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Message started by Papov on Apr 9th, 2006 at 9:13pm

Title: Image transfer issue!
Post by Papov on Apr 9th, 2006 at 9:13pm
Hi there,

I tried transferring a Ghost 2003 created image to a DVD from my machines hard rive but it won’t.

I am using Nero to burn it but Nero fails to recognize the .GHO format.

My questions are:

1. What format do I have to convert the .GHO image to before Nero can burn it on to a DVD?

2. How can I transfer an image created directly on to a DVD media instead of the drive?

3. Can Ghost image be infected by a virus etc?

4. How can one screen capture shots of DOS mode (I have ACDSee ver. 8.0?

Sorry for the botheration.

Hoping to hear your expert views.

Regards,

Ivanov P Yezinki.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Rad on Apr 10th, 2006 at 2:05pm
i have burned *.gho images to cd/DVD many times using Nero, so i know it recognizes the *.gho file extension. Nero doesn't care about file extensions. it burns whatever file you select. a file is a file is a file.

are you getting a specific error? selecting the correct directory?

not sure what you mean by ques #2, but you can burn directly to DVD,

http://ghost.radified.com/screens/ghost_2002_backup_cdr.gif

..but that usually takes longer than imaging to hard drive.

#3, i guess *any* prgm can be infected, but i've never heard of virus that targets ghost, and I've been using it for 7 or 8 years now.

i grab screen shots by opening a dos window in windows and pressing the PrintScreen button.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Pleonasm on Apr 10th, 2006 at 2:28pm
By the way, SnagIt is an outstanding utility for capturing screen images in Windows XP.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Papov on Apr 10th, 2006 at 7:58pm
Thanks Rad & Pleonasm for your comments.

1. I was trying to use the option, “Burn Image” in Nero when it failed to recognize the .GHO format.

Are you trying to imply that I should burn Ghost image as a Data DVD?

2.  Yes that’s what I meant, to create an image directly on a DVD. (I apologize about my poor English & knowledge regarding computer stuff).

3. As you mentioned that you grab screen shots of DOS in windows by pressing on Print Screen, what are their formats jpeg or gif & where do they get saved.

Regards,

Ivanov P Yezinki.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Rad on Apr 10th, 2006 at 8:10pm
the nero image is different from the ghost image.

the nero image is an iso image (of a cd/dvd).

a ghost image is an "image"of your hard drive, or an individual partition.

they are not interchangable.

nero images use the file extension *.nrg (if i recall correctly)

i save my screen shots in photoshop. you can use any file extension you like. for those scren shots, gif is best (smallest size).

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Brian on Apr 10th, 2006 at 9:14pm

Rad wrote on Apr 10th, 2006 at 8:10pm:
i save my screen shots in photoshop


Rad, I use a slight variation of your technique. I just press Print Scrn, open Photoshop, File, New (you will see it is already at your screen resolution), OK. Edit, Paste. There it is ready for cropping. I use .gif too.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Rad on Apr 10th, 2006 at 9:41pm
how is your's different? i use the same method.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Brian on Apr 10th, 2006 at 9:49pm

Rad wrote on Apr 10th, 2006 at 9:41pm:
how is your's different? i use the same method.


You mentioned

Quote:
i grab screen shots by opening a dos window in windows and pressing the PrintScreen button.


I don't open a dos window so it's slightly different.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by NightOwl on Apr 10th, 2006 at 9:54pm
Rad and Brian

If you want just the *active* window and not the whole screen, use *alt+Print Screen* keys!

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Papov on Apr 10th, 2006 at 10:25pm
Hi there again,

I do realize that Nero image is either ISO image of a CD/DVD & Ghost image is different.

I do understand that Nero uses nrg. extensions.

My question is simple, how do I transfer Ghost created image residing on another drive, to a DVD using Nero?

Thanks Pleonasm for suggesting SNAGIT & Night Owl for Alt+Print technique.

Regards,

Ivanov P Yezinki

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by NightOwl on Apr 10th, 2006 at 10:33pm
Papov

Open Nero (I don't have your version--so I'm giving *general* terms from here on)

File Menu--New--Data CD (or DVE)

Top screen (source screen), browse to source file (your Ghost image file), right mouse click on it and:

Bottom screen, drag Ghost file from top screen to Destination screen and release the right mouse button.

