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Addikt

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Need to create bootable multi-CD image for laptop.
Apr 27^th, 2006 at 12:09am

Alright so here is my problem. I have an IBM Thinkpad R52 that I do not own, I lease it through my school. The IT department there, who I am frustrated with to no end, have loaded this machine with so many scripts and so much software that performance is an issue for even the simplest of tasks. They also gave me a handy little CD with Norton Ghost on it that re-images the C: partition to it's original state from a file located on the D: partition.

So here is what I am trying to do. I am trying to reformat the computer with my own copy of windows while I have it for the summer. I will do the following steps:

1. Back-up all my data including everything on the D: drive.
2. Restore their original image using the CD I was given.
3. Create a new image using Ghost.
4. Reformat with my copy of Windows XP.
5. Use the laptop for the summer.
6. When it comes time to return it, restore the image I created using Ghost.
7. Restore their original image to get rid of any software I installed.

The laptop has no floppy drive and what I want to do is create a bootable CD with an image of BOTH the C: and D: partitions that will span mulitiple CDs. Then when I restore the image all I have to do is put the CD in and Ghost will do the rest. I hope this is possible.

This is because when I reformat the system I am only going to make one partion and there will be no .GHO file on the D drive for the CD that they gave me to point to. I tried to look at the files on the CD but I cannot, even when I try to look in the command prompt it won't tell me what is on the CD it says "file not found" but I do know it has a size of just over 3 mb, plus the utility basically starts with a menu asking to create a new restore point or restore from an earlier point when you restart before Windows loads, so I'm guessing it's a boot disk.

Anyways, so yeah I need help with this I have not used Ghost before and I have not been able to find any help anywhere else. I have posted on numerous forums but get very vague answers. Also if there is a program that is better than Ghost I'm open to suggestions but I have already purchased version 10, I have Ghost 10 and Ghost 2003.

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MrMagoo

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #1 - Apr 27^th, 2006 at 12:55am

You could just format and install your copy of Windows in the C drive. Then, at the end of the summer, restore with the disk they gave your from D: to C:. MIght save you a lot of work.

You also could make a bootable CD with NightOwl's guide with Ghost on it. Then, make an image and save it to a different set of CD's. I think that is basically what you are trying to do.

http://nightowl.radified.com/bootcd/bootcdintro.html

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Addikt

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #2 - Apr 27^th, 2006 at 1:06am

Yeah, I am in the process of reading that guide, but too tired now I am going to sleep in a few minutes. The problem I am having is that I want to back-up both C: and D: drives, is this possible since in most guides I have read they say to choose a single partition to copy.

Again I'm new at this, I'm trying to read as much as I can. Also it's kinda a learning experience for me too.

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #3 - Apr 27^th, 2006 at 1:29am

Addikt

Quote:

I want to back-up both C: and D: drives, is this possible since in most guides I have read they say to choose a single partition to copy

Ghost 10 requires selecting one partition at a time.

With Ghost 2003, when you create the backup, choose *Local > Disk > To Image*--all partitions of the whole HDD will be imaged.

The restore the whole HDD with *Local > Image > To Disk* and all partitions of the HDD in that image will be restored to the HDD.

Also, the Ghost 10 Recovery Disk has Ghost v8.xx on it that can be used from the Recovery Environment after you boot the CD. You can find a discussion here:

Using Ghost 10 CD to Create and Restore

It can save you the time of creating a custom boot CD--Ghost v8.xx is the corporate cousin of Ghost 2003 (actually Ghost v7.5 is the equivalent version of Ghost 2003--there was never a Ghost 2004 which would have been the Ghost v8.xx).

The disadvantage of using Ghost 8.xx on the Recovery Disk is that you can not store the image on optical media--that feature is *crippled*--so you would have to use an external HDD or second internal HDD or networked HDD.

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Addikt

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #4 - Apr 27^th, 2006 at 5:15pm

Well I could use an external enclosure that I have. It is USB but wouldn't there be an issue with loading drivers from a USB device? I usually just connect it and let Windows choose the default driver to use, it's set as a USB Mass Storage Device and then it mounts the drive in 'My Computer.'

I do not understand what you mean by using a Ghost 10 Recovery Disk. That actually sounds like what my IT department gave me, it restores the C: drive by reading from a .gho and .ghs file located on the D: drive, the D: drive is never re-written using the utility, it serves as a data dump.

So Ghost 2003 supports multiple partition imaging, Ghost 10 does not, but Ghost 2003 does not support creating a bootable image spanning several CDs?

