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PSU Blast Image Config 2.8

Updated 03/09/2008
Copyright 2003-2008, Justin Elliott, Penn State University

PSU Staff - Jump to the CLC Build Docs

Table of Contents

What is PSU Blast Image Config? (Top)

PSU Blast Image Config (aka "BIC") is a complete software solution to quickly restore and configure a Macintosh back to a known state:

System Requirements: (Top)

New Major Features from version 2.7.0b1 to 2.8.0b4: (Top)

Read the revisions web page for additional details on what's new and what was fixed - below is just a short summary:

Download (Top)

NOTE: For previous users of Blast Image Config 2.7.0b1, many things have changed so it's better just to first move your system images from the old 'RestoreImages' folder to the new 'RestoreImages' folder with this version of PSU BIC.

This BETA version has been tested with Mac OS X 10.4.11 (PowerPC G4 and G5 and Intel), ncutil version 3.3b17, and Mac OS X 10.5.2 (PowerPC and Intel), and has worked well in my testing. Please, please be sure to report bugs if you run into any problems.

If you experience any problems or have questions on PSU BIC, please consider joining the PSU BIC listserv and read the Reporting Bugs section. I want to know about bugs and get them fixed.

PSU Blast Image Config Public Email List (Top)

This list is for announcements and discussion of topics related to the integration, deployment and support of PSU Blast Image Config. Please note that technical support can be provided by anyone who subscribes to the list, not just the developer of PSU Blast Image Config, who will also post to the list.

To join the PSU Blast Image Config discussion and announcements list, send an email to:

BlastImageConfig-L-subscribe-request@lists.psu.edu

You should then receive an email confirmation within a few minutes to complete the process of joining the list. Click the URL provided in the email to confirm that you want to join the list.

Documentation (Top)

Penn State Specific:

Other Information (Top)

Revision History (Top)

Reporting Bugs (Top)

There is a log file created during the execution of Blast Image Config for debugging purposes. If an error should occur during the execution of Blast Image Config, please follow these steps:

  1. Capture the error dialogs by pressing SHIFT + APPLE + 3 to create an entire screen capture. The screen will be saved to a file on the desktop named "Picture 1.pdf".
  2. Dismiss any dialogs that PSU Blast Image Config might have displayed so that all errors get logged.
  3. Quit out of all applications.
  4. In the Finder, under the Go menu, select Go To Folder... and enter in /tmp and press Return. The /tmp directory should be displayed in a new window.
  5. Copy the file that begins with PSUBlastImageConfig.RUN. and ends with .log. (An example filename is PSUBlastImageConfig.RUN.2003-08-08-20-18-35.log)
  6. Email the .log file AND screen capture to with as much information about the Mac's configuration as possible. As this is freeware, there are no guarantees that I'll be able to help you, but I'll do my best!

Credits (Top)

PSU Blast Image Config was written by Justin Elliott, a Senior Research Programmer in the Classroom and Lab Computing department at Penn State University. This software is released as freeware. Feel free to email me at with any questions, comments, feature requests, or bug reports you may have. Also consider joining the PSU BIC email discussion list.

The icon for Blast Image Config was created by my fantastic wife, Heidi. Mike Bombich's web site was a great resource during the development stages. Thanks to Ryan Booz for his help with graphics and web page creation/updates. Thanks to Kenster Rosenberry for his brilliant insight and suggestions.

PSU Blast Image Config is written in REALbasic, a high level, object oriented programming, "Rapid Application Development" environment. C++ and Java programmers should seriously consider REALbasic to develop their applications AND command line tools. REALbasic compiles into completely stand-alone programs and it's not interpreted. It's very similiar to Visual Basic/.NET. And yes, it can create Universal Carbon and Mach-O apps and even interface to Apple's Carbon and Cocoa APIs.



"REALbasic is a registered trademark of REAL Software, Inc."

Legal (Top)

(c) 2003-2008, The Pennsylvania State University. These materials are protected under the
copyright laws of the United States of America. All rights reserved.

By downloading this software, you are agreeing to abide by the terms and conditions
contained herein. By downloading, you are obtaining a non-exclusive license to use
these materials in accordance with these terms. Nothing contained herein shall be
deemed a waiver of any rights by The Pennsylvania State University in these materials.
The license offered hereby may be revoked at any time upon written notice of revocation
to the User.

# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS," AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
# WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
# MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE EXPRESSLY
# DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL PENN STATE UNIVERSITY OR ITS EMPLOYEES BE
# LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
# CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED, THE COSTS OF
# PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERIVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA OR
# PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF
# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING
# NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
# SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED IN ADVANCE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
# DAMAGE.
#
# Redistribution and use of this software in binary forms, without modification,
# are permitted, provided that the following conditions are met:
#
# 1. Any redistribution must include the above copyright notice and
# disclaimer and this list of conditions in any related documentation
# and, if feasible, in the redistributed software.
#
# 2. Any redistribution must include the acknowledgment, "This product
# includes software developed by The Pennsylvania State University," in
# any related documentation and, if feasible, in the redistributed software.
#
# 3. The names "Penn State" and "Penn State University", and “The Pennsylvania
# State University” are trademarks of The Pennsylvania State University and may
# not be used in association with any goods or services, including products
# derived from these materials, without the prior express written agreement of
# The Pennsylvania State University.

© 2006, The Pennsylvania State University. All rights reserved.
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This page was last modified: 10/24/2008 4:14:54 PM.