BeWrite - BeOS installation assistant utility



OVERVIEW

BeWrite installs BeOS in a "primitive" method onto a machine
which cannot install BeOS in the normal method.
It copies the BFS track (Track 2) in the BeOS installation CD-ROM as-is 
to a BFS partition in the hard disk under DOS/Windows. Suitable for
installation on notebook PCs without a built-in CD-ROM drive.

Release 2.00 allows you not only to copy directly from the CD to 
the partition, but also to create an image file from the CD or 
installed BeOS and copy it to the partition.
Thus, even if your notebook PC has no external CD-ROM drive,
you can install BeOS into it by making an image file on another PC 
with a CD-ROM drive (a desktop PC), transferring it to the notebook PC 
and copying it to the BFS partition.

Also now you can operate from a menu, that is, you can run BeWrite
from Windows Explorer as well as from MS-DOS prompt command line.



WARNINGS

BeWrite is extremely dangerous due to its principle. 
When it writes to the partition, it performs
low-level burst write to the hard disk using BIOS and might destroy
the contents of your hard disk if it malfunctions or you mistake
operations. It is strongly recommended to use a blank hard disk, or
back up your data before running.

Although BeWrite has a good reputation and no fatal problems have
been reported until release 1.00, the author makes no guarantee and 
has no responsibility about the result of operating BeWrite.
Use at your own risk.



PROCEDURE

Here are presented three methods.
Read through this document before beginning.


1. In case of copying directly from local CD-ROM to BFS partition

Install as follows if your target PC has a CD-ROM drive and you can copy 
directly.

Requirements:

o Target PC (typically notebook PC)
o External CD-ROM drive (typically PC Card interface)
o BeOS R4.x CD-ROM
o Unpartitioned area larger than about 350MB

1.1 Create a temporary BFS partition (about 350MB or larger) to copy 
CD-ROM (BFS track) onto in your target PC's hard disk. 
The easiest way is to allocate 500MB with PartitionMagic.
This partition is not for the final installation.
It is used simply as an installation medium instead of 
CD-ROM and will be unnecessary soon.
Be careful that, NO MATTER HOW LARGE CAPACITY YOU ALLOCATE.
BEOS WILL RECOGNIZE IT AS ABOUT 300MB ONLY.

1.2 Run BeWrite to copy the BFS track onto the BFS partition. 
Choose No.1 from the menu, or run as follows:
	BEWRITE x:
Wait for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the drive speed.

1.3 Boot with the installation floppy, LOADLIN.EXE(R4) or BEOS.COM(R4.5.x). 
Make the BFS partition bootable using the "makebootable" command. 
Open Terminal and type in the command line as follows:

$ cd /boot/optional/experimental/makebootable (R4 only)
$ makebootable /boot

In addition, install any boot selector if necessary. If you prefer the
BeOS Boot Manager, run bootman.

1.4 Create another, final BFS partition in your desired size using the
DriveSetup preferences and install BeOS again from the current 
temporary BFS partition to the new one using the Installer application.
You can delete the original BFS partition after installation.


2. In case of creating CD image file

You can use an image file if your target PC has no CD-ROM drive and 
you can't copy directly.

Requrements:

o Host PC with CD-ROM drive (typically desktop PC)
o Target PC (typically notebook PC)
o BeOS R4.x CD-ROM
o About 350MB of free space in host PC's FAT partition
o Unpartitioned area larger than about 350MB in target PC

2.1 (see 1.1 above)

2.2 Run BeWrite on the host PC to create an image file.
Choose No.2 from the menu, or run as follows:
	BEWRITE x: filename
Wait for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the drive speed.

2.3 Transfer the image file to the target PC using network or removable
media. If the two PCs are connected via LAN, you can use file sharing
instead of transferring.

2.4 Run BeWrite on your target PC to copy the image file onto
the BFS partition.
Choose No.4 from the menu, or run as follows:
	BEWRITE filename

2.5 (see 1.3 above)

2.6 (see 1.4 above)


3. In case of cloning installed BeOS

If you have a PC with BeOS already installed, you can create its image file
and install it to your target PC. You don't need CD-ROM.
Beware of the License Agreement.

Requirements:

o Host PC with BeOS installed
o Target PC (typically notebook PC)
o Free space enough to store image file in host PC's FAT partition
o Equivalent or larger unpartitioned area in target PC

3.1 Create a temporary BFS partition in your target PC's hard disk. 
The size must be a bit larger than the BFS partition in the host PC.

3.2 Run BeWrite on the host PC to create an image file.
Choose No.3 from the menu, or run as follows:
	BEWRITE 1: filename

Alternatively you can do it using dd under BeOS.
	$ dd if=/dev/disk/ide/ata/0/master/0_1 of=beos.img bs=1m

3.3 (see 2.3 above)

3.4 (see 2.4 above)

3.5 Install any boot selector if necessary. If you prefer the
BeOS Boot Manager, boot with the installation floppy and run bootman.



HOW TO RUN

Double-click ("open") BEWRITE.EXE from Explorer.

When you run BEWRITE.EXE with arguments from command line,
the basic synopsis is
	BEWRITE source [target]

Menu operation:
	BEWRITE (with no arguments)

Copy from CD to BFS partition directly (menu No.1):
	BEWRITE x: [n:]

Create an image file from CD (menu No.2):
	BEWRITE x: filename

Create an image file from installed BeOS (menu No.3):
	BEWRITE n: filename

Copy an image file to BFS partition (menu No.4):
	BEWRITE filename [n:]

x: is CD-ROM drive letter. 
y: is physical hard disk # (1:, 2:, defaults to 1:).
filename is image file (UNC pathname allowed)



LIMITATIONS

o Target BFS partition must be created in advance.
Either a primary partition or an extended partition (a logical drive) 
will do.

o If there are multiple BFS partitions, the first one is used.
To prevent misoperation, it is recommended that only one BFS partition 
be present in running BeWrite.

o Under DOS CD-ROM support is required in reading CD-ROM and BIOS INT 13H
Extensions in reading/writing a partition.

o Free disk space is not checked when you specify a UNC pathname or NUL
in creating an image file.



LICENSING INFORMATION

BeWrite is free software.
Copyright (C) 1999-2000 ITO, Takayuki. All rights reserved.

The latest version is available at:
http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA001240/archive/index-en.html
http://www.bebits.com/app/769

You can read this document at:
http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA001240/archive/BEWRT_EN.TXT



HISTORY

0.10	First release

0.20	R4.5 CD, extended partition and alternative hard disks supported
	English document included

0.30	R4.5.2 CD and LBA extended partition (ID=0FH) supported.
	Now able to continue even if the CD check fails.

0.31	Fixed R4.5.2 CD check.

1.00	BFS track detection method changed.
	Scans track 3 too.
	Distributed in LHA self-extract archive

2.00b1	Image file read/write supported.
	Menu mode added.
	Estimated remaining time display.
	Free space and volume name checked.
	Miscellaneous improvement.
	Compiles with LSI C-86 trial edition.

2.00	Scans all tracks.