Active@ NTFS Reader for DOS v 1.0

Copyright (C) 2002 Active@ Data Recovery Software 
All rights reserved. 
 

USERS MANUAL 
 

Table of Contents

1. PRODUCT OVERVIEW 
2. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 
3. PRODUCT FEATURES
4. OPERATING PROCEDURES 
	4.1. Bootable floppy disk (startup disk) preparation 
	4.2. Program start and information display 
	4.3. Scan and search for file(s)/folder(s) 
	4.4. File(s)/folder(s) preview 
	4.5. File(s)/folder(s) copying
	4.6. Using Disk Viewer 
	4.7. Localized file names display 
	4.8. Long file names display 
	4.9. Command line parameters 

 
 
1.	PRODUCT OVERVIEW
 
Active@ NTFS Reader is a compact and powerful DOS utility that can read 
NTFS volumes from DOS environment and copy files and folders to drives
having FAT file system.
 

2.	SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
 
Minimum system requirements for Active@ NTFS Reader are: 
- AT compatible CPU with 286 or newer processor 
- 640Kb of RAM 
- 1.44 Mb floppy diskette drive 
- EGA 640x480 or better screen resolution 
- Bootable Floppy disk containing MS-DOS 6.0+, or startup disk for 
  Windows 95/98/ME/XP
- HDD of type IDE/ATA/SCSI attached to be recovered. 
 

3.	PRODUCT FEATURES


- Can be saved and run from bootable floppy
- Displays complete physical and logical drive information
- Supports IDE / ATA / SCSI drives
- Supports large (more than 8GB) Hard Drive
- Supports NTFS, NTFS5 file systems for reading
- Supports FAT12, FAT16, FAT32 file systems for data writing
- Supports compressed and fragmented files on NTFS
- Supports partitions created in MS-DOS, Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP 
- Displays non-english and long file names
- Ability to preview file(s)/folder(s) before copying
- Supports search by file name or mask
- Disk Viewer displays content of the file in Hex/Text mode


4.	OPERATING PROCEDURES
 
4.1 Bootable floppy disk (startup disk) preparation 

If you do not have bootable floppy disk, you can make one using MS-DOS, 
Windows 95/98/ME/XP following these steps: 

FROM MS DOS Prompt

- Boot the system in MS-DOS or Command Prompt mode, 
- Insert a blank floppy and type:  
		FORMAT A: /S 
  and follow the instructions on a screen.
 
FROM WINDOWS 95/98/ME

- Boot the system in Windows 95/98/ME. 
- Open the "Control Panel" and click the "Add/Remove Programs" icon. 
- Switch to tab "Startup Disk" and click the button "Startup Disk" 
  and follow the instructions
 
FROM WINDOWS XP 

- Boot the system in Windows XP
- Insert blank floppy, and right-click A: drive in Windows Explorer
- Choose "Format",  and select the "Create an MS-DOS startup disk" 
  option. Click the "Start" button

Copy Active@ NTFS Reader for DOS (READNTFS.EXE) to the bootable floppy disk


4.2 Program start and information display 

- Boot from the floppy drive in DOS mode, or in Command Prompt 
  mode in Windows 95/98
- Run Active@ NTFS Reader for DOS by typing: 
		READNTFS.EXE
- The NTFS Reader program window will open up. 
- On the left side of the window you will see the list of detected Hard 
  Disk Drives (HDD).
- HDD Partitions and Logical Drives are displayed underneath.
- Deleted partitions and HDD space not occupied by partitions will 
  be shown as "Unallocated space". 
- Use the arrow keys to move the cursor between the HDD and logical 
  drives. Positioning cursor to a particular drive, displays its 
  information on the right side of the program window.
 
  
4.3. Scan and search for file(s)/folder(s) 
 
If you know the exact location of the deleted file or folder, you can scan the 
drive and folders by:

- Selecting the drive containing the deleted file(s) and scanning it by 
  pressing the [ENTER] key.
- Positioning the cursor to the proper folder and scanning the folder by 
  pressing the [ENTER] key.
- Repeat scanning until you reach the folder where the file or folder is 
  located
 
Deleted files are marked with a solid mark on the left side.
NTFS Reader does not allow you neither previewing nor copying deleted files.
 
If you do not know the exact location of the file(s), use the search 
mode by:

- Selecting the drive containing the file(s) and pressing the 
  [Ctrl]+[F] keys.
- Enter the exact filename or search pattern in the "Search Dialogue 
  type" and pressing the [ENTER] key.
- Search will initiate. You can stop the search process at any time by 
  pressing the [ESC] key.
- If file(s) matching the search pattern are found, the file information 
  is displayed.
- Press the [Ctrl]+[F] keys to continue searching if you are unable to 
  locate the required file(s). 
- Press the [ENTER] key to go directly to the folder where the file was
  located or press the [ESC] key to cancel further search

The search pattern to use to find the file(s) and folder(s) is the same pattern 
that is used when performing search in DOS or Windows. 

