MediCat DVD: bootable toolkit with Windows 10 WinPE

MediCat DVD is a bootable troubleshooting environment that ships with Linux and Windows boot environments, and troubleshooting tools.
The author of MediCat DVD designed the bootable toolkit as an unofficial successor to the popular Hiren's Boot CD boot environment.
Hiren's Boot Cd has last been updated in 2012, and while it works in many cases, at least some of the software it ships with is outdated and may not work properly anymore on newer versions of Windows.
It is still mighty useful, as it allows you to edit the Windows Registry without booting the system, reset Windows passwords, and do other things without booting into the operating system.
MediCat DVD
MediCat DVD comes in four different flavors; that's confusing at first, especially since you don't get good descriptions of the four options.
- MediCat DVD -- This is the name giving distribution. It includes the PortableApps Suite, Linux boot environments and a full working mini Windows 10 WinPE Boot Environment.
- MediaCat DVD Naked -- Like MediCat DVD, but without the PortableApps Suite.
- Mini Windows 10 x64 -- Windows 10 WinPE Boot Environment, and PortableApps Suite.
- Mini Windows 10 x64 Naked -- Like the one above, but without the PortableApps Suite.
The main distribution, MediCat DVD as a size of 7.5 Gigabytes currently. The naked variant a size of 5.05 GB, the Windows 10 x64 distribution one of 3.94 GB, and the naked Windows 10 distribution one of 1.47 Gigabyte.
Downloads are provided as multiple archive files. You need to extract the files once you have downloaded them all using 7-Zip or a compatible archiving program. This places an ISO image on your disk that you can burn, copy to USB to create a bootable USB drive, or boot using a virtual environment.
The main menu displays various options to you. You can start one of the bootable operating systems included with the distribution, or access diagnostic, repair and troubleshooting tools instead that MediCat ships with.
The menu lists the following options in this regard:
- 64-Bit windows Recovery: Choice of Microsoft or Easy Recovery options for Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.
- Hard Disk Tools: includes currently Acronis TrueImage 2017, GParted, Norton Ghost 11.5, Paragon Hard Disk Manager, PloP Boot Manager, SpinRite, SuperGrubDisk, Darik's Boot and Nuke.
- Diagnostic Utilities: includes currently Hardware Detection Tool Memtest86+, TestDisk / PhotoRec / LiliPad, Ultimate Boot Cd.
- Scan for Viruses: this launches Comodo Rescue Disk currently only.
- Remove User Account Passwords: Active Password Changer, Daossoft Windows Password Rescuer, Offline NT Password & Registry Editor, PCUnlocker, Boot Kon-Boot CD.
You may boot in any of the available operating systems. If you pick Windows 10 for instance, you get the following screen once the operating system is booted.
You get to access all sorts of programs right there, and even more if you are using a version of the toolkit that came with PortableApps included. This include many tools that help you troubleshoot issues on a PC; to name a few: EaseUS Partition Master, HDDExpert, NTFS Permissions Tool, backup tools, Dead Pixel tester, CPU-Z, RegAlyzer, Dr.Web CureIt, Kaspersky TDSSKiller, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, and Autoruns.
The author updates the ISO images every six months following new releases of Lubuntu. If you copy the bootable toolkit to USB, you may update PortableApps manually, and even add other tools that you require to it.
Closing Words
MediCat DVD has a lot to offer. You get four different versions and can pick the one that you want to use. If you are unsure, I suggest you pick one that includes the PortableApps suite, as it adds several tools to the troubleshooting environment that you can make good use of.
The downside is the fairly large download, and that you have to use a program like Rufus to create a bootable USB drive.






No links to download MediCat DVD. Why?
too many antivirus wornings (trojans!!!)
The Win 10 recovery and mini windows 10 doesn’t work. Win10 recovery says its missing \Windows\system32\winload.exe.
como se descarga medicat ,no lo veo
Download link is in the summary box below the article.
