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winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background (Read 67979 times)
peter s. d.
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winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Dec 3rd, 2004 at 10:53pm
 
I DO apologize for this intrusion, but this is my last resort, after Dell’s “specialists” supported me so…
First, I will clarify that since purchase (Mid-March 2004) my Dell Dimension 8300 (P4@3ghz/1gbRAM;120gbHDD; XP home) has been kept carefully as a stand-alone system, not networked, even for the Internet I have been using my old workhorse Dell Dim 4100 = both in their ORIGINAL hardware configuration. Norton Antivirus has been regularly updated by a CD download (their latest file size is less than 6mb). Windows XP Home has been updated via MS’s free distribution CD Service Pack 2. All additional Software Programs have been installed in partitions separate from the C:\ (OSystem) which have been successfully created with PQ Partition Magic8.  No games have been installed on this machine, nor music nor any substantial data burden is littering the HDDrive, for I use it for heavy duty graphical work only, saving to CDs and DVDs. Of course I am keeping all original CDs and manuals that came with the system and am optimistic that in this first instance of Call For Help with your good advice I will be able to get it up and running once again.
The crash occurred the other day when I decided to make a Norton Ghost Image of C:\ Partition (or was the whole HDD? I don’t remember; neither if I was running it from the CD -which is possible - or have installed it -which is more probable) The 2003 version of NSW (Norton System Works) has been reviewed as working flawlessly from within Windows (XP included, for it handles NTFS File System too). I used to be more familiar with the 2002 Version of Ghost which was far more tricky to use; so I was happy to purchase NSW2003 as a step forward and before I applied it to my precious Dim8300 I made successfully a Ghost Image on 10 CDs of the whole HDDrive of my Dim 4100 and restored the image to and old junk HDDrive on a salvaged Gateway Performance 1000. With such experience (and before that with Ghost2002 running from a Floppy I tried to ghost an image of Dim8300 to 3 DVDs but this image fails to decompress: “Abort = 27076, corrupt packet length in compressed .IMG file”) I felt encouraged to try to image it again, with 2003, from the PC DOS (not the MS DOS) interface, as recommended on some forums. The system froze at Ghost’s initial proprietary full screen GUI interface = blue textured background only, without the BUTTONS, even without the “Quit” exit button. Neither reacts to Ctrl+Alt+Del to reset. In the absence of a Reset button on the Dim8300 the only thing to do is switch OFF button. It freezes again and again at every start-up with their long scroll “loading PC DOS ... “ etc. to the options “The previous operation has failed. Please enter the number of the action you wish to take: [1] Exit to Dos. [2] Return to Windows. [3] Retry the operation.” Then, in a few seconds: “Returning to Windows ...” and remains there forever, frozen.
My BIOS is set to boot from: 1.FDD; 2.CD ROM D; 3. HDD. So, I tried the two floppies that PowerQuest Partition Magic 8 recommends to make for a boot-up problems; and usually they really show all partitions and one can set a partition “ACTIVE” ans so on, really useful as such. But this time the response was “Partition table error # 113 found” with the only option the button for “Exit” after which comes the blinking DOS prompt for A:\>_.
I left it at that, afraid to damage other things. Haven’t tried the supplied by you MS WinXPHome+SP1 reinstallation CD for the two reasons: first, I hear MS have what they call “Activation” which is humiliating; second, my carefully customized WinXP with all software will probably get messed-up with a clean install...  Of course the useless MS Windows Rescue FDisks lead to clean install: “Load the original WindowsXP installation CD in drive ...” which I am not prepared to do ... yet. With the legendary Dell support I still hope that someone will think of a more clever way to get me out of this trouble. Please, PLEASE, take your time and advise me competently, I will appreciate this a lot. Thanks, best regards, Peter.
 
 
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #1 - Dec 3rd, 2004 at 11:45pm
 
Go on the Internet and Google 'Windows XP repair installation' or some such.  When you attempt it, beware of a 'false start'; you won't hurt anything, but you won't accomplish anything either.

I had to do this years back right when I began using XP Home Edition on my Dell Dimension 8100 - and my recollection is quite hazy (my latest PC is a Dell Dimension 8300 running XP Professional).  At any rate, the process does not overwrite anything but the O.S. - then, you have go back to perform your updates with the Service Pack 2 CD.

Don't fret - it won't be long before someone comes along who is totally conversant with the Windows XP Repair Installation.  All I recall about it is that the correct procedure to follow is counter-intuitive to my dyslexic thought processes.

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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #2 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 12:49am
 
peter s. d.

It's not clear--did you install Ghost onto the system?  And did you run Ghost using the Windows interface to set Ghost up and then start the Ghost procedure?

If 'yes', then sounds like you may be 'trapped' in the virtual partition that Ghost 2003 creates if you run it from the Windows interface rather than from a DOS boot floppy.

