Hello everybody! I'll explain this shortly, i've asked moments ago to Rad but I'd like to ask litte more questions because as he says "don't know about bootable CDs"

Well, it's easy problem hard solution (to me). I have Norton Ghost and this is what I want to do.

I have two drives (C:\ and D:\, 40 and 120GB), I use the small one for SYSTEM files and the second one (the biggest) for data. I want to do this: usually my PC stops working well and I must format and re-install... it can take LOTS of hours. I chose Ghost as a way to simply restore partition. Now, this is the problem I have: is there any way to (once 'c:-image', c_drive.gho created) have the drive image created, burn it on a bootable DVD, together with ghost.exe (these two files in a DVD, no matter about .gho size) ? Is DVD allowed to boot at startup????? I'd like to insert DVD, start MS-DOS environment, start ghost.exe and restore the image, that's all. What have I got to do? I have tried W98 boot disk and Ghost worked well, so I have the bootable sectors. Well, if that's possible, ok. Is necessary ghost.env ? Ghost worked well wtihout it.
And I'd like to ask a last thing: could it be possible to make in that bootable DVD any kind of file (such as a .bat, .com, .ini) file to 'simply' start ghost and automatically restore my image to drive 2:1 (2nd drive, partition 1, or 0, don't remember) ? if a .bat is useful, I can include too ghreboot to reboot my system too, can't I?

If not possible, simply a boot disk and a Ghost diskette and ready to go but I'd like to know this.

Thanks in advance!

shadowjuan
The Matrix has you

shadowjuan

Which version of Ghost are you using?

Are you wanting to do this from within the Window interface for Ghost?  Or are you wanting to do this from the DOS version of Ghost?

Ghost 2003 will create a simple bootable CD/DVD if you tell it to when asked during image creation if you use Ghost to burn directly to your optical writer.

If you want to create the image to a HDD first, and then burn it to DVD later, then it's a little more complicated.

What have you tried so far?

I have the v2003, mainly I'll use the DOS application because "files are active in current partition" (C:\) and don't like how this sounds if I want to backup while using other programs that modify .ini files and so on. So I use DOS ghost.exe.

Now I want burn my_unit.gho + ghost.exe in a bootable DVD. So I ask if a bootable DVD is possible (I've never tried it before and maybe DOS had problems in DVD-Drives recognition? Don't know) and how to make a DVD in this wasy if possible: just insert DVD in drive, and automatically start restoring to an exact partition (C:\ in my HDD1 unit, if HDD0 is my data 'D:\' HDD, but no worry about that now) without prompting. I know this is more complex to do and I'm asking how.
I still have to keep testing ghost.exe options and so on because of my work I have to have my PC always active long time and can't go wandering a lot of time making experiences because I can not exepnd lots of time trying to do things. And, BTW, have to say that backitup from Nero has destroyed several DVDs and ALWAYS returned errors when backing up - so I try Norton now.

TAL!

shadowjuan


Quote:

(I've never tried it before and maybe DOS had problems in DVD-Drives recognition? Don't know)

Well, that's the first step--to 'try it'.

Sounds like you have a floppy drive, and can create boot floppy disks.  Try making a Standard Ghost Boot Disk to floppy.  Re-boot to DOS with that floppy which will bring up Ghost's DOS interface.

Choose disk or partition-to image, select the disk or partition as the source, and then you come to selecting a destination--if your optical writer is listed (i.e.--Ghost sees your optical drive and lists it as a possible destination--that means Ghost most likely is compatible with that drive), and you select it, you will be asked by Ghost if you want to make it bootable.  Say 'yes' and Ghost will prompt you to make sure that boot floppy is in the floppy drive.  Continue, and when done, that optical media will be bootable, with Ghost on it.  

Make sure your system is set up to boot from the optical drive, and re-boot and test out the bootable optical disk.


Quote:

how to make a DVD in this wasy if possible: just insert DVD in drive, and automatically start restoring to an exact partition (C:\ in my HDD1 unit, if HDD0 is my data 'D:\' HDD, but no worry about that now) without prompting.

Yes--that is more complicated.  You need to edit the autoexec.bat and config.sys files on your boot floppy disk with Ghost command line switches to automate a recovery image from optical media, or from a HDD image for that matter.  The commands have to be customized specifically to your system regarding how Ghosts identifies each drive--optical and HDD's.  Here are references that point you in the right direction:

http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_4.htm

Read up on 'batch' files.

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=1097617041;start=0#10

The above thread has a fairly complicated menu batch file starting from reply #10 and onward.

http://users.pandora.be/satcp/ghostresq01.htm

Towards the end of the above webpage, there is an outline on automating a restore.

I'll try to make several things and will post here results, anyway :D

Well, I know many people has solved this already, but here are my experiments' results:

a) I made an image (.gho+.ghs) of my HDD, correctly, in a extra partition.

b) burned a DVD -bootable (with a mixed but efficient boot disk) with: the .gho and the .ghs, and ghost.exe. (from Nero)

C) Did not worked :( Ghost said "this is not a Ghost image" or "Not created with Ghost" :(

d) Tried burning the image with ghost.exe but said me "media error", try with another kind of media :(:(:(:( Today I must go and buy various types of DVD, some brands, to see which one works... I can tell you that BulkPaq "oreange DVDs" don't work, neither Princo 1x-4x "white" :(

bye2

shadowjuan


Quote:

b) burned a DVD -bootable (with a mixed but efficient boot disk) with: the .gho and the .ghs, and ghost.exe. (from Nero)

Explain '(with a mixed but efficient boot disk)'?  What drivers are loaded by the boot disk?  You need to be sure the DOS CD-ROM driver 'mscdex.exe' is loaded in autoexec.bat and a 'universal' CD-ROM drive mounting program is loaded by configs.sys--such as 'oakcdrom.sys'.


Quote:

C) Did not worked  Ghost said "this is not a Ghost image" or "Not created with Ghost"

This is a Ghost program limitation that is not well explained in the documents.  If you use Ghost to directly burn an image to optical media, then the Ghost program using the 'Standard Ghost Boot Disk' will recognize and use the image file.  Ghost's built-in ability to access the optical drive functions correctly.

But, if you save an image to the HDD first, and later burn that image to optical media with a third party burning program, Ghost can not use it's internal optical drive mounting ability.  You have to use a boot disk that has DOS drivers that 'mount' the optical drive (example--oakcdrom.sys), and then assigns a drive letter to the mounted drive (example--mscdex.exe).  Once this is done, that image on the optical media can be read by Ghost just fine!

Instead of the 'Standard Ghost Boot Disk', you have to use the 'CD/DVD Startup Disk with Ghost'--this two disk set will load 'universal' drivers to mount optical drives and assign drive letters to those mounted drives.

If you are comfortable with editing a couple files and copying files to a floppy, you can modify the 'Standard Ghost Boot Disk' on the floppy so it loads those DOS drivers, and keep the boot disk a single boot disk, and not a 2-disk set.

I'm assuming you have installed Ghost 2003 into Windows--

1.  Using Windows Explorer, in WinXP, look here for the needed DOS drivers:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\common

You will find 'oakcdrom.sys' and 'mscdex.exe' in that directory.

Copy those two files to the 'Standard Ghost Boot Disk' in the floppy drive.

2.  Using Windows' NotePad program, open the CONFIG.SYS file on the 'Standard Ghost Boot Disk', and 'copy-and-paste' the following text line into the CONFIG.SYS document on its own separate line before the last line that should read 'lastdrive=z':

device=oakcdrom.sys /d:nightowl

Save CONFIG.SYS back to the 'Standard Ghost Boot Disk'.

3.  Using Windows' NotePad program, open the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on the 'Standard Ghost Boot Disk', and 'copy-and-paste' the following text line into the AUTOEXEC.BAT document on its own separate line before the line that says 'CD Ghost':

mscdex.exe /d:nightowl /l:x /m:16 /v

(The above line will assign the drive letter 'X:' to the first optical drive the system sees.  If you have additional optical drives, they will get 'Y:' and 'Z:'.  If you wish to have your optical drive start with a different letter, change the '/l:x' switch to a different letter.  For example, if you want your optical drive to be E:, change '/l:x' to '/l:e' instead.)

Save AUTOEXEC.BAT back to the 'Standard Ghost Boot Disk'.

This modified 'Standard Ghost Boot Disk' should be able to mount and read Ghost images burned by third party burning programs, and is still a single boot disk solution.

Thanks for the instructions; I'll try to do that at home (i'm not there now).

Well, I know that if I create an image to HDD then burn it to DVD it does not work... :(

With a 'mixed' boot disk I mean, I created a WXP boot disk. I saw autoexec.bat actually doesn't load certain files (in my case, keybXXX.??? and keybXX2.??? (don't remember names now) and two or three more files. I simply deleted them, and placed an old mouse.com driver to be loaded to have a mouse in ghost (this mouse behavior sux, but before this i had no mouse), and now I have space enough to place ghost.exe, all in a diskette.

Well, I have bought a DVD-RW (my drive should support it, but I don't know why Nero says "no disk" :_  ) and a Verbatim DVD-R 4x but Ghost still says wrong media... WHY????? :( Now I'll try to follow the instructions just gave me and if not, wth, I have already done a partition with a C:\ image and I'll keep it there, without letter in order to not appear in My Computer, and if I need anything, just start my Ghost diskette and go. A last question, what do you think that is more practical, having a 5GB image -no compressed- and restore it in 5', or have a 3 GB image -high compression- and restore it in 25', if my HDD is a 37 *real* GB drive...?

Here is a solution to creating Bootable System Restore DVD's using Norton Ghost any Version. and Ahead Nero Burning Rom.
Not Nero Express.

