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The Partitioner by Cross Bow Software P.O. Box 23401, Jerusalem 91234, ISRAEL Installation and User's Manual 1. Scope of this Manual ======================= This manual explains how to install and use the Partitioner. It assumes some "standard" computer knowledge; For example, you have to know what DOS is; you don't have to know what exactly the partition table is. This manual pertains both to the Partitioner and to the Partitioner Plus. Sections that apply only to the Partitioner Plus are denoted with an asterisk (*) next to their heading. 2. Introduction =============== The Partitioner is a utility designed to manage your hard disk's partition table, thus allowing you to boot from any partition. However, the Partitioner does much more than this. It provides hard disk virus protection, optional passwords, and guards against hard disk access when the computer is booted from a floppy disk. 3. Disclaimer ============= Basically, Cross Bow Software doesn't take any responsibility for the use or misuse of this software. We tried our outmost best to ensure that it will function correctly with all hardware and software configurations, but needless to say there are always cases that we simply can't anticipate. Therefore, we disclaim any and all responsibility. 4. Installation =============== VERY IMPORTANT! Please read the following paragraph carefully before installing the Partitioner on your hard disk! Although the Partitioner has been designed to be compatible with every possible hardware/software combination, we cannot absolutely guarantee that it will not disrupt any partitioning or copy-protection schemes. The Partitioner resides in the very first track of your hard disk. This means that if you use any non-standard partitioning software, the Partitioner may overwrite the disk tables held in the same place. We have thoroughly tested the Partitioner on systems using Ontrack Disk Manager and Novell Netware 286, in addition to "standard" DOS 2.0 through 3.31. However, it is impossible to anticipate every situation, and because of this we urge you to BACKUP YOUR HARD DISK before installing the Partitioner. To install the Partitioner, boot your system from the backup diskette and execute PARTIT.EXE from the DOS command line. If you haven't previously installed the Partitioner, a dialog box will appear on the screen, asking you if you wish to install the Partitioner on your hard disk. Use the cursor keys to highlight "Yes" and press Enter. Another dialog box will appear, this time prompting you for the backup file name of your disk's first track. This is a safety mechanism in the unlikely case that your system is incompatible with the Partitioner. Type a file name, such as "1ST-TRK.BAK", which will contain the backup. You will be able to restore the first track and regain access to your hard disk should the installation routine fail. Next, you will see a message informing you that the Partitioner has been successfully installed. Press any key to continue, and you will then see the main menu of the Partitioner. Choose "Exit", and once back at the command line, reboot your system. If all has gone well (which it most likely has), you will be shown a menu, and asked to pick the partition you would like to boot from. If you have, for example, DOS and Xenix on your hard disk, both will appear on the menu, and you could easily pick which one to boot from. 5. Day to Day Use ================= When the Partitioner is installed, you will be presented with the boot-up menu every time you reboot your system. You can then select the operating system you wish to boot from. That's all there is to it! Alternatively, you can choose the "Partitioner Demo." This is simply a cute logo, which expands on your screen. Don't worry about the little face bouncing around: it's not the Ping-Pong virus. 6. Repartitioning your Hard Disk ================================ One of the more powerful aspects of the Partitioner, the "Redivide Hard Disk" option can also be the most dangerous. It should be used with the same precautions that pertain to the DOS FDISK command. Be sure you know what you are doing, have your data backed up, and have saved a copy of the first track on a floppy. The "Redivide Hard Disk" option makes editing the partition table very easy, yet gives you the ultimate control in controlling every option. Unlike DOS's FDISK, it lets you edit information in the partition table that doesn't pertain to DOS. Upon selecting the redivision option, you will be presented with a dialog box explaining the possible damage that can be cause by this selection, and asked if you wish to proceed. If you choose "Yes", the partition editor will come up, and allow you to choose by which method you would like to perform the editing. There are two ways to partition the hard disk. The first, intended for novices, allows you to simply specify the size of the four partitions, and automatically selects the best fitting scheme of heads and cylinders to match your choices. The second method allows very flexible editing of the actual partition table data. After selecting an option, you will be shown the edit screen. Use the arrow keys to move between fields, the