Trouble Ghosting to USB drive

[SBMongoos]

I just completed a fresh install of WinXP Pro and drivers on my PC. I'd like to Ghost this to my external USB drive. I have a generic USB drive (case says Speed Metal on the side) with a 200G Maxtor drive installed.

I have this Hiren's Boot CD 7.7 CD with Ghost 8.2. Thought I could try this and then use Ghost 10 to restore this file(s) if necessary. I've only been able to boot up successfully once and and it took about 9 hours to get 25% of about 7G of data and then it blew up. Most of the time I try to boot and make a selection of the USB driver and it goes to scan it hangs.

Argh! I really want to get this done. I wish I still had my Ghost boot floppy disk. I could easily load USB or CD burner drivers and get the job done.

[Lazn_Work]

This may sound strange.. but the best luck I have had with ghosting to a USB drive is to make the USB drive bootable with a dos install (win98 dos in my case) then to boot off of the USB drive and run the dos version of Ghost from there.

What this does is it make the BIOS do the dos -> INT 13 translation, instead of TSR drivers. If your BIOS is decent, it should be nice and fast.... but if you have a sucky BIOS, it will still be slow, though not as slow as you are experiencing. (eg: Dell Inspiron 6000's Ghost FAST with this method, but IBM Netvista A20's are slow)

The other method I use if the USB is slow, is I use a dos network boot disk to image to a network share.

==>Lazn

[SBMongoos]

hmm... with this Gigabyte motherboard I can do one of two things:

1) select the USB HDD from the HDD Boot Priority list
2) choose the USB HDD as the First Boot Device from the list

So, would the idea be to put the typical Windows 98SE floppy disk files on the root of the USB HDD and do 1) above? Then when doing the Ghost image run from the USB HDD point it back to the Western Digital IDE drive [C:] on my PC to back it up to the USB HDD?

Which version of Ghost.exe, or Ghostpe.exe do I need? I might need this file.

Thanks...

[Lazn_Work]

hmm... with this Gigabyte motherboard I can do one of two things:

1) select the USB HDD from the HDD Boot Priority list
2) choose the USB HDD as the First Boot Device from the list

So, would the idea be to put the typical Windows 98SE floppy disk files on the root of the USB HDD and do 1) above? Then when doing the Ghost image run from the USB HDD point it back to the Western Digital IDE drive [C:] on my PC to back it up to the USB HDD?

Which version of Ghost.exe, or Ghostpe.exe do I need? I might need this file.

Thanks...

You would have to "sys" the USB drive to make it bootable, you can not just copy the system files to it. So you would need a bootable floppy that can access the USB drive (put the USB drivers on the floppy) then do a SYS x: (with x being the drive letter of the USB device) if you have the sys command, otherwise you would have to format the USB drive with a FORMAT /s (in 98). This is all oldschool dos stuff.. lol

edit: As for what version of Ghost to use.. use the one you have a licence for of course. Any of them should work, even older ones. I use an older version of the enterprise edition at work as that is what we purchased, and even though it doesn't offically support USB drives, it works fine because the BIOS is doing the work of USB -> IDE translation, this means it looks like an IDE drive to Ghost.

==>Lazn

[SBMongoos]

hmm... I know DOS. One question though. By doing a 'sys' on the USB drive that will not affect any data currently on that drive will it? Don't think so but it's been a long time since I've run that command.

[rodsfree]

I Ghost several systems where I work......via sneakerNET.
These computers aren't networked...they're running Cordinate Measuring Machines.
And all I use is a boot floppy created by my company's version of ghost that has the USB support enabled on it and a Maxtor External 250GB USB Drive.

Works like a charm every time.
Boot from the floppy and go!


Of course, this wouldn't work if your computer doesn't have a floppy. :(


Next best thing I've seen is the "Ultimate Boot CD for Windows" It's based off of BartPE and once you create one you'll be able to ghost while in a windows desktop.
http://www.ubcd4win.com/
Follow their directions, copy your lisensed copy of ghost to the correct folder and anything else you want. Burn it and go play!

Also try http://www.911cd.net/
They are very active about boot CD's also.