========================================
1. Start with a Windows ME boot disk and keep only these files

AUTOEXEC.BAT
CD1.SYS
CONFIG.SYS
MOUSE.COM (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy)
MOUSE.INI (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy)
MSCDEX.EXE
IO.SYS
MSDOS.SYS
COMMAND.COM

========================================

2. Change your autoexec.bat using notepad to match the following:

@echo off

MSCDEX.EXE  /D:tomato /L:R
SET TZ=GHO+08:00
prompt $p$g
MOUSE.COM
for %%i in (r:\*.gho) do set image=%%i
echo Loading...
\ghost\ghost.exe -clone,mode=load,src=%image%,dst=1

3. Change your config.sys using notepad to match the following:

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

4. Make an image of your floppy using WinImage
a. Open WinImage then click on Disk | Read Disk
b. Click on Image | Change Format and select 2.88
c. Drag and Drop the Ghost folder including ghost.exe from disk 2 of a ghost boot disk set
d. save your image as a .ima image

MAKING CD1 YOUR BOOTABLE DVD
===========================
1. Open Ahead Nero Burning ROM and choose bootable DVD "DVD-ROM (Boot)"
2. From the boot tab put a check in image file and browse to your .ima file
3. Put a check in "enable expert settings" and change emulation to 2.88
4. Click on new
5. Drag and drop the *.gho image from ghost
6. Burn your DVD

This works great for me everytime.

Kind regards
Ian

This looks like something that should go in the guide no?

I get a write failure error to A drive when I use this process.
Any thoughts?

I get General failure reading drive A

If I Retry(r) I get Program too big to fit in memory

I wonder if instead of cd1.sys we need a different .sys for DVD drives reading DVD discs? Beats me *shrug*

I figured it out. Find a dvd drive driver for dos (a *.sys) and put it into your *.ima file. Make sure you change the config.sys file to DEVICE=dosdvd.sys(or whatever yours is) instead of DEVICE=cd1.sys

wrote on Nov 8^th, 2005 at 11:42am:

Here is a solution to creating Bootable System Restore DVD's using Norton Ghost any Version. and Ahead Nero Burning Rom. Not Nero Express. ======================================== 1. Start with a Windows ME boot disk and keep only these files AUTOEXEC.BAT CD1.SYS CONFIG.SYS MOUSE.COM (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy) MOUSE.INI (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy) MSCDEX.EXE IO.SYS MSDOS.SYS COMMAND.COM ========================================

I can't seem to find the files in Windows ME startup disk. Any can sent me a copy of those files?

Thanks

nemo1

You can find WinME boot floppy disk creator file in Rad's download page (it's the *FDISK floopy* file:

Downloadable Files


And *bootdisk.com* has files that will create the WinME boot floppy disk:

Boot Disks

Here's a new source that has both floppy disk creating files and bootable CD ISO files:

Boot floopy disks and ISO files for bootable CD discs from Allbootdisks.com

nemo1 wrote on Nov 18^th, 2007 at 8:22am:

wrote on Nov 8th, 2005 at 11:42am: Here is a solution to creating Bootable System Restore DVD's using Norton Ghost any Version. and Ahead Nero Burning Rom. Not Nero Express. ======================================== 1. Start with a Windows ME boot disk and keep only these files AUTOEXEC.BAT CD1.SYS CONFIG.SYS MOUSE.COM (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy) MOUSE.INI (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy) MSCDEX.EXE IO.SYS MSDOS.SYS COMMAND.COM ======================================== I can't seem to find the files in Windows ME startup disk. Any can sent me a copy of those files? Thanks

I was able to find those highlighted in red in a file I downloaded in the download section. File Name = Ghost 2003 bootable floppy for WinXP Pro SP2. I can fins the one highlighted in blue in the bootdisk from the link that you adviced but not able to find the rest. It doesn't seems to be in the bootdisk of Windows ME.

AUTOEXEC.BAT
CD1.SYS
CONFIG.SYS
MOUSE.COM (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy)
MOUSE.INI (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy)
MSCDEX.EXE
IO.SYS
MSDOS.SYS
COMMAND.COM

nemo1

*io.sys* and *msdos.sys* are DOS system boot files.

Have you set Windows Explorer to show *all files*?  If not, system files may be *hidden* when you look for them!

If you have not set Windows Explorer folder options to show all files, you can do the following--open Windows Explorer, select menu item *Tools/Folder Options...*:

http://nightowl.radified.com/forumimages/folderoptions.JPG

Once in *Folder Options*, click on the *View* tab, make your settings like this:

http://nightowl.radified.com/forumimages/Viewallfiles.JPG

I click on *Apply to All Folders*, and if needed *Apply*, and finally *OK*.  Now, all files should be visible when using Windows Explorer.


Quote:

CD1.SYS

I don't believe that is actually a DOS CD-ROM driver--it is a mis-statement!  See the reply #11 and #12:


Quote:

I figured it out. Find a dvd drive driver for dos (a *.sys) and put it into your *.ima file. Make sure you change the config.sys file to DEVICE=dosdvd.sys(or whatever yours is) instead of DEVICE=cd1.sys

For most IDE CD and DVD ROM drives--*oakcdrom.sys* works.

After we burn the DVD, are we suppose to see any boot disk files in the DVD or just the .gho file....I have followed all the instructions but the DVD that I created doesn't seems to be able to boot. What could I have done wrong.

nemo1


Quote:

After we burn the DVD, are we suppose to see any boot disk files in the DVD or just the .gho file....

No--the boot files are in a *hidden* boot sector on the DVD--you can only *see* those with one of the programs that work with ISO files and bootable optical discs such as IsoBuster or MagicIso--there are others.  Regular Windows programs will not be able to see the *hidden* boot sector!


Quote:

I have followed all the instructions but the DVD that I created doesn't seems to be able to boot. What could I have done wrong.

Well...impossible to tell from this vantage point--you will have to outline what *instructions* you followed in a step-by-step fashion in order to see where the problem might be!

What I have done is this:

1. I followed the link that you posted:

Boot floopy disks and ISO files for bootable CD discs from Allbootdisks.com

and copied these files:

AUTOEXEC.BAT
CD1.SYS
CONFIG.SYS
MSCDEX.EXE
IO.SYS
MSDOS.SYS
COMMAND.COM
oakcdrom.sys (download from web and following your instructions, including changes in the config.sys file)

These lines are in my config.sys:
FILES=30
BUFFERS=20
DEVICE=oakcdrom.sys /D:tomato
LASTDRIVE=Z

then I got this two:

MOUSE.COM (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy)
MOUSE.INI (get this from disk 1 of a ghost boot floppy)

from, Ghost 2003 bootable floppy for WinXP Pro SP2 found in the download area. Then I follow step number 2 and 3 from reply #8.

2. I copied all of the above file to a floppy disk. Then I proceed to step number 4 in reply #8 to create the image file using winimage.

3. Finally I burn the DVD following instructions in reply #8. With the .ima file and my .gho file.

Then I reboot my system and set to boot from cd-rom but it wasn't able to boot.

Please Help

Thanks a million.

nemo1

What is the contents of your *autoexec.bat* file?

Try a test boot using the floppy disks--if they boot okay, then we know it has to be your use of *WinImage* and/or your burning to optical disc!

Content of my AUTOEXEC.BAT

@echo off

MSCDEX.EXE  /D:tomato /L:R
SET TZ=GHO+08:00
prompt $p$g
MOUSE.COM
for %%i in (r:\*.gho) do set image=%%i
echo Loading...
\ghost\ghost.exe -clone,mode=load,src=%image%,dst=1

Am I good to go?

OK I will try to boot with the boot disk see if it is able to boot.

Thanks NightOwl...you 've been a big help.

Confirmed, the boot disk that I have created was not able to boot. What could be wrong? Please help.

Finally got it working. Thanks NightOwl, a few questions.

1. How to get it to work with USB drives during recovery?
2. The file ghost.exe is it suitable for any PC? or I have to install Norton Ghost 2003 to a particular PC and get the ghost.exe from there?
3. If I have my recovery files in another HDD, can I make a boot CD and then recover from the other HDD? The boot CD, is it the one created using Norton Ghost 2003 utilities (CD/DVD Startup Disk with Ghost) for example and then creating an image using winimage and burn it to the CD? like what is thought in reply #8.

Thank You

nemo1

Glad to hear you sorted it out--what did you need to change to get the floppy disk to boot correctly--your answer helps others learn!


Quote:

1. How to get it to work with USB drives during recovery?

When you add more DOS drivers, you may run out of room on the 1.44 MB boot disk floppy and/or the standard 1.44 MB hidden boot sector on a bootable disc.  So you may have to place *ghost.exe* on the data portion of an optical boot disc--or use a two floppy boot disk set with *ghost.exe* on the second floppy.

Here's a thread talking about adding DOS USB drivers to my custom boot disc using my Guide--Creating Bootable CD/DVD's Without A:\Floppy Drive:

Adding USB to Ghost Boot CD


Quote:

2. The file ghost.exe is it suitable for any PC?

Yes.  But technically you are supposed to have a Ghost license for each PC Ghost is used on.


Quote:

3. If I have my recovery files in another HDD, can I make a boot CD and then recover from the other HDD?

As long as Ghost can see the source for the image file (i.e. another local HDD, external USB HDD, network mapped HDD, optical media, USB flash media), then Ghost can use that image source to deliver it to any seen destination HDD.


Quote:

The boot CD, is it the one created using Norton Ghost 2003 utilities (CD/DVD Startup Disk with Ghost) for example and then creating an image using winimage and burn it to the CD? like what is thought in reply #8.

That would work--but Ghost 2003 only creates boot floppy disks--not bootable optical disks.  And, that *CD/DVD Startup Disk with Ghost* is a two floppy boot disk set with *ghost.exe* on the second floppy.  You have to place the *ghost.exe* on the data portion of the bootable optical disc in order to have enough room for the DOS boot and driver files on the 1.44 MB boot sector.  Then adjust *config.sys* and *autoexec.bat* to reflect the placement of the *ghost.exe* file.

NightOwl wrote on Nov 20^th, 2007 at 10:00am:

nemo1 Glad to hear you sorted it out--what did you need to change to get the floppy disk to boot correctly--your answer helps others learn!

