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bubbaj

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Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD
Aug 29^th, 2006 at 3:31pm

Hopefully I'm posting this in the correct forum.

I'm trying to put multiple Ghost boot floppies onto 1 CD. I work for a school district that has many different types of Dell PC's, and keeping track of all of the floppies isn't always easy. So far I've been successful in getting Ghost to run, but the NIC driver isn't loading. Let me give you some background. Version of Ghost is Corporate 7.5.

First off, I'm creating a Windows 98SE boot floppy. From there I'm editing the autoexec.bat and config.sys files. This floppy is then used to create the bootable CD. The contents of the CD are broken down into the different Ghost boot floppies. So, I have a folder for a GX280, GX270, GX260, etc...

Let me give you the syntax of the Win98 boot floppy.
Autoexec.bat
@ECHO OFF
set EXPAND=YES
SET DIRCMD=/O:N
set LglDrv=27 * 26 Z 25 Y 24 X 23 W 22 V 21 U 20 T 19 S 18 R 17 Q 16 P 15
set LglDrv=%LglDrv% O 14 N 13 M 12 L 11 K 10 J 9 I 8 H 7 G 6 F 5 E 4 D 3 C
cls
call setramd.bat %LglDrv%
set temp=c:\
set tmp=c:\
path=%RAMD%:\;a:\;%CDROM%:\
copy command.com %RAMD%:\ > NUL
set comspec=%RAMD%:\command.com
copy extract.exe %RAMD%:\ > NUL
copy readme.txt %RAMD%:\ > NUL

:ERROR
IF EXIST ebd.cab Goto EXT
echo Please insert Windows 98 Startup Disk 2
echo.
Goto ERROR

:EXT
%RAMD%:\extract /y /e /l %RAMD%: ebd.cab > NUL
echo The diagnostic tools were successfully loaded to drive %RAMD%.
echo.

IF "%config%"=="NOCD" Goto Quit
IF "%config%"=="HELP" Goto HELP

:COMMON
LH %ramd%:\MSCDEX.EXE /D:mscd001 /L:%CDROM%
A:\mouse.com
REM %CDROM%:\mouse.com
echo.

IF "%config%"=="GX110" Goto GX110
IF "%config%"=="GX150" Goto GX150
IF "%config%"=="GX260" Goto GX260
IF "%config%"=="GX270" Goto GX270
IF "%config%"=="GX280" Goto GX280
IF "%config%"=="GX520" Goto GX520
IF "%config%"=="GX620" Goto GX620

Goto Quit

:BOOT
Prompt $p$g
Goto Quit

:GX110
call %CDROM%:\Desktop\GX110\autoexec.bat
Goto Quit

:GX150
call %CDROM%:\Desktop\GX150\autoexec.bat
Goto Quit

:GX260
call %CDROM%:\Desktop\GX260\autoexec.bat
Goto Quit

:GX270
call %CDROM%:\Desktop\GX270\autoexec.bat
Goto Quit

:GX280
call %CDROM%:\Desktop\GX280\autoexec.bat
Goto Quit

:GX520
call %CDROM%:\Desktop\GX520\autoexec.bat
Goto Quit

:GX620
call %CDROM%:\Desktop\GX620\autoexec.bat
Goto Quit

:HELP
cls
call help.bat
echo Your computer will now restart and the startup menu will appear.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo.
restart.com
Goto Quit

:Quit
echo To get help, type HELP and press ENTER.
echo.
rem clean up environment variables
set CDROM=
set LglDrv=

Config.sys
[MENU]
menuitem=GX110, Dell GX110
menuitem=GX150, Dell GX150
menuitem=GX260, Dell GX260
menuitem=GX270, Dell GX270
menuitem=GX280, Dell GX280
menuitem=GX520, Dell GX520
menuitem=GX620, Dell GX620

menudefault=GX110,60

[COMMON]
DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS /testmem:off
DEVICE=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
FILES=10
BUFFERS=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
devicehigh=ramdrive.sys /E 2048
LASTDRIVE=Z

[GX110]
[GX150]
[GX260]
[GX270]
[GX280]
[GX520]
[GX620]

As you can see, for each menu entry the autoexec.bat is called from the corresponding folder on the CD. At first this didn't work, until I edited the autoexec file in each folder. (This is the autoexec.bat file that is created when making a NIC enabled bootable Ghost floppy.)

The autoexec.bat for a GX520 now reads:
@echo off
prompt $p$g
call %CDROM%:\desktop\gx520\net\netbind.com
call %CDROM%:\desktop\gx520\MOUSE.COM
cd %CDROM%:\desktop\gx520\ghost
echo Loading...
GHOST.EXE

I had to add the call %CDROM%:\desktop\gx520 before this would work. Ghost does load, but the NIC driver isn't enabled. I keep getting an error (which I didn't write down. I'll post it in a minute.) stating that protman$ isn't able to start.

