IMGPREP Version 1.4 and IMGCHECK Version 1.4a

Future version (pre 2.0) of IMGCHECK will pull a directory listing of INI files to reduce the 
load of quering for all the INI files from 0 to 255.INI, this will be in very near future.

IMGPREP and IMGCHECK are tools used for Automating the Imaging of hard disks with software such 
as Norton Ghost and Drive Image Pro. These tools uniquely ID systems so that the process of 
imaging lots of different models of PCs is not so difficult. These tools support only PCI 
systems and later. Depending on response I get on this version I may proceed to other bus 
types as I have IBM's MCA-16 and MCA-32 as well as Compaq EISA and Clone PNP ISA machines at 
to develop upon.

My name is Shane Kent ( SHAKEY1980@HOTMAIL.COM ), I am a Canadian and live in 
what is referred to as Silicon Valley North (Ottawa, Ontraio, Canada). I currently 
work on contract to Compaq Canada. I started out working for Digital Equipment 
providing support for Micosoft's Canadian customers, Microsoft contracted Digital 
to provide some of the support for their Canadian customers. Currently I provide 
technical knowledge to several support groups at Compaq (both consumer and commercial).

Aside from providing technical information to telephone support personal, I 
occassionally program (mostly C/C++ and Assembly language). The IMGTOOLS are the fifth 
of many freeware tools I plan to release. I will release more tools as freeware after 
sufficient testing and debugging has been done.

IMGCHECK looks for the environment varaible set by my RAMDFIND tools, also a well tested 
tool which I created to determine what the RAM drive letter is.

These tools uniquely ID systems based on PCI Chipset, PCI Devices, standard BIOS analysis and 
SMBIOS and DMI analysis.

The VENDORS folder contains the TXT files containing the friendly (character based) names of 
PCI Vendors (manufactures) and devices. The IMGINI folder will contain the INI files created 
by IMGPREP for the IMGCHECK tool to compare. The INI and TXT files are simple to edit text files 
for which the structure is easily followed. Although not entirely complete the current VENDORS 
folder contains most common PCI devices and chipsets.

The TXT files containing the friendly names, must exist as a subfolder of IMGCHECK and IMGPREP
EXE files. The folder must be named VENDORS.

The INI files containing the system information, must exist as a subfolder of IMGCHECK and IMGPREP
EXE files. The folder must be named IMGINI.


The IMGPREP tool:

- the IMGPREP tool is used to create INI files for use with the IMGCHECK tool.
- the INI file must be populated with a title for the system it represents 
and a command line for for the Image (Norton Ghost, Drive Imge Pro, etc.) as well 
as a recommended ECHO command to indicate the need for a BIOS upgrade should future 
references to the INI on other systems indicates a newer BIOS on the system the INI 
was created on.
- the INI file contains system details used to provide a unique fingerprint for a 
type fo computer system.
-if you wish to bypass the bios command line (prompt to flash the PC) then populate 
the INI file entry for the flash command with the Image Command to have image command
instead.


The IMGCHECK tool:

- scans INI files for a matching INI (if one exists) to get the title for the current 
system as well as command lines specific to the current system.
-upon a close match (different Video, NIC, or BIOS date) the IMGCHECK will prompt the 
user with the option to proceed and get the appicable command from the INI file.
-the IMGCHECK tool creates a AUTOIMG.BAT file with the applicable command line from 
the INI file. So the AUTOIMG.BAT can be called from a BAT file in automating the process.
-the IMGCHECK will write the AUTOIMG.BAT to the RAMDRIVE if the RAMDFIND tool environment 
varaible is set. Else it write to the location where the IMGCHECK.EXE program is. Writing 
to the location where the IMGCHECK.EXE opens the "possibility" of two instances of the 
program running with the second overwriting the first's AUTOIMG.BAT file.


Both tools have a /V for verbose switch and a /B for bypass PCI BIOS for device scan. These 
switches do not enhance tool operation and are for troubleshooting purposes only. The /V 
provides more output than if the tool is run without, to show more results in the code 
should the tool require troubleshooting. The /B bypasses the PCI BIOS in the scan for PCI Devices.

The IMGCHECK has a /A switch for automatic program execution, but only if one direct matching 
INI file is located.

These tool are for use in Automating the Imaging process. Recommended off a network or 
other fast media (non-floppy) as the current version parses for INI files from 0 to 255.INI

IMGTOOLS are freeware tools written in Borland Turbo C++ version 3.
The programming is a combination of C++ and Assembly languages.

Although IMGCHECK and IMGPREP have been well tested and I feel confident in their 
functionality, here comes the generic message I am sure most of the computer world is 
used to seeing. This program is provided as is, I accept no liability for any damages 
or loss of data incurred during it's use. This program in no way writes to drives in a 
manner that should result in data loss.

These tools are designed to be used with my other tools used to automate a Windows NT 
Client for DOS boot diskette. The tools are RAMDFIND, COMPNAME, DOMNAME, and NICFIND. The 
resulting boot diskette can prompt for Logon Domain and or Workgroup name as well as 
automatically detect PCI NICs and set environment variables to automate the NT Client 
to function with multiple PCI NICs in multiple systems. The disk also randomizes a computer 
name so that a single disk (or multiple copies) can be used without the computer names 
conflicting on the network (each PC on network must have a unique name).

These additional tools exist on the Internet as RDFIND21.ZIP, NCFIND20.ZIP, CPNAME20.ZIP and 
DWNAME20.ZIP

Dependent on the response I get from these tools I will setup a site to explain the 
setup of the NT Client boot diskette, the EXTRACT.EXE and CABARC.EXE tools from MS, and of 
course my tools in a more complete manner. The MS CABARC.EXE tool is avaiable freely from 
the MS site in the IEAK (Internet Explorer Administration Kit).

Should you have any questions or feedback, please send email to the hotmail address I 
noted above.

Designed and written by: Shane Kent
Co-designed and tested by: Lewis Brewer
Date: August 2001
