How to modify a network driver speed and duplex settings in Windows PE for Ghost.

Article:TECH110391  |  Created: 2008-01-04  |  Updated: 2011-11-11  |  Article URL http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH110391
Article Type
Technical Solution

Product(s)

Problem



You wish to force a PE network driver to use a different setting to the default "Auto-negotiate".

Symptoms
 

In some environments, auto-negotiate may not give an optimal speed and/or duplex setting for the NIC.


Cause



By default, all network drivers in the Ghost version of Windows PE are set to auto-negotiate. This is set in the INF files that accompany the drivers.

Warning: Symantec Technical Support for modifying NIC Drivers is limited to the use and troubleshooting of Symantec Ghost. Support is not offered for configuring or troubleshooting NIC Drivers. The information below is provided "as is" and questions about NIC Drivers or the process used to modify those drivers should be directed to NIC Manufacturer.

 


Solution



1.  For Drivers that can be Edited in the Ghost Boot Wizard:

For new drivers that have been downloaded, but Not added to the Ghost Boot Wizard, you just need to change the speed and duplex settings according to just the .INF example below.  Then add the new driver into the Ghost Boot Wizard.

For Drivers that already exist in the Ghost Boot Wizard and are Not grayed out or listed as "Always Installed", you will first need to remove the driver from PE by unchecking the driver, Click "OK" and exit out of the Ghost Boot Wizard.  Make the changes according to the Steps and .INF example below.  Then open the Ghost Boot Wizard and either recheck the driver or add it again as a new driver.

To modify the Driver INF file:

1. Open the inf file C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\common\windrivers\\.inf

2. Search for "speed_duplex" and modify the "default" line below to reflect the option you want to apply. There may be more than one section to modify.

INF Example:
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex, ParamDesc, , %Speed_Duplex%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex, default, , "6"
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex, type, , "enum"
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 0, , %Speed_Duplex_Auto%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 1, , %Speed_Duplex_10Mb_Hd%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 2, , %Speed_Duplex_10Mb_Fd%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 3, , %Speed_Duplex_100Mb_Hd%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 4, , %Speed_Duplex_100Mb_Fd%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 6, , %Speed_Duplex_1000Mb_Fd%

3. Save the file

4. Open the Boot Wizard and either recheck the driver or add it again as a new driver.
 


2.  For Drivers that Cannot be edited in the Ghost Boot Wizard, such as the grayed out drivers or listed as "Always Installed" :

In order to modigy the *.inf file of the pre-loaded PE drivers (those that are grayed out and listed as "Always Installed" in the Ghost Boot Wizard), must must loaded by using the boot.wim from the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) for PE. Here is the procedure:

Modify the Driver INF file:

1. Open the inf file C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\common\windrivers\\.inf

2. Search for "speed_duplex" and modify the "default" line below to reflect the option you want to apply. For example:

HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex, ParamDesc, , %Speed_Duplex%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex, default, , "6"
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex, type, , "enum"
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 0, , %Speed_Duplex_Auto%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 1, , %Speed_Duplex_10Mb_Hd%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 2, , %Speed_Duplex_10Mb_Fd%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 3, , %Speed_Duplex_100Mb_Hd%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 4, , %Speed_Duplex_100Mb_Fd%
HKR, Ndi\Params\*SpeedDuplex\enum, 6, , %Speed_Duplex_1000Mb_Fd%

3. Save the file

Add the INF file to the boot.wim

Note that the default PE image for Ghost is located here: "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\common\winpe\sources\boot.wim" (or the winpe-512 folder for the 512 mb ram version). Each boot.wim contains two images. Modifications need to be made to both.

Warning: Symantec Technical Support for Microsoft Windows PE is limited to the use and troubleshooting of Symantec Ghost. Support is not offered for configuring or troubleshooting Windows PE operations outside the functionality of Ghost. The information below is provided "as is" and questions about Windows PE or the process used to create a Windows PE disk should be directed to Microsoft.
 

  1. Download the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) located at:
    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c7d4bc6d-15f3-4284-9123-679830d629f2&DisplayLang=en

     
  2. Once you have WAIK download, burn the image file to DVD using 3rd party burning software or extract the contents of the image file to a folder.
  3. The following components should be installed on a Windows XP SP2, Windows 2003 SP1, or Windows Vista computer. These components are all available on the WAIK DVD burned in step 2.
    1. .NET Framework Setup
    2. MSXML 6.0 Setup
    3. Windows AIK Setup (install last).

       
  4. Click Start> All Programs> Microsoft Windows AIK> Windows PE Tools Command Prompt
  5. Type the following commands at the command prompt:
      • copype.cmd x86 c:\winpe_x86
      • The previous command will Copy the boot.wim you want to modify to c:\winpe_x86\ and keep a back up the original.
      • imagex /mountrw c:\winpe_x86\boot.wim 1 c:\winpe_x86\mount

  6. Next, copy the modified INF file to c:\winpe_x86\mount\windows\inf :  
      • copy "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\common\windrivers\\.inf" c:\winpe_x86\mount\windows\inf
      • peimg /prep c:\winpe_x86\mount\windows

  7. Type Yes to continue.
      • imagex /unmount c:\winpe_x86\mount /commit
      • Note that there may be an error such as "Cannot commit changes" and "data is invalid". Ignore these errors as the data will actually be written correctly.

         
  8. Repeat procedure as above using the command line "imagex /mountrw c:\winpe_x86\boot.wim 2 c:\winpe_x86\mount"
  9. Copy the boot.wim back to it's source directory "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\common\winpe\sources\".




 



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Article URL http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH110391


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