Welcome to BOOT UTILITIES!

Here is a collection of my favorite utilities which I use quite regularly (and have to keep loading up AMOS to do so) and I`m sure that you will find them just as useful. This little offering contains six programs (all of which are my own creation) that are accessed under a friendly point `n` click interface. Firstly let me apologize for the round about way in which this program is laid out. What I mean is the lack of direct bootblock support. For example, you must use a program like ZEROVIRUS, or KDVIII to save the bootblocks before Boot Utilities can get to them. Unfortunately for you and me Mr Lionet (the creator of The Creator!) hasn`t yet fitted AMOS (the language I used to program Boot Utilities with) with a track I/O system and I don`t know of any routines in the computer`s ROM to do so (but I`m ordering the 1986 Hardware reference manual from the library as they can`t get hold of the latest one!) so I hope that the next version will be a little more direct. End of excuses session!

   OK! Here some info on what they all do (or alternatively read the info from the icons)

APPEND

Use this function wisely! What it is designed to do is to allow you to append (mix, merge, overlay) saved bootblocks onto other programs. Say, for example, you recieve the JTS utilities disc with the INTERFERON boot protector on it. You want to use it again, and again (as it is very powerful) and you just happen to have a program like Utility Boot Installer (you can use many other programs, too!) which installs the Slipstream utility boot onto discs. What you really want is for the program to install INTERFERON instead. So how do you do it ? Ta da! The only other thing which you may need is a hex editor (like Zap, and NewZap) and you must make sure that the file is not crunched (if so, decrunch it with Power Packer). Search for what looks like the bootblock by using the Search String "DOS". Once you have come to the word DOS, make a note of the position and continue. If you see text which is on the bootblock after this occurance of DOS then okay. If not, note down the position of DOS which is closest to this text (above it, not below it). After doing this load the Boot Utilities program (BU hereafter) and select APPEND. When asked for the name of the bootblock (in a file requester) select the name (obvious, really) and when it asks for the program select the one you want. It will then ask you for the position. This bit isn`t as complicated as it looks! Simply type the number which you wrote down. If you used another means of finding the bootblock and have a hex number then you must enter a dollar sign ($) before the digits you enter, otherwise no letters are allowed. Wait for a few seconds while the file is being appended (it doesn`t really take long at all, and no time if you use the RAMDISC). Your file is then complete, and you can now install your favourite bootblocks with ease! Please don`t use this function to install viruses into programs, it is against the COMPUTER MISUSE ACT and it`s not very nice if you give it to lamers, either when they`re finding their way around the system. Don`t do it. Just the same this disc is only protected from incoming viruses (with my own Virus killer!) but I can`t have it check bootblocks, as you know.

INSTALL

A function similar to APPEND. This does all of the donkey work for you. If you wanted that INTERFERON boot protector you can use this function to create a mini-install program like the CLI command on your WB disc except that it installs YOUR bootblock. You don`t need any fancy equipment for this one, just pop in the bootblock, and the name which you give is automatically assigned to the name of the installer. eg if you had INTERFERON as the name of the bootblock, the installer would be called INTERFERONINSTALL. Not the nicest of things to type in to the old CLI but you can always rename it. If you type INTERFERONINSTALL ? (to take my other example) then it will bring up a template (you can edit this with Zap, if you wish). A useful function. Don`t misuse it with viruses, please!

EXTRACT

This is perhaps a pointless option but I included it to save some loss of hair! To be truthful I used this function quite frequently myself on some old viruskillers to dig up some viruses for my research (so I could make the RAMAGE VIRUS PROTECTOR on this disc!) so I`m not blameless myself! What you have to do is simple. Find a file which you think contains some bootblocks in it. Make sure that the file is decrunched (the simple way to do this is to see if the screen flickers, colour flashes, or dancing mouse pointers) if it has any of those features it`s probably crunched (or it`s got a wierd programmer!) so you can use powerpacker to decrunch it (if poss) or you can run it alongside BU and use the MEMORY function (more on this later!). After you`ve got your file simply click on EXTRACT and then on the name of the file. After this another file requester (pant! I`ll call it `FR` from now on!)   asking you for a name, and path of the bootblocks. What this means is that every time BU finds a bootblock it will be given this name followed by the bootblock count. For example if you entered the name as Workbench1.3:Bootblock then the first bootblock found will be written to the disc named Workbench1.3 and will be called Bootblock1. The second bootblock will be called Bootblock2, and the fifth will be called Bootblock5. Simple, eh ? If you click on OK from this FR or press RETURN then the default name and path will be used, this is RAM:Boot (obviously a hell of a lot faster, but also heavy on the old chips!). This goes on either until the destination is full, or the end of the file being scanned is reached. These bootblocks can then be accessed from the BU program, or from other programs which handle backed up bootblocks (eg. BOOTDOCTOR, KDVIII, but not ZEROVIRUS, as it uses a different method of storage that BU will read, but not write!). If you used something like KDVIII (Kill Da Virus V3.0) to restore the bootblock back onto the disc then you may find the disc unbootable. This program occurs quite regularly in programs where the checksum is calculated as it is written (like Bootwriter). What you will have to do is to enter ZEROVIRUS and insert the disc in question. You would then goto the ToolKit menu and then FIX CHECKSUM. Wait a while, and then the disc will be bootable. The only problems that can occur is if the program extracted is not a bootblock. The thing that is most common is if the program has found the words "DOS.Library" which crop up frequently in programs  and it`s not a bootblock. You will find quite a few of these. Just use one of those programs (ZEROVIRUS, KDVIII) to dislay the bootblock.