I've even slipstreamed Bashrat the Sneaky's Driver pack into mine and it'll boot damn near any PC I've tried it on, with all the drivers loaded, except sound.
Still got to get the networking figured out on it though. :(


http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/2172.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=2172)

[Lazn_Work]

hmm... I know DOS. One question though. By doing a 'sys' on the USB drive that will not affect any data currently on that drive will it? Don't think so but it's been a long time since I've run that command.

Correct, if it is a FAT (or FAT32) file system SYS will not harm the data on it..

If it is not a FAT file system.. you can't boot 9X off of it.

A newer verson of Ghost with USB support might work better without this monkeying around.. I have not used one.

==>Lazn

[SBMongoos]

LAZN Work

My external USB HDD is formatted with NTFS. Sounds like I'm screwed here. Unless I copy the data from it to my laptop and try to format it with FAT32... etc.

Seems XP doesn't like to format in FAT32 though.

[rodsfree]

LAZN Work

My external USB HDD is formatted with NTFS. Sounds like I'm screwed here. Unless I copy the data from it to my laptop and try to format it with FAT32... etc.

Seems XP doesn't like to format in FAT32 though.

Do the UBCD for Windows thing......
I can even see RAID NTFS drives with it.
Believe me it works......It might take some time on your part to do it but you'll be happy with the results.


http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/2172.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=2172)

[djnes]

I use ERD Commander 2003 to boot from, and I put the ghost32.exe file on the disc. I can see my entire external USB drive, and can drop my ghost images there. I would think the same would work for you, using a similar product, such as BartPE, etc.

[SBMongoos]

Now all I need is a ghost.exe file. I don't want to bother uninstalling Ghost 10 to run Ghost 2003 to try to make a boot disk. Plus it would be on XP anyway. I have UBCD and Bart's PE. Sounds like maybe all I need is the Ghost.exe file from 12/2003 date.

Okay...I found the ghost.exe file with the date above. However, you cannot run this in Bart's PE as I get a Win32 error. Won't run a DOS file... grrrrrrrr

[rodsfree]

Now all I need is a ghost.exe file. I don't want to bother uninstalling Ghost 10 to run Ghost 2003 to try to make a boot disk. Plus it would be on XP anyway. I have UBCD and Bart's PE. Sounds like maybe all I need is the Ghost.exe file from 12/2003 date.

Okay...I found the ghost.exe file with the date above. However, you cannot run this in Bart's PE as I get a Win32 error. Won't run a DOS file... grrrrrrrr

Have you got the UBCD for Windows??? Not just the UBCD....it's DOS only.
THe UBCD for Windows uses BartPE and has the directions for turning your Purchased copy of Ghost into a BartPE plug-in that will run under the PE environment.

I'm even using Ghost 2003 on mine....you really just end up putting the same files that Ghost 2003 puts on the boot floppies that it makes. They provide a couple of INF files and run.cmd files that make it work. They even have the folder pre-made. in their directory structure.
Go to http://www.ubcd4win.com/
or http://www.911cd.net/

And read the instructions on how to make your own UBCD for Windows.
It really is worth the effort.

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/2172.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=2172)

[SBMongoos]

Problem is....for me anyway...I don't have version 2003 installed. I have version 10 installed on my laptop. So I cannot make a disk to get the files copied over. Odd...I've been trying several tactics that should work but I keep running into some road block that causes things to blow up. Starting to wonder about the floppy drive on my PC to.

I happend to have a USB floppy drive. Is there a way for me to set this as the boot floppy and use it instead to access floppies? I'll check the BIOS.

I've often had a difficult time with the F6 option to load the drivers for this Gigabyte board. Eject reinsert. Not sure if the drive i hosed or what.

[SBMongoos]

RODSFREE

I see your point. I have two questions:

1) If I'm unable to make a Ghost Boot Disk then how do I get the files that you'd normally find on the floppy drive. I do have access to the Ghost.exe file

2) How do I incorporate the Ghost build into this whole thing. Plugin or otherwise. I'm not able to find directions at the UBCD4Win site.

Thanks...

[rodsfree]

RODSFREE

I see your point. I have two questions:

1) If I'm unable to make a Ghost Boot Disk then how do I get the files that you'd normally find on the floppy drive. I do have access to the Ghost.exe file

2) How do I incorporate the Ghost build into this whole thing. Plugin or otherwise. I'm not able to find directions at the UBCD4Win site.

Thanks...