What I did is I took a normal ME boot disk and tried it step by step. Here is what I did.
1. I boot up using the normal ME boot floppy disk found in the download area.
2. I remove the other files keeping only those mentioned in reply #8.
3. Boot from this floppy disk again. It worked.
4. Do the changes (step 2 and 3) from reply #8.
5. Try again wether I am able to boot from this floppy disk. It booted the PC fine.
6. Then only I create the image file and burn to a cd and try to boot from CD.

Previously what I did is I downloaded the files of the ME boot disk and paste (only those listed in reply #8) it in a floppy disk. This disk was not able to boot.

Hi NightOwl,

Do you have a boot disk that will support IDE, USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 drives. Also able to boot norton ghost and partition magic. For I/O would like to include PS2 and USB mouse and keyboard. Wonder if all that is possible. I am thinking of a boot disk with all those functions mentioned with a menu to choose which function I would like to load. ex: partition magic and then norton ghost and finally my image file in another CD or portable HDD.

Another question. Lets say I have a 40G HDD with two partitions in it and I ghost this HDD. When I recover it to another HDD of the same size but not partitioned. Will ghost create the partition for me or I need to create the same partition and then recover.

Thanks.

nemo1


Quote:

Another question. Lets say I have a 40G HDD with two partitions in it and I ghost this HDD. When I recover it to another HDD of the same size but not partitioned. Will ghost create the partition for me or I need to create the same partition and then recover.

If your image is of the *whole disk*, and you use *Local > Disk > from Image*, then Ghost will create the same partition structure as the original source disk--and will adjust the partition sizes if the new HDD is not the same size (and you get to change the partition sizes if you want).

If you use *Local > Partition > from Image*, now the partition structure has to exist before restoring the partition to the disk.


Quote:

Do you have a boot disk that will support IDE, USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 drives. Also able to boot norton ghost and partition magic. For I/O would like to include PS2 and USB mouse and keyboard. Wonder if all that is possible. I am thinking of a boot disk with all those functions mentioned with a menu to choose which function I would like to load. ex: partition magic and then norton ghost and finally my image file in another CD or portable HDD.

I'm working on just such a boot disc:  NightOwl's Radified Boot Disc Iso.

Adding the variable of USB mouse and keyboard support may be a problem--because the system BIOS is changing so much over time as to what USB functions are supported by the BIOS--it's hard to know what variable(s) will be needed to make everything work compatibly!  But, I plan on working on it to see if it's possible.

USB support for the *mass storage* (i.e. HDD and flash drives) is different than support for mouse and keyboard function!

NightOwl wrote on Nov 21^st, 2007 at 8:50am:

USB support for the *mass storage* (i.e. HDD and flash drives) is different than support for mouse and keyboard function!

Indeed. It's even worse when the mass storage and the human interface devices are on the same host adapter, because there's no real way to share the USB host adapter between BIOS and external hardware; since most BIOSes only support mass storage devices when booting from them, by and large to get HDD support you have to disable any BIOS support for the human-interface that does exist (and losing the keyboard is no damn good).

To get both USB human interface devices and mass storage running reliably with DOS-based code your only real option is some kind of light-weight virtualization (e.g. with DOSemu under Linux) to hide the USB stack - i.e., provide BIOS access to the mass storage devices and hardware emulation of the classic PS/2 or Mouse System mouse (and keyboard).

Hi NightOwl,

Thanks for the info, I followed below method to create a boot disk with USB support. I got a few problems.

1. I was only able to detect my HDD (after changing it to FAT32 file system) but was not able to detect my external dvd rom drive. It is a pioneer dvr-k05 with an external case, connected to the PC thru USB2.0 ....could it be any bios settings? Edit: Think there is something wrong with my casing for dvd-rom. Its not able to be detected even in Windows. Wonder what could be wrong, it was ok previously.

2. I tried to start ghost from the CD that I have created. In DOS I typed "x:" then "cd ghost" then "ghost". It loads the ghost program but it takes a long time to load. Is this normal?

3. I tried to start pqmagic from CD. In DOS I typed "x:" then "cd pqmagic" then "pqmagic". It loads pqmagic but I was not able to detect my external USB2 HDD but I was able to detect this HDD when in DOS before I start pqmagic. What could be wrong?

4. Is that the way to load ghost and pqmagic from the boot CD. I still could not really understand what this line: Path=a:\y:\;y:\ghost;y:\pqmagic  in autoexec.bat is for.

BTW my MB only supports USB1.1 Do I need to remove /e from the line:

Device=usbaspi.sys /e /v  

in config.sys?

Thank You very much...I have learned quite a lot....Thanks


NightOwl wrote on Jul 1^st, 2005 at 12:51am:

See if this works: I created the following bootable system floppy disk under Win98se: [config.sys]         Device=himem.sys     Device=usbaspi.sys /e /v   Device=di1000dd.sys Device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001   Dos=high   Lastdrive=z         [autoexec.bat]     Path=a:\y:\;y:\ghost;y:\pqmagic   Mouse.com Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /l:x /m:16 /v               [Files on the Bootable System Floppy Disk]         Autoexec.bat     Command.com     Config.sys     Di1000dd.sys     Himem.sys     Io.sys     Mouse.com   Msdos.sys   Mscdex.exe   Usbasipi.sys I then created a subdirectory on my C:\ drive named 'Ghost' and copied the DOS program 'Ghost.exe' to it. I then created a subdirectory on my C:\ drive named 'Pqmagic' and copied the files from the 'C:\Program Files\PowerQuest\PartitionMagic 8.0\DOS' subdirectory to it. I then did the following steps to create a bootable CD: 1.  Opened Roxio Easy CD Creator 5 2.  Rt clicked the 'File' menu item 3.  Selected 'New CD Project'/'Bootable CD' In the 'Choose Type of Bootable CD' I selected 'Floppy Disk Emulation (1.44 MB)' and selected 'Generate Image from Floppy.  Please insert a bootable floppy disk in drive A and click OK.' Inserted the above bootable floppy and the program read the bootable floppy and added 'bootcat.bin' and 'bootimg.bin' to the lower screen where the files to be burned to the CD are listed. 4.  I then highlited the 'Pqmagic' subdirectory in the upper screen (source files), and clicked 'add' so it now showed in the lower screen of files/directories to be burned to the CD. 5.  I then highlited the 'Ghost' subdirectory in the upper screen (source files), and clicked 'add' so it now showed in the lower screen of files/directories to be burned to the CD. 6.  I then clicked 'record', and I had a bootable CD with Ghost, PartitionMagic, and the Panasonic Univeral USB Driver on it. Notes: 1.  The 'Device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001' mounts the optical drive(s), and 'Mscdex.exe' assigns the drive letters in DOS for the optical drives.   The '/l:x' switch tells 'Mscdex.exe' to assign the first optical drive it detects with drive letter 'x', and any additional optical drives will be 'y' and 'z' if present.  You can change the '/l:x' to whatever starting letter you want.  I have two optical drives--a CD-R/RW and a DVD-Rom--so they are assigned drive letters 'x' and 'y' respectively.  On my system, if the 'path' statement points to both of the optical drives, I get a 'CDR101: Not ready reading drive x,  Abort, Retry, Fail' if the first drive in the path statement is not the boot drive.  So I only put the drive I prefer to boot from in the path statement.  I can always change to the other one if I need to. 2.  I have found that on my system, that it is important to load the Panasonic Univeral USB driver files before the 'oakcdrom.sys' program because the system will hang more often then not if the 'oakcdrom.sys' is loaded first. 3.  Might want to use a CD-RW blank at first for testing if you can.  I had to redo things several times to work out the 'bugs', and being able to erase and start over without having to waste multiple CD-R's was helpful.    IP Logged

nemo1

That works!

One note:  the path statement is incorrect--I must have copied and pasted from a boot disc I was using because my boot drive was assigned Y instead of X.

Technically, you are better off if you boot from the CD drive that gets assigned X, and the path should be:

Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost;x:\pqmagic

You're likely to get a DOS error if there is no media to search in Y if you have booted from X!  or the other way around if you booted from Y and attempt to search X and there is no media to access in the second optical drive!

There's a minor syntax error in the originally quoted information in the path statement:


Quote:

Path=a:\y:\;y:\ghost;y:\pqmagic

Should be:


Quote:

Path=a:\;y:\;y:\ghost;y:\pqmagic

nemo1

I missed your questions in reply #29 initially--so here's some answers:


Quote:

BTW my MB only supports USB1.1 Do I need to remove /e from the line: Device=usbaspi.sys /e /v

Yes.  The */e* parameter forces the USB driver to only see USB 2.0--it will ignore USB 1.x.


Quote:

1. I was only able to detect my HDD (after changing it to FAT32 file system) but was not able to detect my external dvd rom drive. It is a pioneer dvr-k05 with an external case, connected to the PC thru USB2.0 ....could it be any bios settings?

Does your external optical drive support USB 1.x?  If your motherboard only supports USB 1.1 and the optical drive is 2.0--this should not work--unless your optical drive is downward compatible with USB 1.x!

Also, an external optical drive can not be mounted by using *oakcdrom*--that works only with internal IDE optical drives!

There is a DOS optical driver that will mount external USB optical drives--I have no personal experience as I don't have USB opticals--but here's the original source reference and it shows how to use the DOS USB optical driver:  Yes, there are USB drivers for DOS...

This should allow you to access the external optical drive, but unless Ghost has the ability to access the USB optical drive using its built-in drivers--it will not be able to *write* to a recording optical drive--only read from the disc.


Quote:

2. I tried to start ghost from the CD that I have created. In DOS I typed "x:" then "cd ghost" then "ghost". It loads the ghost program but it takes a long time to load. Is this normal?

Usually, if Ghost takes a long time to load, that means it's scanning and *thinking* about some device that it does not immediately recognize--usually you get an error message and load failure when this happens--but not always.  The devices that Ghost is looking at are the HDD's and optical drives--so you would have to see if one of those is not entirely compatible with Ghost--to test, you would have to remove different components and substitute others to see which one is the problem.


Quote:

3. I tried to start pqmagic from CD. In DOS I typed "x:" then "cd pqmagic" then "pqmagic". It loads pqmagic but I was not able to detect my external USB2 HDD but I was able to detect this HDD when in DOS before I start pqmagic. What could be wrong?