space bar to edit data items, and the number keys to input values. The first two fields in every row are data; the rest are value. If you press the space bar while in the OS ID field, a menu will be shown, allowing you to choose the ID of the operating system that you wish to insert into the partition. Note that these are simply identification numbers. Choosing Xenix, for example, merely writes hex code 02h into the respective position in the partition table. It doesn't cause Xenix to appear on your hard disk! One column to the right, the space bar toggles the boot status of any one partition in the table. Please be aware that setting several partitions to "bootable" may cause unpredictable results, and is not recommended. Finally, pressing the Enter key will display a dialog box asking you if you're sure you want to write any changes you have made to disk. If you select the "Overwrite" option, any editing you have done will be written to disk. This may cause total data loss, depending on what fields you changed. 7. Uninstalling the Partitioner =============================== To remove the Partitioner from your hard disk, use the "Uninstall the Partitioner" option from the main menu. Your original partition table will be restored (it has been kept for a backup on the hard disk when the Partitioner was installed) and you will no longer see the boot-up menu. The install/uninstall cycle can be repeated as often as you like. You don't have to create a new backup file every time you install the Partitioner. If you have already created the backup file, simply press ESC when prompted for its name. 8. A Word about Registering =========================== Let's think hypothetically for a moment: suppose you have spent countless hours designing, programming, documenting and testing a software program, and then released it as Shareware, you would more than likely want people to register it. Well, belive it or not, we have spent countless hours designing, programming, documenting and testing the Partitioner before distributing it as Shareware. Furthermore, we have already spent money opening a post office box, renting computers and laser printers, and paying for other miscellaneous expenses. For two sixteen year old teenagers, this is not particularly easy. We would like people to register it, so we can go on and create other Shareware programs as well. If you register the Partitioner, you'll do more than just support Cross Bow Software -- you'll support the entire Shareware system. Shareware is one of the best concepts ever in the world of computing, but it counts on more than just computers to succeed: it also counts on you. So, if after the three week trial period you decide to continue using the Partitioner, you should register it. If you don't, the Shareware patrol will break into your room in the midst of night, and at gunpoint will take to their programming camps. On a more serious note, please look at things from within our shoes. We're sure you'll come to the right conclusion. Read the next section for the benefits of registering the Partitioner. 9. The Partitioner Plus ======================= The Partitioner Plus is the registered version of the Partitioner. It is included in the PARTIT.EXE file, but can only be activated by a unique key sent by Cross Bow Software. In addition to all the features found in the Partitioner, the Partitioner Plus includes: + Virus detection and prevention + Virus recovery + Hard disk access protection with passwords + Default boot-up option The Partitioner Plus is only available to registered users. To find out how to register the Partitioner, please read the next section. 10. How Registration Works ========================== The first option in the Partitioner main menu is titled "Register the Partitioner". Upon its selection, you will be asked if you have the Cross Bow Software registration key. If you don't, select "No" and, when prompted, type in your full name. What you type here will appear at the top of your screen every time the Partitioner Plus appears. Input something reasonable -- "John H. Williams" for example. You're limited to 40 characters. If your name is longer than that, use initials for your first and middle names. After entering your name, a screen will show you a registration code. This code is dependant upon the name you typed, and also upon various other parameters obtained from your computer. Different computers with the same name typed in will produce different codes. At the bottom of the screen, you are offered two options: "continue", and "print". Selecting "print" will print a registration form on your printer. If you select "continue", you will have to manually copy the name and registration code to the registration form. You can use the form at the end of this document if you wish. If you have the registration key, select "Yes" and type in the name you used previously. You will then be asked for the registration key, which we sent you upon receiving your registration. If you input both properly, the Partitioner Plus will be installed on your hard disk. If you didn't, you'll be prompted for the information again. REMEMBER -- The Partitioner Plus (as well as the "standard" Partitioner) must be installed only when the computer has been booted from the backup floppy. The next sections detail options available only in the Partitioner Plus. They are marked with an asterisk. 