The files are in your Ghost dir. on the hard drive. From when you installed Ghost.
Copy them to a pen drive or something.....you just need to be able to get them to the computer that you'll be building your Boot CD on.

Install BartPE per Barts directions.
Now go to the UBCD4Win site... they've got a pretty good step-by-step tutorial on how to intergrate UBCD4Win with BartPE.
First thing you'll do is rename the "Plugins" folder that the BartPE install created. UBCD4W will create it's own when you install it. There is a fork in the install where you can slipstream Bashrat the Sneaky's DriverPack if you are feeling adventursum. You don't have to for generic computers, but it will make your life much easier if you have any RAIDed drives.
After, you've completed the tutorial you should have a ready to burn ISO file that has all of the freeware and demoware utilities on it.

Now, you can start customizing your BootCD. In the new Plugins folder that we created you've got a lot of folders that don't get incorporated into the first ISO that you built. These plugins are all ready for you to install your lisensed software into. Then you'll have them for use on your BootCD.
Ghost is one of the folders. It's got a readme.txt file or something in the folder that tells you how to set it up as a plugin.
Follow those directions, start BartPE and click the Plugin's button. Enable the Ghost Plugin on the list and build your Boot disk.
Burn the ISO to CD and try it.
It should work.

BTW, the Plugin's INF files and such were written for Ghost 8, I think. But the file names and such are the same through Ghost 2003.

There is a whole community of guys that build these plugins. You can get one for just about anything. And to install them all you do is copy the plugin to the BartPE\Plugins\ folder and follow the instructions about which files the plugin needs from the installed application. Some of them will just be 1 or 2 files, some will want the entire App install folder. The Plugin will contain some INF files and some xml files that tell BartPE how to build the plugin into the BootCD and how to run the program once the PE evnironment boots.

Just Google for "Plugin BartPE" and be amazed.

Luck.

[SBMongoos]

[Now, you can start customizing your BootCD. In the new Plugins folder that we created you've got a lot of folders that don't get incorporated into the first ISO that you built. These plugins are all ready for you to install your lisensed software into. Then you'll have them for use on your BootCD.
Ghost is one of the folders. It's got a readme.txt file or something in the folder that tells you how to set it up as a plugin.
Follow those directions, start BartPE and click the Plugin's button. Enable the Ghost Plugin on the list and build your Boot disk.
Burn the ISO to CD and try it.
It should work.]

*****
I cannot find any Ghost folder in any Plugins folder. Unless I'm doing something wrong. I haven't built the ISO file yet as thought perhaps I'm to put the Ghost files into the Ghost folder. I'm not clear if this Ghost folder and readme.txt file are generated after the ISO is built and then I find it on the CD or what.

I've run the ISO build and had two errors. One related to Nvidia/Intel and Nvidia/AMD and about 23 warnings. There was no ISO built do to the errors and they have to be fixed in order to have success with the ISO.

Builder has stopped because there are 2 build errors
ISO image is not created, you must fix the errors!

1) Error: cannot find file: D:\pebuilder319\drivers\Net\Nvidia\nForce4\AMD\bdco1ins.dll

2) Error: cannot find file: D:\pebuilder319\drivers\Net\Nvidia\nForce4\Intel\bdco1ins.dl l

Not sure what to do with this or the Ghost issue I noted just above.

Thanks...

[rodsfree]

[Now, you can start customizing your BootCD. In the new Plugins folder that we created you've got a lot of folders that don't get incorporated into the first ISO that you built. These plugins are all ready for you to install your lisensed software into. Then you'll have them for use on your BootCD.
Ghost is one of the folders. It's got a readme.txt file or something in the folder that tells you how to set it up as a plugin.
Follow those directions, start BartPE and click the Plugin's button. Enable the Ghost Plugin on the list and build your Boot disk.
Burn the ISO to CD and try it.
It should work.]

*****
I cannot find any Ghost folder in any Plugins folder. Unless I'm doing something wrong. I haven't built the ISO file yet as thought perhaps I'm to put the Ghost files into the Ghost folder. I'm not clear if this Ghost folder and readme.txt file are generated after the ISO is built and then I find it on the CD or what.

I've run the ISO build and had two errors. One related to Nvidia/Intel and Nvidia/AMD and about 23 warnings. There was no ISO built do to the errors and they have to be fixed in order to have success with the ISO.

