Ghost Solution Suite

Hi,

When you try to take the image with sysprep, though the task fails, does the client boot to Windows mini setup?

If that's the case, both tasks fail due to the same reason, DOS network driver.

What is the network card you have in the machine, and what template was used in Console?

Krish

Hi Katirn,

In some cases, not all the versions/models of the cards are compatible with the default driver.

If you press F8 when the client says 'Starting PCDOS', you can go to step by step command execution. This will allow you to see if there are any errros reported during network card initialization. Could you see if it helps?

What is the NIC you use?

Krish

Hi Katrin,

From the error messages, it looks like sysprep process is not successful for some reason. However, XP going through the mini setup indicates that sysprep had been run.

However, before we go to check that, could you see if you can create an image without sysprep, which is a simpler task? Till that is successful, sysprep is going to fail anyway.

What does happen when you try to create an image without sysprep?

Krish

Hi Katrin,

Sorry to ask this question over and over, but the reason is network driver is the MOST common problem for all the symptoms you describe.

What I gather from your response is that the client only reboot ONCE. Is that correct?

When you run a clone task, Ghost client creates the virtual partition using DOS with the selected driver and then boot to that partiton. When boot to that partition, it will install the network drivers and run Ghost DOS client, ngctdos.exe.
From that point, ngctdos.exe starts communicating with the server and wait for a command from the server. But if ngctdos.exe finds that the network driver is not initialized properly, it reboots back to Windows to avoid staying in DOS partition for ever (if it can't communicate wtih server, there is no way the server can ask it to boot to Windows.) Usually, this happens relatively fast and it almost appears like it is booting to Windows, unless you watch it carefully.

In case if it does boot to Winodws straight, that means there is something wrong with the Virtual Partition creation. Usually this error is specifically reported to the Console but in your case there is no such error.

What kind of a partition layout do you have in this machine? Is it a single partition with Windows or some thing more complex? (such as dual boot or split boot systems)

How many disks do you have in this system? and what kind of disks are they (IDE/SCSI/SATA)?

Are there any disk protection programs installed in this machine that may prevent Ghost changing the MBR?

Krish

Hi Katrin,

Most likely this indicates you are facing an timing issue related to network initialization.

Why it works when you go through F8 is then there is an additional time for initialization.

Could you check if you keep pressing 'Y' fast after F8, if it still fails?

If that is the case very likely that timing issue.

Krish

I am having exactly the problems described by everyone above.  I am wondering if there has been any resolution determined.  I am sure the network card drivers and the speed of the DOS boot are causing the problems.  I have an Intel Pro/100 card on 9 laptops.  I am trying to image one in order to place the image on 8 others, so I don't really want to use a work-around.

Please let me know if a resolution has been found to this.

Thank you.

Hi,

What was suggested in the previous post is not a work around, but a process to trouble shoot the issue. Obviously this will not have any use as a workaround since you need to go to each client to do it :-)

Could you let me know if you can get it to work with that process? If that's the case, probably we may have a fix already.


Krish

I've done some troubleshooting since I last posted.  To catch up with where I am now:  The PCDOS is still not going through and these are my apparent problems:

UNDI option ROM not detected!

then further down:

PXE UNDI not available

and finally the whole thing errors out with:

*** Packet driver failed to initialize the board ***

One thing I have noted on reading other potential causes to this problem is the "Network Settings when using Virtual Partition" in the Propertries for [COMP NAME] in the Default machine group.

The "Use Suggested Template:" radio button is greyed out and below it is "Unknown PCI identifiers: 32902:4243 32902:16930". Then "Use Manually Selected Template:" radio button is selected and "Universal Packet Driver v2.0" is the selected driver.

Upon putting in "\net\wait 15" as you had suggested in another thread I came upon an error that said I may have to enable UNDI and PXE in the BIOS or something.  I cancelled out and did not write it down.  The \net\wait thing just gave me a "bad command or filename" error.  I really don't want to have to mess around in the BIOS as, again, that would involve touching every computer.

With or without \net\wait -- going through the DOS screens, no matter how quickly or slowly, did not yield a different result.  I always get *** Packet driver failed to initialize the board *** and the laptop boots back to Windows.

I'll keep troubleshooting, but this is how far I've gotten so far.

Thanks for the reply.

Message Edited by baron1948 on 08-13-200708:21 AM

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the details, which helps a lot to figure out what's going on. You seem to be having a totally different situation to the others.

Ghost uses PCI identifier of the network card to find the suggested network template. Having the PCI identifier there (instead of the network template) means that there are no network templates with those identifiers.

Since Ghost cannot find the network template, it tries to use the Universal Driver. Most of the new machines supports booting from PXE, and Ghost can utilize this driver too. PXE driver is common for all the network cards.

The first error message 'UNDI option ROM not detected' suggests that your machines do not support PXE or it is not enabled in the BIOS. Then everything fails.

One easy thing to do is enabling PXE from the BIOS, if it is available. You need not to have a PXE server; just enabling the PXE option will enable the ROM.

If this is not the case, you can try selecting the network template manually, based on the network card you have in those machines. Usually, PCI identifiers are changed for each version of the machine, so the default templates will not have all the PCI identifiers.

Please let me know the results.

Krish

Krish,

Thanks a lot for the help!  That worked flawlessly.  I did not have to do anything in the BIOS.  I just changed the network template manually on the appropriate computer in the Default Machine Group and tried to create the Ghost image again.

I have now run it both using F8 and stepping through the prompts and without using F8 (to make sure it doesn't require the delay others had mentioned).  It has run well both ways.

Thank you for the assistance.  I really appreciate it.

Now you don't know how to reset sysprep on a machine it's been run on more than 3 times, do you?  :smileytongue:

:smileytongue:

- b

Message Edited by baron1948 on 08-15-200710:16 AM

Hi,

Good to know that it works!

Regarding Sysprep - unfortunately I don't know. I thought that is one of the restrictions with regard to activation?

Krish

That's what I'm afraid of.  Stinks because I'm brand new to using sysprep (and imaging machines in general actually) and didn't realize it would hose the install until I had already hosed the install on my actual built up model machine.

*sigh*

Oh well.  Live and learn.  I'll just start over with a different machine I guess.

Thanks again for all the help.

It is always a good idea to take a plain Ghost image before doing anything :-)

Good point.  I'll do that.

Thanks!

I am having the same error messages as baron.

 

"Packet driver failed to initialize the board"

 

I am also getting messages:

 

"UNDI Option ROM not detected!"

"PXE UNDI not available"

 

This PC has an Intel 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection

 

I have tried the universal packet driver, PXE packet driver, all of the intel packet drivers for the template.

 

PXE is also enabled in the BIOS.

I do not see anything containing UNDI options in the BIOS.

 

 

Baron, can I have your e-mail address?

 

Thanks in advance!