When I took a look at the config.sys file in the gx520 folder, it's contents were as follows:
DEVICE=\net\protman.dos /I:\net
DEVICE=\net\dis_pkt.dos
DEVICE=\net\B57.dos

I thought that making the following changes would work, but it didn't. My config.sys now reads:
DEVICE=%CDROM%:\desktop\gx520\net\protman.dos /I:\net
DEVICE=%CDROM%:\desktop\gx520\net\dis_pkt.dos
DEVICE=%CDROM%:\desktop\gx520\net\B57.dos

I know this might be hard to follow, so let me sum up.

I have made a bootable CD using a Win98SE boot disk. I've edited it to call specific autoexec.bat files from the CD. When the file from the CD is called, it then needs to run Ghost with a NIC enabled. The contents of the CD are the contents of the boot floppies that Ghost creates. When Ghost starts, because of the protman$ error, the NIC isn't enabled.

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bubbaj

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Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD
Reply #1 - Aug 29^th, 2006 at 3:40pm

Error is as follows:
MS-DOS LAN MANAGER v2.1 Netbind
Error 7906: Unable to open protman$

I'm sure this has to do with either how I'm calling the 2nd autoexec.bat, which then creates a conflict when the 2nd config.sys is ran.

Anyway, if someone could take a look at this files and tell me what I'm doing wrong I would appreciate it. A 2nd set of eyes always helps. Also, if you have a better way of doing this, please let me know.

Thanks

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NightOwl

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Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD
Reply #2 - Aug 29^th, 2006 at 5:33pm

bubbaj

I believe the net driver is trying to write the *protman.ini* to the virtual A:\ drive (probably to the sub-directory where the net driver is located) that is created by a bootable CD. But the virtual A:\ drive can not be written to.

Here's a reference that may give you the way around that issue:

How to Create a Ghost 8.0 Network Boot CD

Let us know how it turns out--post your results, if you wouldn't mind, for all of us to learn!

____________________________________________________________________________________________

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bubbaj

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	Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD Reply #3 - Aug 30^th, 2006 at 7:32am Thanks NightOwl! I'll give it a read sometime today and will post results as soon as I can.
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bubbaj

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Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD
Reply #4 - Aug 30^th, 2006 at 12:35pm

Well, it's definately loading the NIC drivers now, but for some reason it's not able to run Ghost. I keep getting "Error: Cannot open GhostErr.txt - insert diskette" when Ghost is supposed to run.

I've tried putting in a real floppy, but I guess it's looking at the virtual floppy. Many CD's ago (I'm up to 10-11 now), before I got the NIC working (yeah!) Ghost would open. Now that I have the NIC working, I get this error. Looking back at my previous CD's, Ghost was run from a bat file. I tried doing that, but to no avail.

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NightOwl

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Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD
Reply #5 - Aug 30^th, 2006 at 1:37pm

bubbaj

Quote:

You don't think that the Ghost.exe I'm using is looking for this txt file, do you?

No. Ghost is experiencing an *error condition*, and by default tries to write an error file to the same directory that it started from--on a bootable CD, that's the virtual A:\ drive's root directory if Ghost is in the boot sector--or the drive letter of the CD data portion if you are starting from the CD data area--both areas can not be written to--and thus the error message.

Suggestion--if you have a system that can use a floppy boot disk--use that for testing until you work out the *bugs*--now error files can be written to the floppy disk--and you will *see* what's going on. After the debugging, then create the bootable CD.

If your system has a partition that is FAT16 or FAT32--or for that matter, has a floppy drive (it is now B:\ when using a boot CD--which gets the A:\ virtual drive letter), you can use a command line switch to start Ghost and re-direct where Ghost is to write its error file:

ghost.exe -afile=b:\ghosterr.txt

If you place a formatted floppy disk in the floppy drive just after the CD begins its boot process, an error file will now go to that floppy disk.

Or, the first seen HDD partition that is FAT16 or FAT32 will get the partition drive letter C:\--so:

ghost.exe -afile=c:\ghosterr.txt

If you create an error file sub-directory call *errfile* on C:\, then it would be:

ghost.exe -afile=c:\errfile\ghosterr.txt

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bubbaj

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	Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD Reply #6 - Aug 30^th, 2006 at 1:45pm I'll try this NightOwl.
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bubbaj

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Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD
Reply #7 - Aug 30^th, 2006 at 2:16pm

OK, just to test, I'm booting off of the floppy and then running Ghost from the CD. I've REM'd the lines that automatically run Ghost. Up until this point everything is good and then I'm given the a: prompt.

From there I change the directory to D: and type in DIR, which lists ghost.exe as the only file on the CD. When I type ghost.exe and press Enter nothing happens. When I type ghost.exe -afile=a:\ghosterr.txt nothing happens. I can eject the CD and nothing happens.

Here's the syntax for the autoexec.bat and config.sys if anyone would like to test this out. I'm using the corp version of Ghost 7.5.