Did you remove that */e* parameter--again if you have the */e* parameter--and your MB only supports USB 1.1--then you would not see that HDD--unless your BIOS is somehow offering USB HDD support--but that BIOS USB DOS driver may not allow for PartitionMagic to work correctly with the USB HDD--not all drivers work with all DOS programs!  So, would have to figure out what driver is actually at work here.


Quote:

4. Is that the way to load ghost and pqmagic from the boot CD. I still could not really understand what this line: Path=a:\y:\;y:\ghost;y:\pqmagic  in autoexec.bat is for.

The DOS *path* statement tells DOS where to look for programs without having to use the DOS commands to manually change the DOS prompt focus from one drive to the next and to a specific sub-directory.

As noted above in my previous reply, there were mistakes--by the way--where are you quoting that from--I couldn't find it--I want to correct the misinformation!

Here is where I found the guide.

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=1095438251;start=15 on reply #20

I will try out base on the advice that you have given and post the results. I am thinking now instead of using the optical USB drive to boot, why not just boot from my external HDD. I could have everything inside my external HDD.

I am thinking all the contents of the boot disk, IDE and USB drive support, Ghost, partition magic and my image files all in the external HDD. Is that possible? how to make it boot from external HDD?

Thank You.  ;)

nemo1


Quote:

I am thinking now instead of using the optical USB drive to boot, why not just boot from my external HDD.

Booting from the USB external HDD requires that your BIOS supports that!  And if the BIOS supports booting from a USB HDD, it usually supports booting from a USB optical drive too--and the DOS USB drivers are not needed--and will probably conflict with the BIOS USB drivers.  But, you may not be able to use the USB devices in DOS--apparently booting from an external USB device does not also offer DOS drive letter assignments--so you may not be able to access the data on the drive through DOS!

I don't have the ability to boot from a USB device on my systems--so I've not had a chance to play with that as an option.

NightOwl wrote on Jul 1^st, 2005 at 12:51am:

See if this works: I created the following bootable system floppy disk under Win98se: [config.sys]         Device=himem.sys     Device=usbaspi.sys /e /v   Device=di1000dd.sys Device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001   Dos=high   Lastdrive=z         [autoexec.bat]     Path=a:\y:\;y:\ghost;y:\pqmagic   Mouse.com Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /l:x /m:16 /v

 

I followed the link that you posted:

Yes, there are USB drivers for DOS...

and found this:

[config.sys]
DOS=HIGH,UMB
lastdrive=Z
device=HIMEM.SYS
rem The following line loads Panasonic's universal USB- controller driver
devicehigh=USBASPI.SYS /v /w /e
rem the following is an aspi mass storage driver for usb- connected HDs and compactflash memory cards
devicehigh=DI1000DD.SYS
rem The following one loads CD-ROM driver
devicehigh=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001

[autoexec.bat]
@echo off
REM the following line adds a drive letter to the usb cd(rom/r/rw) mounted
LH MSCDEX /d:USBCD001

The lines highlighted in red is not in the guide that you previously posted. Do we need to include these 2 lines?

nemo1

Yes, for loading the USB optical DOS driver--that appears to be the correct boot file command lines.

Now, just add the *USBCD.SYS* to the boot files.

I found one usbcd.sys in the F2H directory. Do I use this file? Any specific content to be in this file? I tried to open it but couldn't read it using notepad. Correct me if I am wrong, the final contents I am going to try is as below:

[config.sys]    
   
device=HIMEM.SYS    
devicehigh=USBASPI.SYS /v /w
Rem removed /e to support USB1.1  
devicehigh=DI1000DD.SYS
devicehigh=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001
Device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001  
DOS=HIGH,UMB  
lastdrive=Z

[autoexec.bat]    

Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost;x:\pqmagic
Rem corrected path with x:
Mouse.com
Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /l:x /m:16 /v        
LH MSCDEX /d:USBCD001

[Files on the Bootable System Floppy Disk]    
   
Autoexec.bat    
Command.com    
Config.sys    
Di1000dd.sys    
Himem.sys    
Io.sys    
Mouse.com
Mouse.ini  
Msdos.sys  
Mscdex.exe  
Usbasipi.sys (is the spelling correct or it should be usbaspi.sys?)
USBCD.SYS
oakcdrom.sys  

I am hoping to boot up with USB (optical and HDD) and IDE (optical and HDD) support. Then have ghost and pqmagic in content of CD. Am I good to go? Please correct any problems or conflict that you foresee. Any files that I am missing?

Thanks a million.  :)

nemo1


Quote:

Usbasipi.sys (is the spelling correct or it should be usbaspi.sys?)

My spelling is wrong--you should correct it to what you noted!


Quote:

Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /l:x /m:16 /v         LH MSCDEX /d:USBCD001

I think these two lines can be combined to be:

Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /m:16 /v

But, you may have to experiment to be sure.

For completeness--the two *DeviceHigh* commands in [config.sys] and the *LH* (LoadHigh)  in [autoexec.bat] will have no effect--you can only load DOS programs *high* if you have an upper memory manager such as *emm386.sys* loaded first!  But, those commands do no harm either--the programs will simply be loaded *low*!

Thanks...super support...excellent...I'll give it a try and report back.

NightOwl wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2007 at 1:45am:

Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /l:x /m:16 /v         LH MSCDEX /d:USBCD001

I think these two lines can be combined to be:

Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /m:16 /v

Hi NightOwl,

Yes it all worked like you said it would. I combined the 2 lines and it worked. Now I have a bootable CD with:

1. IDE support
2. USB HDD & Optical support
3. Ghost and Pqmagic with correct path.

Thanks NightOwl...you've been great.

1. Another question regarding ghost 2003. I have a PC with one HDD and 2 partitions. I then tried to ghost this HDD(whole) and keep the .gho file in another external HDD (with FAT32 file system). When it is done I get two files in the external HDD. Another one is ghost spanned image file. Do you have any idea what this file is and why is it not combined to only one file?


NightOwl wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2007 at 11:24am:

Booting from the USB external HDD requires that your BIOS supports that!  And if the BIOS supports booting from a USB HDD, it usually supports booting from a USB optical drive too--and the DOS USB drivers are not needed--and will probably conflict with the BIOS USB drivers.

 

My bios supports booting from USB HDD.


NightOwl wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2007 at 11:24am:

But, you may not be able to use the USB devices in DOS--apparently booting from an external USB device does not also offer DOS drive letter assignments--so you may not be able to access the data on the drive through DOS! I don't have the ability to boot from a USB device on my systems--so I've not had a chance to play with that as an option.

2. Is there anything that I could tried or someone have already tried it before?

3. If I were to boot from USB HDD, do I just place all the content of the boot floppy disk in the USB HDD without any folders?

4. When I try to create a backup, I see this few options in advanced settings (refer to image below). Do you know what they are for?

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/nemo1_06/1.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/nemo1_06/2.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/nemo1_06/3.jpg

Thanks for the support that you have given me...its unbelievable

nemo1


Quote:

Yes it all worked like you said it would. I combined the 2 lines and it worked.

Thanks for the report back with your efforts--glad to hear it's working!


Quote:

1. Another question regarding ghost 2003. I have a PC with one HDD and 2 partitions. I then tried to ghost this HDD(whole) and keep the .gho file in another external HDD (with FAT32 file system). When it is done I get two files in the external HDD. Another one is ghost spanned image file. Do you have any idea what this file is and why is it not combined to only one file?

Ghost 2003 is DOS based--and DOS has a file size limit of approx. 2 GB.  So, if you image is larger than 2 GB, then Ghost 2003 will *span* the image to multiple files as needed.  The *imagename.gho* is the first file, and the *imag0001.ghs* is/are the spanned additional file(s).

I think FAT32 partitions can technically have a larger max file size--but Ghost 2003 defaults to that 2 GB size--and although NTFS can have even larger file sizes, and Ghost 2003 can save images to NTFS partitions, it still stays at 2 GB.

I think the Corporate Ghost v8.3 introduced the ability to make larger image file sizes--but that does not apply to Ghost 2003.


Quote:

[quote]Booting from the USB external HDD requires that your BIOS supports that!  And if the BIOS supports booting from a USB HDD, it usually supports booting from a USB optical drive too--and the DOS USB drivers are not needed--and will probably conflict with the BIOS USB drivers.

 

My bios supports booting from USB HDD.


Quote:

But, you may not be able to use the USB devices in DOS--apparently booting from an external USB device does not also offer DOS drive letter assignments--so you may not be able to access the data on the drive through DOS! I don't have the ability to boot from a USB device on my systems--so I've not had a chance to play with that as an option.

2. Is there anything that I could tried or someone have already tried it before?
[/quote]
Booting from external HDD or flash memory stick seems to be supported by newer BIOS's--but I don't know if those devices are assigned DOS drive letters or not if you are booting to DOS--you would have to do some tests to see.


Quote:

3. If I were to boot from USB HDD, do I just place all the content of the boot floppy disk in the USB HDD without any folders?

The critical procedure you have to do is to make the USB device a *system* drive--do a Google search on make usb device bootable, and you will probably find the needed guide for doing that.


Quote:

4. When I try to create a backup, I see this few options in advanced settings (refer to image below). Do you know what they are for?

Those screen shots have to do with setting things up using the Windows Ghost interface to prepare for Ghost closing down Windows and booting to DOS--these settings help you add certain drivers to the eventual *virtual partition* so Ghost can properly access devices once re-booted to DOS.

1st screen shot shows the list of USB devices that are found--but the message below the list says Ghost may not be able to access that device once booted to DOS--it did not *recognize* the device so that it knows what driver to use.

2nd screen shot are the options you can select for USB support and Firewire support--you can not use USB 2.0 if your device is only USB 1.1!

3rd screen shot is regarding optical drive access once booted to the *virtual partition*--Ghost 2003 has built-in DOS optical drive access for writing a Ghost image directly to optical media--and reading a Ghost created optical image file--but, if the Ghost image was not created directly by Ghost, then you can not use that built-in access--and must load DOS drivers to mount and assign drive letters to the optical drive in order to access files in DOS.