Another thing I noticed is that your tutorial is for creating a Win98 SE boot disk. I want to create a boot disk for Windows XP Professional. Does this present a problem, I assume you cannot use a Win98 SE boot disk on XP but then again maybe you can, just making sure.

Thanks for helping me out.

P.S. I read about this, I am not sure but it sounds like what I am looking for a bootable CD that will load the image from the CD-ROM drive.

Quote:

Project #5 will be 'Using Ghost's Two Disk Floppy Boot Set to Create a Single Bootable CD or DVD disc'.

I'm guessing you haven't started this yet?

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #5 - Apr 27^th, 2006 at 6:14pm

Addikt

Quote:

So Ghost 2003 supports multiple partition imaging, Ghost 10 does not, but Ghost 2003 does not support creating a bootable image spanning several CDs?

Well, you're mixing up the versions and what they can and can not do!

Ghost 2003 is DOS based--it can be installed so a Windows GUI is available while in WinXP--but, the actual image creation will occur after Windows is shut down, and Ghost 2003 creates a *virtual partition* from which it boots to DOS, does the Ghost procedure, and then boots back to WinXP.

Ghost 2003 also has a DOS only *ghost.exe* program that boots from a floppy disk, or bootable optical media that loads DOS, and then runs the DOS Ghost program--in this instance, everything is setup in DOS and no Windows interface is needed/used.

Both the Windows based Ghost 2003 GUI and the DOS only *ghost.exe* can support using an external HDD (USB and/or Firewire), and can span multiple CD's with an image (if Ghost's DOS drivers are compatible with the hardware--i.e. optical writers, USB HDD's/controllers, and Firewire HDD's and controllers--not all newer hardware works with Ghost 2003 compatibly--it's an older program now).

Ghost 2003 will allow for *whole disk* images--i.e. it will image a HDD with multiple partitions (for example I have one HDD that has 9 partitions--no problems doing the whole disk--all partitions at once).

Ghost 10 must run from WinXP to create an image. It can be configured to do more than one partition at a time, but not in a single step--i.e. not a single selection of the *whole HDD*. Instead, you have to select each partition one at a time and setup the image creation--but it will be a single *image set* of each of the multiple partitions.

Ghost 10 will support writing to external HDD and to optical disks--again if all hardware is compatible with the Ghost 10 software.

Quote:

I do not understand what you mean by using a Ghost 10 Recovery Disk. That actually sounds like what my IT department gave me, it restores the C: drive by reading from a .gho and .ghs file located on the D: drive, the D: drive is never re-written using the utility, it serves as a data dump.

If your IT department created *.gho and .ghs* files on the D:\ partition--then you are probably using Ghost 6, 7, or 8--the corporate versions of Ghost--which are DOS based just like Ghost 2003. The IT department has probably given you an *automated* recovery boot CD--which has the DOS ghost program on it, and a script *batch* file that tells Ghost what to do without user intervention--and it points to the Ghost image file set on D:\ to restore your C:\ to whatever state the system was in when the image on D:\ was created.

Quote:

I do not understand what you mean by using a Ghost 10 Recovery Disk.

You said that you have *Ghost 10*--I'm assuming it's the *stand alone* installation CD for Ghost 10. That disc is a bootable CD that will load the Ghost 10 Recovery Environment (RE) which is needed if you are restoring your OS partition.

Go ahead and pop it in and re-boot your system--you do not have to install Ghost 10 in order to boot to the RE. Once there, you can navigate to the various options and menu screens and check things out. As long as you do not tell the various programs to actually do something--there's no harm and looking until it's asking if okay to *do or proceed* with some action.

Ghost 10 can restore any other partitions while booted to WinXP--but, if you need to restore the OS partition--it has to be done from the RE.

Once booted to the Ghost 10 RE, you can access a version of Ghost 8, that is a Windows 32-bit version that can only run under Windows (the Ghost 10 RE is a version of the WindowsPE (preinstallation environment--which is a *stripped down* version of WinXP). You access this program in the RE from the *Main Screen/Recover/Recover using legacy Ghost image* menu option.

It's that version of Ghost that can not save an image to optical media--because it's been *crippled* by Symantec to only allow saving images to internal or external HDD's.

Quote:

Another thing I noticed is that your tutorial is for creating a Win98 SE boot disk. I want to create a boot disk for Windows XP Professional. Does this present a problem, I assume you cannot use a Win98 SE boot disk on XP but then again maybe you can, just making sure.