Autoexec.bat:
@echo off
mscdex /L:D /d:mscd001
MOUSE.COM
\net\netbind.com
REM echo Loading Ghost...
REM D:
REM ghost.exe

I realize that the lines that load Ghost are REM'd out. This was just a test like I said earlier.

Config.sys:
[MENU]
menuitem=GX110,Dell GX110
menuitem=GX150,Dell GX150
menuitem=GX260,Dell GX260
menuitem=GX270,Dell GX270
menuitem=GX280,Dell GX280
menuitem=GX520,Dell GX520
menuitem=GX620,Dell GX620
SUBMENU=more,...More Choices...

menudefault=GX110,60

[more]
SUBMENU=menu,Back to Main Menu

[COMMON]
DEVICE=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
LASTDRIVE=Z

[GX110]
DEVICE=\GX110\protman.dos /I:\GX110
DEVICE=\GX110\dis_pkt.dos
DEVICE=\GX110\el90x.dos

[GX150]
DEVICE=\GX150\protman.dos /I:\GX150
DEVICE=\GX150\dis_pkt.dos
DEVICE=\GX150\el90x.dos

[GX260]
DEVICE=\GX260\protman.dos /I:\GX260
DEVICE=\GX260\dis_pkt.dos
DEVICE=\GX260\e1000.dos

[GX270]
DEVICE=\GX270\protman.dos /I:\GX270
DEVICE=\GX270\dis_pkt.dos
DEVICE=\GX270\e1000.dos

[GX280]
DEVICE=\GX280\protman.dos /I:\GX280
DEVICE=\GX280\dis_pkt.dos
DEVICE=\GX280\B57.dos

[GX520]
DEVICE=\GX520\protman.dos /I:\GX520
DEVICE=\GX520\dis_pkt.dos
DEVICE=\GX520\B57.dos

[GX620]
DEVICE=\GX620\protman.dos /I:\GX620
DEVICE=\GX620\dis_pkt.dos
DEVICE=\GX620\B57.dos

Yes, I realize that there is nothing in my submenu at this point. I was just playing around with it.

So, if anyone wants to burn a CD to help me out I would appreciate it. I might need to see if Ghost 8 is somewhere at work. Ghost 7.5 might not be able to handle this, as the link above uses version 8.

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bubbaj

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Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD
Reply #8 - Aug 30^th, 2006 at 3:03pm

Just something else that I noticed. When I ran Ghost with an invalid switch (-nousb) and told it to send ghosterr to the floppy, it created the ghosterr file. But, when run without the switch and sending the ghosterr file to the floppy it just stops. The CD-Rom activity light flickers for a half-second, but that's it. No ghosterr file is created either. I'm stumped.

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bubbaj

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Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD
Reply #9 - Aug 30^th, 2006 at 3:31pm

Just did some more searching about the Net. Found something on HP's site where Ghost 7.5 would hang before loading. The suggested fix was adding the -fni switch when running. Just tested twice (GX270 & GX520) and it seems to have worked. Don't know why this would work; the site mentioned something about the SATA port being the cause.

Oh well, it works. Anyone know if this would cause any problems while ghosting over the network?

I'll post more info tomorrow. This has wracked my brain.

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NightOwl

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	Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD Reply #10 - Aug 30^th, 2006 at 4:17pm bubbaj Quote: The suggested fix was adding the -fni switch when running. Just tested twice (GX270 & GX520) and it seems to have worked. ...the site mentioned something about the SATA port being the cause. Ah, yes...SATA...: Re: Bootable cd without floppy
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bubbaj

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	Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD Reply #11 - Aug 31^st, 2006 at 7:27am What's really weird is that when using a boot floppy, this switch isn't required. I'll post later today what I've done and clarify the above linked tutorial. He could have made some things more clear. Thanks NightOwl!
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	Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD Reply #12 - Aug 31^st, 2006 at 8:43am bubbaj Quote: What's really weird is that when using a boot floppy, this switch isn't required. Really!--interesting observation--could you expand on that?! Could be a memory management issue--could try loading himem.sys in config.sys to see if that has any impact!
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bubbaj

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	Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD Reply #13 - Aug 31^st, 2006 at 10:46am Well, I tried loading himem and that didn't work. The boot floppies w/NIC support that we use are the ones that the Ghost Boot Wizard creates. We've never modified them. We use models ranging from GX110's up to GX620's; laptops are D600's up to D820's.
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ben_mott

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Re: Putting multiple Ghost floppies on CD
Reply #14 - Nov 12^th, 2006 at 4:03pm

if all your floppies work ok individually ,then you can use the approach of Ultimate boot cd which is a colection of floppies
on a cd
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

you can make image of your floppies .img using WINIMAGE
http://www.winimage.com/download.htm

and change their menu to suit your floppies
they have FAQ on that site and you can figure it out after you study file structure and the configuration file
Regards Ben

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