You can select different options and then move on to the next step(s) until you reach the *summary* page where it shows you what has been set up and the contents of *autoexec.bat* and *config.sys*--you can learn from those summaries how Ghost has been configured for those different settings--you can then *Cancel* or *go back* and make changes without ever actually performing the task.

Thanks for the info.


NightOwl wrote on Nov 24^th, 2007 at 10:12am:

Ghost 2003 is DOS based--and DOS has a file size limit of approx. 2 GB.  So, if you image is larger than 2 GB, then Ghost 2003 will *span* the image to multiple files as needed.  The *imagename.gho* is the first file, and the *imag0001.ghs* is/are the spanned additional file(s).

1. During recovery time, will ghost 2003 continue with the second file automatically?


NightOwl wrote on Nov 24^th, 2007 at 10:12am:

Booting from external HDD or flash memory stick seems to be supported by newer BIOS's--but I don't know if those devices are assigned DOS drive letters or not if you are booting to DOS--you would have to do some tests to see.

2. I did a test (boot from USB CD-Rom) with the CD that I just created. The CD has IDE support, USB (HDD & Optical), ghost and pqmagic. I get message as below:

The following file is missing or corrupted: DI1000DD.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 3

The following file is missing or corrupted: USBCD.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 4

The following file is missing or corrupted: OAKCDROM.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 5

The following file is missing or corrupted: COMMAND.COM
Type the name of the Command Interpreter (e.g., C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM)

Previously this CD was able to boot from IDE cd-rom. After boot it was able to detect USB HDD & optical. I tested it with IDE cd-rom and its ok. Below is the autoexec.bat and config.sys of the CD.

Content of Autoexec.bat:

Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost;x:\pqmagic  
Mouse.com  
Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /m:16 /v

Content of config.sys

device=HIMEM.SYS      
devicehigh=USBASPI.SYS /v /w  
devicehigh=DI1000DD.SYS
devicehigh=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001  
Device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001    
DOS=HIGH,UMB    
lastdrive=Z

3. Previously I tried to create an cd(following guide as shown below, reply #8 by Ian Wilkinson) that will automatically load ghost and start recovery and it worked but the CD does not have USB(optical and HDD) support.  


wrote on Nov 8^th, 2005 at 11:42am:

======================================== 2. Change your autoexec.bat using notepad to match the following: @echo off MSCDEX.EXE  /D:tomato /L:R SET TZ=GHO+08:00 prompt $p$g MOUSE.COM for %%i in (r:\*.gho) do set image=%%i echo Loading... \ghost\ghost.exe -clone,mode=load,src=%image%,dst=1 3. Change your config.sys using notepad to match the following: FILES=30 BUFFERS=20 DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato LASTDRIVE=Z

How can I make a CD with IDE, USB (HDD & Optical), ghost, pqmagic and will automatically load ghost and start recovery? I tried with below autoexec.bat, config.sys and content of boot floppy disk (highlighted in yellow) but it did not work.

How can I make a CD/DVD that will automatically load ghost and start recovery also with IDE, USB (Optical & HDD), ghost and pqmagic with path(Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost;x:\pqmagic ) in case I decide not the go with the file in the automatic recovery so that I can continue(ghost or pqmagic) with the same disk.

For below test I included ghost.exe in boot area(2.88M). If I want to create a DVD as mentioned, do I need to place another ghost.exe inside the DVD. I think I have to place pqmagic inside the DVD because of not enough space in boot area(2.88M) but wat about ghost.exe since I already have a copy in boot area(2.88M)?

Content of Autoexec.bat:

@echo off
Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /m:16 /v        
SET TZ=GHO+08:00
prompt $p$g
MOUSE.COM
for %%i in (r:\*.gho) do set image=%%i
echo Loading...
\ghost\ghost.exe -clone,mode=load,src=%image%,dst=1

Content of config.sys

device=HIMEM.SYS      
devicehigh=USBASPI.SYS /v /w  
devicehigh=DI1000DD.SYS
devicehigh=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001  
Device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001    
DOS=HIGH,UMB    
lastdrive=Z

Content of boot floppy disk

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/nemo1_06/content.jpg

4. One more question, its more like an advice that I would like to get. If I were to do a recovery for a PC trying to avoid using IDE for booting (prefer USB), what would be the best method? USB HDD, USB Stick or USB DVD-Rom?

Many Thanks..appreciate it..

nemo1


Quote:

1. During recovery time, will ghost 2003 continue with the second file automatically?

If the files are in the same sub-directory--then it should all be automatic.


Quote:

2. I did a test (boot from USB CD-Rom) with the CD that I just created. The CD has IDE support, USB (HDD & Optical), ghost and pqmagic. I get message as below: etc.

It's becoming unclear what you have done--are the error messages coming from booting the same system,--or different systems?

Are you booting successfully from IDE, but not USB optical drive--on same system?

At first glance, it may be using the 2.88 MB boot sector vs 1.44 MB boot sector--but don't know for sure--need more specific detail as to what is working under what circumstance--and using what system?


Quote:

How can I make a CD with IDE, USB (HDD & Optical), ghost, pqmagic and will automatically load ghost and start recovery? I tried with below autoexec.bat, config.sys and content of boot floppy disk (highlighted in yellow) but it did not work.

Your list of files does not mention *ghost.exe* being present--so I don't know for sure what you are doing here.


Quote:

How can I make a CD/DVD that will automatically load ghost and start recovery also with IDE, USB (Optical & HDD), ghost and pqmagic with path(Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost;x:\pqmagic ) in case I decide not the go with the file in the automatic recovery so that I can continue(ghost or pqmagic) with the same disk.

Ian Wilkinson used this command line:


Code:

MSCDEX.EXE  /D:tomato /L:R

That forces the first optical drive seen by DOS to give it drive letter R:\--you will have to note what drive letters are assigned to what optical drive--and adjust you path statement to match and/or your command lines to match.


Quote:

4. One more question, its more like an advice that I would like to get. If I were to do a recovery for a PC trying to avoid using IDE for booting (prefer USB), what would be the best method? USB HDD, USB Stick or USB DVD-Rom?

As I stated before, I don't have any system that can boot from USB devices--so I have no way to answer--maybe someone else who is doing this with USB devices will offer an opinion.

I'm still not sure if you will be able to access your USB devices in DOS if you have first used the BIOS ability to boot from a USB device initially--have you determined that yet?

Sorry to have caused confusion and repeated questions. Maybe I should ask my questions one by one. What I have tested is:

1. I create a bootable CD as below (as reply #36). This CD when booted thru a IDE cd-rom it is able to detect my USB hdd & optical.


nemo1 wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2007 at 11:59pm:

[config.sys]         device=HIMEM.SYS     devicehigh=USBASPI.SYS /v /w Rem removed /e to support USB1.1   devicehigh=DI1000DD.SYS devicehigh=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001 Device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001   DOS=HIGH,UMB   lastdrive=Z [autoexec.bat]     Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost;x:\pqmagic Rem corrected path with x: Mouse.com Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /l:x /m:16 /v         LH MSCDEX /d:USBCD001 [Files on the Bootable System Floppy Disk]         Autoexec.bat     Command.com     Config.sys     Di1000dd.sys     Himem.sys     Io.sys     Mouse.com Mouse.ini   Msdos.sys   Mscdex.exe   Usbasipi.sys (is the spelling correct or it should be usbaspi.sys?) USBCD.SYS oakcdrom.sys

2. Next I try to boot from USB cd-rom. So what I did is I set to boot from usb cd-rom in bios and place the above disk in the usb cd-rom. It booted but I am getting error messages as below:

The following file is missing or corrupted: DI1000DD.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 3

The following file is missing or corrupted: USBCD.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 4

The following file is missing or corrupted: OAKCDROM.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 5

The following file is missing or corrupted: COMMAND.COM
Type the name of the Command Interpreter (e.g., C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM)


NightOwl wrote on Nov 25^th, 2007 at 11:39am:

It's becoming unclear what you have done--are the error messages coming from booting the same system,--or different systems? Are you booting successfully from IDE, but not USB optical drive--on same system?

I moved to another system that is able to boot from usb cd-rom. I tested the disk first using a ide cd-rom and it worked well, detecting my usb hdd and optical.

Next I set my bios to boot from usb cd-rom, then I place the disk in the usb cd-rom. When boot, I get the error messages as shown above.  I created the cd in a system that was not able to boot from usb devices. This cd when booted thru ide cd-rom in both systems, it worked well. When I change to usb cd-rom I get the error message. This is done in the system that was able to boot from usb devices.

Hope it is clearer now on what I have tested.

Another test that I did is to boot from USB thumb drive using content as above but getting the same error messages.

I am not sure if this is the place to ask these questions. I will remove them if its not. Don't want to mess up this forum.

Thanks for the help. You've helped a lot.

nemo1


Quote:

I am not sure if this is the place to ask these questions. I will remove them if its not. Don't want to mess up this forum.

This original thread comes from the *old* forum--technically it probably belongs in the DOS Ghost forum or the Non-Ghost technical forum--being as it's regarding using USB in DOS and not strictly a Ghost issue per se--but what the heck....

Thanks for the clarifications--I think I follow now what you have done.

As I mentioned--I don't have the USB external CD-ROM to work with--but, if you're willing--I'd like to give you some testing setups to try and see what the results are to see if we can find a working solution--but you would have to be the tester!

It seems like if the BIOS is going to give the option to boot from an external USB optical drive, then it should also provide for some way to actually access that USB optical drive after booting--and that's what we need to determine--i.e. is that possible?

I've been doing some searching and reading--and there seems to be a lot of questions about if/how to do this--but I can not tell if any of the suggested answers work without a test system--are you *in*?!

NightOwl wrote on Nov 27^th, 2007 at 10:17am:

I'd like to give you some testing setups to try and see what the results are to see if we can find a working solution--but you would have to be the tester!

No Problem....just tell me what to do and what to note down.