MEMORY

Exactly the same as EXTRACT but this searches the memory, but not the disc. If you can`t decrunch a program then you can run it alongside BU and still get to those boots! This option, I feel, is probably the most complicated one. First, enter the name and path for the bootblocks found (this is explained in detail above) or click OK for the default. Then you must enter the start address, the address in which you want the program to start searching. This number is decimal, if you want hex then insert a dollar sign before the number, otherwise no letters are allowed. After this you should enter the address in which you want the program to stop searching. If the start address is greater then end end address the program will complain that the search zone is negative. To search the entire memory (which may take some time) on a half meg machine enter the end address as $7ffff, on a 1 meg machine it is $c7ffff. The program will generate heaps of bootblocks, I can tell you! I got sixty odd, until my RAMDISC filled up so check to see if you have got the right boots (with the checks I told you of above), too! The only way I can tell you of reducing the output of bootblocks is to reduce the searching zone.

COMPARE

This is a rather simple function and I think this would be best suited for viruses! What it does is to compare two bootblocks and report the differnces in a text file (for you to list, edit, and print!). This is useful if you make virus killers and you want to see about different strains of viruses (many are just name changes, as Sedarian #1 is simply Revenge with a different name!).  Simply select the first, and second bootblocks from the two FR`s, and then the name of the text file. If you click on OK then the default will be used, Ram:Diffs. The program is not simply restricted to bootblocks, so you can use this function on other programs (don`t try to compare a ZEROVIRUS bootblock with a KDVIII one as it simply won`t be very accurate. To convert from ZEROVIRUS to KDVIII just install the ZEROVIRUS backed up bootblock back onto a disc, and save it out in KDVIII, you can do the same the other way around)

EXECUTE

This isn`t quite a punishment for naughty bootblocks! (oh well, that one went down like a lemming balloon!). This function converts a bootblock into executable code, so you can use it from CLI (or you can tack an icon to it and make it WB runnable). Again, don`t use this to make file viruses, it`s meant for programs like certain bootblock viruskillers (cue INTERFERON) and other utilities. Simply select the bootblock which you want to make executeable code from the FR, and then a name for the new code. That`s it! You`ll only find the new executable code about 200 bytes longer than the original bootblock (chicken feed, really). The program does seem to throw up the odd bootblock and turn the screen into funny colours with them (not the one`s which work). This is unavaidable, I think, but there`s not much I can do about it! I tried the Thor virus protector. The screen flashes until you click on the left mouse button, and the mouse disappears a little (perhaps an advantage!). It still works, but it is the graphics that are crashed (indeed, it saved me from a Lamer Exterminator!). Also, programs which alter the execbase, like those which turn off drives, memory and that sort of thing. Again, I don`t know why. I`ll happily don my stupid smile and say, I`m not an Amiga M/C programmer so I don`t know what`s going on! (I do know Spectrum Z80 machine code, but it`s vastly different).

INFO

If you click on this you`ll be greeted with a speedy scrolling message (easy to read for me and some others, unless I blink!) which has a run down (ie. a summary of, not a criticism of!) each function. To halt the scrolly press any key, and press another key to release it from it`s slumber. Click the left mouse button to exit back to the bootblocks menu.

QUIT

C`mon! Don`t tell me you can`t figure this one out! OK! OK! Click on this and you will be magically transported back to where you first entered the program. Simple!

   I hope you like this program, with it`s few quirks, but I find it rather useful and I hope you will too! The only thing that`s left for me to say is that half-meg owners are again safe with this program, the memory consumption is quite low (except for the decrunching, of course) the only difference is that you will loose the music from the titles at the start. If you want to play the music for yourself then load up AMOS (if you have it) and type the following into Direct Mode:

AMOS> Load "Boot Utilities:48Tpi.Abk"

After a bit of loading then you can type :

AMOS> Music 1

This will play the music (groovy, isn`t it ?). I ripped this from a Bignonia demo (from the CBM 64 port of Frantic Freddie). If you want to multitask the program (to take advantage of the memory bootblock searcher), then it's extremely simple! All you have to do is load up BU, you can use the CLI because the program runs in the background (and detatches from CLI) and then load up your program. To flick between your WB screen and BU simply press left Amiga (closed Amiga) and A so that's Amiga-A to flick between the two programs. Easy! Lastly, I have included a few additional utilities onto the disc for a treat. I dug up these old CLI commands from the public domain, and they`re quite useful if you haven`t got ZEROVIRUS or KDVIII.

   Well, that`s it! If you have any comments (nothing too blasphemic, I hope!), suggestions for improvements (in such a small program, there should be loads, so I`ll leave it up to you!) even if you have any bug reports (bugs ? what bugs ?) then get scribbling (sorry, I only understand English, Greek, and German) and make sure that if you send any data (eg. anything to do with bootblocks, AMOS stuff, CLI commands, that sort of thing) then make sure that it`s on 880K floppy `cos that`s all I can use! If you do send any then please send sufficient SSAE`s so that I can return them to you. Here`s my address :




Andrew Elia
RAMAGE Software,
178 Carterhatch Road,
Enfield,
Middlesex,
England,
EN3 5LY

                            See ya!