Is anyone here successfully using Ghost 2003 with an AMD Socket AM2 or 939 motherboard??  I don't have either, but was planning on building a new system in the next month and was going to use a Socket AM2 motherboard.

Someone I know who has used Ghost since it first came out told me today that he hasn't been able to get Ghost to work with a Socket 939 motherboard.  His exact words to me were:

"On Socket 939, the board manufacturers have changed the way IDE is handled and Ghost 2003 can't read the drive types through the hard drive controller on the motherboard."

I don't know what that means in technical terms, but he hasn't been able to get Ghost 2003 to work with a 939 board, and he's used it 1000's of times.  I imagine if IDE is handled the same way on AM2 boards that it also wouldn't work, so I was looking for anyone who had successfully used Ghost 2003 with an AM2 board.  If not then I'm probably going to have to rethink my upcoming build since I don't want to get rid of Ghost 2003.

Thanks.

I have built a computer (for a friend) based on the Gigabyte GA-K8NX U-SLI motherboard and Hitachi 7K250 SATA hard disks. Ghost 2003 has no problems at all. Take note that I always run Ghost booted from the Ghost Boot Disks, never initiated from within Windows.

Christer

What do I look like, a Gigabyte mobo encyclopedia ??  ;)

That board isn't listed on their site or Newegg, so I don't know if it's an older 939 board or newer AM2.  Which is it?

Maybe I remember the model designation wrong but it was either

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=1867

or

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=1859

Hi,
I'm that poor schmuck that's having the problems with those 939 mobo's and Ghost 2003, also run from a boot floppy.

The disk boots up to my Ansi-Color menu just fine.  Ghost 2003 even opens just fine, but then the problems start.  I get that grey window opening up in the center of the screen with nothing but an HourGlass in it and everything stops right there.

On occasions, on certain PC's, I've had the program go further, but the names of the drives on the system are garbled, with just jumbled characters. The backup failed.

I had a real good explanation of how the new hard drive controller on the 939 mobo's works, but I don't remember the details.  

Sir, would it be possible to swap Ghost boot disk images with you?
Since we both own it, that wouldn't be piracy or anything like that.
If not, could I just get a peek at your Ghost.ini file?

I'd sure love to see how your disk and ghost is set up.
Maybe my problem is just something simple in my own setup.

Thanks,
Doc 8)

Hi Doc and welcome ... :) ... !

I have created two sets of Ghost Boot Disks, one running MS-DOS and the other running PC-DOS. I have always used MS-DOS. I have no Ghost.ini, only Autoexec.bat which looks like this:


Code:

@echo off SET TZ=GHO-01:00 LH \MSCDEX.EXE /D:cd1 /D:cd2 /D:cd3 echo Loading... cls if %config% == FROMFLPY goto FLPYBOOT if %config% == FROMCD goto CDBOOT goto FAILED :FLPYBOOT echo Insert Ghost boot disk 2 (containing Ghost.exe) pause if exist a:\ghost\ghost.exe goto GHOSTFND goto FLPYBOOT :CDBOOT echo Insert Ghost boot disk 2 (containing Ghost.exe) pause if not exist b:\ghost\ghost.exe goto CDBOOT b: goto GHOSTFND :GHOSTFND cd \ghost echo Loading... GHOST.EXE -split=650 -auto goto END :FAILED echo Unknown boot menu selection goto END :END

As you can see, I have chosen to split and auto-name the spans enabling burning to CDs. That's the only user intervention when creating the GBDs from Ghost 2003 running under Windows XP Pro.

I don't have any means (that I know of) to create a disk image of a floppy but if you tell me how ... :-/ ... and it's free!

