Deployment Solution

Hello,

When Distribute Image Task -task is applied to HP 6930p laptop (with default BIOS settings) Ghost starts restoration on WinPE automation and somewhere after 50%, Ghost closes suddenly without error message, but Deployment Console shows error "Error -99 during imaging process".

I have reproduced this error on two different HP 6930P machines.

We have successfully used this same task+image file on other hardware models like HP 2510p and HP 8440p.

Please assist!

I'm not sure why it would work on some models but not others, but I've seen it where a space in the filename causes problems.  This KB describes a workaround:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH127617

Is there a hidden partition on the system that needs to be deleted?  Sometimes, these small (50-100MB) OEM partitions cause imaging problems.

As always with any new hardware that doesn't work right, you might want to verify that you have the most current NIC and mass storage drivers available by checking with the manufacturer.  In the BIOS, enabling AHCI support (or disabling it) may help.

I almost asked if it's Ghost unicast or multicast, but then I remembered it can only be unicast until the 7.1 release.

Does any of this help the situation?

Hi mclemson,

Thanks for your reply.

There's no hidden partitions on my 6930P's and there's no spaces in a image filename. Our Ghost image file is one file only and 9GB in size.

I also upgraded BIOS version to latest, but no help.

Our DS server is heavily used during this weekend. I don't want to start upgrading NIC/MSD drivers on our WinPE at the moment. But I'll try that out on next week.

I try to disable SATA AHCI from BIOS and also try to deploy another image file (smaller).

Hello Weedee,

I've just started recieving this error.  But it's sporatic.  We had a shipment of 3 HP mini's, 2 took our HII image, 1 did not.  We are primarily a Dell shop but are moving to Lenovo because of support issues from Dell.

So we just recieved our first Lenovo M-series and I'm getting the same Error -99 during imaging process that you are encountering.  I've tried three different Vista NIC drivers for the Network card and I get to the Altiris Dagent waiting, but the console reports the error.

The image does continue to work on our Dell Latitudes, Optiplexs, Lenovo laptops!, HP Mini's (2 out of 3 ain't bad)

Have you found any tricks yet? 

Whenever I get a new bit of kit in, particularly if it uses recovery partitions and the like, I always run the "Full" image job I have. This image job runs a scripted DISKPART command that attempts to delete all partitions on the disk. Now, this is a bit messay, and I am sure there is a better way, but here's the deal;

• While you can use DISKPART to perform a "CLEAN", that takes FOREVER.
• You can script a set of "DELETE VOLUME" commands (hard-coded), but will often receive a failure message you will need to click okay to.
• I can't find a method that will reliably remove all hidden and restore partitions as well as be quick... with the exception of this:

 DISKPART /s <full_delete_file>

Where <full_delete_file> contains:

SELECT DISK 0
SELECT VOLUME 1
DELETE VOLUME
SELECT VOLUME 2
DELETE VOLUME
SELECT VOLUME 3
DELETE VOLUME
SELECT VOLUME 4
DELETE VOLUME
SELECT VOLUME 5
DELETE VOLUME
EXIT

This will nuke the first five volumes on the first disk in the system. most systems pre-loaded with Windows 7 and recovery partitions will have three (3) to four (4) disks, so I try five (5) to be sure. This will, if the various volumes don't exist, just work without an error being produced. If it hits a special "hidden" partition, it will remove it successfully, but you may get an application error from "DISKPART". Clicking "OK" on that allows the image task to continue and work a treat.

After adding this to my job, I've never had partition-based error messages again. Worth a try I think.

But it'll be in WinPE.  Have you looked for it?  Ghost doesn't generally error to the screen, but usually the log file it generates is pretty good.

Image deploy job running in WinPE 2.1

Run Script:

REM Wipe HDD

f:\techsup\windows\wipe.exe -d1 -p00

Deploy Image Ghost- do not boot to production

Run Script:

REM Certify MBR

f:\ghost\gdisk32.exe 1 /mbr /p /y