My virusscanner, Avast, give me some warnings about some exe files while making a bootable usb with medicat.
Is there a reason why Avast sees this as infected files?
Uploaded all 4 files to totalvirus.com with the results in the urls
Detected with Avast antivirus
PartAssist.exe Infected with Win32:Malware-gen
uploaded to totalvirus results here
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/9fafa2777150fa93c521b8b2287d5efc3f459f953f79bbac74a900596f3d58da/detection
AuslogicsDDPortable.exe Infected with win32:trojan-gen
uploaded to totalvirus results here
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/188f0ed93884a6204b96c9d5ae4f4d31fbe6266d05715d4425aab70a9af0d906/detection
Driver Talent.exe Infected with Win32:malware-gen
uploaded to totalvirus results here
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/27a514f979e417760241ecf13f79959fb0ab41893798bec757e03fa691874167/detection
WPS Office.dat Infected with Win32:Evo-gen [Susp]
uploaded to totalvirus results here
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/8de17a1324ba0897c6171584176060f1f6494cbf6aba16cdf154a002d1ce01ca/detection
Alguien tiene la facilidad de explicarme un poco mas de MediCat 18.10, soy nuevo y casi no entiendo como se usa……
hay muchas cosas q quisiera preguntar pero no logro enteder lo que ya escribieron..
Why don’t you folks make a link to download – or at least make it easier to find on this page. Grrr
Project pages are always linked in the summary box below the review.
dlc boot 2017 is only 2.3gb and in my opinion is an overall better one.it even has option to install as another boot option during windows boot which is great.
Windows defender is a just as big waste of time as windows 10, it finds things that aren’t there and the real threats still get through…
Virus detection
Windows Defender (pr january 2018) detects some of the password tools as serious threats – in my opinion Windows Defender detects these tools as threats/possibly unwanted programs (PUP) due to the nature of the tools (they can reveal/decrypt passwords from the registry/files on the harddrive), not because they contain vira.. But I may be wrong. I recommend that the creator double checks the affected tools.
Medicat 17.0.2 has virus infections – Avoid ?
Is it true ?
Medicat has virus infections – Avoid
Can you please be more precise? Which security software did you use to check, what was found?
Bob.Omb’s Modified Win10PEx64 http://vault.theworkpc.com
http://windowsmatters.com/2016/11/08/gandalfs-win10pe-x86-redstone-build-14393-version-11-07-2016/
Gandalf’s Win10PE Boot disc http://windowsmatters.com/2016/11/08/gandalfs-win10pe-x86-redstone-build-14393-version-11-07-2016/
2.3 Gb
http://sergeistrelec.ru/winpe_10/84-winpe-10-8-sergei-strelec-x86-x64-native-x86-20170108-english-version.html
Great! I want to know if the built-in tool PCUnlocker is a licensed copy or not. Do I still need to purchase a license from http://www.top-password.com? Thanks!
Bud, I am afraid it is not 100% legal. Some programs are commercial to name a few: SpinRite, Boot Kon-Boot CD, Acronis TrueImage 2017, Norton Ghost 11.5, Paragon Hard Disk Manager, etc.
Just my cents :)
Anyway nice finding.
Some products start as free for non commercial use. So if you use and older version, then you can get full capabilities for free. Old version is not always bad, updates mostly add more functions. Minitool Power Data Recovery as example. I have version 6.5 that is still free for non commercial use, if you use version 8, then it says only paid version. So by using an older version with less functions, you can still use products that have commercial versions. :)
Question for Medicat:
[Q]The author updates the ISO images every six months following new releases of Lubuntu. If you copy the bootable toolkit to USB, you may update PortableApps manually, and even add other tools that you require to it.[/Q]
How can we add own portable apps to the Medicat releases ?