Christer

The files on the MS-DOS floppy #1 are:

aspi2dos.sys
aspi4dos.sys
aspi8dos.sys
aspi8u2.sys
aspicd.sys
AUTOEXEC.BAT
btcdrom.sys
btdosm.sys
COMMAND.COM
CONFIG.SYS
flashpt.sys
IO.SYS
mscdex.exe
MSDOS.SYS
oakcdrom.sys
and the folder "GHOST"

The files on the MS-DOS floppy #2 are:

AUTOEXEC.BAT (identical)
and the folder "GHOST" containing GHOST.EXE

Christer

Try creating a Win98SE start disk and when the computer is started, swap in the floppy with Ghost.exe. At the A:>\ command prompt type in: cd Ghost > enter, type in: Ghost.exe > enter

See how it runs and tell us.

Christer

The original boot disk created By Ghost used some funky free DOS version.  I never really liked it.
Since then, I've upgraded to a boot disk made from Windows ME.
I've pared it down to just the basics, leaving the CD rom drivers and Mouse.com.
Even with my Ansi-Color menu and HD cleanup files, it snuggles nicely on a single 1.44 meg floppy.  When you go into Options in Ghost and set it up, it creates that .ini file to hold those options.
It should be on your ghost disk, somewhere, along with the Ghost error log.

I do have an image file made from my boot disk by a little freeware program called "Floppy Image".

To avoid the legal hassles, I won't put the url to my image file here.
But if you can either PM or eMail me, we can discuss that option further.  
here's the url to get Floppy Image:
www.towodo.com/products/floppyimage/

I love this little utility and it's helped me to help many others by allowing me to share some of my HELP programs, boot disks, etc.

Thanks again.
Doc 8)

Doc,
only PC-DOS is native to Ghost. If the user wants to run it under MS-DOS, he/she has to provide the MS-DOS files through a Win9X start disk.

My first Ghost version, when I was on WinME was 2002. I provided the MS-DOS files to Ghost through the WinME start disk.

When I migrated to WinXP, I also migrated to Ghost 2003. I tried to provide the MS-DOS files using the same WinME start disk but it was not accepted. The message was that "it MUST be Win98 or Win95 files" or words to that meaning. I found a computer running Win98SE, created a start disk, used it and everything has been well ever since.

My conclusion is that Ghost 2003 is not compatible with WinME boot files which are quite different from Win98/95 boot files.

Christer

... and I forgot:


Quote:

When you go into Options in Ghost and set it up, it creates that .ini file to hold those options.

I created the GBD's in Ghost Utilities > Norton Ghost Boot Wizard > CD/DVD Startup Disk with Ghost and the result is what I listed above.


Quote:

It should be on your ghost disk, somewhere, along with the Ghost error log.

Maybe I'm holding my chin too far out now but ... :-X ... I have never seen a Ghost error log ... 8) ... it has always worked for me.


Quote:

by a little freeware program called "Floppy Image".

I will check out that utility, thanks!

Christer

I first ran into Ghost, from "Ghostsoft, Inc." in about 1996.  We used it in the shop I worked in then to clone HD's for our customers.  That was in '96 and I was amazed at how ahead of the times it seemed to be.  Written by Aliens, I guess.  lol

A little more recently, my first ver of Ghost was Ghost 2002 which I got on a mobo driver disk as a freebee.  It made a boot disk for me with some weird DOS on it.  A year or so later, I got Ghost 2003 on another mobo driver disk.  Again the Ghost program in Windows made me a boot floppy.
 
Since then, I've changed to windows 98 DOS and then to Windows ME DOS.  In all this time I've never had Ghost refuse to run on any PC, even with Windows XP on it.  Ghost has just worked Everywhere that I've tried to use it.  That is, until recently, when I tried to make a Ghost backup of a HD in a computer I'd just rebuilt with a new AMD socket 939 mobo.  Since then, I've tried to run Ghost 2003 on several different brands of PC's all with the 939 mobo and Ghost 2003 has NOT worked properly on any of them.
Ghost 2003 Does work flawlessly from a Windows ME boot disk, on every other mobo I've tried it on.
That's not the problem here.

It was explained to me about the recent changes to the IDE controller on the new 939 mobo's, but, I just can't remember what that explanation was.

