Ghost Solution Suite

I am hoping someone here can help me figure out what I am doing wrong.  I have installed ghost console on my server and I have pushed out the client to the client computer over the network.  I setup my task and other stuff that goes with it.  I tried to execute the task, the client runs through sysprep, then attempts to reboot into dos, finds the NIC and loads drivers, and then fails to obtain an IP from DHCP.  Now I cant get the client to boot back into windows.  Nothing is working.  It is probably something I overlooked, but any help would be appreciated.  I have over 100 machines I have to get ready soon and I really need to get this working.

 

Thanks,

 

David

GSS 2.0?  I assume you got the 2.01 update?   Do you use an ICS DHCP server if so there is a hotfix.  The error you get when ghost tries to load is that it could not get an IP.

I am not sure is it is 2.01.  We just recieved that software and I am trying to learn to use it in a hurry.  I know that is bad, but what else can I do.  My live update doesnt work like it should.  We have Symantec Antivirus aswell, so I know what the live update does.  My ghost live update says update found, downloaded update xxxx  (1of1) completed, then it sits there.  After letting it sit for over 3 hours one day I just hit cancel.  So not sure whats going on. 

 

As far as DHCP goes, we run DHCP on a win2kserver on an MS network if that tells you anything.

 

David

quick note:  I finally got live update to work after upgrading Norton AV to 10.2.  Have updated ghost SS to 2.01 and I got the same results when trying to create an image.  I have redone this computer from scratch again and will see if I get any information here before I attempt an image again.

 

PS -- I work at a college, and I have 125 computers that have to be ready to install between July 20th and August 5th.  Any and all help to get GSS to do what its supposed to would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

David

Hi David,

 

When you say the live update is completed, can you find a file called SGSS2.0.1-LiveUpdate.exe on the desktop? If not try refreshing the desktop. This live update doesn't work the way Anti-virus live updates. You will have to manually run the exe from the desktop to get the 2.0.1 update.

Yes, I am now running 2.01 and have tried to make an image of my test machine again this morning.  Now it is stuck not finding an IP from DHCP again and will not boot into windows.  I can not get it out of this network boot.  It is loading the correct NIC drivers for the card installed.

If you are not running the DHCP server you might ask whoever is what kind it is.  Ghost in DOS is having a problem with getting too much info in the DHCP reply from at least the ICS servers, I don't know about others.  There is a hotfix but it has to be requested.  There is an entire thread about this problem search for the error number 19913 to see what others are saying. 

 

The console log file shows something about how it is unable to handle something with regard to viewing the task error but if you watch in DOS the 19913 pops up before it tries again.

I am not sure that I fully understand what you mean.  All of our servers are Dell servers.  The Server DHCP is running on is a PowerEdge 4400.  I hope that helps.

 

 

I am not in control of our campus DHCP but I believe this is the product we use:

 

 

I was calling it ics but it is ISC sorry about that.  What I am asking is what DHCP server do you use.  At any rate, there is a known issue with that DHCP server and it there is a hotfix.  There is a thread about others having this problem:

 

I will see if I can reproduce a successful image stepping through.  If so, how do I get the fix from tech support?  Do I have to call somebody? or download a patch or what?

I had to call and get FTP info. 

Is there a webcast or somekind of demonstration of proper procedure?  I am guessing that I am doing something wrong I just cant figure out what.  I will attempt to do this image once more then post everything step by step.  Maybe someone can see what I'm doing wrong.

If you right click on your task there is an option to view the "Task Scenario"  you can cut and paste that to this forum so all can see what you are doing.  Of course, if there is any proprieteary info/passwords in the task be sure to block them out.

 

As far as web casts go, there is a link at the top of these forums next to Forums & Blogs that says Videos.  You might find something usefull in there but I have never looked myself so I don't really know.

Ok, well I got the test box to image.  Now it just sits there sending status to DHCP.  I have tried to restart it, but it boots right back into the pc-dos and just sits there sending status and recieving acks from DHCP.

 

Did I forget to do something?

I think I have seen other post of similar issues when a clone task completes.  It should return to OS when done.  You can hit CTRL C a few times or F8 at boot and not run any of the startup files then change directories to ghost and type ghreboot   to return to windows.

Thank you for those steps  got that done.  Now, I have applied the image to another machine, exact same hardware as the test box.  The mini setup ran, I had to put in all of the information including the product key, and then had to activate windows.  Now I am sysprep ignorant, isn't sysprep supposed to do all of that for me?  Or, as I said sysprep stupid as I am, do I need to do something different??  I tried to edit the uninstall file, but it said it failed to load or something and I don't know if its something I have to create manually or what.  I have never done unattended installs so this is all new to me.

Im afraid that is where my expertise ends, I do not use sysprep at all.

Well maybe someone else can help with that then.  Thank you for all of your help thus far.  What method do you use?  Maybe its something that would be useful to me here.

We dont use any kind of "prep" tool. We just run scripts after the machine is imaged ourselves.  It is all part of the image or copied to the OS partition post imaging.  We have never had much use for sysprep.