Ghost Solution Suite

Hello,

I am currently an Intern and have been tasked with creating a Windows 8 image using Ghost Cast 11.  I have created the image but when I try to apply it to a computer, I end up stuck in a start up loop that tells me that I have partition error.  I have looked through the forum but am not able to find anything that has helped me.  I apologize in advance if I did not provide enough technical information but I personally do not have the most technical knowledge.  Please let me know what information I would need to provide for better assistance.

I would appreciate any help or direction.

Thank you,

Daniel Antolini

First of all can you confirm the exact version of Ghost Solution Suite that you are using. There is a version 11 and a version 11.5.  The latest 11.5 is version 11.5.1.2266.

We also need to know what hardware you are imaging and whether you are booting to DOS or WinPE for imaging.  Also, have you created a disk or a partition image?

Thank you for your response.

The version that I have access to is version 11.0.1

I would need to create a Windows 8 image for the following types of computers:

Dell Optiplex GX620

HP xw6400 Workstation

The boot process is through USB using DOS.

Sorry for the delay in response.

Daniel Antolini

Additionally, I have not created a disk or partition image.

The problem you face with such an old version of Ghost is that it will not work correctly with modern hardware. Typical problems include Ghost not working with UEFI bioses, DOS not being compatible with SATA hard disks unless the bios is set to compatibility mode, and DOS not supporting big hard disks.

Ghost 3 is currently in a beta test situation with users and it is this version you need to be looking at to meet your requirements.

I appreciate you have been handed a task that is something of a lemon, but can I ask what previous experience you have of PC hardware and the way that operating systems configure the disks, and how imaging works?

For example - what licensing system do you intend to implement for your Windows 8 build?  You cannot use the same serial number for all your machines, so will you be using a Volume MAK key or using a KMS server to handle the licensing of the operating system?  Are you creating one image per machine model or planning to create a single build to handle multiple models?  Have you used WinPE as this is now the default operating system used by Windows 7 and 8 to perform the installation of the operating system?  Are you aware that Windows 7 and 8 both create a tiny hidden partition at the start of the drive which also needs to be imaged to a target system for windows to be able to boot. Will you be installing any other programs on the builds you are creating?  If you plan to include MS Office then you also need to handle the licensing for this using either Volume MAK keys or a KMS server.

You can download the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit for your operating system and work your way through the process of creating a build and how to run Sysprep to prepare the build for imaging. Ultimately Ghost is an imaging tool, but there is a certain level of knowledge of the basics of operating system configuration and deployment that you should know in order to be able to resolve issues and not spend endless hours trying to faultfind.

EdT - Thank you for your response.  From further investigation I was coming to the same conclusion.  To answer your questions:

What previous experience you have of PC hardware and the way that operating systems configure the disks, and how imaging works?

Little to none.

What licensing system do you intend to implement for your Windows 8 build?

This would be handled with a volume license

Are you creating one image per machine model or planning to create a single build to handle multiple models?

I would be creating a single image to deploy to multiple computers of the same model 

Have you used WinPE as this is now the default operating system used by Windows 7 and 8 to perform the installation of the operating system?

I have not, I was asked to work to find a solution using the Ghostcast software.

Are you aware that Windows 7 and 8 both create a tiny hidden partition at the start of the drive which also needs to be imaged to a target system for windows to be able to boot?

I learned this after reading other posts on this forum and from other readings on the Internet.

Will you be installing any other programs on the builds you are creating?

I would also like to install the Office suite and have access to a volume license.

There is a certain level of knowledge of the basics of operating system configuration and deployment that you should know in order to be able to resolve issues and not spend endless hours trying to faultfind.

I've learned this the hard way. This is where my lack of experience is hurting me.  

Thank you for all of your help in this thread and the others that I have read where you were a contributor.

I will mark you last answer as the solution.