Hit the *Burn* button to burn it to the optical disk.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Rad on Apr 10th, 2006 at 10:43pm
if you want to grab an image from (dos-based) ghost 2003, which pappy is using, you'll need the dos window. otherwise i have no need of the dos window. and yes (nightowl) i always use the alt-prntscrn trick .. to get just the active window. saves much annoying cropping.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by NightOwl on Apr 10th, 2006 at 10:57pm
Papov


Quote:
2. How can I transfer an image created directly on to a DVD media instead of the drive?

When you are setting up the Ghost 2003 procedure to save an image, select your optical writer as the destination drive instead of one of the hard drive partitions.


Quote:
4. How can one screen capture shots of DOS mode

Are you talking about a screen shot of a DOS command window under Windows--or a screen shot if you are booted to *pure DOS* from a boot disk?

Not too many *pure DOS* screen shot progams out there, but this has worked for me--not much documentation however--have to play with it for awhile to see how it works:

Screen Thief

In DOS, you load ScreenThief first and then the program you want to capture screen shots of--I found I often have to run it from a FAT HDD partition and starting both programs from the same directory for it to work correctly.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Brian on Apr 10th, 2006 at 11:13pm

Rad wrote on Apr 10th, 2006 at 10:43pm:
if you want to grab an image from (dos-based) ghost 2003, which pappy is using, you'll need the dos window.


Ah, makes sense to me now, Rad.

NightOwl mentioned doing screen capture in Ghost 10 RE. I can't think of a way apart from a digital camera. It could probably be done in ReatogoXPE. I'll check.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Brian on Apr 14th, 2006 at 6:25pm
ReatogoXPE has a plugin called MWSnap. It does Screen Capture.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by NightOwl on Apr 14th, 2006 at 7:22pm
Brian


Quote:
ReatogoXPE has a plugin called MWSnap. It does Screen Capture.

Well, that would offer screenshots of Ghost32 v8.2 in ReatogoXPE--but still no way to get screenshots of Ghost 10 RE.

Ghost 9 RE has a plug-in for ReatogoXPE--correct?  Could get screenshots of Ghost 9 RE if that's true.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Brian on Apr 14th, 2006 at 7:58pm

NightOwl wrote on Apr 14th, 2006 at 7:22pm:
Well, that would offer screenshots of Ghost32 v8.2 in ReatogoXPE--

Yes


Quote:
but still no way to get screenshots of Ghost 10 RE.

No


Quote:
Could get screenshots of Ghost 9 RE if that's true.

Not really. The GUI for Ghost 9 RE as run from the CD is different from that of the Ghost 9 plugin in ReatogoXPE. The Ghost 9 plugin looks the same as Ghost 9 when it's run from Windows.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Papov on Apr 15th, 2006 at 2:30pm
Hi there Night Owl,

I did as suggested & but still have some queries, if you could care to clarify simply, like always.

I would explain it along with attached capture shots making for you easy to understand what I have been trying to do.

1. Firstly created an image of my drive/OS, using Ghost 2003, both on DVD media & another drive one by one.

Size of the image in both the cases was the same i.e. 2.48 GB.

The differences were that as expected the image on the hard drive was created in 7 mins & that on a DVD media 23 mins. That’s not the real issue.

But the image was spanned in 2 portions on the hard drive (2GB + 480MB) & into 3 portions on a blank DVD media (1GB +1GB +480MB).







While creating on a DVD when prompted for the destination path I gave it the optical device/ DVD Burner. So the issue of directly transferring an image on a DVD solved.

Ghost also prompted to make the image/DVD bootable by asking if the Ghost boot floppy was inserted. It read all the sectors of the floppy & than started creating the image on the DVD.

But in both the cases why was it split into 2 & 3 parts respectively?

Isn’t there some way whilst using Ghost 2003 that the image remains in one part & not split unless it’s asked to span/split initially?

Can the split images restore an OS as good as a single image?