11. Passwords (*) ============= The Partitioner Plus offers you several levels of protection for your hard disk. You can independently assign any partition its own password, and you can assign the entire hard disk a master password. If the entire disk is protected via the "root" password, it will be inaccessible, even if the system is booted from the floppy drive. If a partition is password protected, it will not be bootable without the password, yet will be accessible from both hard and floppy drive. The "root" password is the one that locks the entire disk -- you are required to input it before anything happens. The other partition passwords are independent of each other and of the root password; each can (and should) be different. To assign passwords, select "Change Passwords" from the main menu. You can then choose which password you wish to change. Highlight the entry, and press Enter. A dialog box will ask you for the password. You can see the password as you enter it this time, but never will it show on the screen again. To remove a password, select the entry you wish to change. When the dialog box appears and asks for the password, press Enter. The password will then be removed. After making the changes, select the "Return to Main Menu" option. You will be asked if you wish to write the changes to disk. If you do, the passwords will be stored and will be active. If you don't, nothing has changed. If you forget a password, you will be unable to access the area it protected. If you absolutely can't remember it, you must restore the first track from the image you created earlier and re-register the Partitioner Plus using the registration key we have sent you. The key will work an infinite amount of times, but only on the system you originally installed the Partitioner Plus. If there is a root password, PARTIT.EXE will prompt you for it before allowing you into the program. If you input it properly, you will be shown the main menu and be allowed to proceed as usual. If you don't, the program will terminate and return to DOS. You can toggle password status from the Partitioner Plus main menu. When passwords are on, the passwords which you specified are active and needed to gain access to the areas they protect, as per the above explanations. When they're off, the passwords are not needed, yet not erased -- if you toggle their status back to on, they are once again required. If you had specified a root password, you can toggle its status by choosing whether the disk is lock or unlocked. This must be toggled back to "locked" if you wish to lock your disk again after the root password had been input when the computer was booted. Password status can also be toggled from the command line: "C:\>partit l" - Locks disk and causes root password prompt to appear next time system is booted. "C:\>partit u" - Unlocks disk; opposite of "l" option "C:\>partit p" - Activates passwords "C:\>partit n" - Deactivates passwords 12. Virus Protection (*) ==================== The Partitioner Plus has built in virus protection. Upon boot-up, it checks both the partition table and itself for virii. You should note, however, that the Partitioner Plus can only spot virii that infect the partition table and/or the first track. Virii that attach to DOS or other areas, will go unnoticed by the Partitioner Plus. If anything unusual is spotted, a message is displayed to that effect and you must restore the first track from the backup file you created earlier. Restoring the first track will overwrite the virus code which has infected the partition table. If you created a backup file of the first track after installing the Partitioner Plus, you don't have to re-input your registration key again. 13. Menu Appearance =================== After you have selected the partition you wish to boot from, the Partitioner Plus "remembers" your choice, and will not display the menu again. If you wish to select another partition to boot up from, you have two options: A. Press any key during the boot up process and the menu will be displayed. B. Select "Force Menu Appearance" from the PARTIT.EXE main menu. C. Specify command line option "m" when invoking PARTIT.EXE; i.e. "C:\>partit m" 14. Reinitializing the Partitioner Plus (*) ======================================= If, for some unlikely reason, the Partitioner Plus displays an error message and your system doesn't boot, you must reinitialize your copy of the Partitioner Plus. You have two options: A. If you have previously created a backup file of your first track after installing the Partitioner Plus, simply boot off a floppy disk, run PARTIT.EXE, and select the "Restore First Track" option. Type in the file name, and that should be it. B. If you don't have a backup file that was created after installation of the Partitioner Plus, you must reinitialize it with the key we sent you. First, restore the first track back up file (this file is automatically created when you install the Partitioner for the first time) Next, uninstall the Partitioner. Then, use the procedure outlined in sections four and ten. Each of these three procedures will ultimately lead to the same result, and you will once again be able to access your hard disk. Please inform us exactly what happened so we can try and eliminate the problem in the next version of the Partitioner. 