Ghost Solution Suite

Not quite sure how to pose this question, so let me explain my process...

 

I have one XP image that I can put on any machine (XP with drivers only, sysprepped).  After imaging, sysprep runs, administrator logs in automatically, and a batch runs to install needed software from a network share.

 

The batch takes into account switches (EG. install.bat LAB) so that it knows what software to install.

 

I need a way to communicate to the imaged machine what it needs to install.  I have tried "transfer files" and I have tried "execute command", but they must need the console client which I have not put on the image.

 

Any ideas/discussion would be helpful (no matter how crazy).

In your clone task transfer whatever custom info is needed to the "Ghost Boot" partition in whatever format you decide with the "Transfer Files" option.  ie... batch file, txt file with info whatever.  Also, copy omnifs.exe.  Then add a "Execute command" to your task.  You can then use omnifs to copy the script/txt/info file to your windows partition.  For example:

 

omnifs copy .\mycustombatch.bat 1.1:\mycustombatchlocation\mycustombatch.bat 

 

Omnifs references this way  DISK.PARTITION  so drive 1 partition 1 is 1.1

 

Then your OS can look for the file or just execute it if it knows what it is looking for and its a batch/executeable.

 

The order of execution should be clone machine, transfer files, execute command.

Don't these options (transfer files and execute command) require the Ghost client to be installed?

Sorry, I just assumed you were using the console to push an image to a machine that had a ghost partition/virtual partition.

 

Sounds like you are using a disk/CD/netboot then.  omnifs.exe can still copy a file to the image you just need to include that step in your scripts and the EXE in your boot device.  Not having a high level of familiarity with exactly what and how you are doing this I can only offer that generic advice.

No...you were right.  I am using a Ghost boot partition on a fresh machine.  I just do not have the client installed on my XP image.  The file copy/execute (obviously it has to copy first) does not seem to be working.  Does the copy happen in Windows or in the boot partition after it images?

When you add files to the "Transfer Files" tab the last step has 3 options, they should read:

 

Ghost "Incoming" Directory

Ghost Partition

Specified Path

 

You want ot choose ghost partition.  That tells it to copy the files after it images the machine while in the ghost boot (DOS) environment.

 

Oh yeah, under the network option choose unicast or multicast.   I noted in windows transfer files doesnt work unless you choose one of those options first.

It seems to want to work, but I think Im having path problems.  I've stopped the task after it images and checked to see that my files are on the ghost boot partition...and they are.  It seems to bomb out when I do the omnifs copy.  Any weird quirks when using omnifs that I should know about?

the files that are copied to the ghost partition will be in c:\ghost\incoming

 

if you execute omnifs it will exec like this I believe:

 

.\incoming\omnifs.exe

 

which makes the working directory c:\ghost and your transferred file wont be there

 

so you might need to do the copy from \ghost\incoming\filetocopy  1.1:\targetpath\filetocopy

 

in other words the arguments for the ominfs execution would look something like this:

 

\ghost\incoming\filetocopy 1.1:\targetpath\filetocopy

Thanks David...turned out to be a path error on my part.  Are you at Texas A&M?

yup