Bootable Ghost CD to deploy images - GUIDE

[CoCayden]

Hey Again all,

I just throught that i might add that it is possible to add instructions and points to ask if you want to continue to the deployable CD/DVD. I found this a little to late when i accidentaly left a DVD containing the deployable ghost image in and i wiped my hard drive.

To add instructions you can just add "echo insert text" and replace insert text with what ever u want it to say into the autoexec.bat

For a hit any key to continue point simply add pause into the autoexec.bat

Hope this helps

CoCayden

[tappers]

Guys,

just a quick question and probably off the topic but has anyone deployed an Gost Image from MS RIS, and if so how??

Cheers

Chris

[MilkyMagic]

Chris,

Not sure on Ghost over RIS, but what I do is this:

- Add XP base image to RIS server (via normal MS RIS setup)

- Get hold of Windows PE (cut-down 32bit XP OS) - you need to be a select customer,etc to get this. not available thru oem channels,etc.

- You can then add the Windows PE code to your RIS XP image.

- You can then PXE remote boot over RIS into the Windows PE image.

- Add the 32-bit "Ghost32.exe" file from symantec.

- Call ghost32.exe and restore the image.

I use this all the time to image and restore ghost images when my machines haven't got cdrom's/floppies. It's really quick too as you just boot up, hit F12, Windows PE loads really fast, and the ghost image restores under a 32-bit environment.

You can also wipe/prepare the HD in Windows PE using "diskpart", and this is alot faster than DOS as it has proper 32-bit access to the hard drive.

If you search Symantec's support website I think they have articles on ghost & RIS. I had a quick look but couldn't find a URL for you, but sure I have seen these articles before.

[tarquel]

That sounds just like what I've been after :)

RIS server tho - kinda missing that lol

Regarding WinPE tho, OEM's can get hold of this - not saying where from (no, i'm not talking illegally here) but you can get it if you're an oem Its not just from Select licensing although i wonder if the version is slightly different...hmmm.....

Despite that we get licenses from the county that has a Select Agreement, we have never been able to get any of the support or "utilities" (like WinPE) that go hand-in-hand with the Select Agreement.

I'd love to be able to use this or a Ghost method without floppy/cd's i.e. PXE styley - except I'm not that "up" on that stuff and havent had the time to "play" in order to find out lol

Any suggestions MilkyMagic?

Regards,

N.

[doobie]

Bear with me because I’m using windows xp in Spanish so the wording my differ.

it_ybd, I’m sure this is not the best way of doing it but you might want to experiment...

Requirements:

1. Two Partitions or More: One where system is installed on and the other where your ghost image and ghost.exe will be.

Note: (I used fat32 on both partitions since it was my test machine)

2. Download MS Dos 7.1 (http://newdos.yginfo.net/msdos71/)

First you need an OS on first partitions... I used Windows XP with fat32. It doesn’t have to be a fresh install you can use your current OS. Boot from Bootable MS Dos 7.1 diskettes or Bootable MS Dos cd. Follow the instructions. Install MS DOS on second partition or other. I installed the basic version since I won’t be using dos for anything. The installation will detect your current system and ask you if you want to make your computer dual boot and you must select yes. After the installation is complete it will ask you to reboot your computer. When your computer boots up you should see a dual boot menu asking you if you want to boot to windows xp or msdos. Choose Windows XP.

Once your system is booted right click on MY PC and choose properties. Select Advanced Options Tab then click on Startup and Recovery (once again the wording might be diff but I'm sure you can find it.) On the Next Window Select Windows XP as your default OS. Below that it asks you how long you would like the boot menu to show... I changed mine to 2 seconds because you don’t really want the person to see it for long. Then click on edit boot.ini. Where it says MS DOS 7.1 I changed to “Restore System.” Save Changes and close.

Copy Ghost.exe and Ghost Image to second partition.

Now open up notepad and open up a:\autoexec.bat on the last line add

d:\ghost.exe -clone,mode=pload,src=D:\restore.GHO:1,dst=1:1 -sure -RB

Change d:\ to the location of your ghost.exe and ghost image.

At the time of writing this the website where I download MS Dos was down but if you need it let me know and I can send it to you.

[rorton]

hi guys,

been using ghost and RIS for over a year now, and really think its good

PXE boot a PC, connect to the login screens, and then there is a RIS option created to connect to the ghost server, which is 'pre configured' i.e if i select the Auto ghost option, it connects to my ghost server, uses a session called 'load' and then sends the image down. i have also customised the RIS menus to help other people using this setup.

Best think for me, is that i also have this setup on a laptop.

Windows 2000 Server running on it, with Active Directory and RIS setup.

Great for nipping to different sites etc, just use a cross over cable, plug the laptop into the PC's nic, PXE boot the PC, and ghost away,

works well for me anyway

[hankb]

Dennis,

Thank you for the awesome guide, I used your steps and it worked great. I am now attempting to build on your instructions and am attempting to add USB and Network support to the same Boot CD.

If I figure out how I will post here to share with the group. If anyone has ideas or has tried this please let me know.

Hank

[Predator]

sorted

[aravot]

I followed the instruction, since I didn't have Windows ME bootdisk I grabbed a copy from bootdisk.com, but when I create the cd and try to boot from it I get the following error message:

Invalid setting in the MSDOS.SYS file, any suggestions.

[IcemanND]

post your config.sys, make sure all of the files called from config.sys exist in their proper locations.

[aravot]

post your config.sys, make sure all of the files called from config.sys exist in their proper locations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's the msdos.sys file with the error message but here is the Config.sys file:

FILES=30
BUFFERS=20
DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato
LASTDRIVE=Z

[IcemanND]

Sorry, read one thing typed another.

Typically on boot diskettes that file only contains ";W98EBD" or similar depending upon what os the floppy was made from.

[misbenthos]

I came up with this guide to make it as easy as possible to deploy ghost images from CDs. I prefer to use unicasting or multicasting whenever possible but there are times when a CD set is needed. I have received a lot of help on these forums and wanted to give a little back.

This guide will help you to take a large ghost image and span it on to CDs with the first CD being bootable. Also the first CD contains ghost.exe and autoloads ghosts to deploy the image.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Using Ghost 2003:

I followed these directions exactly and I MUST be doing something wrong. I can't get it to work for the life of me and I know this is an old post but I could really use some help. This is for the company I work for and we are providing ghost "recoveries" for customers. I could very well and have written directions on how to deploy the ghost backup manually but I think it would be so much easier and professional to have it deploy itself (we are working with people from all over the world, so language barriers can be a problem). Please help if at all possible.

[thiumy]

Is it possible if someone send me the .ima file. I can't seem to get my to work.

thanks in advanced.

[shredhead]

I too am having problems.

I cannot get the dvd to boot. Here's what I did.

1) run Nero 6.6

2) Select Bootable DVD & go to "boot" tab

3) point to image of floppy made w/UltraISO OR point to floppy. I tried both

4) make the compliation (my image, the contents of the two Ghost floppies)

5) burn

I've tried no emulation, 1.44 emulation. Both with 4 sectors (somewhere I read you should change from 1 to 4 on this setting but I can't remember why).

It hangs on Boot from ATAPI CD-ROM: prompt. Eventually I can get it to give me Non-system disc or disk error if I wait long enough.

Somehow it looks like the boot sector is messed up.. BUT, same steps yielded me a booting CD-RW. [image is 1.7GB so I need DVD.]

Where am I going wrong?