Builder has stopped because there are 2 build errors
ISO image is not created, you must fix the errors!

1) Error: cannot find file: D:\pebuilder319\drivers\Net\Nvidia\nForce4\AMD\bdco1ins.dll

2) Error: cannot find file: D:\pebuilder319\drivers\Net\Nvidia\nForce4\Intel\bdco1ins.dl l

Not sure what to do with this or the Ghost issue I noted just above.

Thanks...


Ok, I was wrong. :o
The Ghost Plugin Folder is included with the Orginal BartPE install. Just copy it over from your Renamed BartPE Plugin's folder. Then you can follow the directions to create the Plugin.

Check Bart's PE Page http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ for more Plugins and The Plugin Repository http://www.bootcd.us/BartPE_Plugins_Repository.php


You need to slipstream Bashrat the Sneaky's driverpacks. Here is the step by step guide.
http://www.ubcd4win.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3208

Luck

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/2172.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=2172)

[SBMongoos]

"rodsfree"

I already run the BTS file yesterday and dumped this drivers into the folder shown in the online demo. There were the UBCD4Win Drivers and the BTS drivers and I did them both. In the demo it says to delete the orginal Plugins folder. You mentioned to rename it, which I did. Is there a reason to keep these from BartsPE or should I delete them before I build the ISO?

Just gotta find the 4 Ghost files now and figure out how to correct the two errors that I rec'd yesterday. Otherwise the build won't complete.

Hmm...not sure I put the BTS drivers in the right folder. I see I didn't. They need to go right into the 'pebuilder319' folder. Still getting the same two Nvidia errors listed above so I still cannot build the ISO.

I'm stuck.

[rodsfree]

"rodsfree"

I already run the BTS file yesterday and dumped this drivers into the folder shown in the online demo. There were the UBCD4Win Drivers and the BTS drivers and I did them both. In the demo it says to delete the orginal Plugins folder. You mentioned to rename it, which I did. Is there a reason to keep these from BartsPE or should I delete them before I build the ISO?

Just gotta find the 4 Ghost files now and figure out how to correct the two errors that I rec'd yesterday. Otherwise the build won't complete.

Hmm...not sure I put the BTS drivers in the right folder. I see I didn't. They need to go right into the 'pebuilder319' folder. Still getting the same two Nvidia errors listed above so I still cannot build the ISO.

I'm stuck.


Just keep working with it...you'll get it. Follow the instrustions to the letter.

You might just try to burn a plain BartPE ISO...without the UBCD4Win included...then you'd have a bootcd with Ghost but not with all the other utilities.

The nvidia errors...I don't know , if you did the BTS driver pack right it would install them.
You have to copy each of the packs files into a certain directory in the plugin folder and run the cmd files, just exactly how the instruction tell you.

Thankfully you are only creating an ISO when you do this.....you don't have to burn it to find out it's screwed up.

Keep at it, use the 911cd and UBCD4Win forums, they'll help you out.

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/2172.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=2172)

[SBMongoos]

rodsfree

Found a fix for the errors I was receiving. Issue with the program it looks like. Basically they just have you rename the 'so called' missing .dll files in the nVidia folders.

Now...instead of deleting the original Plugins folder I renamed it Plugins_PE. Obviously a new one is created when running the UBCD4Win. I see that there are different plugins between the two of them. Have you tried copying from one to the next to have all the plugins or do you just use the new Plugin folder created? I know that Ghost8 has to be copied over.

Ok...I've got the Ghost files I need. I see I need to enable Ghost in the Plugins option in the PE Builder before building the ISO. BUT... it tells me it cannot find the Ghost files even though the correct ones are there. grrrr

[SKiZZ]

I just completed a fresh install of WinXP Pro and drivers on my PC. I'd like to Ghost this to my external USB drive. I have a generic USB drive (case says Speed Metal on the side) with a 200G Maxtor drive installed.

I have this Hiren's Boot CD 7.7 CD with Ghost 8.2. Thought I could try this and then use Ghost 10 to restore this file(s) if necessary. I've only been able to boot up successfully once and and it took about 9 hours to get 25% of about 7G of data and then it blew up. Most of the time I try to boot and make a selection of the USB driver and it goes to scan it hangs.

