I backed up my hard drive using Ghost, while in the process of restoring from my 17 backup disc, Ghost ran into a problem & apparently found a bad sector on the 13th disc & shut down. To make a long story short, I lost the drive completely. I now have a new computer, just installed Norton System Works 2006 Premier & would likek to be able to go in & selectly recover some of the files that are on the 17 backup discs. I've heard that Ghost explorer may be ablel to do this. Can someone help guide me thur this process, if it can be done
Thanks, Bob

bobnjake

Unless your 17 disc backup can pass an integrity test, I suspect Ghost Explorer will not be able to mount the image set either.

Here's the instructions for mounting an image set from CD's into Ghost Explorer:

How to use Ghost Explorer to open an image file that is stored on multiple CD discs

If your image is of a NTFS partition, you will probably have to swap CD's often.  If your system has two optical drives--I found that if you put the last CD in the second optical drive and *browse* to the last file--Ghost Explorer will automatically switch back and forth between the discs until it needs one of the other discs and asks for it.

Which version of Ghost?  You didn't say, but would this work:

Create a folder on your current hard drive, and then copy all 17 CD's (the ghost image file names) into that folder.  Then you can use Ghost explorer to browse that folder and open the first file, which then avoids all the swapping of cd's.

I know this works ok with Ghost 9 and Ghost 10.  If you're trying to restore just a few folders, this can be easier and faster than all the cd swapping.

You can then also run the image verify on the image in your hard drive folder.

(I think there are also some cd analyze/fix utilities that "might" recover the one cd depending on what is wrong with it.)

thanks Guys, how can I tell which version of Ghost that I have. It's the 2006 Premier version of Norton's System works, I would think it's a later version. By copying all the disc to my hard drive, would I be in danegr of copying something "bad", that is on the discs to my NEW hard drive.

Thanks again
Bob

bobnjake wrote on Jan 27^th, 2006 at 7:02am:

thanks Guys, how can I tell which version of Ghost that I have. It's the 2006 Premier version of Norton's System works, I would think it's a later version. By copying all the disc to my hard drive, would I be in danegr of copying something "bad", that is on the discs to my NEW hard drive. Thanks again Bob

Bob, you have Ghost 10 which comes in Systemworks 2006.  You are trying to determine if there is something physical or logical wrong with the 13th cd.  By copying all 17 of them to a folder, you can then more easily run the Ghost 10 Recovery Explorer program to recover (hopefully) a few of the files that you want to restore from your backup.

After you copy all 17 files:
open Ghost Recovery Explorer,
point to the folder,
run the Ghost verify,
and if you get an error message during your verify process, please write it down and let us know.

Bobnjake, from your post, I infer that the CDs were created on your old PC, and you have having problems with one of the CDs on your new PC.

If you still have your old PC, try copying the problematic CD to another device (e.g., an external USB hard disk drive) using your old PC, and then transfer the device to the new PC.  If you don’t have your old PC, try the same procedure using a friend’s PC.  Sometimes difficulties are encountered when reading a CD on a PC which is different from that on which it was created.

Your objective is as Ghost4me stated:  to move all the .V2I image files into one folder on the new PC.

Bobnjake, if all else fails, consider the use of the data recovery services provided by OnTrack (http://www.ontrack.com/).  They not only recover data from hard disk drives, but from all other media types as well.

I have had one experience with this company, and they are outstanding (but not inexpensive).