NightOwl wrote on Nov 27^th, 2007 at 10:17am:

I've been doing some searching and reading--and there seems to be a lot of questions about if/how to do this--but I can not tell if any of the suggested answers work without a test system--are you *in*?!

I'm in.... 100% ...lets get started... 8-)

nemo1 wrote on Nov 27^th, 2007 at 7:27pm:

"... I'm in.... 100% ...lets get started... 8-)..."

[glb]IS THIS A GREAT FORUM OR WHAT [smiley=thumbsup.gif][/glb]

El Pescador

Excellent!!!  ;)

nemo1


Quote:

I'm in.... 100% ...lets get started...

Great--so let the *fun* begin....

And, no less...we have a cheering section as well--thanks El Pescador!

***************************************************************************

Okay, so the stated goal is:  can we boot a system from an external USB optical drive on a system whose BIOS says it supports booting from an external USB optical drive--and access data on that optical drive after booting?

And, if we accomplish the above--can we access a USB HDD as well on the system--or if not--skip the boot from the USB optical drive and boot from the USB HDD instead--and access that USB HDD as well after booting!

(For the record--anyone following this and trying it on their system(s)--BIOS support for booting from USB device(s) will probably vary from one BIOS maker to another--and, will probably vary from one point in time to another, i.e. different versions of the BIOS--so, I suspect your results may *vary*!)

So, let's define your test system that supports booting from the external USB optical drive--looking at your reply # 43:

Is it a desktop...or, laptop?

If desktop--what make/model motherboard?

If laptop--what make/model laptop?

Who made the BIOS...Award, Phoenix,....?

What is the date and version for the BIOS?

What are the various settings for USB functions supported in the BIOS--you may have to do some exploring?  I suspect there is a *boot* section where you can select booting from various *devices*--what are the choices--what specific wording is used--for instance *from USB CD-ROM, USB-HDD, USB-Flash Drive,...etc.*?

Also, is there other settings for BIOS USB support?  For instance *Legacy USB Support*, *USB Mouse Support*, *USB Keyboard Support*--What choices are you given for each category--*Enable, Disable*?  Can you *Enable/Disable* the USB controller all together so it disappears from the system if disabled?

And, it looks like that system has an internal IDE CD-ROM drive, and you are hooking up the external USB optical drive to it--correct?

And, the external USB optical drive--make/model of that device?

So we know what the capabilities are of future setups--is there a internal floppy drive?

Do you have an external USB floppy drive available?

If you will kindly answer the above questions--that will get us on the same starting page!

Thanks!

Hi NightOwl,

I am not at home now so I don't have all the details. I will update when I reach home.


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

Is it a desktop...or, laptop?

Its a desktop.


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

If desktop--what make/model motherboard?

Motherboard model is MSI PM8M-V


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

Who made the BIOS...Award, Phoenix,....?

Yes it is Phoenix 4.0 release 6.0


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

What is the date and version for the BIOS?

V3.3,  1984-2003


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

What are the various settings for USB functions supported in the BIOS--you may have to do some exploring?  I suspect there is a *boot* section where you can select booting from various *devices*--what are the choices--what specific wording is used--for instance *from USB CD-ROM, USB-HDD, USB-Flash Drive,...etc.*?

Yes you are right, there is a boot section. The wordings are as follows:

1. Floppy
2. LS120
3. Hard Disk
4. CDROM
5. ZIP100
6. USB-FDD
7. USB-ZIP
8. USB-CDROM
9. LAN
10 Disable


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

Also, is there other settings for BIOS USB support?  For instance *Legacy USB Support*, *USB Mouse Support*, *USB Keyboard Support*--What choices are you given for each category--*Enable, Disable*?  Can you *Enable/Disable* the USB controller all together so it disappears from the system if disabled?

This one I am not very sure how to check but here is my advanced BIOS features:
1. CPU feature
2. Hard Disk boot priority
3. Virus warning
4. CPU L2 cache ECC checking
5. Quick power on self test
6. boot sequence
7. boot up floppy
8. boot up numlock status
9. security option
10. boot to OS/2
11. small logo(EPA) show


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

And, it looks like that system has an internal IDE CD-ROM drive, and you are hooking up the external USB optical drive to it--correct?

I have these drives:
internal 5.25" CD and DVD rom
HP slim DVD-Ram connected to USB2.0 converter.
Pioneer slim DVD-rom connected to another USB2.0 converter (not working anymore)

For previous tests, I used the Hp slim DVD-Ram connected to the USB2.0 converter.

I recently bought a converter(IDE to USB2.0, chip set is) for 5.25". So if you need that for testing, I am good to go too.


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

And, the external USB optical drive--make/model of that device?

Internal 5.25"
Pioneer DVD-rom model:
HP CD-RW model:
Sony DVD-Rom model:

slim drive
HP
Pioneer


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

So we know what the capabilities are of future setups--is there a internal floppy drive?

Yes I have an internal floppy drive.


NightOwl wrote on Nov 28^th, 2007 at 10:18am:

Do you have an external USB floppy drive available?

No this one I don't have.

nemo1


Quote:

2. Next I try to boot from USB cd-rom. So what I did is I set to boot from usb cd-rom in bios and place the above disk in the usb cd-rom. It booted but I am getting error messages as below:

So, given your last post about your system that boots from USB cd-rom, tell me which USB cd-rom are you using when you are able to boot?

The one able to boot (from previous post) is the HP slim dvd-ram connected using converter. I will try later using 5.25" ide to usb2.0 converter.

nemo1


Quote:

The one able to boot (from previous post) is the HP slim dvd-ram connected using converter. I will try later using 5.25" ide to usb2.0 converter.

I was aware that there were external HDD USB kits--but I had not paid any attention to external USB kits for optical drives--and I'm not sure of the differences between std DVD drives vs DVD RAM drives--so it will be interesting to see the results!

To anyone else with external USB optical drives--it would be of interest to have several other hardware setups to test--especially someone who has a laptop, and uses both USB floppy drive, and purpose built USB optical drive (as opposed to an optical drive in a converter).  Please feel free to join in here and share your results!

So...to summarize the results you described in reply reply # 43:

Your boot disc with the Panasonic DOS USB driver, if booted from an internal IDE optical drive, will mount and see external USB HDD's and external DVD-RAM optical drive in a converter USB box.

And, if you boot from the external DVD-RAM optical drive using the BIOS USB boot support, the disc boots fine--but you get loading error messages starting with line 3 of [config.sys].

So, first--we should *clean up* your [config.sys] and [autoexec.bat] to be sure there are no errors because of possible *syntax errors*.  Unless you load *emm386.exe*, you can not use any UMB (upper memory blocks) for DOS programs.  So any *devicehigh* command, and *LH* (load high) commands will not work.  And *DOS=high, umb* will work for *high* because you loaded *himem.sys*, but the *umb* will not work without *emm386.exe* being loaded.  I doubt these are causing any issues, but we want to remove any possible confounding variables.  So here are the modifications to what you reported in reply reply # 43:


Quote:

[config.sys]         device=HIMEM.SYS     devicehigh=USBASPI.SYS /v /w Rem removed /e to support USB1.1   devicehigh=DI1000DD.SYS devicehigh=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001 Device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001   DOS=HIGH,UMB   lastdrive=Z [autoexec.bat]     Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost;x:\pqmagic Rem corrected path with x: Mouse.com Mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /m:16 /v   LH MSCDEX /d:USBCD001 [Files on the Bootable System Floppy Disk]         Autoexec.bat     Command.com     Config.sys     Di1000dd.sys     Himem.sys     Io.sys     Mouse.com Mouse.ini   Msdos.sys   Mscdex.exe   Usbaspi.sys USBCD.SYS oakcdrom.sys

When you test DOS boot files, it is helpful to press F8 just as the system begins to read and load DOS form the floppy disk or optical disc--you can then choose *step-by-step confirmation* of each command line in the [config.sys] and [autoexec.bat] file, and have time to read the resulting output.

Again, I doubt the above makes any difference--but it's worth making sure!

Your results?

************************************************************************

Here's the 2nd test!:

Because you have an internal floppy drive, the simplest way to see if this test is going to work at all is to use a floppy disk to boot from and test if the DOS USB driver is compatible and works on your system.  If that test works, then we can move on to booting from a bootable disc and seeing the results.

Doing a Google search on booting from usb cd-rom, I found this reference:  Booting from USB Port , and Installing Windows using USB connection.

These gave me *hope* that what we're attempting to do could be done!  Addonics is using a different DOS USB driver called *Duse* on their boot disk.  Although I don't have an external USB optical drive, I created this boot floppy disk.  It should have mounted my external HDD even without the USB optical drive if it was compatible with my system--but, it did not find and mount my USB controllers on two different systems  >:( !  Hopefully your experience will be different!

So, download the DOS USB Driver Floppy Boot Disk Creator.  Extract the files from the zipped file.  Run the *rawrite2.exe* to create the floppy boot disk.  Type *dosboot.img* when asked for the file name, and *a* when asked for the destination drive.  Put a formatted floppy disk in the drive and create the boot disk.

Test it by booting from it!  Results?

NightOwl wrote on Nov 29^th, 2007 at 10:01am:

Here's the 2nd test!: Because you have an internal floppy drive, the simplest way to see if this test is going to work at all is to use a floppy disk to boot from and test if the DOS USB driver is compatible and works on your system.  If that test works, then we can move on to booting from a bootable disc and seeing the results. Doing a Google search on booting from usb cd-rom, I found this reference:  Booting from USB Port , and Installing Windows using USB connection. These gave me *hope* that what we're attempting to do could be done!  Addonics is using a different DOS USB driver called *Duse* on their boot disk.  Although I don't have an external USB optical drive, I created this boot floppy disk.  It should have mounted my external HDD even without the USB optical drive if it was compatible with my system--but, it did not find and mount my USB controllers on two different systems  >:( !  Hopefully your experience will be different! So, download the DOS USB Driver Floppy Boot Disk Creator.  Extract the files from the zipped file.  Run the *rawrite2.exe* to create the floppy boot disk.  Type *dosboot.img* when asked for the file name, and *a* when asked for the destination drive.  Put a formatted floppy disk in the drive and create the boot disk. Test it by booting from it!  Results?

