Pedro

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*No*--probably not either--but there probably is a simple solution.

Symantec's Ghost, for unknown reasons and poor documentation regarding functionality, will not mount a Ghost image on optical media unless Ghost was used to actually burn the image to the media in the first place--unless you use the DOS drivers that mount the optical drive from *config.sys* (example--oakcdrom.sys), and assign drive letters from *autoexec.bat* (example--mscdex.exe).

You do not say, but I'm guessing you are using Ghost 2002 or 2003, you created the image to HDD initially, and later burned it to optical media with a third party burning program.

If Ghost had been used to burn the image to optical media directly, then Ghost would recognize and mount the image directly without needing the DOS drivers mentioned above.

If you're using the Ghost Boot Wizard, you need the *CD/DVD Startup Disk with Ghost*, which will be a two floppy boot disk set, which will have those DOS drivers included.

Or, if you're comfortable with DOS boot disks, you can create a custom boot disk with the drivers and Ghost.

One other possible explanation I can think of is you are using optical media on a system different from where the image was originally burned from directly by Ghost--and the optical drive you are now using is not compatible with the *built-in* ability of Ghost to access compatible optical drives.

Pedro

Thanks for the feedback.

And good workaround--you're absolutely correct that by eliminating the optical media variable from the equation--Ghost is then more than happy to *see* the image files as usable Ghost files again!

Zib, if you created the backup with Ghost 10, then you need to use Ghost 10 to restore any files/folders etc from that backup.  You can do all that from XP unless you can't boot from that PC. 

If you can't boot from your own PC, you boot from the Ghost 10 CD first.  Then you tell Ghost 10 to restore from your backup (which you stored on DVD).

Zib, It sounds like your system is working ok.  You successfully created a backup with Ghost 10 trial version.  You can restore a file or folder from within Windows XP.  You don't need a stand-alone bootable cd to restore the files or a folder, or even restore the entire partition to an unused partition on your PC.

The emergency boot Ghost 10 CD is the same as the retail boxed Ghost 10 install CD. I'm guessing that Symantec doesn't provide the Emergency boot CD as part of the trial version.

If you decide to purchase Ghost 10 via download from Symantec, then you should get instructions from them on how to download an ISO image that you then use (with Nero etc.) to burn a CD with everything.

Unless you are not near a store, it's probably easier to purchase the retail software, because the ISO download image is big, proably 200 to 300 MB.

Maybe I am misunderstanding what you need to accomplish, so please just ask or explain some more.

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If you like Ghost 10 after testing the trial version, then purchase it and you will get the bootable cd.  Most software trial versions are similar in that the trial versions for example may analyze your system, but repair only a limited number of errors.  Or, in Ghost (or other image backup software) they will be full function for backup, include normal XP file/folder restore, but not emergency bootable cd restore.

Otherwise, why would anyone buy it?  Just get the trial version, take your image backup, make your Ghost bootable emergency backup cd, and put everything on the shelf, and use it if/when you have a blue screen of death.  

All at no cost.