Sorry guys , it just ain't working. Copied all the backup discs to my harddrive, went into System Works 2006, in Ghost, selected recovery, Advanced, but no matter what I did, I could never get the "explore" button to allow me to see any of what was in the backup disc, just kept sending me around in circles. No options to verify any data. Never really saw anything in the folder except the backup discs numbered. I'm just about ready to give up. Appreciate all your help

Thanks, Bob

bobnjake wrote on Jan 28^th, 2006 at 10:07am:

Sorry guys , it just ain't working. Copied all the backup discs to my harddrive, went into System Works 2006, in Ghost, selected recovery, Advanced, but no matter what I did, I could never get the "explore" button to allow me to see any of what was in the backup disc, just kept sending me around in circles. No options to verify any data. Never really saw anything in the folder except the backup discs numbered. I'm just about ready to give up. Appreciate all your help Thanks, Bob

Bob, your initial Ghost 10 screen should look like this:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/ghostimage/Ghost10Main.jpg

Select Recovery

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/ghostimage/Ghost10Recovery.jpg

Select Recover My Files
Select Tasks/Explore
browse to the folder you created that contains all 17 files (all must be in same folder)
Select the first one c_drive.v2i and double-click or open it
That should open the Ghost "Recovery Point Browser"

You can highlight the name in the left panel and verify it.  You should also be able to see the file structure listed underneath. You can also right-click on a folder and select Restore.

Does this help?

After I select "recover file", I don't get any "recovery points", I try to direct it to the folder where I have all my backup discs copied to , but all I see is the 17 files for each disc, labeled Gho1, GO2, etc. I can never get to where I can browse or verify a file. Do I have to somehow "unzip" the files GHO1, etc. I never ran any backup's on this machine, it's new.'m just trying to recover filess from my old "dead computer". I really appreciate your help, any thing else I could try?

Thanks again
Bob

Bob, I think we are getting somewhere now.  *.GHO extension is for Ghost 2003 I believe.  When you created the backup from your old computer did you use Ghost 2003?

Look in the FAQ section here.  I'm not a Ghost 2003 expert myself but there are plenty others here who are.

So, now you want to know -- How do I restore/recover some files from a Ghost 2003 backup that is stored in a folder in Windows XP?

In my opinion you've made the job a lot easier by having the Ghost 2003 backup files in a folder, so you can restore without having to feed multiple cd's each time.

I *think* you want to start the Ghost 2003 applicaton, and use the Ghost 2003 Explorer.

Here's the Ghost 2003 manual:

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/products/ghost/manuals/ghost2003_guide.pdf

John, We may be on to something here, I did the backup from an earleir version of Ghost, I now have Systemworks 2006, which has Ghost 10, my only problem now is trying to find my earlier version of System works, which has Ghost 3 on it. Fat chance me finding that, but I'll try.

Thanks again. If it's OK, I'll let you know when & IF i find it

Bob

Ghost4me.John

I don't have Ghost 10 to look at, but when you install Ghost 10, does it install *Ghost Explorer*--or something similar?

Should be able to open older Ghost version image file (.gho and .ghs--(spanned image files associated with the initial .gho file)) using that without *bobnjake* looking for the old Ghost program disc.

bobnjake

Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the sub-directory where you have copied those old Ghost image files.  Double-click on the first file that should be something like *cd0001.gho*--does that open in *Ghost Explorer*--or do you get a dialog box asking for what program to use to open that file type?

Bobnjake, although I have not done it personally, the Norton Ghost 10.0 User's Manual says "Norton Ghost 10 can restore backup images created using Norton Ghost 9 and Norton Ghost 2003" (page 25).

Use the "Explore Recovery Points (Advanced)" option in Ghost 10, and select the File -> Open menu to navigate to the .GHO image.  Hopefully, you will be able to open it and retrieve the desired files.

I think we're getting closer, BUT. I was able to go in Advanced Recovery, I go see all the 18 .GHO files that I copied in, I select the 1st one, it comes back and says "Select the file for the last segment in this image file, I select file 18, it comes back and says " NTFS partition is spaced over 18 segments, unless all are available at once, this may lead to excessive disk swapping, do you want to load this parttition, Yes or No", which ever answer you pick, it then comes back "Corruption in image file or media not present, not all files are shown", I don't want to reload everything from my backup, I just want to go in, see what files I may be able to recover & try to recover only those files, I don't want to restore everything. Should I just give up, I don't want to "tax everyone's brain, on this"

Thanks for the support though

Here is one Ghost 2003 Symantec article entitled How to handle a corrupted image file.

