exec in a bat file

junieman · Dec 7, 2023

Is it possible to put an exec in a bat file directly?
I have several programs that I have on a flash drive that I would like to run out of a bat file and run it on any pc without loading them on each pc.

x BlueRobot · Dec 7, 2023

Yes, just provide the file path to the .exe file and it will run.

Batch:

Code:

notepad.exe
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64\windbg.exe"

Edit:

Code:

start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64\windbg.exe"

That will prevent the console window from opening.

BobOmb · Dec 7, 2023

This does that: GitHub - illsk1lls/SFXcreator: Custom version of AveYo's BAT85/BAT91 encoding script

But it also uses powershell.

The first time you run the script it will add itself to your right-click “Send To” context menu, then after that just right click anything and “Send To” SFXCreator.cmd. It will create a SFX encoded CMD file containing whatever you selected with the option to run an executable after decompression.

You can split the decryption key for security if needed. In that case the file will only extract if you use the seperated key. If the .key file of the same name as the CMD file is present in the same directory it will auto-populate the input prompt. If you chose not to split the decryption key, it will be included in the CMD file and will extract normally without user input.

junieman · Dec 8, 2023

I am trying to run the programs from a flash drive to make it portable with any pc.

I tried to download the SFXCreator.cmd but it shows that it probably contains a virus and should not be downloaded.

x BlueRobot · Dec 8, 2023

Just use the start command as shown in the above example, it will start any applications in that file path. The drive letter may change between systems so you can either edit it after plugging in the device or get the working directory of the script using: Get current batchfile directory

TechnoMage2021 · Dec 8, 2023

I don't see the problem, or even the question.
When I'm setting up a new Windows ?? install, I use a series of batch files and scripts, to make changes to Windows. I call it tweaking and tuning.
Most of those batch files will run an EXE file to install some program on Windows. So far, I've never had a problem with it.

Before asking "Can I?" just try it. That's what I've been doing for decades.

TM

Merry Christmas

SIW2 · Dec 8, 2023

I have several programs that I have on a flash drive that I would like to run out of a bat file and run it on any pc without loading them on each pc

I do similar with my custom winpe. It finds the usb stick and links the program files on the usb stick to the pe desktop\start menu.

One way to do it is put a tag file on the root of the usb stick so it can be found. Anything with a unique name such as a .txt file called e.g. thisismystick.txt

I use pecmd to find the tag file and get the letter it is on, but it can be done with windows commands.

for example:

Code:

@echo off
for %%i in (A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) do (
    if exist "%%i:\thisismystick.txt" set usblett=%%i
     )
    echo %usblett%
     pause

rem then you know the path to usb\diskgenius\diskgenius.exe is %usblett%:\diskgenius\diskgenius.exe

SIW2 · Dec 8, 2023

For my custom pe after finding the letter from the tag file, it loads another file on the root of the usb which does various things including linking the programs to the winpe desktop\start menu

something like:

LOAD usblett:\usbprogs.ini

usbprogs.ini contains this sort of stuff

in pecmd code %curdir% is similar to batchfile %~dp0 ( without the trailing backslash )

Code:

Createlnk
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
_SUB Createlnk
      //sets keyboard
     exec !wpeutil SetKeyboardLayout 0809:00000809

     ENVI PECMN=%CurDir%\USBprograms
     LINK %StartMenu%\AV\USB-Eset,%PECMN%\ESET\ESETonlinescanner.exe
     LINK %Desktop%\USB-Backupper,%PECMN%\AomeiBackupperx64\Backupper.exe
     LINK %Desktop%\USB-PartAssist,%PECMN%\AomeiPartAssistx64\PartAssist.exe
     LINK %Desktop%\USB-Palemoon,%PECMN%\Browserx64\Palemoon-portable.exe
     LINK %Desktop%\USB-Dism++,%PECMN%\Dism++\Dism++x64.exe
     LINK %StartMenu%\DiskTools\USB-DiskGenius,%PECMN%\DiskGeniusx64\DiskGenius.exe
     LINK %StartMenu%\DataRecovery\USB-Recuva,%PECMN%\Recuva\Recuva64.exe
     LINK %StartMenu%\DataRecovery\USB-Shadowcopyview,%PECMN%\shadowcopyview-x64\ShadowCopyViewx64.exe
     LINK %StartMenu%\Install\USB-WinNTSetup,%PECMN%\WinNTSetup\WinNTSetup_x64.exe
     LINK %StartMenu%\Registry\USB-Regscanner64,%PECMN%\USB-Regscanner\Regscanner64.exe
  
    FORX %PECMN%\regfiles\*.reg,&&rf,0,EXEC regedit /s %&rf%
    
     IFEX %WINDIR%\System32\Drivers\oodisr.sys,
       {  CALL $%CurDir%\USBprograms\OO Software\DiskImage\oodiagpsx64.dll
          EXEC %CurDir%\USBprograms\OO Software\DiskImage\oodiag.exe /service
          LINK %Desktop%\OOdiskImage,%PECMN%\OO Software\DiskImage\oodipro.exe
          }
  
     EXEC !"%PECMN%\AomeiPartAssist\install.bat"
     EXEC !wpeutil.exe EnableFirewall

     ENVI PECMN=
  
_END

SIW2 · Dec 8, 2023

The startmenu in this custom pe is openshell Release 4.4.191 · Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu

SIW2 · Dec 8, 2023

The last free version of faststone capture works well in win10/11 custom pe even though it is more than 10 years old.

I had snipping tool in there but I prefer faststone. The old free version of faststone is 32 bit so the pe needs 32 bit support. Unless somebody can find 64 bit version of it.

BobOmb · Dec 8, 2023

junieman said:
I am trying to run the programs from a flash drive to make it portable with any pc.

I tried to download the SFXCreator.cmd but it shows that it probably contains a virus and should not be downloaded.

not a virus, its av being overprotective, you can see the code (of the tool)

But there are better methods to make portable programs, some listed above.

Also 7zSFX Constructor: 7zSFX Constructor

LesFerch · Dec 11, 2023

junieman said:
Is it possible to put an exec in a bat file directly?
I have several programs that I have on a flash drive that I would like to run out of a bat file and run it on any pc without loading them on each pc.

It sounds like you may have asked the wrong question. If I understand correctly, you want to be able to run certain programs from a flash drive, on any PC, without having to install them first. That's not a matter of doing something with a batch file. It's a matter of understanding the difference between an installed program and a portable program and focusing on getting portable versions or making portable versions from installed versions.

The general strategy is to choose programs that are already available in a portable version whenever possible. When that's not possible, you can often find that someone else has already created a portable version. For example, by default, Recuva is not a portable program (which is really quite dumb). But, if you search for a portable version of recuva, you'll find it at rcvPortable (file recovery utility) | PortableApps.com.

And if you want to batch up multiple changes that can be applied to every new machine / new user, then you should really focus on command line utilities and PowerShell scripts. A batch file certainly can be used to chain together a bunch of commands or scripts and is a good way to get everything launched (e.g. bypass PowerShell default security settings).