Solved MiniTool Partition Wizard Portable?

Wisewiz · Jan 9, 2023

I can't find a download for the portable edition of MT PW Free. I thought I had the 12.6 version of it (the portable, that is) on my machines, but today's investigations have cast doubt on that belief. MTPW 12.6 works beautifully on my machines, and it is not listed in Installed Apps but today I found that there is an unins000.exe in the program's folder. CCleaner doesn't offer the program in its Uninstall window. I seem to recall having found the portable somewhere, but maybe I just installed the program. Oh, there's a bit of additional evidence: There is a MiniTool key in HKCU\Software, with a Partition Wizard subkey and some data in that subkey.

Somewhat confusing, it is (says Yoda).

Fabler2 · Jan 9, 2023

Wisewiz said:
I can't find a download for the portable edition of MT PW Free. I thought I had the 12.6 version of it (the portable, that is) on my machines, but today's investigations have cast doubt on that belief. MTPW 12.6 works beautifully on my machines, and it is not listed in Installed Apps but today I found that there is an unins000.exe in the program's folder. CCleaner doesn't offer the program in its Uninstall window. I seem to recall having found the portable somewhere, but maybe I just installed the program. Oh, there's a bit of additional evidence: There is a MiniTool key in HKCU\Software, with a Partition Wizard subkey and some data in that subkey.

Somewhat confusing, it is (says Yoda).

This is what I have with the installed version,

Portable version here, MiniTool Portable Partition Magic Brings Easier Disk Management

Wisewiz · Jan 9, 2023

@Fabler2

You're absolutely right. Now I recall that they hide the thing on the Partition Magic Portable page. I'll put that in my bookmarks for future reference. Got it, and it does, indeed, work without making an entry in the Settings\Apps\Installed apps list, and it continues to be absent from the CCleaner Uninstall list. YAY!

BTW, my registry key has the same stuff, except for PlayedArrowGif. Any idea what that signifies in your list?

Many thanks (and a few points) for your help. Have a great new year.

Fabler2 · Jan 9, 2023

Wisewiz said:
@Fabler2

You're absolutely right. Now I recall that they hide the thing on the Partition Magic Portable page. I'll put that in my bookmarks for future reference. Got it, and it does, indeed, work without making an entry in the Settings\Apps\Installed apps list, and it continues to be absent from the CCleaner Uninstall list. YAY!

BTW, my registry key has the same stuff, except for PlayedArrowGif. Any idea what that signifies in your list?
View attachment 49533
Many thanks (and a few points) for your help. Have a great new year.

Maybe the arrow that shows first time to 'apply' but just a guess. Have a happy and prosperous New Year yourself

Ghot · Jan 9, 2023

If anyone wants a "bootable" version, here's the ISO image from Minitool Partition Wizard 9.0's, bootable media...

Dropbox - File Deleted - Simplify your life

www.dropbox.com

You can burn it to a CD or use RUFUS or similar to put it on a USB stick.

TVeblen · Jan 21, 2023

Ghot said:
If anyone wants a "bootable" version, here's the ISO image from Minitool Partition Wizard 9.0's, bootable media...

Dropbox - File Deleted - Simplify your life

www.dropbox.com

You can burn it to a CD or use RUFUS or similar to put it on a USB stick.

Hey Ghot
I downloaded the ISO and created a USB using Rufus 3.21 portable.

The USB boots, but PW doesn't start. A Linux error comes up and I end up with:
Error:/Boot/bzImage3 has an invalid signature

I've tried creating the USB as MBR and GPT, no difference.
Rufus ask to, and I allowed, install a new vesamenu.c32 the first time. That has not come up again.

What am I doing wrong?

Ghot · Jan 21, 2023

TVeblen said:
Hey Ghot
I downloaded the ISO and created a USB using Rufus 3.21 portable.

The USB boots, but PW doesn't start. A Linux error comes up and I end up with:
Error:/Boot/bzImage3 has an invalid signature

I've tried creating the USB as MBR and GPT, no difference.
Rufus ask to, and I allowed, install a new vesamenu.c32 the first time. That has not come up again.

What am I doing wrong?

When you boot from the USB stick... you may see the USB stick listed twice.
Once with the term: UEFI and once without.
Try both options... one of them should work.

These are the directions I have saved with it...

Use the "Boot Menu" choose either the UEFI or non-UEFI option (for the CD or the USB stick).
Wait for it to load. Then click OK, then click OK again.
On the next screen don't click anything, just wait.
In about 5-6 seconds the program will start.

To get the Boot Menu...

ASUS = F8
MSI = F11

TVeblen · Jan 21, 2023

Thanks
No, in either MBR or GPT build, there was only one instance in the Boot Menu.