See here:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/8f7dc138830563c888256c2200662ecd/...

and here:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/docid/2002102214015625?

and here:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/docid/2002092510522725?

and the various links in those FAQ's.

Let us know if this seems to be the problem and if it helps.
 

No question is stupid...but, possibly the answers are  Wink !
(This is an old *NightOwl* user account--not in current use.  Current account is NightOwl without a dash at the end.)
 
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peter s. d.
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #3 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 10:51am
 
Last night in a haste I posted the first part of my lenghty saga for brevity (the Forum refused to take the whole). To that description I got from Dell Tech Support the clever suggestion to try 1. to start WinXPh in SAFE MODE (?!thx) or to 2. Reinstall Win. To that I replied: " F8 doesn’t even bring the BIOS, the state of the system is such that it freezes at the screen with the 3 options (described above) 1.exit to DOS 2. return to Windows and 3. retry the operation. At option 2 the system freezes with “Returning to W…” At the bottom of this (DOS) screen with those 3 options I read (I omitted for brevity this the first time for it comes to the same point): F5=Bypass startup files; F8=Confirm each step of Config.sys and Autoexec.bat >>>then it comes to the same point “Returning to Windows …” and remains there, frozen.
Actually I tried to explore within while in DOS; C:\>_     dir gives me one page scroll with ibmbio.com; ibmdos.com; e.exe; e.ex; e.ini; ehelp.hlp; mouse.com; aspicd.sys; oakcdrom.sys; mscdex.exe; autoexec.bat; config.sys; mbr.bin; mouse.ini AND ONE single Directory GHOST <DIR> containing some .exe files: ghreboot; ghost; gdisk; ghstwalk; ghwrap and 2 .txt files: gscript and args.txt. However in DOS I am not trying anything afraid of further damage." The response from (another) Dell "specialist" was to show me the door, to go ask MS or Symantec .... while I paid my good money to Dell.
I highly appreciate your prompt responses and no, I will not fret, I will have all the patience to wait and read through all your replies and try everything. Pete.
 
 
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #4 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 11:09am
 
peter s. d.

Quote:
AND ONE single Directory GHOST <DIR> containing some .exe files: ghreboot; ghost; gdisk; ghstwalk; ghwrap and 2 .txt files: gscript and args.txt.


I'm pretty sure you're stuck in Ghost's 'virtual partition' based on your additional information.  In the links above it talks about using the 'ghreboot' program and that appears to be in the directory above.  Sounds like you are able to navigate to that directory and list the contents--should be able to run the program once there to see if that lets you out of the 'virtual partition' and back to Windows' partition.
 

No question is stupid...but, possibly the answers are  Wink !
(This is an old *NightOwl* user account--not in current use.  Current account is NightOwl without a dash at the end.)
 
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peter s. d.
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #5 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 11:38am
 
Night Owl, your response seems to be quite to the point. I saved the articles, will print them now and read carefully and report back. Yes, it seems I am "trapped" in the virtual partition; and yes, I installed the Ghost 2003 in Windows and tried ghosting through PC DOS ... will see now. Good day.
 
 
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #6 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 1:01pm
 
peter s. d. -

When you have successfully squared things away, please share details of how you did it.  Such will add to the Knowledge Base of these forums.

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peter s. d.
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #7 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 1:33pm
 
Yep, XPh is up and running again, smoothly and sweetly as if nothing happened = thanks to NightOwl and his diagnostic competence which the dummies on Dell's payroll lack. The key is =exactly as you, NightOwl indicated = the ghreboot.exe file which clears the Ghost Virtual Partition and reactivates the WinXPhome partition. No harm done at all, all settings are OK. Checked with (the installed previously) PQuest PartitionMagic 8 the partitions of my 120g HDD = all seems fine there, though at the freezing point their 2 boot-up floppies were reporting partition errors. Now it's OK. Thank you, people, your form is the greatest! Pete S. D.
 
 
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #8 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 3:16pm
 
peter s. d.

Good to hear everything's okay.

I got trapped in the virtual partition too awhile back.  But it was before I read about the ghreboot program.

My PartitionMagic v8.xx also did not work--I got an error message too (cant remember which one), and the program exited to the DOS prompt.

But I tried my old PartitionMagic v4.xx DOS rescue disk and although it reported an error, it still booted up and allowed my to switch the active partitiion back to the OS partition.

Since then, I found the information about ghreboot.

Ghost must create a 'non-standard' partition for its virtual partition that PartitionMagic v8.xx can not properly handle.
 

No question is stupid...but, possibly the answers are  Wink !
(This is an old *NightOwl* user account--not in current use.  Current account is NightOwl without a dash at the end.)
 
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #9 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 3:32pm
 
Congrats on the succesful resolution.

As I learn things on Ghost, this appears to be a classical user error which leads to "irreversible drive corruption," often mentioned on Ghost user reviews, and resulting in an unexperienced user reformatting the drive. I guess people are spoiled by plug-and-play (i guess it is a good thing though).

