Essential Open-Source App for Every Windows User’s Toolkit

Creating a portable PC diagnostic USB can be a complex task, especially when it involves setting up your preferred tools. I initially configured PhoenixPE using Ventoy, which works efficiently but requires manual integration of various recovery tools and portable applications. This process can be time-consuming and tedious, as each tool typically requires its own environment to function properly.

Fortunately, Medicat streamlines this process and provides a comprehensive solution for building an ultimate USB rescue kit. This toolkit comes pre-loaded with a customized Windows 10/11 Preinstallation Environment, packed with an extensive collection of portable applications and bootable ISOs. Instead of spending countless hours selecting and configuring individual tools, Medicat offers everything you need right out of the box. All that’s required is a sufficiently large USB drive to begin.

What Is Medicat and What Does It Offer?

An All-Inclusive Rescue Toolkit

Medicat command prompt dialog open on a HP laptop kept on a chair face down

The Medicat USB serves as an expansive toolbox accessible directly from a flash drive. Unlike PhoenixPE, which requires manual addition of each tool, Medicat leverages a modified Windows Preinstallation Environment, specifically Mini Windows 10, running entirely from your computer’s memory. This means you get a fully operational desktop environment that allows web browsing, file copying, and application launching.

Should your computer fail to boot into Windows, you can utilize Medicat WinPE to transfer vital files or troubleshoot issues without interfering with the primary operating system. The key advantage of Medicat lies in its extensive catalog of pre-included tools; you will find malware scanners, partition managers, recovery applications, and password reset tools, all prepared for immediate use.

This comprehensive inclusion accounts for its larger file size—while my PhoenixPE setups generally range from 3 to 4GB, Medicat occupies approximately 22GB. While this might appear hefty, the toolkit offers considerable value, even if some applications may be outdated or feature-limited. They are nevertheless suitable for handling most repair tasks without the necessity of juggling multiple rescue media options.

How to Create Your USB Rescue Kit with Medicat

Before downloading any files, ensure you have a USB drive with no less than 32GB of available space. The core Medicat files require 22GB, and you’ll want additional capacity for any ISOs you may wish to incorporate later.

Note that Windows Defender may flag Medicat during the download due to the inclusion of password reset and system modification utilities. To avoid these security alerts, temporarily disable Windows Security during the installation process.

To turn off protection, navigate to Windows Security, access Virus & Threat Protection, click on Manage settings, and disable Real-time protection. Additionally, check App & browser control, and turn off Reputation-based protection settings.

Next, visit the Medicat USB website to download the Windows installer. Execute the downloaded batch file as an administrator. If Windows displays a warning, select More info, then click Run Anyway.

The installer will initiate in a command prompt window, guiding you with text-based menus. You will see Press any key to proceed as it downloads necessary files. Upon reaching the main menu, select Install Medicat to begin. Medicat will automatically install the latest version of Ventoy as its bootloader via the command line interface.

Be aware that this process will format your USB drive to ensure bootability. Ensure you’ve backed up any important data before proceeding. When prompted, select your USB drive from the list and click OK. Confirm the drive letter and press Enter. You will then need to choose the partition scheme: select Yes for GPT (unless your machine is older than 2012) or No for MBR. Opt for Yes to enable secure boot support.

Once Ventoy is installed, the command prompt will search for Medicat files. As you have yet to download these, confirm when asked to proceed. Choose Torrent if you have a torrent client available, or opt for CDN. The entire 22GB download will take some time, so feel free to take a break.

After the download finishes, the files will be extracted to your USB drive. You will receive a success message upon completion and can close the command window. Open the drive using File Explorer to find organized folders by tool category—these include antivirus, backup and recovery, boot repair, diagnostic tools, partition tools, password removal, and Windows recovery.

Booting and Utilizing Your Medicat USB Rescue Kit

Testing Your New Toolkit

Using Medicat is straightforward once you configure your boot drive through the boot menu. Plug in your USB to your PC and restart it. During startup, press the designated boot menu key for your device—commonly F12, F10, or ESC—and select your USB drive. The main menu will display, clearly labeled with all tool categories.

For instance, if you’re addressing a virus-infected system that won’t boot, navigate to the antivirus section and choose the Malwarebytes bootable option. This tool will launch its familiar dashboard, enabling you to perform a comprehensive system scan. Unlike its standard Windows counterpart, this bootable version of Malwarebytes effectively eradicates deeply entrenched malware.

In cases of data recovery, the backup and recovery section offers various utilities. You can clone entire drives with AOMEI Backupper, retrieve deleted files using EaseUS Data Recovery, or create system images with Acronis.

For resolving boot issues, options include Boot Repair Disk and EasyUEFI. The Boot Repair Disk provides automated scans for common issues and can implement one-click solutions.

Additionally, the old password removal tools stand out. For instance, using Windows Login Unlocker reveals all local accounts. You can right-click any user account to reset the password, deactivate it, or remove the user entirely.

The Premier Windows Rescue Toolkit

If you possess a sufficiently large USB drive and prefer not to configure a WinPE solution like PhoenixPE, Medicat presents an out-of-the-box rescue environment equipped with all necessary tools for PC troubleshooting. At 22GB, its size might seem large, but given the breadth of features included, it’s quite reasonable.

While PhoenixPE excels in customization and smaller size, Medicat triumphs in convenience. There’s no need to spend valuable time researching tools or worrying about compatibility issues. For anyone regularly engaged in computer repair—be it professionally or by assisting friends and family—having Medicat USB in your toolkit is indispensable.

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