Why dont you want to try using "real" preOS like Winpe or linux instead of DOS? Driver support is so much better and cloning speed is faster. Boot time is somewhat slower but cloning speed will compensate for it.

I understand that Symantec is pushing people off of PC-DOS...I see the signs all over in GSS 2.5, but it takes time to setup and test the WinPE environment...time I don't have right now.  Maybe this summer when I have time I'll get it setup and tested, but right now I just need it to work with PCDOS, which has worked properly on every machine but the Optiplex 960.

And frankly, I've come across topics regarding the 960 and AHCI where it hasn't worked in WinPE either, so that is not the solution. 

I had GSS 2.0 working with a Dell 755 and an HPDC7900 both AHCI enabled versions 9 and 10 and they worked fine.  Fast forward to GSS 2.5 and the 755 is crap with AHCI enabled and WinPE and I now have support technicians trying to change the way I do things instead of fixing their screwed up code to solve my problems.  I find it HIGHLY irritating when the support conversations turn from trying to duplicate the issue and testing then finding a fix to trying to change the way I am doing things from a method they support in their documentation to something different so they don't have to fix their broken code.

I have workarounds for all 3 of my major issues that I figured out without supports help and yet, there shouldnt be a single one!

I am actually about to start testing DOS again in GSS 2.5 with my 755 machines because I am tired of the hassle of the problems with GSS 2.5's NGCTW32 client screweing up BEFORE it even gets to the Pre-OS!

 ..on Latitude D630s and E6400s using AHCI and PC-DOS. My 755 image is still using ATA. I only have 755s in one area of the building so that image won't be rebuilt using AHCI until we go to Windows 7 next year. 

I agree with you on the way support is handled. It is highly irritating to be told that you should switch to something else, when what you've been doing has been working flawlessley. I'm willing to try WinPE, but I don't want to be forced to try it for any reason other than the limitations of my hardware. If Ghost has a PC-DOS option, you should be able to use it. Unless there's somewhere where it's listed as an unsupported option, tech support should work with you to find a solution using it. That's why we pay for maitenance and support. 

I was able to ghost a 755 today using an AHCI image and PCDOS. If you can't get WinPE working, you could always try PCDOS. 

ROM, They currently have a static ghostboot partition that is MSDOS. The problems I experience are when NGCTW tries to make sure either that the local image I have on the machine is there:  step - "Evaluate Path: XXX"  or "Building VP for"   It does the Building VP step (those are seen in the ngctw32.log file) regardless of the fact that the machine has a static partition or not.   I presume it is checking to make sure the static partition has all the right files. 

Once I get to WinPE... it works like a charm.  In fact I have a task that is only command executions like:

ghost32.exe -clone,mode=restore... etc..etc..

and a second exec command:

 ghconfig32.exe /w=1.2:\windows

they work perfectly from the ghostboot partition.  They work about 75% of the time from windows because only 1 step has to happen, building VP for XXX and therefore a greater chance of success in getting to WinPE.  It is whatever the hell ngctw32.exe is trying to do prior to getting me in to the static ghostboot partitions :(

Once in WinPE the gdisk32.exe /revert command takes about 5 times longer than on all my other platforms.

I have to say too that I got the kiss off from support today.  "We are going to have to go with Turn off AHCI as a solution"  That was Tier 1, didnt even make it to tier 2.  I told the tech that essentially he was saying they wouldnt support over 1000 of my computers and that I should find another product that did, his reponse: "Don't put words in my mouth."  Regardless of the words he used, that is what it means to me.  Thankfully our contract renewal is next month and we havent bought it yet.

Hrm,  I just tried it with a clean install with no other products or updates other than the ghost client and it worked.  I will try it a few more times to see if it is consistent. 

Support gives up and it looks like the customer figures it out....

As it turns out all I needed to do was update the current windows Vista install to the latest intel matrix storage driver and that allowed NGCTW32.exe to do its thing properly. 

So much for "Turn off AHCI in the bios" answer that support gave me.