16 October 2001
Dan Eicher is 35 and graduated from Purdue with a BS in Computer Tech. He started working with computers in 1980 with a Tandy Model-1. He bought a Texas Instruments 99/4a in '81 and has been using it ever since. He has been using OS/2 since 2.1 and is currently using eComStation. His day job is as a system engineer, where he works with Windows NT and Windows 2000 plus the full line of Microsoft server products (obviously he doesn't set the platform standards!) =)
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DSK4PM
In my work life, I am a network engineer helping to support about 600 seats. To maximise efficiency we use Norton Ghost to make disk images of machines. The one challenge is making DOS boot disks, we have about 20 of them to handle various systems and NIC combinations. To manage this we use a program called Winimage - it takes a snap shot of a floppy and creates an complete diskette image that can be stored on the network. To create one of these boot floppies all you have to do is point Winimage at the diskette image file and it will create an exact duplicate of the diskette the image was made from. It also makes it very easy to send driver disks to a remote office, we just send them an image file, from which they can recreate said diskette.
The ability to do this is an essential tool for network administrators. With large hard disks the norm, it is also convenient for typical users to archive critical diskettes on their hard drive. It was my wish to have such a tool that would run under OS/2, I thought this was a forlorn hope, until I saw an announcement for DSK4PM. I am glad to report not only will DSK4PM do what Winimage does, but it also has the following benefits:
- DSK4 is available in native modes for DOS/Windows 3.x, Win32 and OS/2.
- DSK4 is compatible with images produced by Winimage.
- The quality is as good if not better then Winimage - this is some accomplishment when you consider the number of platforms supported.
My test system consists of an HP Kyak XA, PII-400, 256MB of RAM, eComStation 1.0.
Installation
DSK4 comes as a single executable. Once clicked, it starts the installation program which gives a choice of options to be installed and the path you wish to install them into. Everything has a feel of top notch professionalism.Double click on the executable you download and follow the prompts. Installation is straight forward and I encountered no problems or questions.
On my system, after installation, the programs and documentation are placed off of the program bar.
Operation
For most people there are only two functions that will be used; create an image from a disk and create a disk from an image. Another really useful feature is the ability to create self-extracting images, that way the person you are sending a copy of the diskette to doesn't need to have DSK4. All they need is the executable file you send them! These self-extracting diskette images are in ARDI format. ARDI stands for Auto (self) Restorable Diskette Image.All you need to do is type the name of the executable at the command prompt, and the following will pop-up:
[Click image to view full size.]
The heart of the program is the Build tab which is fairly self explanatory!
Another thoughtful addition to the program is tooltips. That is, when you place your pointer over a button, a snippit of information will pop up, telling you what that button does.
Documentation
The program comes with a comprehensive forty-two page manual, which in all honesty, you will probably never need to look at!Conclusion
This is a must-have piece of software. It would be a steal at 35-50 dollars, but it's price is FREE for personal use.DSK4PM
Author: Daniel F. Valot
Website: http://dvalot.free.fr/
Price: Free for personal use.
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