I have been a user of Norton Utilities for 20 years...however, I believe this will be my last purchase of these utilities. I purchased SystemWorks 2006 about a year ago...and have had only problems from day-one. This latest problem is with Ghost, it hangs during backup of recovery point. WHY?

nkqx57a,

Any error messages? Any other details that might help us?

Thanks for your contact...no error messages...Ghost just hangs and hangs my system requiring a re-boot. I have tried I think just about everything (deleteing and re-creating the job and schedule, as well as deleteing all entry-point backups). I have not tried a uninstall of Ghost because every time I uninstall anything associated with SystemWorks I end up having to do a complete un-uninstall and re-install SystemWorks. I have already done this 4 times. Things seem OK for awhile then something like this happens. Running Win2000 SP4 with latest updates.

I have been to the support site several times without any success in finding a solution, beyond uninstall/reinstall. For me this solution does not solve the problems with SystemWorks. They only continue returning and showing up when I need these utilities the most.

nkqx57a,

Try This  

I know it says WinXP SP2 and I don't know if DEP is used in Win2000. Using DEP in WinXP has varying results. Some swear by it. If I make the changes recommended by Symantec then I am unable to manually create backup images.

From memory, you don't have to do Step 2 as the boot.ini automatically changes.

Let us know if it leads anywhere.

Not sure...maybe we are not on the same page...this is Ghost 10.0 under Win2000. Ghost comes up ok during bootup. It just started hanging up during the overnight backups. So I tired running a manual backup (forcing a backup to run) and each and every time Ghost would hangup at various times while doing the backup. I tried it several times, same results, forcing me to re-boot my system each time.

Can not find DEP in control panel/system/advanced...

My mistake. There is no DEP in Win2000. I haven't seen any reports describing your problem. Sorry.

Are you backing up to an external HD?

No...my backup is from Drive C to Drive D; both same size internal hard drives. Thanks for your help...While reviewing your link above...found this...could this be the problem? http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/0/8acd70308b4fa246c12566ff0050d2d1?OpenDocument&seg=hm&lg=en&ct=us

I do have a lot of compress (Zipped) files; however, I am unaware of any encrypted files.

As an IT Professional and a long time user of Norton/Symantec products, I have come to the conclusion that with each new upgrade that I purchased, problems were no doubt going to be part of the hazel of upgrading. With each one, the problems just seemed to get worse, more complicated, and very time consuming in trying to fix them; if you call 90% functionality fixing it. There seemed to always be one product or various functionalities that just did not work, at least fully work the way it was suppose too. Before I purchase any product, I review documentation, especially looking for known problems or compatibility issues. In this case, I found none that would affect me, but I must have overlooked something. I regret after 20+ years, that this was my last purchase of Norton Utilities in any form.

Again, this is not for your system but it does describe a compression problem similar to your link. What compression level are you choosing?


Here

Using Standard Compression...will try High...let you know!

Using High Compression worked, however it took about 5 times longer to complete vs Standard Compression. The question then is...why did it work with high compression and not with standard compression?

Again thanks for your help...have a great day!!!

Good news. I think you deserve the credit for this discovery.


Quote:

The algorithm of the standard compression in Norton Ghost 9.0 conflicts with the new Microsoft feature Data Execution Prevention (DEP) that is turned on by default when Service Pack 1 for Windows 2003 Server or Service Pack 2 for Windows XP is installed. To fix the problem, change the compression level from Standard to High.

Well, you don't have Ghost 9 or DEP but changing the compression worked. I don't recall anyone in this forum mentioning this problem .
On my computer, High compression takes 3 times longer than Normal compression. I accept this.

Thank you for helping. It always seems that resolving a problem is easier when two or more are working the problem.

The over night scheduled incremental recovery point also worked. This is great for me...need the backups for I have had to deal with HD crash-n-burns without backups too many times over the years.

Thanks again, I do appreciate your help...

Neal

nkqx57a and Brian

Just goes to show you that each computer system is *unique* and the problems can be baffling!

Good detective work!

nkqx57a--does Ghost 10 have the intermediate compression setting also--could try that for faster speed--and to see if that gets past the compatibility issue as well!

Yes, Ghost 10.0 has an intermediate (medium) setting. I will try it...will let you know how it turns out.


PS -- love your "No question is stupid"...but possibly the answer is! No doubt about it, the answers I got from Symantec were very stupid!!!