Should I delete these split images & save single images for restoration?

What are the pros & cons of split & single images?

2. Secondly, how to burn/transfer an image created initially on hard drive to a DVD, using Nero.

      I again am attaching shots of Nero 6 for you to exactly know what is going through my mind.








      Make a Data DVD> Nero window pops open> add the image file/files .GHO & than simply burn, is this the correct way?


3. Thirdly coming to the issue of DOS mode capturing, am sorry to say that despite your repeated telling of pressing Alt+ Print Screen buttons am failing to capture a shot in DOS.

I’m not at all computer literate & my English is poor. By DOS I don’t intend implying Command Prompt. I mean that when a machine is turned “On” all things that appear written in white with a black background, before XP is loaded. I have seen you post great shots of Ghost 2003 etc. That is what I mean by DOS.

I can’t even capture Ghost 2003 shots in PC DOS mode.

Can’t find a software to capture DOS shots.


   Sorry to have bothered you again.

   Hoping to hear your experienced comments,


 Regards,

   Ivanov P Yezinki

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by NightOwl on Apr 15th, 2006 at 5:05pm
Papov

What is your *native* language--your *English* is very good--I have no non-native language skills at all  :-[ !

1.  Ghost 2003 is DOS based--DOS has a roughly 2 GB file size limit--so no Ghost 2003 image can be larger than that--if the data requires more room than 2 GB, then the image has to be spanned into additional spanned files.

Why did Ghost span the image file differently on the DVD than the HDD--really don't know--when I have used my DVD optical writer, it uses the full 2 GB before it creates the next spanned file.

But, Ghost seems to *choose* other spanned file sizes that don't make much sense either.  The first Ghost image I ever made on CD's was with Ghost 2002--and it broke the files into something like 200 MB file sizes, spanning 6-7 CD's and there must have been 20 or 30 spanned Ghost files all totalled in the whole set.


Quote:
Isn’t there some way whilst using Ghost 2003 that the image remains in one part & not split unless it’s asked to span/split initially?

You can start Ghost with a command line *switch* that forces it to make all spanned files the same size (except for the last one that has to be the size of whatever remains)--so on a DOS boot disk, the command would be *ghost -split=2048* if you want all files to be the maximum size allowed by DOS--but if you have more than 2 GB of data, there will have to be a spanned file set to contain all the data.

Apparently, the *-split=* switch only works if you are saving the image to a HDD--if you are having Ghost 2003 save the image directly to optical media, Ghost will ignore that switch:

can Nightowl or someone please burn a test disk

There's a discussion here about what size to save files to a HDD for later burning to DVD using the *-split=* switch--looks like 1494 MB may be the maximum file size to fill a 4.7 GB DVD optical media--but that may be a calculated *theoretical* maximum--the burning program may need a little room to be set aside for *record keeping*--so *fackue* decided in the reply # 5 to use *ghost -split=1477*:

My restore CD project

If he used the maximum file size of 2 GB, then only two files could be burned to the DVD for a total of approx 4 GB, and the 0.7 GB could not be used if the next Ghost image file was also 2 GB.  Of course, this becomes a moot issue if the data size is smaller than what fills the DVD.


Quote:
Can the split images restore an OS as good as a single image?

Should I delete these split images & save single images for restoration?

What are the pros & cons of split & single images?

*Split images* will restore just fine--should be no problem.

You will have split images no matter what unless you have less than 2 GB of data.

No pro's or con's--they both work fine.

2.

Quote:
Make a Data DVD> Nero window pops open> add the image file/files .GHO & than simply burn, is this the correct way?

Looks like that should work fine.

But, be forewarned--Ghost 2003, if you boot using the *Standard Boot Disk*, will likely see your optical drive, but will state that there are not *Ghost Images* on your DVD that you burned using a third party program such as Nero.  Ghost 2003 will only *recognize* a Ghost image if you burned directly using Ghost.

You have to use the *CD/DVD Startup Disk with Ghost* in order for Ghost to agree to *recognize* the Ghost image that was burned from a HDD to the optical media.  