There's probably NO way to make Ghost 2003 ever work with those boards, but if there is, I'd sure like to find it.  God, I do love that program.  It's without a doubt the most valuable utility I have in my Arsenal of programs.

On my own SATA HD, Ghost backs up my entire C: drive to my storage drive in just five minutes,,,,doing an immediate restore, performs the function of a fabulous DEFRAG, on my FAT-32 HD.
Here's my HD after the restore.
http://theshadow.members.atlantic.net/MyDrive.jpg

Thanks for all your help,
Doc  8)

DrWho2006 wrote on Nov 27^th, 2006 at 6:40pm:

"... There's probably NO way to make Ghost 2003 ever work with those boards, but if there is, I'd sure like to find it.  God, I do love that program.  It's without a doubt the most valuable utility I have in my Arsenal of programs..."

If DOS-dependent Norton Ghost 2003 fails to measure up, then consider using the installation CDs for either Norton Ghost 10.0 or Norton Save & Restore (plus the Symantec Recovery Disk included with the Norton SystemWorks 2006 Premier suite) to simply boot from the CD itself (all of these products readily allows one to boot into a Windows XP Preinstalled Environment) and immediately engage the legacy Backup/Restore or Clone "cold-imaging" procedures by following the path 'Recover > Recover Data on My Computer > Recover using a legacy Ghost image' with the side benefit of bypassing both USB mass-storage device and SATA HDD glitches frequently encountered with DOS-dependent Ghost 2003.  In essence, this procedure uses restoreghost.exe (an alternate name for ghost32.exe) to allow both immediate creation of Ghost Backup images or the converse Recovery of such images that are in fact totally compatible and interchangeable with those *.gho/*.ghs files created with the ghost.exe of Norton Ghost 2003 - but not with those created with Ghost 9, Ghost 10.0, or Save & Restore during "hot-imaging".

CLICK HERE to view my preferred - but admittedly convoluted - "path-less-traveled" of using ghost32.exe on a BartPE-XPE (reatogo edition) CD to generate Ghost 2003-compatible files independent of DOS.

EP :'(

At the risk of becoming redundant, I'll repeat my previous statement.

Ghost 2003, run from a DOS boot disk has no problem doing a backup and/or restore on any PC running any version of XP, except on the newer 939 motherboards.  I've never had any problem on any other mobo but that one.

Personally, all I need is to either find a fix for that problem, or fine another (free) backup program that will work as well as Ghost 2003.

Today, I've totally revamped my own Ghost 2003 boot disk, with a newer version of Ghost 2003 and some added features.  One day this week I'll get a chance to test it out on an AMD 939 mobo.

Wish me luck!

Doc 8)

DrWho2006 wrote on Nov 27^th, 2006 at 9:37pm:

"... Personally, all I need is to either find a fix for that problem, or fine another (free) backup program that will work as well as Ghost 2003..."

CLICK HERE to check out a Symantec bundle - including a lagniappe Norton Ghost 2003 CD - for pretty close to FREE.  Actually, I ordered both the Symantec bundle and the Nero 7 Ultra Edition product (also free after MIRs), and shipping came to $8.22 USD with no sales taxes of any kind.  Looks like each item will cost me about $4.11 USD net.

EP :'(

wrote on Nov 27^th, 2006 at 1:47am:

"... Is anyone here successfully using Ghost 2003 with an AMD Socket AM2 or 939 motherboard??  I don't have either, but was planning on building a new system in the next month and was going to use a Socket AM2 motherboard. Someone I know who has used Ghost since it first came out told me today that he hasn't been able to get Ghost to work with a Socket 939 motherboard.  His exact words to me were: "On Socket 939, the board manufacturers have changed the way IDE is handled and Ghost 2003 can't read the drive types through the hard drive controller on the motherboard." I don't know what that means in technical terms, but he hasn't been able to get Ghost 2003 to work with a 939 board, and he's used it 1000's of times.  I imagine if IDE is handled the same way on AM2 boards that it also wouldn't work, so I was looking for anyone who had successfully used Ghost 2003 with an AM2 board.  If not then I'm probably going to have to rethink my upcoming build since I don't want to get rid of Ghost 2003..."

