when we run symantec ghost 8.0 to image say a desktop the desktop has all our neccesary files and partitions, what we find is that that when it images the drive it spans the files out to 2gig for each file that is on the server where our images are stored. how do we change this from happening and only make it one image file and not multiple ;D

The -split command line switch controls this, as documented in the user's guide in Appendix A; -split=0 disables spanning.

how do i put that command in for it to work? :-?

Run Ghost from a batch file, instead of typing in the command every time you want to use it.  That way, you can set your switches once, in the batch file and then forgetaboutit.

Having your backup in spanned images is actually helpful, if for instance you want to copy them to DVD's for safe keeping.
NO, they won't restore from there,,,,,,you'd have to copy them back to a hard drive for the Restore process.  I've done this myself, so I know it works.
If a image file is more than 4.x gigs (the size of a DVD) then it must always remain on a hard drive or other media large enough to hold it.

For me anyway, making one huge Ghost Image file, would be like shooting myself in the foot! :-/ >:( :o

Good Luck,
The Shadow  8-)

thank you for info.  i thought split parameter was only for removable media.  i will try -split to make on big file.

because i have got skunked sometimes when trying to restore and g 2003 can't find next segment - file to restore from.

Ghost will usually find all the segments IF, the files are together on the HD in the same folder.  Or, if on DVD's, the program knows where it put those files and it will ask for the next DVD till it completes the Restore.  I've never had it fail to read the restore files if they are where Ghost put them.

Don't do the backup to a HD and then move the files to DVD's and expect Ghost to ask for the second DVD.....it won't!
If it makes a backup in several images to a HD, it will only restore those files from the same folder on a HD.  "Ghost Knows!"
You could copy those spanned images to DVD's for OFF-Site storage, but they have to be returned to a HD before restoring.
It's just the nature of the beast!

Good Luck,
The Shadow  8-)

Nigel,

For Ghost 2003, in the User's Guide,
the -split=0 is NOT documented.

In fact, on Page 64, it states that:

The default (and maximum) image file size is 2GB. However, by using size-limited, multisegment image files, you can take an image of a disk or partiiton that is larger than 2GB.

Does it work anyway?

I tried -split=0

It gave me an error message saying that the value of split must be between 1 and 2048.

ericfree1 wrote on Aug 8^th, 2008 at 12:30pm:

For Ghost 2003, in the User's Guide, the -split=0 is NOT documented.

I didn't say it was. The original question was for the corporate edition, and the switch was documented in every edition where it exists. Ghost 2003 being from the corporate 7.x code line shared the switches from that, not 8.0 or later.