Ideally, the boot problem should not happen, but when it does, the user should explore the Symantec support site, where the problem is described in details. Calling hardware vendor support is pointless since they are not trained on Symanthec software.
It is a good thing that peter stumled on this site.

Radified rockes!
 
 
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #10 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 4:33pm
 
I spent some more time on the Symantec site and perused the support documents.  Clearly, one should read these documents BEFORE using ghost. 

Symanthec acctually admitts that:
"Ghost terminology can be confusing. For an introduction to terms such as cloning, imaging, loading, and dumping, see the section "Other terms""

Also:
"Ghost Virtual Partition
The Virtual Partition nearly eliminates the need to create a Ghost bootable floppy disk." 
Nearly, huh-ha, ha, ha

And:
"Ability to save image files to NTFS partitions [...]
Norton Ghost 2003 has been written to be able to access NTFS partitions to save image files, and to restore disks or partitions from image files.
Note, though, that Ghost can save only image files to local NTFS partitions, and not other types of files." 
So, the default operation with log files in addition to image files IS NOT compatible with NTSF.

Look also at this hidden deep in troubleshooting:
"Disconnect other USB devices that are connected to the computer. Because of the way the BIOS enables USB ports and the way these devices are detected by the USB drivers that Ghost uses, any additional USB devices may cause conflicts."
Wow, who doesn't use other USB devices?  I guess the USB keyboard/mouse is a recipe for disaster with Ghost.


 
 
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #11 - Dec 4th, 2004 at 5:31pm
 
jacek

Quote:
any additional USB devices may cause conflicts


The key word is 'may'.  I leave my USB flash card reader with four separate ports hooked up, and my built-in USB hub on my monitor which has a monitor adjustment sub-system, and the USB scanner hooked up without problems.  But every system is different.

Quote:
I guess the USB keyboard/mouse is a recipe for disaster with Ghost.


They can be--there have been posts to that effect here in the past.  Interestingly, one person posted that if he used 'USB peer-to-peer' support on a Ghost boot floppy, he was able to get USB mouse support working fine.  (And, later, I actually saw--I think in the User Guide somewhere--where Symantec mentioned that this might be true for some systems.)
 

No question is stupid...but, possibly the answers are  Wink !
(This is an old *NightOwl* user account--not in current use.  Current account is NightOwl without a dash at the end.)
 
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #12 - Dec 5th, 2004 at 1:40am
 
USB mouse or keyboard got you down, Bunkie ???

Well, here is one remedy in an admittedly narrow circumstance - consider it a clue and then follow up on it.  When I wish to retain use of my USB keyboard while forcing USB 2.0 operations using a twin-floppy set of NightOwl's Panasonic Universal USB Driver, I add an
extra option
to one of his lines in the config.sys file - voila':

DEVICE = Usbaspi.sys
/norst
/v /w /e


As I understand it, '
/norst
' means 'No reset', i.e., the legacy USB devices are exempted from the '/e' option which is forcing the USB 2.0 mode.

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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #13 - Dec 5th, 2004 at 2:15am
 
El_Pescador

Quote:
DEVICE = Usbaspi.sys
/norst
/v /w /e


Oh, good one!

Did you discover that by trial and error on your own, or is there a source that explains the use of '/norst' for the Panasonic driver?

I do not have a USB keyboard or mouse, so I can't test this, but can you use the '/u' or '/o' switches to keep the USB keyboard (or mouse) functioning?  Do you have to disable 'legacy' USB support in order to use those switches?  And if you use them with the '/e' switch, does your USB 2.0 HDD still run at 2.0 speeds?

/e EHCI, for enabling only USB 2.0 controller
/o OHCI, for enabling only add-on/onboard USB 1.1 controller
/u UHCI, for enabling integrated USB 1.1 controller
 

No question is stupid...but, possibly the answers are  Wink !
(This is an old *NightOwl* user account--not in current use.  Current account is NightOwl without a dash at the end.)
 
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Re: winXP frozen at Ghost2003 (PC DOS) background
Reply #14 - Dec 5th, 2004 at 3:36am
 
NightOwl -

I cannot recall the exact source, but I picked up on it while doing Google searches on
'usbaspi.sys + di1000dd.sys'
.  While mulling over your inquiry, I found something for you at Response Number 13 pretty far down the thread at:

http://www.computing.net/dos/wwwboard/forum/13447.html

Quote:
"... And if you use them with the '/e' switch, does your USB 2.0 HDD still run at 2.0 speeds?"

Actually, my USB keyboard always works no matter what - despite all the Ghost warnings about it not being kosher.  It works flawlessly with the settings illustrated in my post upstream - and USB 2.0 speeds are consistently demonstated with a single exception involving my ByteccUSA enclosure and the systemboard USB 2.0 ports on my Dell Dimension 8300.  

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