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=1158010144;start=0#0

When I was wrestling with the Compaq Presario SR1650NX (ASUS A8AE-LE Socket 939 mobo codenamed AmberineM-GL6E for AMD Athlon64, AMD Sempron and Athlon 64 X2 processors) in the above thread, I installed a 3.5-inch floppy and used Norton Ghost 2003 boot floppies while testing its ability to boot into DOS from both its native SATA MASTER HDD and a substitute IDE MASTER HDD.  I never had any difficulties with either HDD with DOS-dependent Ghost 2003, but I could never successfully complete a XP Windows Media Center 2005 configuration setup following a Recovery procedure.

EP

I thank Y'all for some really great suggestions, but.....

I'm not just a little home computer user working on just my own PC.
Even though I'm retired, I still set up new computers for people every week and have several hundred old customers that I try to keep up to date and Malware free.

I can't and don't want to have to install suites of programs on their computers (I'm sure licensing would come into that somewhere) to make a single "Restore Disk".

I set up a new computer and remove all the crapola, install the Anti-Malware software, cleanup files, maybe a custom hosts file  and set up their ISP connection and eMail account.

Finally when it's all tweaked, tuned and cleaned, I want to leave them with a fresh "Restore Disk" (DVD or CD's) of the computer as it is at that moment.  The Factory Restore thingy is Now Redundant.
Forgetaboutit !!!

The only way I can do what I need to do to make them that wonderful "Restore Disk" is with an Imaging program run from a boot disk (FD or CD)

Up until I ran head on into the first 939 mobo, (like running full speed into a brick wall)  I had no problem doing what I needed to do from my Ghost 2003 boot CD or Floppy disk. I also have a Ghost bootable Flash Drive.

This past June, I installed a new Toshiba laptop for an old friend/customer.  I had to use the Restore Disk that came with it to recover from his aborted attempt to set it up himself.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the HD Restore DVD was made with Ghost.  It looked strangely like Ghost 2003 to me. ;D

Right now, the only way I can circumvent this problem is to take that fully tweaked HD out of the 'puter with the 939 mobo and attach it to my Socket 754 mobo and make the Ghost backup DVD from there.  That's just a bit more time consuming than I really want to get into.

I guess I could take an older tower with me on those calls, just to make the Restore DVD.  Or not!

thanks again ,
Doc http://theshadow.members.atlantic.net/cool2.gif

DrWho2006


Quote:

There's probably NO way to make Ghost 2003 ever work with those boards, but if there is, I'd sure like to find it.

Have you tried running Ghost by starting it with the *-fni* switch?

Switches: Alphabetical list of switches

Switches: Drive detection

I received the new build (793) of ghost 2003 from a friend and it will run and make a backup image on the new 939 AMD mobo.
VOILA!

However, I've not been able to get it to verify the backup image.  It always comes up with a CRC error or some such.  So it looks like more work is required.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Doc

8)

DrWho2006 wrote on Dec 17^th, 2006 at 11:49am:

"... However, I've not been able to get it to verify the backup image.  It always comes up with a CRC error or some such..."

In my experience, such errors have resulted from an atypical communications protocol between the SOURCE HDD and the DESTINATION HDD.  The original Backup always looks fine at first glance, but then the Integrity Check will fail every time.

EP :'(

Generally, I'd say, "Yup, that about sums it up".

But in the case of my last test, where the validation failed, it was all done on the same drive, but different partitions.

This would be so much easier if I had a 939 mobo here to experiment on, but  I don't.  But, I'll get there eventually, even if I have to go out and buy me a 939 board and CPU for testing purposes.

merry Christmas, Y'all,
Doc