ISO file for bootable PC Doctor CD for 600X

[rkawakami]

I've thought about doing this for a couple of months now, ever since BarkingPerci posted in this thread that an ISO image of the PC Doctor version for the T2x series was available. So, with a little digging into Easy CD Creator 5's help system I was able to figure out how to create an ISO file that creates a bootable CD containing version 2.0.1168 of PC Doctor. This is the version that is currently available for downloading from:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... IGR-495KW2

In order to create the ISO, I downloaded the dgpcdoc.exe file, executed it to create the bootable floppy, started Easy CD Creator 5, opened a new CD project (Bootable CD), selected the "generate image from floppy" option which read the bootable floppy and created the appropriate .bin files, selected all of the files contained on the floppy (system and hidden files as well) and dragged them into the CD project. At that point I was able to "Create CD Hard Disk Image" and specify the dgpcdoc.iso filename. The link to download the ISO file from my site is:

http://www.kawakami-ca.com/ibm_600x/dgpcdoc.iso

It's a 3MB file. Hopefully I have enough site bandwidth to keep this file hosted for some time. After you download the .iso file, you will need a program like Easy CD Creator to actually write the CD. I understand that there are some freeware and shareware programs out there that can do this, but I have not personally used them.

I've tried out the CD on a couple of my systems and it seems to act the same as the floppy-based program, with the exception that it fails the diskette tests (obviously, since there isn't one connected). If you try this CD image out and have any problems with it, please let me know right away. I would encourge you to first scan the CD with your antivirus program to make sure nothing has crept in that doesn't belong. As I said, I took the original floppy image directly from IBM's site and have scanned it myself using Norton Antivirus 2002.

(edit: Changed hosting site for faster, complete download)

[harald612]

I make this Boot CD-ROM and it works fine on my 600X. Thank you for sharing this!

This diagnostic is very helpful, because the 600X comes without this BIOS feature!

[rkawakami]

No problem, glad to be of help.

I forgot to mention in my original post that this version of PC Doctor is not limited to just the 600X. The following Thinkpads are also covered:

240 Series
390E/390X
570 Series/i Series 1157
i Series 14xx/15xx

Since this is the case, I have also started a thread in the Legacy Hardware forum:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=30192

[rkawakami]

Something I just found out tonight after receiving a shipment of external floppy drives and attempting to verify them with a CD-based version of PC Doctor...

I've tried out the CD on a couple of my systems and it seems to act the same as the floppy-based program, with the exception that it fails the diskette tests (obviously, since there isn't one connected).

If you boot PC Doctor from a CD, for the diskette diagnostics, Floppy 0 is the CD drive and Floppy 1 is the external floppy drive (connected to the port on the right side of the 600X). PC Doctor insists on enabling most of the tests on all four floppy drives when the program is loaded. Simply remove all tests for drives 0, 2 and 3 and enable the ones you want for drive 1. Also, the same thing applies for the Diskette test under the Interactive Tests menu: Diskette 0 is the CD and 1 is the external floppy. If I find a way to alter the default tests for the diskette diagnostics, I'll update my ISO file and put a note in here.

Of course all of this is a moot point if the only reason you are running the CD version of PC Doc is because you don't HAVE a floppy .

[paul*robertson]

Hi,

Thanks for this. I have created a CD using Nero, but am unsure how to use it. Its for a 600x.

I used this tutorial btw. You need to write the image to the disc. At first i used create bootable cd, but this never worked.
http://www.bay-wolf.com/burnimage.htm

[RealBlackStuff]

Stick CD in, hit power button, boot from CD, run PC-Doctor.
You need to set the BIOS to first boot from CD, or hit F12 at bootup to select CD.

[SMA]

Thanks Ray.

I tried it in a 600x and it works fine.

I used Nero to create the CD.

[paul*robertson]

Stick CD in, hit power button, boot from CD, run PC-Doctor.
You need to set the BIOS to first boot from CD, or hit F12 at bootup to select CD.

Thanks. Works a treat.
Are there any help files which give you a rundown of how to use it, how to read the results.

[RealBlackStuff]

IIRC, hit F1