I have tested it using 5.25" ide to USB2.0 converter with HP CD-writer for 2nd test. It stop at:

EHCI USB Controller initialized (BASE 0xfdfff000, IRQ 5)

nemo1


Quote:

I have tested it using 5.25" ide to USB2.0 converter with HP CD-writer for 2nd test. It stop at: EHCI USB Controller initialized (BASE 0xfdfff000, IRQ 5)

And....let the DOS USB problem/troubleshooting issues begin  ;) !

The Addonic boot disk uses DUSE v4.3.  Here's links to more recent versions of DUSE:

DUSE v4.9

DUSE v4.4

You could try substituting the *duse.exe* in these more recent DUSE versions for the one on the floppy disk to see if they are able to load successfully!

Results:

Duse 4.4

Verifying DMI Pool Data...........
Boot from CD:
  1. FD 1.44MB System Type-(06)
Starting Windows 98

DUSE version 4.4 Build 110 Release (General)
DOS USB Stack Driver with USB Storage Extensions
Copyright Cypress Semiconductor, 2000-2002

_

Then it just stops there.

DUSE 4.9

Verifying DMI Pool Data...........
Boot from CD:
  1. FD 1.44MB System Type-(06)
Starting Windows 98

DUSE PM version 4.9 Build 220 Release (General)
DOS USB Stack Driver with USB Storage Extensions
Copyright Cypress Semiconductor, 2000-2003

EHCI USB Controller initialized (BASE 0xfdfff000, IRQ 5)
_

Then it stops there.

Hi NightOwl,

ugpm  :)

Hi,

I have got it working. Booting from USB CD/DVD Rom. Tested using:

1. 5.25" IDE to USB2.0 converter.  
2. slim DVD-RAM with USB2.0 converter.

Here is how I did it. Below shows the content of my boot floppy, autoexec.bat and config.sys

In AutoExec.bat
@ECHO OFF
Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost;x:\pqmagic
mouse.com
mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /M:16 /v

In Config.sys
device=himem.sys
device=ramfd.sys
device=USBASPI.SYS /v /w
device=DI1000DD.SYS
device=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001

files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z

Boot floppy content
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/nemo1_06/del-1.jpg

I think Mouse.exe need not be included. For this boot CD I have included my ghost.exe in a folder and all pqmagic files (in a folder) in the content of the CD so that users are able to access ghost and pqmagic in dos and reading the .gho files from USB CDROM or DVD rom or ram. Next I will try an automatic load ghost and start recovery just like the one in reply #8 by Ian Wilkinson but with the USB's support.

I'll post the contents here as well. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

nemo1


Quote:

I have got it working. Booting from USB CD/DVD Rom.

Excellent--great work!!!


Quote:

In [Config.sys] device=himem.sys device=ramfd.sys device=USBASPI.SYS /v /w device=DI1000DD.SYS device=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001 device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001

What made you think to try that *ramfd.sys* driver?

What do you think *ramfd.sys* is--*RAM Floppy Disk*?

Can you tell what it did to change the behavior of the other USB drivers?

Was the external USB optical drive given drive letter X:\?

Your system also has an internal optical drive--was that also mounted and given a DOS drive letter--which letter?

If you reverse the order of loading the optical drive drivers in [config.sys]--does that change which DOS drive letter is assigned to which drive:


Quote:

In [Config.sys] device=himem.sys device=ramfd.sys device=USBASPI.SYS /v /w device=DI1000DD.SYS device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001 device=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001

Quote:

Next I will try an automatic load ghost and start recovery just like the one in reply #8 by Ian Wilkinson but with the USB's support. I'll post the contents here as well.

Awaiting your further results!!!

NightOwl wrote on Nov 30^th, 2007 at 11:43pm:

What made you think to try that *ramfd.sys* driver? What do you think *ramfd.sys* is--*RAM Floppy Disk*?

I found a CD that was able to boot from external USB CDROM. So I studied the content of the boot section and found the difference is only ramfd.sys then I follow the autoexec.bat and config.sys from the CD. Make one with the ramfd.sys and it booted from USB2.0 CD/DVD ROM.... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


NightOwl wrote on Nov 30^th, 2007 at 11:43pm:

Can you tell what it did to change the behavior of the other USB drivers?

No I can't


NightOwl wrote on Nov 30^th, 2007 at 11:43pm:

Was the external USB optical drive given drive letter X:\?

Yes it did. I connected:

1. An internal IDE CDROM.
2. External 5.25" DVD-ROM with USB2.0 converter
3. Slim DVD-RAM with converter to USB2.0
4. External IDE 2.5" HDD with USB2.0 converter.

All was given a drive letter x:, y: and z: ....could change it from this line(highlighted):

mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /M:16 /v

in autoexec.bat as well. USB HDD was given drive letter c:


NightOwl wrote on Nov 30^th, 2007 at 11:43pm:

Your system also has an internal optical drive--was that also mounted and given a DOS drive letter--which letter?

Yes. I am not sure which drive letter but it was assigned to one. I will find out and post it here.


NightOwl wrote on Nov 30^th, 2007 at 11:43pm:

If you reverse the order of loading the optical drive drivers in [config.sys]--does that change which DOS drive letter is assigned to which drive:

I have not tried this yet. Will try it out.  ;)

nemo1

This information is *wonderful*!  Thank you for all the testing you are doing--and reporting!


Quote:

I found a CD that was able to boot from external USB CDROM.

Is there a link to that source?


Quote:

1. An internal IDE CDROM. 2. External 5.25" DVD-ROM with USB2.0 converter 3. Slim DVD-RAM with converter to USB2.0 4. External IDE 2.5" HDD with USB2.0 converter. All was given a drive letter x:, y: and z: ....could change it from this line(highlighted): mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /M:16 /v

As long as you *only* have three optical drives then * /l:x* is okay--but *x* could be lowered to something less if desired or needed.


Quote:

in autoexec.bat as well. USB HDD was given drive letter c:

Your other partitions on your internal HDD(s) must be other than FAT!


Quote:

[quote]If you reverse the order of loading the optical drive drivers in [config.sys]--does that change which DOS drive letter is assigned to which drive:

I have not tried this yet. Will try it out.[/quote]
The reason I'm interested in this is that in order for you to create an *automated* backup or restore optical boot disc, you have to know ahead of time which drive will be assigned which drive letter so your path statement or command line for Ghost will have the correct drive listed!

You will get a DOS error saying it can not access the optical drive if you add two or more optical drive letter(s) to the *path statement*, boot from the optical disc and DOS searches for the program on one of the optical drives that you *did not boot from*--because that non-boot drive will probably not have optical media in it for DOS to read!  The drive you did boot from will have its boot disc in it and will not generate that error!

NightOwl wrote on Dec 1^st, 2007 at 2:46pm:

This information is *wonderful*!  Thank you for all the testing you are doing--and reporting!

No Problem.


NightOwl wrote on Dec 1^st, 2007 at 2:46pm:

Is there a link to that source?

No I didn't found it on the web.


NightOwl wrote on Dec 1^st, 2007 at 2:46pm:

Your other partitions on your internal HDD(s) must be other than FAT!

Yes you are right. They are NTFS, how did you know?


NightOwl wrote on Dec 1^st, 2007 at 2:46pm:

The reason I'm interested in this is that in order for you to create an *automated* backup or restore optical boot disc, you have to know ahead of time which drive will be assigned which drive letter so your path statement or command line for Ghost will have the correct drive listed! You will get a DOS error saying it can not access the optical drive if you add two or more optical drive letter(s) to the *path statement*, boot from the optical disc and DOS searches for the program on one of the optical drives that you *did not boot from*--because that non-boot drive will probably not have optical media in it for DOS to read!  The drive you did boot from will have its boot disc in it and will not generate that error!

I did a couple of test last night. I think it depends on which usb rom is plug into which usb port. For example my MB has four usb ports, I plug two usb roms (pioneer and hp) into the ports. It depends on which usb rom is detected first in bios.

Here is what I did and found out.
USB port A: Pioneer
USB port B: HP
Bios detected Pioneer first, the boot cd is in pioneer and it was able to boot. Then I place the boot cd in HP and restarted. Bios still detects Pioneer first but the boot cd is in HP, it wasn't able to boot. Then I switch the ports.

USB port A: HP
USB port B: Pioneer
With this connection, bios detects HP first so the PC booted when boot cd is in HP. The PC doesn't boot when the boot CD is in Pioneer. If I am not mistaken, the drive letter is always fixed even if I switch the USB ports.

I am thinking, I won't be too worried about this because I won't have plug in so many usb roms when doing a recovery. I only plug in two USB rom because I'd like to know wether the boot CD are able to detect them, but I could do more test if you need the info. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

One thing, the boot CD wasn't able to detect my thumb drive. I don't know what is wrong. I search the net and found out how others are detecting their thumb drive in DOS. The config are almost the same with the USBCD, USBASPI and di1000dd. It did have an extra file emm386, do you know what this file is for?

nemo1


Quote:

Yes you are right. They are NTFS, how did you know?

If any of your internal partitions were FAT, I would have expected them to be given DOS drive letters first--but, you said your USB external HDD was assigned C:\.


Quote:

It did have an extra file emm386, do you know what this file is for?

This is a DOS Extended Memory Manager for 386 or later machines--it provides memory management for UMB's (upper memory blocks), extended memory for RAM greater than around 1000 MB's, and it can simulate expanded memory (used to be a plug-in board with extra memory that old DOS programs were designed to use if available).


Quote:

One thing, the boot CD wasn't able to detect my thumb drive.

Is it formatted in FAT?  Is it plugged in when booting?  My system sees my USB flashdrive using the Panasonic DOS USB drivers--along with my USB HDD's--and if I have it hooked up and have a memory card in it, my USB multi-memory stick card reader as well.  So, I don't know why yours is not being mounted if present in one of the USB ports.

NightOwl wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2007 at 9:17pm:

If any of your internal partitions were FAT, I would have expected them to be given DOS drive letters first--but, you said your USB external HDD was assigned C:\.

