Need a Symantec Ghost guru

[Phurious]

I am attempting to build a two partition to use on Dell desktops/laptops for use in re-imaging. What we are attempting to capitalize on is the ability to boot from the Dell “Utility” partition. Normally, this is a bootable partition created by Dell loaded with their tools and utilities. I am using it to boot Windows PE 2.0 so we may expedite a re-image on a machine if necessary. Previously, I used PE 2005 on the utility partition and had no problems capturing an image of the drive I created. Now I am trying to adopt PE 2.0 for the utility partition and it is giving me fits.

Here are the steps I am taking:

1. Using DISKPART I am creating two primary partitions. The first, a 2GB Utility partition, the second a 78GB System/Data partition.

2. I apply a working PE 2.0 image to the 1st partition, and my system image to the 2nd.

3. Using PTEDIT32.EXE I verify that the 2nd partition is set to boot (“80” in the second column)

4. I capture an image of the drive in this state to use it as a “work in progress” in case I wish to make changed to my boot.wim.

5. After the image has been captured, I check the integrity of the image by running Local --> Check --> Image File. Everything checks fine.

6. I then run PTEDIT32.EXE again and edit the partition type for the first partition changing it to “DE”, which is the Dell Diagnostic Type.

7. I then capture an image of the drive again,

8. The problem becomes apparent when I run the image integrity check on the new image – it IMMEDIATELY fails giving me “Error 15004, Internal Inconsistency Detected”

I have attempted to create this image on two different machines using Ghost32.EXE build 8.0.0.984, 11.0.0.1502 AND build 11.0.0.1533 in both Windows PE 2.0 and Windows XP SP2. I also have tried doing this in DOS; it failed also. In addition, I have tried running Ghost with the "–or" switch hoping to suppress errors.

Has anyone seen anything like this? Can anyone point out something I should take a closer look at?

TIA

Edited May 21, 2007 by Phurious

[IcemanND]

why not just use the recovery kit out of the ghost solutions suite 2 rather than hack at the partition tables?

[Phurious]

Thanks for the boot to the head!

I had not previously looked at that tool. Allow me to further demonstrate my ignorance; how does this tool fair with varying disk geometries? The image I am creating is to be used on several different types of desktops and laptops, with several different HD sizes.

[IcemanND]

as far as my testing has gone I have not had any problems with using this and going to different size disks.