Argh! I really want to get this done. I wish I still had my Ghost boot floppy disk. I could easily load USB or CD burner drivers and get the job done.
If you can find an old copy of Hiren's BootCD v6.0 otherwise the new USB drivers are a pain to get it to work with a USB drive, it thinks it's a CD USB drive. I do the same thing. It's an awesome tool. I did get 7.7 to work once, but it was only luck, I think. There is a certain way you need to load the newer USB arrangement in Hiren's BootCD and I haven't figured it out recently. I ghosted my LAN party setup after windows was activated and all that happy stuff. It's great when I go, I just re-ghost, update a few things and I'm ready for the LAN.

[SBMongoos]

OK.... I've got the UBCD for Windows built. BTS drivers and Ghost8 setup. Files need to go into Ghost8 directory not subdirectory of Files. Odd. Anyway.... when booting up onto CD I'm not able to see my HDD or USB HDD. I cannot get connected to than router either. The network config looks right. Basic...finds both NICs on my laptop. RJ45 and WiFi.

[rodsfree]

OK.... I've got the UBCD for Windows built. BTS drivers and Ghost8 setup. Files need to go into Ghost8 directory not subdirectory of Files. Odd. Anyway.... when booting up onto CD I'm not able to see my HDD or USB HDD. I cannot get connected to than router either. The network config looks right. Basic...finds both NICs on my laptop. RJ45 and WiFi.

I've yet to get the network working correctly on mine. But the USB, standard IDE harddrives and RAID Controllers work on mine.

Try the forums at UBCD4Win or at 911cd.

You are about as far as I can take you now.

Though it sounds like your motherboard's drivers aren't included in the BTS driverpack.

Bashrat has directions on how to include specific drivers on his website. You'd just have to include them correctly in the BTS Driverpack.


Good Luck and let us know how it turns out.


http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/2172.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=2172)

[SBMongoos]

rodsfree...

Thanks! I've been toying with this on my laptop while at my girlfriends over the weekend. Catching a little hell for spending to much time with this process to. Ha..

Anyway..I've just booted it up on my desktop. This is why I built this CD anyway. I'll let you know how it turns out. At this point I can see all drives and just want to do a 'basic backup' via Ghost to the USB drive and then staring loading programs and then do another backup.

I'll keep you posted.

**************

Well. I completed my Ghost backup via UBCD4Win. Worked fast and I moved the USB HDD over to my laptop where I have Ghost 10 and was able to restore a couple of files. As a test. Able to get onto the internet with UBCD as well. However, even though I give it the group name for the LAN to use it reverts back to 'workgroup' and I'm not sure where to change it so I can access another machine or do a backup if need be. Was able to span to another workgroup. My laptop doesn't see my desktop even when shared under UBCD.

Very cool product the UBCD and thanks for your help 'rodsfree' and prodding me a long.

[rodsfree]

rodsfree...

Thanks! I've been toying with this on my laptop while at my girlfriends over the weekend. Catching a little hell for spending to much time with this process to. Ha..

Anyway..I've just booted it up on my desktop. This is why I built this CD anyway. I'll let you know how it turns out. At this point I can see all drives and just want to do a 'basic backup' via Ghost to the USB drive and then staring loading programs and then do another backup.

I'll keep you posted.

**************

Well. I completed my Ghost backup via UBCD4Win. Worked fast and I moved the USB HDD over to my laptop where I have Ghost 10 and was able to restore a couple of files. As a test. Able to get onto the internet with UBCD as well. However, even though I give it the group name for the LAN to use it reverts back to 'workgroup' and I'm not sure where to change it so I can access another machine or do a backup if need be. Was able to span to another workgroup. My laptop doesn't see my desktop even when shared under UBCD.

Very cool product the UBCD and thanks for your help 'rodsfree' and prodding me a long.


I'm glad that I could help.

Now take your basic setup that works and start expanding it with all the really cool utilities for PC Repair.
You can do a complete spyware removal or really intense virius scans from this thing.
And if you need a plugin...odds are somebody has made one.

Good Luck!

BTW....you can slipstream the BTW Driverpacks into your Windows XP CD's just like you slipstream the SP1 in....then you've got a Windows install CD that doesn't require any dreivers after installation!

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/2172.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=2172)