Yes...the medium or intermediate setting also worked. Just for kicks think I will try the normal standard setting again, to see if it works or fails again. I will let you know the results.

Thanks,
Neal

As I have indicated, SystemWorks Premier 2006 has been nothing but trouble for me over the past year. It took 6 months to finally get it working…after 4 un-installs and editing my registry several times. These last six months have had its downside too…Ghost would for some unknown reason fail and hang-ups were the latest problem. I am now being asked by Symantec for $49.95 to continue my upgrade services for another year. However, I have reservations about paying for something that only occasionally works. With the problems experienced using Ghost on backups, I have doubts whether the restore would work as expected. Does anyone have suggestions for a replacement for SystemWorks?

Anyway the results of my testing:

Standard compression – use to work, now it doesn’t on the creation of the initial Entry Point Backup. Works fine on the Incremental Backups.

Intermediate and High compression – works for both Entry Point Initial Backup and the Incremental Backups.

Thanks for all the help…it is appreciated more than you know!

Neal

>:( Well...the problems are back. It started again about a week before Christmas. Symantec says the same thing again...do an un-install of SystemWorks and then re-install SkystemWorks.  :P Like that is going to correct everything. :o That does not address the root cause... why...They still refuse to admit they have an unstable product. Yet, I am still being asked to update my subscription. :o Don't figure...Don't think so... :P Any suggestions on a replacement for SystemWorks Premier... Thanks,  ;D

moving you to the new ghost 9/10 forum.

rad

Nkqx57a, I used Norton SystemWorks 2006 Premier for a year, and experienced no difficulties whatsoever.  At the end of my subscription period, however, I choose to uninstall SystemWorks and simply buy a copy of Ghost 10 proper – because that was really the only component of SystemWorks that I was using anyway.

What is your operating environment (OE)? My OE is an HP VL400 with Windows 2000 SP/4.

Did you turn on NSW protection during or after installation?

How do you use Ghost (setup & running details)?

I use all the NSW tools (when they work); however, some functions have never worked and some only work sometimes.

Nkqx57a, what “NSW protection” are you referencing?  I also used (and continue to use) Norton Internet Security (NIS), and rely upon that suite to provide all security protections (firewall, anti-virus, etc.).

I use Ghost 10 (formerly from within NSW and now as a separate application) to make automatic scheduled backups (i.e., independent recovery points).  Never had an issue.

If you have more than one Symantec application on your PC, note that you need to install them in chronological order (e.g., NSW 2006 must be installed before NIS 2007).

I am using Windows XP Professional SP2.  Note that the current version of NSW is not supported for Windows 2000, and I suspect the same is true for NSW 2006.

The stand-alone Ghost 10 application is supported for Windows 2000 Pro with SP4 or higher.

The NSW protection is turned on by default at installation. Turn it on is suppose to protect the installed files from corruption.

I created scheduled backups to automatically run over night, after creating a recovery point. Initially, this worked, but then the nightly backups started to hang-up the PC. So I deleted all backups and recovery points. I tried creating new ones (including independent) using high compression. They seemed to run OK, and then again, the nightly backups started to hang-up the PC. These hang-ups required rebooting the PC. Now Ghost 10 hangs-up in creating the recovery points, no matter what compression I use.

I only have NSW Premier 2006, which I have installed and un-installed 5 times (as requested by Symantec TechSupport. This latest re-install has not corrected the hang-up problem. BTW, Symantec TechSupport is really no Tech Support. Their answer to every problem is reinstalling NSW. I don’t think they even know how to analyze and work a problem.

I am using Windows 2000 Pro SP4 w/latest updates…I checked with Symantec before purchasing NSW Premier 2006 in Nov 2005; and was told the product would work under Win2000. Symantec’s TechSupport knows that I am running Win2000 Pro SP4 w/latest updates. Is there something wrong with using NSW Premier 2006 with Win2000?

Thanks,
Neal

:'( Well, I finally got a response…just what I was expecting…uninstall and re-install SystemWorks. I believe I have had enough …I am calling it quits…after 15 months of trying to get SystemWorks to work I have given up. Symantec’s Support leaves much to be desired…Requested a refund…doubt if I get one.

Now I must find a replacement for SystemWorks. After almost 20 years of using Norton Utilities, I regret having to change. But the robustness in those utilities is no longer there and with all the problems I have experienced, especially with the last three releases, I should have done this long ago.

Thanks for all your help…to bad it was all for no gain!

Neal