The reason for this article is to get a basic understanding of how to get started using Ghost Solution Suite 2.5. Ghost is a powerful program, and can do much more than what is described here; consult your manual for further program exploration.

Getting started

Installation:

Insert your Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 CD, or run the downloaded Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 executable.

Select Install Symantec Ghost.

Select Install Ghost Console and Ghost Standard Tools.

Install the product.

Update Ghost Solution Suite to the latest version:

Register Ghost Solution Suite:

Refer to this document for obtaining a license file and registering the Ghost Console:

Title: 'How to register and activate Symantec Ghost Solution Suite.'

Using the Ghost Console

The Ghost Console is a management utility designed to run administrative tasks on any machines that the user wishes it to manage. To get started with the Ghost Console, a machine must first have a Remote Client installed on it in order for the Ghost Console to be able to manage it. This client is a very small, unintrusive service that maintains communication with the Ghost Console.

Remote Client Install:

First, the workstations that are to be managed must be prepared to receive a Remote Client Install. This document explains how to prepare the workstations:

Title: 'How to ensure your XP/Vista workstations are prepared to receive a Remote Client Install.'

Once the workstations are prepared, open the Ghost Console.

Click the Tools menu option from the top menu bar.

Select Remote Client Install...

Expand "Network". Expand "Microsoft Windows Network". Find and expand the Domain/Workgroup where your workstations are.

Select all applicable workstations. Select Add >>.

Click Install.

If installed correctly, your machines will show up in Machine Groups under Default.

Adding NIC or storage device drivers for use by the Ghost Console:

The Ghost Console uses the same driver database that the Ghost Boot Wizard does when creating stand-alone boot disks. Refer to the end portion of this document to add NIC or storage device drivers using the Ghost Boot Wizard, for use in the Ghost Console:

Title: 'How to make a Windows PE boot package with the Ghost Boot Wizard.'

Once drivers are added to the Ghost Boot Wizard, ensure that the correct boot option is selected in the Ghost Console:

Right-click on the Machine that is the target requiring the new drivers added above.

If selecting a Machine Group, right click it and select Set Virtual Partition PreOS... and select the appropriate driver package.

Select Properties.

Click the Client tab.

Under the Virtual Partition PreOS drop down menu, select the appropriate driver package.

NOTE:

Title: 'How to extract drivers from a self-installing executable'

If you download drivers that are contained within a self-extracting executable (.exe), you can extract them using a zip program such as Winzip or Winrar. Refer to this document for instructions on how to extract drivers from a self-installing executable.

Create image and restore image tasks

Ghost Console uses "tasks" in order to create and restore images, among other administrative procedures.

New Image Create Task:

In order to take an image from a workstation that is set up and ready for a capture, refer to this document to create a new Create Image Task:

Title: 'How to setup an Image Create Task.'

New Task:

In order to run administrative processes such as Restore image ("Clone"), Configuration, User migrations, and additional options related to restoring, refer to this document to create a New Task:

Title: 'How to set up a Clone Task.'

Additional Features:

Using Sysprep with Ghost Console and a Create Image Task:

To run sysprep as part of a Create Image task, refer to this document:

Title: 'How to use "Microsoft Sysprep" with the Ghost Solution Suite 2.5.'

Use a Configuration Task:

To create a configuration task, for the purpose of making administrative changes such as adding a machine to a domain, changing the computer name, setting a static IP address, or to use the previous machine's (prior to imaging) configuration, refer to this document:

Title: 'How to create a Configuration Task.'

Hot imaging:

To Hot Image a machine:

Create a new Image Create Task (as described above in this document).

Under the General tab, in the Extra Options, select Clone using Volume Snapshot (Hot Imaging).

For techniques to ensure Hot Imaging works successfully, refer to this document:

Title: 'Tips for Hot Imaging with Ghost Solution Suite 2.5'

Backup Regimes:

To create and configure Backup Regimes, please refer to this document:

Title: 'How to create and restore an incremental backup with Ghost Console'

Scheduling tasks:

To schedule tasks to run at a predetermined time, refer to this document:

Title: 'How to setup a scheduled time to run a task with the Ghost Console.'

Inventories:

To run inventory reports, and gather information about machines added to the console, refer to this document:

Title: 'How to view and export inventory data in Ghost Console'

Open either Ghost Console or Ghost Explorer

Click the Help menu in the top menu bar.

Select LiveUpdate. After the first update is downloaded and installed, run LiveUpdate again as many times as necessary to get Ghost Solution Suite up to version *11.5.0.2165.

*To check the version number, open the Ghost Explorer. Note the version number when you go to Help > About.