The solution involves running the Ghost 2003 DOS program.

Hopefully some of the Ghost 2003 experts here can suggest what to do or help more than I can.

John, You've gone above the call of duty to help me, Thanks.

I read your 2003 link, I found some place where I can buy Ghost 2003, for not much money, so I may try it. Like you said, if maybe some of the 2003 experts can help, I'll continure trying. If, let's just put everything to bed. We'll live longer:)

bobnjake


Quote:

Should I just give up, I don't want to "tax everyone's brain, on this"

Hey--that's why we spend our time here--it's the challenge to help--and discover new ways to use Ghost, etc.

You don't need to get Ghost 2003--you have already opened the Ghost Explorer program that's part of your Ghost 10--you just have to start Ghost Explorer with one of the two switches that's reference in that article, *How to handle a corrupted image file.*

Where did you install Ghost 10 on your system--the *ghostexp.exe* is probably in that sub-directory.  Use Windows Explorer and do a search for *ghostexp.exe*.  Once you know where the program is, you can open Ghost Explorer in one of two ways:

1.  Use the *Run...* from the *Start* menu--put in the path to the *ghostexp.exe* program (mine is *D:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Ghost\Ghostexp.exe) and add a space and the switch name after a *-* or */* character.  So on my system (note--you need the quote marks, but not the (*'s) for the command line on the run line ):

*"D:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Ghost\Ghostexp.exe" -ignoreindex*

or

*"D:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Ghost\Ghostexp.exe" -corrupt*

That command line starts *Ghost Explorer* to work differently than normal per the article--and may allow your image to be mounted in Ghost Explorer if one of those switches allows the corrupt image to be mounted.

2.  If you have the *Open Command Window Here* set up on your system, you can use Windows Explorer to highlite the sub-directory that *Ghostexp.exe* is located in, right click the sub-directory, and select *Open Command Window Here* from the menu.  Your command window will be in the sub-directory and now you simply type the program name with the switch--so like this (without the (*'s), and no quote marks):

*Ghostexp.exe -ignoreindex*

or

*Ghostexp.exe -corrupt*

bobnjake

I do not have Ghost 10, but I have Ghost 9 that I have never installed from a copy of Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier.

That comes with a *Recovery Disk*--I believe you should have a *Recovery Disk* as well with Ghost 10.

I'm not booting from the *Recover Disk*--I'm just putting it in the optical drive from within Windows.

Here's my path to *Ghostexp.exe* on the *Recovery Disk* in my optical drive (your CD drive letter may be different from mine):

X:\I386\START\ADVANCED\EN\GHOSTEXP.EXE

Using the above method #1 in my last post--putting the following in the *Run...* command line opens Ghost Explorer using the *-ignorindex* switch:

"X:\I386\START\ADVANCED\EN\GHOSTEXP.EXE" -ignorindex

You can then browse to your first *xxxx.gho* file and see if you can now open it.  Then try the other switch to start Ghost Explorer if the first does not work.

Quote:

You don't need to get Ghost 2003--you have already opened the Ghost Explorer program that's part of your Ghost 10--you just have to start Ghost Explorer with one of the two switches that's reference in that article

NightOwl,

Thanks for the great info on using Ghost Explorer with switches from Windows XP!!  I added a link to your page and explanations to the Ghost 10 section of the FAQ.

John

Nightowl &ghost4me can't thank you enough for all the trying  you've been doing, still not working. This morning, I went in and tried running the ghostexp.exe with the switches, like nightowl said ( worked a lot better when I  did it the right way JUST LIKE NIGHTOWL told me to do :) but in both cases, it took me into Ghost Explorer, with no submenu;s though like I got when I went in thuru the Advacnced Menu, just into Explorer, with no option other then File - View , etc. I went into File, Open, selected the 1st GHO image & it started me back into the same loop, ie, open up the last image, NTFS partition note, corruption in image file, etc. Appreciate all your help, you won't disappoint me guys, if we give up.

Thanks again
Bob