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Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

  • 1.  Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 09:47 AM
    Hi all,

    I have been trying to create an image from a DELL GX745 for the last couple of days with no success. The machine use the same drivers as the GX620's (Broadcom 57xx) and I can ghost these machines fine but every time I try and create a image from a GX745 it fails.

    I have pressed F8 when the PC reboots to watch the steps that the ghost process takes and always have the same error "Could find any device, The driver failed to load"

    I found another post on this topic about maybe setting the onboard nic to w/PXE so I tried that and also tried w/RPL in the BOIS on the card but this made no difference, I have download the lastest NDIS drivers from the Broadcom website but no enjoy.

    Any idea's anyone?? I have ran out :0(

    Thanks
    Duncan


  • 2.  RE: Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 12:24 PM
    hey duncan,

    You might want to look at the properties dialog for this pc. On the client tab GSS will have listed the template its using. If you GSS cant recognize the network cards pci vendor and device id's then it will not give you a template or possible recognize the wrong card. This setting is what is used to tell GSS what network card driver needs to be copied to the local pc's virtual partition. My thought is the mcassist.cfg file needs to be updated with the correct pci ven/dev id's.


  • 3.  RE: Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 01:24 PM
    Editing the mcassist.cfg file should make the NIC visible. Below are the values I have in my file for my "Optiplex 745 template"

    DRIVER-TYPE = NDIS
    DRIVER-NAME = B57.dos
    NDIS-NAME = B57$
    RECEIVE-MODE = 0
    DISPLAY = YES
    TIMESTAMP = 1159902522
    PCI-TAG = 14E4 167A : Broadcom 4401$

    Hope this helps


  • 4.  RE: Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Jan 20, 2007 11:36 AM
    Hi Duncan
    Even it appears that GX620 and GX745 use the same NIC card (b57), they actually don't. I had to create a template for new card with Ghost Boot Wizard, using NDIS driver, in order to boot into GX745.
    This driver can be found in Drivers directory on C drive when after load OEM version of Windows XP (one that is included with new PC), or on the Dell Resources CD.
    Good Luck.


  • 5.  RE: Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 09:19 AM
    Hi guys,

    Thanks for the info but without sounding like a complete newbie, were do I locate the mcassist.cfg file? Is this a file on a ghost cd that you boot from as I normally use the ghost console to run tasks to start off ghosting sessions. If it is the case that you use bootable CD's I quite happy to try it this way just want to know if this was the case before I went down that road

    To answer Lance's question no the console does recognise the card it says: Unknown PCI identifier 5348:5754 next to the template but I have tried what I believe to be the correct template and it hasn't worked.

    Also when you setup a template/network card within the console you get a parameter section and under advanced tab you can add additional files and change the autoexec and config.sys files would I add the

    DRIVER-TYPE = NDIS
    DRIVER-NAME = B57.dos
    NDIS-NAME = B57$
    RECEIVE-MODE = 0
    DISPLAY = YES
    TIMESTAMP = 1159902522
    PCI-TAG = 14E4 167A : Broadcom 4401$

    information there at all?
    Thanks


  • 6.  RE: Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Jan 26, 2007 11:07 AM
    Thanks for the help Michael after I worked out where and what the mcassist.cfg file was your help got me there in the end! Thanks

    For others please read the below: Symantec Ghost uses 3 files to create a template. These files are stored in a hidden directory on your computer for NT/2000/XP: Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\template (here are all the folders named after your templates)

    In there you can find your driver file in my case b57.dos the mcassist.cfg and protocol.ini get these 3 files right and your sorted! :0p


  • 7.  RE: Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Apr 17, 2007 04:27 PM
    Could someone please help walk a newbie through the whole process?  It is much appreciated.  Thanks


  • 8.  RE: Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 02:36 PM
    Alight, I read this thread, and finally got a solution out of it, so I figure for the rest of the admins who have to deal with this sort of thing on gx745, and whatever is next (gx800, gx820, etc)...

    What I did:

    On your ghost console server, navigate to:

    (Start, Run... )
    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\

    In that folder you will find "Broadcom 57xx"

    Copy that folder, and rename it to "Broadcom 57xx (gx745)"

    (this step is really not needed, but will keep from messing up other labs or computer sets using that template... just a safe guard).

    Now, go to this link:

    http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/netxtreme_desktop.php

    Download the "DOS NDIS2" drivers for the Broadcom NetXtreme

    What I have found is that each iteration of optiplex's gets a new updated nic, and hence, and new driver (at least as far as DOS NDIS2 goes.)

    Extract the download to your desktop (or elsewhere) and get the "B57.dos" file can overwrite the one in your new "Broadcom 57xx (gx745)" folder.

    DO NOT overwrite the protocol.ini file.



    Now, go into Ghost console (which you may want to close/open after the previous steps to reload the templates)...

    Then right click on your gx745 client and go to properties... It should now have a reccomended template of "Broadcom 57xx (gx745)" ... If not, go select it yourself and try to pull the image.

    If it finds the nic and boots into ghost... Problem solved.

    I image the rest of the new gx series will need this driver update... hopefully broadcom will keep supplying us with the NDIS2 drivers.

    Good luck!






  • 9.  RE: Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Oct 31, 2007 03:37 PM
    @ EvanMJ,   
    Thanks for your post.  This has been pretty frustrating.  

    I had pretty much done everything you mentioned except preserving the protocol.ini file.  

    This worked on a Dell Precision M6300 with a Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gig Card

    Downloaded the NetXtreme NDIS driver from Broadcom's site.
    Created a directory in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\"Computer name"
    Copied the extracted ndis2 directory to the directory I just created
    Copied the protocol.ini from C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template\Broadcom NetXtreme Family v6.46 into the directory.   

    Pointed the Client's Adapter to the new driver and the image worked!  

    I'm now setting the computer up the rest of the way before I try sysprep.  But I think at this point it's a good bet the problem is resolved.  Thanks again

    EDIT for some reason I can't get the 'tab's' out of the directory path names?  Any ideas? 


    Message Edited by 96is on 10-31-2007 12:42 PM


  • 10.  RE: Create Image from a GX745 from Ghost Console

    Posted Oct 31, 2007 04:38 PM
    Something I've noticed also that causes the clone to fail is if some settings in the BIOS aren't set a specific way.  If you go into the BIOS and set the hard disk settings to 'Legacy' support, instead of 'Normal' this might help resolve the issue, if the other steps haven't worked.