The *Guide* is geared towards using Ghost 2003--the DOS based Ghost version. You load DOS (which Win98 is based on) independently of the presence of WinXP--Windows is never started or used in this case--just DOS. Ghost 2003 handles NTFS partitions as well as FAT for both saving to and restoring from Ghost images in the *.gho and .ghs* format--Ghost 10 image files will be completely different--and Ghost 10 will not be able to see/load those images--but the 32-bit Ghost v8.xx in the Ghost 10 RE can load and use those *.gho and .ghs* files.

(Edited 04/27/06 at 9:40 pm--You said you also have Ghost 2003--I presume the stand-alone installation CD as well. The CD is also bootable and can be used to load Ghost from it.

You have to choose a preferred language, then watch to see what drive letter is assigned to your optical drive because you need to type the needed drive letter to actually load the Ghost DOS program. You are also asked if you want to load USB or Firewire support for external HDD--you automatically get optical drive support with any selection--except the *None* option--in which case you end up at the DOS A:\ prompt and will not be able to load the Ghost DOS program.

So you can avoid creating a custom bootable CD like my *

Guide

* shows you.

If you want to be able to make your optical media bootable with the same boot files as on the Ghost 2003 installation CD--after Ghost starts, immediately *Quit* the program.

You will be back at the optical drive's drive letter DOS prompt.

Restart Ghost by typing *ghost -ghostoncd* and press enter. Select your optical drive as the destination for your image, and indicate to make it bootable. Ghost will ask if you have put a boot floppy disk in the A:\ drive. Simply indicate *Yes*. Ghost will put its boot sector files from the installation CD as the boot sector of the new optical media, and the *ghost.exe* DOS program will be copied to the root directory of the optical media.

When you now boot to this new bootable image disk, change the A:\ prompt to the drive letter assigned to the optical drive and type *ghost.exe -ghostoncd* to start the DOS Ghost program.)

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #6 - Apr 27^th, 2006 at 6:31pm

Addikt

Quote:

P.S. I read about this, I am not sure but it sounds like what I am looking for a bootable CD that will load the image from the CD-ROM drive.

If you create the optical boot disc from my *

Guide

*, once you boot and load the DOS Ghost program--you would simply point to the optical writer as the destination, and tell Ghost to make the disc *bootable*. Ghost will pop up a menu item asking if you have inserted a floppy disk into the A:\ drive--you simply click *Yes*--because the bootable optical media create a *virtual A:\ drive with all the boot files on it--so Ghost reads that virtual drive and places those boot files onto the optical disk you are creating.

But, your disk will not be an automated restore disk that does everything for you without your intervention--you would have to create a *batch* file like your IT department has in order to have that happen. You simply manually setup what you want Ghost to do.

Quote:

Quote: Project #5 will be 'Using Ghost's Two Disk Floppy Boot Set to Create a Single Bootable CD or DVD disc'.

I'm guessing you haven't started this yet?

I have a working model that accomplishes this--but I'm no where near creating the web page outline!

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #7 - Apr 30^th, 2006 at 7:20pm

Ok, well sorry for the late reply, but I have been busy. So let me get this straight before I actually do anything. I mean I don't really care, how terribly can you mess up a computer worse comes to worse I won't be able to restore the original image which is not a huge concern to me.

So the steps I'm going to take are:

1. Create a bootable CD (with Norton Ghost on it) using NightOwl's guide.
2. Back-up my files.
3. Boot from the bootable CD I made.
4. Use the Norton Ghost utility to make an image of my entire drive and set the CD-ROM drive as the destination for the image file, and hopefully it will burn the image to the CD.

The only problem I have with this is that I am doing this all on a laptop, so I only have one CD-ROM drive. If my CD-ROM drive is occupied by the bootable CD then how do I burn the image files? Or are all the files on the bootable CD loaded into memory after which I can remove the CD?

Thanks for all the help thus far. I really appreciate it, this is my first experience with imaging so I'm kind of a noob.

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #8 - May 1^st, 2006 at 9:00am

Addikt

Looks like a plan!

Quote:

The only problem I have with this is that I am doing this all on a laptop, so I only have one CD-ROM drive. If my CD-ROM drive is occupied by the bootable CD then how do I burn the image files? Or are all the files on the bootable CD loaded into memory after which I can remove the CD?

You should leave the boot CD in the optical drive until Ghost asks for writable optical media for the image.

The boot files from the bootable CD will be loaded into memory creating a *virtual* A:\ drive--you can do a *dir* directory command at the A:\ prompt and you will get the boot files listed. But if you pop out the boot CD too soon, I have occasionally had Ghost complain that it couldn't find the DOS *command processor* or something to that effect--even though that list of A:\ files clearly has *command.com* listed. Should that happen, you can simply put the boot CD back in the optical drive and let the program read whatever it is that it needs to read, and proceed.

