Help with Sysprep/Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 8.3/XP Pro

AnthonyJD81

First I tried this:

1.) Install WinXP Pro SP2
2.) Configure system settings
3.) Install and configure company applications
4.) Create Sysprep folder in the C:\ and copy sysprep.exe and setupcl.exe from the winxp cd-rom to C:\Sysprep
5.) Run setupmgr.exe from the desktop and: create new sysprep, do not fully automate. i then finish the file and save it to the C:\Sysprep directory (sysprep.txt & sysprep.inf)
6.) So now in my C:\Sysprep folder I have....setupcl.exe, sysprep.exe, and sysprep.inf
7.) Run sysprep.exe and shutdown the machine
8.) I created a Norton Ghost bootable floppy disk and rebooted the reference machine
9.) The disk loads but when I reach the section asking me where to save the image, my external USB HD is not available. This must be a driver issue but I am not sure. I was sure to enable USB 2.0 support on the bootable floppy created by the Ghost Disk Wizard

I also tried this:

-Install Ghost Console onto a laptop
-Install the Client onto the reference machine (desktop)
-We were able to remotely run sysyprep from the laptop on the reference computer over the network
-It saves the image onto the external HD (plugged into the laptop) in 2GB files but it only saved about 6Gb worth of a 22Gb image (3 files total).
-We run into the problem of booting a new machine with the ghost boot disk and trying to retrive the .gho file to image the computer.

Either saving this image to the external USB HD or file server is fine. I just want to get this process working. I don't mind using DOS to net use to the server and pull down the image (although the external USB would be fast).

Please help us here. If you can provide clear instructions that you followed for doing your own imaging solution that would be SO HELPFUL!!!

sprkymrk

Your process looks correct. I use Symantec Ghost Enterprise 8.2 (basically the same thing as Ghost Solution Suite mnus the Client Staging Area) and have created/restored images from CD's and network. I never tried the USB option, but I agree with you that it may be a driver issue. However, try creating a standard boot disk, but don't select the USB Support option. That is for saving the image file on another computer (peer-to-peer) and not for connecting to a USB drive. It even has a little disclaimer stating the fact that by selecting this option may prevent Ghost from gaining full access to all USB devices attached to the computer.

Good luck!

AnthonyJD81

I got it working now. The Iomega drivers for Norton's boot disk are crap. Using Panosonic's USB driver it worked. I still left the norton usb/firewire drivers on just incase but I did not load them when booting from cd-rom.

Basically I used WinImage and Roxio to prepare the emulation image and finally burn it to CD. Here is what I have:

Boot Sector portion of CD-ROM

aspi1394.sys
aspiehci.sys
autoexec.bat
command.com
config.sys
di1000dd.sys
io.sys
mouse.com
mouse.ini
mscdex.exe
mdsos.sys
oakcdrom.sys
Usaspi.sys

Data portion of CD-ROM

ghost.exe
guest.exe

Syntax of autoexec.bat

path=a:\;x:\
mouse.com
mscdex.exe /d:nightowl /l /m:16 /v
guest.exe
rem ghost.exe

Syntax of config.sys

device=oakcdrom.sys /d:nightowl
Device=usbaspi.sys /v
Device=di1000dd.sys
device=aspi1394.sys /int /all
Device=aspiehci.sys
lastdrive=z