Or you can use any other DOS boot disk that include the DOS driver in *config.sys* that mounts an optical drive (such as *oakcdrom.sys*), and assigns a drive letter using  the DOS driver in *autoexec.bat* (such as *mscdex.exe*).

3.

Quote:
3. Thirdly coming to the issue of DOS mode capturing, am sorry to say that despite your repeated telling of pressing Alt+ Print Screen buttons am failing to capture a shot in DOS.

The *Alt + Print Screen* combination only works if you are booted to the Windows OS, and have opened a command window (what I refer to often as a *DOS window*)--after doing the *Alt + Print Screen*, you can then open the *Paint* program, and paste the *bit map* screen capture to Paint--use Paint to add some effects such as circles or ellipses, etc and then save it as a *.gif* file for posting on the web, etc.

If you want to do screen captures having booted to DOS from a floppy boot disk (this is what I refer to as *Pure DOS*), I mentioned in reply #12 above how I'm doing that with an old DOS prorgram called *Screen Thief*.  (There appears to be a newer program by that name, but it only works under Windows, not DOS.)

The only way I can get it to work with the DOS Ghost 2003 program was to have a FAT partition available on one of my HDD's, create the *Screen Thieft* sub-directory (default name is *ST*) on the FAT partition, place the *Screen Thieft* files in that sub-directory, and also place a copy of *ghost.exe* in that sub-directory.

Use any boot disk that boots to DOS and get to the A:\ prompt, change to the drive letter of my FAT partition, in my case I type *G:* and press enter, then change to my sub-directory by typing *cd st* and press enter (cd = change directory in DOS).

Now at the prompt G:\st>, I type *st* and press enter--this loads the *Screen Thief* program, I then hit my *left pointing arrow* key twice to get back to the prompt G:\st> (Screen Thief is now loaded in memory), I now type *ghost* and press enter--this loads the Ghost interface.

Now I can press *Alt + Ctrl + T* and my system makes a *screechy beep* and a *gif*, *.tif* or *.jpg* file is saved of that screen to the *st* sub-directory.

Once back to Windows, you can open that screenshot file and do what you wish with Paint, or Photoshop, or whatever, and then post it to the web, etc.


Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Papov on Apr 16th, 2006 at 12:10am
Hello again Night Owl,

Firstly I would like to thank you for such an accurate, comprehensive & in depth reply to all the queries.

I feel it’s a vicious cycle, that your replies make me ask a few more questions, which I feel you won’t mind answering.

Thanks again for clarifying about DOS. Since my first post I meant Pure DOS & not Command Prompt/ windows DOS, that I can capture but capturing Pure DOS is some thing you have enlightened my mind with. By the way Screen thief wouldn’t download from the suggested link. I admire the way you use your expertise to capture Pure DOS shots.

Now nothing can be done about the split images as the max limit is 2048MB/ 2 GB as you wrote for DOS.

1. While restoring an image created on a DVD media initially (not burnt to a DVD from HDD), would I still need the Ghost boot floppy?

2. Any special feature to be careful about while restoring an image split to multiple files whether on a HDD or an optical media, since I haven’t had the pleasure to do this adventure.

3. Will all the spanned files automatically overwrite or would some juggling be needed?

4. You very rightly have pointed out that image burnt from a drive using 3rd party software would require CD DVD /DOS boot disk.

5. Hypothetically speaking, what should be the size of partition to be imaged so that the files don’t get spanned…….4 GB??

I am trying my best to improve my English because I feel it isn’t at par from what is needed. Don’t laugh when I tell you about my native language, its Mandarin Chinese.

Along side, with improving English language I try to gain some more basic computer related info in what ever time I get.

I once again express my sincere gratitude for your patience & the way you replied to my silly, naïve, queries.

Take care & have a great week end.

   Regards,

   Sincerely,

   Ivanov Papov Yezinki.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Papov on Apr 16th, 2006 at 12:22am
Sorry one more question:

In your very personal opinion which is the most versatile version of Ghost, being the most user friendly & having excellent restoration results etc.

Regards,

Ivanov P Yezinki.

Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by NightOwl on Apr 16th, 2006 at 1:33am
Papov


Quote:
Don’t laugh when I tell you about my native language, its Mandarin Chinese.

