog Entries: 15 Rated LASSHes: 9,186	Ok, the download link above now has an updated version (1.0.3), which should work on 32 and 64 bit systems. Also comes with a basic plugin system that would allow easy extension, while keeping it the same simple three-steps-only way. __________________ Just remember, love is life, and hate is living death. Treat your life for what it's worth, and live for every breath (Black Sabbath: A National Acrobat)

2007-12-17, 10:12	#5
PepiMK Member of Team Spybot Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 3,156 Blog Entries: 15 Rated LASSHes: 9,186	Hmmm.... I just tried with a fresh installation of it, works fine. Which OS are you using to do create the CD? Vista maybe (in that case I would have to take a closer look at the Microsoft tools used here, e.g. the image mounting tool, on how to run it with sufficient rights)? __________________ Just remember, love is life, and hate is living death. Treat your life for what it's worth, and live for every breath (Black Sabbath: A National Acrobat)

2007-12-17, 14:25	#7
PepiMK Member of Team Spybot Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 3,156 Blog Entries: 15 Rated LASSHes: 9,186	It works fine on XP Pro 64, but I could reproduce a problem, not exactly the same, but also with imagex.exe (Microsofts tool to handle the disk image), on XP Pro 32. The whole procedure is also described in an example from Microsoft, which fails as well, so I start to think there's a big in imagex.exe ... __________________ Just remember, love is life, and hate is living death. Treat your life for what it's worth, and live for every breath (Black Sabbath: A National Acrobat)

2007-12-16, 22:32	#4
beltman713 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 5	Couldn't get it to work, got this message... Press the Finish button to start creating the CD. Started creating CD... Copying regalyzer... Copying runalyzer... Copying spybotsd... Application menu created. Copying operating system files... Mounting image file system... Executing C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\imagex.exe... ImageX Tool for Windows Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. 1981-2005. All rights reserved. Mounting (RW): [C:\SpybotBootCD\winpe.wim, 1] -> [C:\SpybotBootCD\Mount] Error mounting image (RW): Access is denied. Something went wrong, system hive file does not exist! CD was not prepared sucessfully! Check the above for error messages, we could not create a valid ISO file.

2007-12-17, 10:39	#6
beltman713 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 5	Using XP Pro.

2007-12-17, 23:23	#8
beltman713 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 5	Yeah, I'm running 32 bit.

2007-12-18, 13:07	#9
chewdz Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Singapore Posts: 179	does this works on any Microsoft operating systems? Last edited by chewdz; 2007-12-18 at 13:09.

2007-12-18, 23:03	#10
PepiMK Member of Team Spybot Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 3,156 Blog Entries: 15 Rated LASSHes: 9,186	Any? Well, the CD, once created, can be used to repair any OS. Creating the CD is a bit different I'm afraid. On XP Pro 64 bit it works for sure :D Microsoft designed it for the newest OS onl though... Here you can see a list of what they say these tools support: Windows Server 2003 SP1; Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista Windows XP SP2 with KB926044 Windows Server 2003 SP1 with KB926044 Windows Server 2003 SP2 Windows Vista family XP SP2 is surely named there; and I think while the first one probably means the 64 bit version (since that is more 2003 than XP), the second mentioning should really mean 32 bit XP. Test supported Operating Systems is the task I wrote for us where you'll probably find more information soon. If this is all too bad, we might have to think about using a third-party extracting for those .wim files I guess, if one exists. __________________ Just remember, love is life, and hate is living death. Treat your life for what it's worth, and live for every breath (Black Sabbath: A National Acrobat)

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