The * (asterisk) symbol is used as a wild card character(s). * during the search 
process is replaced by any allowed possible character(s) available on the 
system for search purposes.  

The ? (Question mark) symbol is used for a single wild card character and is 
replaced by any allowed possible character available on the system for search 
purpose.  
 
Examples for searchable expressions:
	*          - All files in the folder(s) or drives(s)  
	*.TXT      - all files with the "TXT" extension 
	My*.*      - all files starting with "My" text 
	MyFile.txt - search for the file named "MyFile.txt"


4.4. File(s) preview 

To preview the file(s) use the following steps:

- Boot in DOS mode and run Active@ NTFS Reader for DOS
- Scan or search for file(s)/folder(s) (see paragraph 4.3)
- Find and position the cursor on a file or folder. 
- Press the [ENTER] key to preview the file in Disk Viewer
- You can switch between Text/Hex views by pressing [TAB] key

 
4.5. File(s)/folder(s) copying
 

Use the following steps to copy file(s)/folder(s) from NTFS to FAT partiton:

- Boot in DOS mode and run Active@ NTFS Reader for DOS
- Scan or search the file(s)/folder(s) (see section 4.3)
- Find and position the cursor on your file(s)/folder(s).
- (Optionally) Press the [ENTER] key to preview the file
- Press the [Ctrl]+[C] keys to execute the copy command
 
Note:
The number and drive letters in this dialog box may not match with what was 
displayed in the previous window. It happens because the write operation is 
performed in DOS real mode and only the FAT drives are visible to the 
operating system as the output location. 

- Use the [TAB] key to move between controls, and press the [ENTER] 
  key to change the drive or folder
- Define the output name and location and press the [ENTER] key and 
  start the copying process 
- You can stop the copying process at any time by pressing the [ESC] key
- If you copy a folder, all file(s) and/or sub-folder(s) 
  located in the folder will be copied to the new 
  location recursively.

 
4.6. Using Disk Viewer 
 
Disk Viewer allows view and accesses any sector composing the file being 
previewed. 

- Run Active@ NTFS Reader for DOS
- Select the object file to view its sectors
- Press the [ENTER] key to open Disk Viewer

The Title displays the object to be viewed and the current sector number will 
be shown below. The rest of the area displays sector content in Hex view on the 
left side and Text View on the right side. 

- Use arrows, [HOME], [END] keys to scroll the view
- Use [Page Down], [Page Up] keys to go to the next/previous sector
- Press [Ctrl]+[G] to go the particular sector
- Press [TAB] key to change Hex/Text view to Text Only and backward
 
 
4.7. Localized file names display 
 
Localized file names are stored on the drive in Unicode format. Operating 
System (Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP) creates filenames based on regional 
settings. Also Windows has set of fonts to handle and display filenames 
properly. 
 
MS DOS might have local fonts supported but it cannot display filenames in 
Unicode.  
 
Active@ NTFS Reader can display localized filenames in DOS only if a proper 
font definition file for the same locale settings is available.  
 
To prepare this file with font definitions follow these steps:

- Download UNICODE.EXE and save it to the same place where 
  READNTFS.EXE is located.
- Boot in Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP that has the same locale 
  settings and run UNICODE.EXE.
- File UNICODE.DAT having size 65536 bytes should be created in the 
  same folder.
- Boot in DOS mode and run Active@ NTFS Reader for DOS 
- Scan your drive and switch to "Long file names" mode by pressing the 
  [TAB] key

Now you should be able to see your localized file names. 
 
Note: 
To be able to see localized filenames you must have support for the local 
fonts when booted in DOS mode. In other words, display driver for the 
proper code page must be loaded. 
 
 
4.8. Long file names display 
 
Since Windows 95 OS launch filename is not limited to 8.3 patterns and can 
have a length of up to 255 characters. 
 
Standard View displays all files and folders the same way as DOS does, i.e. in 
8.3 formats. However sometimes it is not convenient to see only first symbols 
of the long file name. 
 
To display long filenames (up to 36 symbols):

- Boot in DOS mode and run Active@ NTFS Reader
- Scan the particular drive by pressing the [ENTER] key
- Press the [TAB] key to switch to long filenames view

 
4.9. Command line parameters 

Active@ NTFS Reader for DOS supports a set of command line parameters. 
To view them and their definitions, type: 
 
			A:\>READNTFS.EXE -? 
 
Here is a list of command line parameters available:
 
-lba            - Force LBA mode for access to all detected HDDs 
 
-lba=N          - Force LBA mode for access to the particular HDD
                  Where N=[80h,81h,82h,83h] 