TVeblen · Jan 21, 2023

I just tried it on another two systems, boot menu came up, selected the drive, and in both cases I immediately got:
"Secure Boot Violation. The System found unauthorized changes to the firmware, OS, or UEFI drivers"

Could this be my version of Rufus?

Ghot · Jan 21, 2023

TVeblen said:
Thanks
No, in either MBR or GPT build, there was only one instance in the Boot Menu.

Ok... I just made a USB stick (using RUFUS) of PW 9.0 and it works.
These are the settings I used...

At the top where it says CDROM 16GB, that's a Sandisk 16GB USB stick totally unallocated.
After I clicked START, RUFUS said... the ISO has an obsolete "something or other" did I want to download a new one.
I answered YES.
Then I clicked START again. RUFUS said it failed, so I clicked START again. then it worked.

I got a UEFI and a non-UEFI option on the Boot Menu. the non-UEFI worked.

I tried UEFI first, but it said my Secure Boot setting in the BIOS prevented it from starting, so I tried again, and it automatically entered the BIOS. I just saved and exited the BIOS, and tried the non-UEFI setting.

You just have to play around with this old stuff... to get it to work.

When you get to the PW page where it asks what resolution you want... press 1... then press 1 again.
Then you will be in the program.

/edit

Working with an ISO this old is like trying to pound in a tent stake with no hammer.
"Oh no! How will I do this"? "I know... I'll use a rock".

TVeblen · Jan 21, 2023

Thanks. I've been using PW 9 on CD for years. I (usually) know what to do once I get into the program.
Just created a new USB. Going to try it now.

Ghot · Jan 21, 2023

Yeah, I still use it on a CD.

TVeblen said:
Thanks. I've been using PW 9 on CD for years. I (usually) know what to do once I get into the program.
Just created a new USB. Going to try it now.

TVeblen · Jan 21, 2023

OK. This is starting to make sense...

I have an older machine and when I get to the boot menu on that one I have the option of booting in UEFI mode or normal.
I choose normal an everything goes as it always does on CD.
The boot stick works. The ISO is good. (You knew that).

But on my 2 modern machines there is only the option for UEFI mode in the Boot Menu.
And as I found, it won't start in UEFI.

So I'm guessing this is a CSM issue. I will check later, but I'm pretty sure that old machine was set up in CSM mode. There newer machines are not.
And like my Partition Wizard 9.1 boot CD, I have to switch the BIOS to CSM in order to boot it.

Seems pretty clear at this point.

I've got to get ready to go out for the evening, but I will explore this some more later.
Thanks for your help with this.

Ghot · Jan 21, 2023

TVeblen said:
OK. This is starting to make sense...

I have an older machine and when I get to the boot menu on that one I have the option of booting in UEFI mode or normal.
I choose normal an everything goes as it always does on CD.
The boot stick works. The ISO is good. (You knew that).

But on my 2 modern machines there is only the option for UEFI mode in the Boot Menu.
And as I found, it won't start in UEFI.

So I'm guessing this is a CSM issue. I will check later, but I'm pretty sure that old machine was set up in CSM mode. There newer machines are not.
And like my Partition Wizard 9.1 boot CD, I have to switch the BIOS to CSM in order to boot it.

Seems pretty clear at this point.

I've got to get ready to go out for the evening, but I will explore this some more later.
Thanks for your help with this.

I think you're right. ^^

This is MY BIOS (ASUS X570 chipset mobo). These are the settings I used, to be... "most" compatible with everything.
Namely... UEFI and Legacy OPROM <----- (apples AND oranges)

TVeblen · Jan 21, 2023

Yes, I think that is my setting in that old machine.
I will need to check these newer machines.

But I just set up this MSI board recently and I don't recall seing the "both" option. However, I wasn't looking for it either.

Ghot · Jan 21, 2023

TVeblen said:
Yes, I think that is my setting in that old machine.
I will need to check these newer machines.

But I just set up this MSI board recently and I don't recall seing the "both" option. However, I wasn't looking for it either.

They keep moving that stuff around. And if that isn't enough, they keep renaming it too. LOL

Back in the good ol' days... [ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition]

TVeblen · Jan 21, 2023

Yeah, this is all you get today:
_

Ghot · Jan 21, 2023

TVeblen said:
Yeah, this is all you get today:
_
View attachment 50610

Yeah...

Well, you can always "buy" the new Partition Wizard and then make the newer version of the bootable media. :/

TVeblen · Jan 21, 2023

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Bite your tongue!

Ghot · Jan 21, 2023

TVeblen said:
AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Bite your tongue!

Maybe try UEFI instead of MBR in RUFUS, for the comps that only allow UEFI? ^^
Assuming you haven't already tried that.

Every download I've seen for the 12.x bootable PW version, has either been infected or from an infected page. :/
Maybe you can find a modern EaseUS Partition Master ISO for their bootable media?