15. Thoughts for the Future =========================== The Partitioner is Cross Bow Software's first program. We would like to set up a BBS, provide better and more accessible support, and continue to write Shareware programs. However, right now we lack the means to carry out the first two. Furthermore, we are open to suggestions as to any programs you would like to see available as Shareware. We have many ideas we would like to manifest, and we probably will. Cross Bow Software will be happy to consider requests for custom programs to be written discreetly for clients. We can handle moderately sized projects, but will contemplate just about anything. Write us for details. 16. Problems ============ If you have any problems with the Partitioner, please fill in the problem report form below and mail it to us. Enclosing a disk with your first track backup file will greatly help us diagnose the problem. We will do our best to rectify the problem in the next version. You don't have to be a registered user to send us such a form. Problem report form: +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Name: | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Registration Key (if any): | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Hardware and Software: (fill as best as you can) | | | | Computer Type: _____________________________________________ | | | | Maker: ______________________ Model: ______________________ | | | | Operating System and version: ______________________________ | | | | Hard disk model: ___________________________________________ | | | | Maker: __________________________ Capacity: ____________ MB | | | | Interface: MFM RLL ESDI SCSI IDE Other: __________________ | | | | Cylinders: ________ Heads: ________ Sectors/track: _______ | | | | Other Comments: ____________________________________________ | | | | ____________________________________________________________ | | | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Description of Problem: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ 17. About Cross Bow Software ============================ Cross Bow Software is currently a two person company: It is composed of Matan Arazi and Avner Braverman, two sixteen year old high- schoolers, both attending the twelfth grade in one of Jerusalem's high schools. Both of us have experience with DOS, OS/2, 3Com and Novell Networks, and UNIX systems. We have PCs at home, on which the Partitioner was developed. We have access to many development tools, and are currently exploring the X-Windows system on UNIX platforms. We wish to thank our beta testers, as well as all the people who have allowed us to test the Partitioner on their systems. Surprisingly, we haven't trashed a single hard disk in the process! 18. Source Code =============== It is the policy of Cross Bow Software not to release full source code for its products. However, if you would like more information about the user interface or the workings of the partition table, we will be happy to help you. We will not release any code that pertains in any way to the passwords, virus and hard disk protection, and registration process of the Partitioner. The main reason for this to protect users of the Partitioner Plus, which may have their hard disks protected by a password. The reasons for not divulging the virus protection methods should be obvious -- we don't want them circumvented! 19. Distribution Policy ======================= Cross Bow Software is very liberal about distribution of the Partitioner. As long as you don't modify the PARTIT10.ZIP file, you can upload it to any BBS, give it to your friends, or distribute it in any other way. Commercial Shareware distributors (such as PC-Sig, PsL, etc) are encouraged to distribute the Partitioner. Such distribution does not require any permission, as long as it adheres to the above criterions. However, we request to be notified of such distribution. The Partitioner may not be sold in any form. Distributors of Shareware disks, user groups, or other similar organizations may charge a nominal (not more than US$15 or equivalent) fee for the disk containing the Partitioner. In such cases, the buyer must be made aware that the payment is not for the software, but for the medium, and that he must register the Partitioner if he wishes to continue using it. 20. Site-licensing ================== Site-licensing agreements are available for the use of the Partitioner Plus. Here are the prices: +--------------------+------------------+--------------+ | Number of Copies | Price Per Copy | % Discount | |====================|==================|==============| | 1 - 9 | $20.00 | 0% | | 10 - 24 | $16.00 | 20% | | 25 - 49 | $13.00 | 35% | | 50 - 99 | $10.00 | 50% | |====================|==================|==============| For over 100 copies, a $1000 one time fee is requested. You will then receive a special version of the Partitioner, along the utility to generate keys for the version you have.