Sorry, but I did *laugh*--but it was at myself!  That would not have been my first guess!

There's an old CB phrase (CB = citizen band broadcast/receiver radio)--*What's your 20?*  People use number codes as a shorthand:  CB Radio Ten Codes


Quote:
By the way Screen thief wouldn’t download from the suggested link.

Hmmmm...that's where I downloaded my version--maybe they have pulled the plug--or the server is down temporarily--but here's a couple more sources--just tried them and they worked--the version I'm using was from the site that isn't working and is v1.01:

Screen Thief v2.01

Screen Thief v1.58


Quote:
1. While restoring an image created on a DVD media initially (not burnt to a DVD from HDD), would I still need the Ghost boot floppy?

No--not if you had Ghost make the optical media *bootable*.


Quote:
2. Any special feature to be careful about while restoring an image split to multiple files whether on a HDD or an optical media, since I haven’t had the pleasure to do this adventure.

None that I know of--Ghost will handle it automatically.


Quote:
3. Will all the spanned files automatically overwrite or would some juggling be needed?

When you restore a Ghost image, it will be of the entire partition (or whole HDD--if that's what you're restoring), and all files that were previously on that partition will be gone (deleted), and replaced by the files from the image file.


Quote:
5. Hypothetically speaking, what should be the size of partition to be imaged so that the files don’t get spanned…….4 GB??

Using *Fast* compression, I was fitting approx. 5 GB onto a single 4.7 GB DVD.  Using *High* compression, you can probably fit a bit more--depends on how compressed your files already are on your HDD.


Quote:
In your very personal opinion which is the most versatile version of Ghost, being the most user friendly & having excellent restoration results etc.


Ghost comes in a variety of versions--versions up to Ghost 2003 are DOS based--and I started playing with computers back when DOS was still *young*--so I'm comfortable with it--no expert by any means--but comfortable.  

But, there are the *corporate* cousins of retail versions of Ghost 2003, 2002, 2001--they are Ghost v7.x, 6.x, and 5.x.  The corporate versions appear to be better developed than the retail versions--if I had access to those, I'd probably use them--and if you happen to get Ghost 10--there is a mostly functional version of Ghost32 v8.2 on the *Recovery Disk*--which is a version of Ghost that must be run under a Windows based OS.  I say *mostly functional* because you can not write Ghost images to optical media with that *crippled* version.

Ghost 9 and 10 are no longer DOS based.  They must run under Windows--they offer one the ability to do *hot imaging*--meaning you can be booted to the Windows OS and create a backup image as the OS runs.  There are debates--pros and cons as to a preferred method of imaging--*hot* or *cold* (booted to DOS)--and with the new Windows Vista on the horizon--which is moving further out!--it remains to be seen if DOS Ghost will function with the up coming new security measures that will be built into the software and hardware!

I have up to now used Ghost 2003 exclusively (well, I did use Ghost 2002 some, but did not start using Ghost seriously until 2003 was out!)--but, I am on the edge of beginning to use Ghost 10 as well--I will be installing and experimenting with it soon.

All versions of Ghost have a learning curve--it takes time and experimenting to get used to the features--and you have to make sure there are no hardware/software incompatibilities--Ghost in any flavor is a complicated program doing complicated procedures--in general, the documentation for the various versions seem to lack *user friendly* qualities.


Quote:
Take care & have a great week end.

Thank you--and you also.


Title: Re: Image transfer issue!
Post by Ghost4me on Apr 16th, 2006 at 8:49am
NightOwl, thanks for that nice concise summary of the history of Ghost.  I'll have to dig up my old documentation and manuals and discuss the other-cousin side of the Ghost family tree -- Drive Image which was the predecessor of the Ghost 9/10 branch.

This may belong in a different thread but thought you would appreciate this link I recently saw regarding using SpinRite with USB and Firewire drives from DOS.

http://www.grc.com/groups/spinrite:5201

I've used SpinRite versions since *big* drives in DOS were MFM 20 megabyte monsters!   :)  SpinRite can sometimes save a drive that doesn't have a Ghost backup.

Enjoy.

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