IC.


NightOwl wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2007 at 9:17pm:

This is a DOS Extended Memory Manager for 386 or later machines--it provides memory management for UMB's (upper memory blocks), extended memory for RAM greater than around 1000 MB's, and it can simulate expanded memory (used to be a plug-in board with extra memory that old DOS programs were designed to use if available).

Is it needed to detect USB thumb drive?


NightOwl wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2007 at 9:17pm:

Is it formatted in FAT?  Is it plugged in when booting?  My system sees my USB flashdrive using the Panasonic DOS USB drivers--along with my USB HDD's--and if I have it hooked up and have a memory card in it, my USB multi-memory stick card reader as well.  So, I don't know why yours is not being mounted if present in one of the USB ports.

I tried the booting from external dvd-rom with boot cd that was able to detect all my usb2.0 drives with the thumb drive also attached but got this:

Available ID = 1
ID 1 = HD .. ChipsBnkFlash Disk
#1 :     ???

Yes the thumb drive is format is in FAT file system.

================================================================================

NightOwl...i need your help on the automated one. I took the disk that was able to support all the USB2.0 with this autoexec.bat:

@ECHO OFF
Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost;x:\pqmagic
mouse.com
mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /M:16 /v

and replace it with this:

@ECHO OFF
mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /M:16 /v
SET TZ=GHO+08:00
prompt $p$g
MOUSE.COM
for %%i in (x:\*.gho) do set image=%%i
echo Loading...
\ghost\ghost.exe -clone,mode=load,src=%image%,dst=1

Hoping to make it automated with .gho files in a DVD and inside an USB2 dvd drive. Above is the only changes that I did but I am getting error message:

The following file is missing or corrupted: DI1000DD.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 3

The following file is missing or corrupted: USBCD.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 4

The following file is missing or corrupted: OAKCDROM.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 5

The following file is missing or corrupted: COMMAND.COM
Type the name of the Command Interpreter (e.g., C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM)

For this test I only connected the HP internal cdrom and the pioneer 5.25" dvd-rom with IDE to USB2.0 converter. The HP is detected as x: and the pioneer detected as y:

I tried changing(highlighted) in this line:

for %%i in (x:\*.gho) do set image=%%i

to

for %%i in (y:\*.gho) do set image=%%i

but still getting the same error. Please help

Thanks

nemo1


Quote:

Is it (emm386) needed to detect USB thumb drive?

Not on my systems--maybe on yours!


Quote:

NightOwl...i need your help on the automated one. I took the disk that was able to support all the USB2.0 with this autoexec.bat:

Okay, you have shown the changes you made to [autoexec.bat], but all your error messages are from [config.sys], and they look an awful like the ones you reported in reply #41:


Quote:

2. I did a test (boot from USB CD-Rom) with the CD that I just created. The CD has IDE support, USB (HDD & Optical), ghost and pqmagic. I get message as below: The following file is missing or corrupted: DI1000DD.SYS There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 3 The following file is missing or corrupted: USBCD.SYS There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 4 The following file is missing or corrupted: OAKCDROM.SYS There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 5 The following file is missing or corrupted: COMMAND.COM Type the name of the Command Interpreter (e.g., C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM)

What is the [config.sys] file that you are using for this boot disc, and what's the list of boot files?

Quote:

Okay, you have shown the changes you made to [autoexec.bat], but all your error messages are from [config.sys], and they look an awful like the ones you reported in reply #41:

Yes...wonder why I keep getting this error message...What could have caused it :question

For the 2 tests, I changed the autoexec.bat content but the config and boot disk contents are the same as below.

In Config.sys
device=himem.sys
device=ramfd.sys
device=USBASPI.SYS /v /w
device=DI1000DD.SYS
device=USBCD.SYS /d:USBCD001
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001

files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z

Boot floppy content
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/nemo1_06/del-1.jpg

nemo1

Do you still have that original boot disc that worked before you altered the [autoexec.bat]?

Does it still work?

Any BIOS setting changes for USB?

NightOwl,

From reply #8, the boot section is changed to 2.88M with the ghost.exe in the boot section. Do you know how to make an automated one with the ghost.exe inside the DVD? keeping the boot section 1.44M.

nemo1


Quote:

the boot section is changed to 2.88M with the ghost.exe in the boot section

Okay--that probably explains it!  *ramfd.sys* creates a virtual floppy disk drive in RAM--it probably is only compatible with 1.44 MB floppy disk size--your 2.88 MB boot sector is not compatible!


Quote:

Do you know how to make an automated one with the ghost.exe inside the DVD? keeping the boot section 1.44M.

I think you were already doing that when you created the bootable optical disk with Ghost and PartitionMagic in subdirectories in the data portion of the bootable optical disc.

As soon as you ran this command line in your [autoexec.bat] file:  mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /M:16 /v, drive letters should have been assigned to the optical drive--and any command lines after that command line in the [autoexec.bat] can now reference the optical drive's drive letter and access programs in the data portion of the disc!

So, simply add your Ghost command line at the end of your [autoexec.bat] and it should find Ghost and execute it for you.


Quote:

for %%i in (x:\*.gho) do set image=%%i echo Loading... \ghost\ghost.exe -clone,mode=load,src=%image%,dst=1

Now, I'm not familiar with the DOS coding here--I don't know if you can create variables for the Ghost image file using these commands--I'd like to know if you have any success--but if you use the actual drive letters assigned to the optical drive and the actual Ghost image file name, I bet that will work!

Report back with the results of your efforts!

NightOwl wrote on Dec 4^th, 2007 at 11:58pm:

I think you were already doing that when you created the bootable optical disk with Ghost and PartitionMagic in subdirectories in the data portion of the bootable optical disc......

I tried it out...here is what I got:

I used this autoexec:
mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /M:16 /v
SET TZ=GHO+08:00
prompt $p$g
for %%i in (X:\*.gho) do set image=%%i
echo Loading...
X:\ghost\ghost.exe -clone,mode=load,src=%image%,dst=1

Then I got error message saying drive x: not ready. During boot I saw drive letter x: was assigned to an internal cdrom. The USB2 dvd-rom was assign to drive letter y: with the boot CD in it. I figure how to get the dvd-rom to always boot first so it will be assign to drive letter x:, then I tried this:

mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /d:USBCD001 /l:x /M:16 /v

I switch the /d:USBCD001 and /d:mscd001 like:

mscdex.exe /d:USBCD001 /d:mscd001 /l:x /M:16 /v

and it worked, the usb2 dvd-rom was detected first and assign drive letter x: . Ghost started and the rest is like previous (like reply #8).  [smiley=beer.gif]

One question. How do we verify that the lines shown below are executed correctly or are they even executed at all.

SET TZ=GHO+08:00
prompt $p$g
for %%i in (X:\*.gho) do set image=%%i
echo Loading...

nemo1


Quote:

I figure how to get the dvd-rom to always boot first so it will be assign to drive letter x:, then I tried this

Did switching the order in *mscdex.exe* determine which optical drive got the letter x:/ first?


Quote:

One question. How do we verify that the lines shown below are executed correctly or are they even executed at all. SET TZ=GHO+08:00 prompt $p$g for %%i in (X:\*.gho) do set image=%%i echo Loading...

If you type *set* at the DOS prompt, the environment variables should be displayed--the *set* command is creating the *environment* variables.

The *prompt $p$g* determines how the DOS prompt looks.

If Ghost starts and uses the correct Ghost image, then the *for %%i in (X:\*.gho) do set image=%%i* line must have worked correctly!

I'm out of town for a few days starting in about 5 minutes--so if you post another question--it will be a while before I respond!

NightOwl wrote on Dec 6^th, 2007 at 11:33am:

Did switching the order in *mscdex.exe* determine which optical drive got the letter x:/ first?

Yes it did.


NightOwl wrote on Dec 6^th, 2007 at 11:33am:

If you type *set* at the DOS prompt, the environment variables should be displayed--the *set* command is creating the *environment* variables. The *prompt $p$g* determines how the DOS prompt looks.

I will try this out.


NightOwl wrote on Dec 6^th, 2007 at 11:33am:

If Ghost starts and uses the correct Ghost image, then the *for %%i in (X:\*.gho) do set image=%%i* line must have worked correctly!

Ghost did start and use the correct image.

by reading all 5 pages, i got so lost, i know that my answer is in there somewhere but would like to get it in a simple form.... here is my problem, PLEASE folks help me out any way possible.

i have filename.gho and filename.ghs and I would like to put them as one Image (ISO) and burn it on bootable dvd. gho is 2.1 GB and ghs file is 1.3 GB. both of the files are on my laptop HDD and made by Symantec Ghost 8

All i really like to have is to make a bootable media of this image and restore my system.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, this is very critical, i really need this resolved.

Thanks a lot

Er.. I want to ask, I try to use the bootable CD, but it always fails when loading the CD-ROM. I'm using DVD-RW, but when I try to attach a CD-ROM, there is same problem. What's wrong?

Thanks before :)

I tried the bootable DVD and it works great. I didn't include ghost.exe when creating the boot image tho because my ghost 8.0 is 1.32MB, so I put it with ghost images.

Hi all, i am new to norton ghost. Currently, i am trying on creating bootable CD/DVD for Windows XP embedded PC in dos. By refering to reply #57, it works fine if boot from external floopy. Both external floppy and DVD ROM can be detected. However, when i try to boot it from external DVD ROM, it returns the following message:

The following file is missing or corrupted: USBCD.SYS
There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS file on line 4

The following file is missing or corrupted: COMMAND.COM
Type the name of the Command Interpreter (e.g., C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM)

The embedded PC is with CF card as main storage. No any internal floppy or DVD ROM.

Content of Autoexec.bat
-----------------------------
@ECHO OFF
Path=a:\;x:\;x:\ghost
mscdex.exe /d:USBCD001 /l:x
x:\
GHOST.EXE

Content of Config.sys
-------------------------
device=himem.sys
device=ramfd.sys
device=usbaspi.sys /v /w /r
device=usbcd.sys /d:USBCD001

files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z

Many thanks..