I put it on USB by use of Multiboot YUMI, and indeed see a folder portable apps on the data. Can i simply put an extra folder in that portable apps folder to add own tools ? Or will i need to edit an index then as well ? For the new portable app to be placed in a certain catagory, as in hard disc tools or recovery ? Believe your release has mini tools 7, and that wont do more recovery then 1 gb. Version 6.5 does as many gb as you need for non commercial users ;)
Is it not akin to piracy? Is Windows 10 WinPE free? If not then one could probably risk getting sued for piracy after a police raid (raids focused on piracy are surprisingly popular in my country).
AND about it being legal: How to Create Windows 10 WinPE Boot Disk
INTRO READ:
A lot of you wanted to know how to make your own WinPE disc for Windows 10,
so I made a video to show you how easy it is to create your own bootable Windows 10 PE disk.
These are great for computer techs or I.T. Administrators.
You will need to download “Windows ADK” then run Deployment and Imaging Tools Environment
1. copype amd64 C:\WinPEx64
2. MakeWinPEMedia /ISO C:\WinPEx64 C:\WinPEx64\WinPE10.iso
3. Create Windows 10 PE USB or ISO or CD
Need help with computer problems? why not join our forum
http://www.briteccomputers.co.uk/forum
VIDEO TUTOR:
How to Create Windows 10 WinPE Boot Disk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zDFhSuBWaM
DOWNLOAD:
Windows ADK
Download the latest Windows ADK
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/get-started/adk-install
Download the Windows ADK for Windows 10, version 1803
https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=873065
You download a smal 1.8 mb file that you need to start.
Then the real download starts as shown on video
Keep standard settings and next, next ,then download starts.
This will take 6.8 GB of your disc space, but you can uninstall after creation.
This tool is only used to create your sheet to work on further, the engine.
Next parts we are going to customize the basic engine that we are creating here.
CREATION:
A) After download, Windows Programs ,Windows Kits ,
Right click ,Deployment and Imaging Tools ,Run as Administrator
In the command box now type, or copy-paste, by copy-ctrl v
copype amd64 C:\WinPEx64
copy PE->64 bit->to location, is command explained.
Result
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools>copype amd64 C:\WinPEx64
Click enter and let the tool copy its needed data to your drive.
B) Now we are going to make an ISO of these extracted data files
In the command box now type, or copy-paste, by copy-ctrl v
MakeWinPEMedia /ISO C:\WinPEx64 C:\WinPEx64\WinPE10.iso
Create command->Type->Where->Where\File Name plus extention [.iso], is command explained.
Result
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools>MakeWinPEMedia /ISO C:\WinPEx64 C:\WinPEx64\WinPE10.iso
Click enter and the command will create the iso
READY you have your clear sheet to work on further ,284 mb ,so engine is build.
Type exit, and click enter to close the command tool.
Result
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools>exit
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Adding your own portable tools:
I have been fiddling around with these tools last week and found that you can also simply,
1. Create a folder on your hard disc
2. Put the “Portable” programs in the folder that you want to work with for repairs
3. After creating your WinPE boot disc, just copy that folder on your USB Stick
Ones you have boot up with WinPE, then you can go to my computer, browse to the stick.
And simply run your needed portable program from that folder.
Easy if you find new tools or updates, then you do not have to keep making a new boot disc.
Thank you. I have been wanting to try this but kept making excuses. There are none left now so Im gonna go learn how to do this
Win 10 WinPE is free its part of the ADK tool kit from M$ but its a huge 4GB download from M$ mostly packed with tools for IT deployment and the like WinPE is just a small part of it so no worries :)
No. About: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/commercialize/manufacture/desktop/winpe-intro
Thanks for this, still using Hiren’s and also Ultimate Boot CD. This is a nice edition to the list.
use my project bro, its complete IT Tools and easy to use : IT Tools Pack Solution Rescue Hybrid Technology
http://www.ittoolspack.com/p/hybrid-tech.html
Where can I download “your tool” for free? NO Way would I pay for something that is out here for free with better options and isn’t trying to rip others off….
Edi’s “ittoolspack” is full of pirated software, and he wants money for it. I checked the mentioned website. NOPE. We don’t do that here.