Quote:

The problem I am having is that I want to back-up both C: and D: drives, is this possible since in most guides I have read they say to choose a single partition to copy.

It occurred to me when re-reading some of the previous posts in this thread that you might be referring to the issue of you can not create an image of a partition and store it on one of the partitions that is being imaged. For example, you can not create a whole disk image of C:\ and D:\ and store it on either C:\ or D:\--but it can be stored on an external HDD or optical media. This applies to Ghost 2003.

Ghost 10 can store an image on one of the partitions that's being imaged (*hot imaging*)--but with what you want to do, you're planning on re-partitioning and re-formatting the whole HDD--in which case you will no longer have that image available for future restoring--you need to have the image on an external storage media.

On final step that you should do before you start re-partitioning and re-formatting is run Ghost's *Integrity* check on the image file that you have created--you can do that immediately after you have created the image. You go to *Local > Check > Image File*. This helps assure you that you can access the image file when needed and that the image is considered complete and functional by Ghost.

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #9 - May 1^st, 2006 at 1:19pm

Ok, so one more quick question. I do have an external HDD, well not really, it's an external enclosure manufactured by KingWin with a 200 GB Segate HDD in it. I don't know if it will work in DOS but I assume it would since when I connect it to my laptop I can use it with the default drivers included with Windows. This sounds easier to me than burning the image file.

But just to get one thing straight using Ghost 2003 (the version that would be included on the bootable CD I make) I would have the option of writing the image to my external HDD or Optical Media? Sorry it just sounds like you cannot burn to optical media using Ghost 2003 on a bootable CD.

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #10 - May 1^st, 2006 at 4:02pm

Addikt

Quote:

Sorry it just sounds like you cannot burn to optical media using Ghost 2003 on a bootable CD.

As long as your optical drive is compatible with Ghost 2003, you will be able to write a Ghost image to optical media--but burning a Ghost image to optical media directly is the slowest option for creating an image.

Quote:

But just to get one thing straight using Ghost 2003 (the version that would be included on the bootable CD I make) I would have the option of writing the image to my external HDD or Optical Media?

You will have the option to save to USB external HDD if you include the needed DOS USB drivers.

The DOS USB drivers that come with Ghost 2003 seem to work well with many USB HDD that are *purpose built*--i.e. they are a single unit with a built-in HDD--you can not change the HDD inside. The Ghost 2003 DOS USB drivers seem to be very poor at working with *enclosure kits* where you can change the HDD inside with other HDD"s.

Quote:

I don't know if it will work in DOS but I assume it would since when I connect it to my laptop I can use it with the default drivers included with Windows.

The drivers for under Windows to access external HDD's are completely unrelated to what must be used for DOS access--completely different drivers--one does not work under the other OS.

Here's information on the Panasonic USB DOS drivers that seem to work better with enclosure kits than the Ghost drivers:

A Better USB 2.0 DOS Driver for Ghost + More!

And here's how to add the Panasonic DOS USB drivers to the boot CD created using my

Creating Bootable CD/DVD's Without A:\Floppy Drive

guide:

Adding USB to Ghost Boot CD

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #11 - May 1^st, 2006 at 4:10pm

Addikt wrote on May 1^st, 2006 at 1:19pm:

"... I do have an external HDD, well not really, it's an external enclosure manufactured by KingWin with a 200 GB Seagate HDD in it. I don't know if it will work in DOS but I assume it would since when I connect it to my laptop I can use it with the default drivers included with Windows. This sounds easier to me than burning the image file..."

Your external rig should readily work with Norton Ghost 2003, but NightOwl's Panasonic Universal USB driver routine is a sure-fire Plan B in the event it does not.

EP

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Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap
Reply #12 - May 1^st, 2006 at 5:34pm

Bleh, that USB 2.0 driver support looks like a lot of work. Between work, more work and a summer course I don't really want to spend much time doing this, I want to get it done quickly and efficiently so I think I'll just stick to burning the Image to a CD.

Also, I have a lot of data on my externals that I don't want to see get corrupted, I know that this is unlikely, but I don't want to risk it.

So I CAN load Norton Ghost 2003, and burn and image directly to CDs from inside DOS, correct?

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	Re: Need to create bootable multi-CD image for lap Reply #13 - May 1^st, 2006 at 7:14pm Addikt Quote: So I CAN load Norton Ghost 2003, and burn and image directly to CDs from inside DOS, correct? As long as your hardware is compatible with the Ghost software--yes!
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