GSS25 A

Symantec Ghost
Solution Suite 2.5

Administration (Lessons)
100-002493-A
COURSE DEVELOPERS Copyright © 2008 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved. Symantec,
Ken Baldwin the Symantec Logo, and VERITAS are trademarks or registered
Tom Salmond trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other
countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
THIS PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND ALL EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES,
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INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY,
EXPERT FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-
Renee McHugh INFRINGEMENT, ARE DISCLAIMED, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT
THAT SUCH DISCLAIMERS ARE HELD TO BE LEGALLY
INVALID. SYMANTEC CORPORATION SHALL NOT BE LIABLE
FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES IN
CONNECTION WITH THE FURNISHING, PERFORMANCE, OR USE
OF THIS PUBLICATION. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
TECHNICAL HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
CONTRIBUTORS AND
No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
REVIEWERS
any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.
Renee McHugh
Casey Johnson Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration
Jim Morrison Symantec Corporation
Hugo Parra 20330 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Krishantha Jayaratne Cupertino, CA 95014
Greg Haldeman http://www.symantec.com
Ray Cotrell
Table of Contents
Course Introduction
Course Introduction........................................................................................... Intro-3
Course Objectives............................................................................................. Intro-5
Intended Audience ............................................................................................ Intro-7
Course Materials ............................................................................................... Intro-8
VMware Environment........................................................................................ Intro-9
Virtual Machine Configuration ......................................................................... Intro-10
Introduction Lab: The VMware Lab Environment............................................ Intro-11
Lesson 1: Computer Lifecycle Management and Symantec Products

Overview of Computer Lifecycle Management ....................................................... 1-3
Symantec Products for Managing the Computer Lifecycle ..................................... 1-6
Lifecycle Stages Addressed by Symantec Products............................................. 1-14
Lesson 2: Ghost Solution Suite Product Overview

What Is Ghost Solution Suite? ................................................................................ 2-3
Ghost Solution Suite Components .......................................................................... 2-7
System Requirements........................................................................................... 2-17
Supported File Systems ........................................................................................ 2-25
Ghost Solution Suite Terminology......................................................................... 2-26
Lesson 3: Installing Ghost Solution Suite

Installing Ghost ....................................................................................................... 3-3
Installing DeployCenter ........................................................................................... 3-8
Creating an Image Repository ................................................................................ 3-9
Lesson 4: Creating Boot Packages

Purpose of Boot Packages...................................................................................... 4-3
Overview of Boot Packages .................................................................................... 4-4
Requirements for Creating a Ghost Solution Suite Boot Package.......................... 4-6
Differences Between the Ghost and DeployCenter Boot Package Builders ........... 4-7
Creating Boot Packages with the Ghost Boot Wizard............................................. 4-9
Creating Boot Packages with the DeployCenter Boot Disk Builder ...................... 4-22
Lesson 5: Using Boot Packages

Methods for Using Boot Packages.......................................................................... 5-3
Creating QuickBoot Executables ............................................................................ 5-5
PXE Components in Ghost Solution Suite .............................................................. 5-9
Configuring the 3Com Boot Services PXE Environment....................................... 5-10
Configuring the DeployCenter PXE Environment ................................................. 5-17
Lesson 6: Creating and Restoring Images

Methods of Creating Images ................................................................................... 6-3
Determining an Imaging Strategy............................................................................ 6-6
Creating an Image Using the Ghost PreOS GUI..................................................... 6-9
Table of Contents iii

Copyright © 2008 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved.
Creating an Image Using the ImageCenter PreOS GUI ....................................... 6-12
Restoring an Image Using the Ghost PreOS GUI................................................. 6-17
Restoring an ImageCenter Image Using the ImageCenter PreOS GUI................ 6-19
Lesson 7: Creating and Restoring Master Images

Issues Involved in Deploying Images on a Network................................................ 7-3
How Microsoft Sysprep Resolves Image Deployment Issues................................. 7-5
Overview of the Sysprep Process ........................................................................... 7-6
Using Sysprep for Windows 2000/XP ..................................................................... 7-7
Using Sysprep for Windows Vista ......................................................................... 7-15
Building and Optimizing the Reference Computer ................................................ 7-27
Creating a Master Image of the Reference Computer .......................................... 7-30
Restoring Master Images ...................................................................................... 7-32
Lesson 8: Deploying Images

Benefits and Challenges of Deploying an Image to Multiple Computers ................ 8-3
Overview of Multicasting ......................................................................................... 8-4
Using GhostCasting to Deploy Images ................................................................... 8-7
Using PowerCasting to Deploy Images................................................................. 8-11
Lesson 9: Automating the Creation and Restoration of Images

Automating Symantec Ghost .................................................................................. 9-3
Automating ImageCenter ........................................................................................ 9-5
Additional Automation Tools ................................................................................. 9-12
Lesson 10: Creating AutoInstall Packages to Automate Post-Deployment Customi-

zations
How AutoInstall Works .......................................................................................... 10-3
Setting Up the AutoInstall Model Computer .......................................................... 10-7
Generating an AutoInstall Installation Script ......................................................... 10-8
Customizing AutoInstall Packages...................................................................... 10-10
Validating AutoInstall Packages.......................................................................... 10-14
Lesson 11: Integrating and Configuring Windows Desktop Computers in the Ghost
Console
Purpose of the Ghost Console .............................................................................. 11-3
Preparing for Client Integration ............................................................................. 11-6
Installing the Console Client................................................................................ 11-10
Setting Global Properties for Managed Clients ................................................... 11-12
Grouping Clients in the Ghost Console............................................................... 11-16
Creating Tasks in the Ghost Console ................................................................. 11-19
Populating the Ghost Console with Client Information........................................ 11-22
Lesson 12: Using the Ghost Console to Create and Restore Images
Overview of Imaging Tasks................................................................................... 12-3
Configuring the Ghost Console to Use the Image Repository .............................. 12-4
Building and Running an Image Create Task ....................................................... 12-6
Building and Running a DeployAnywhere Clone Task.......................................... 12-8
iv Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

Lesson 13: Using the Ghost Console to Migrate OS-Based User Profiles
Overview of User Migrations ................................................................................. 13-3
Building User Migration Templates ....................................................................... 13-4
Capturing User Data ............................................................................................. 13-6
Restoring User Data.............................................................................................. 13-9
Lesson 14: Using the Ghost Console to Perform Post-Deployment Customizations

Benefits of Performing Post-Deployment Customizations on Remote Computers 14-3
The Software and File Actions Task ..................................................................... 14-4
Creating an AI Package Definition ........................................................................ 14-7
Building and Running a Software and File Actions Task ...................................... 14-9
Lesson 15: Using Client Inventory Reports in the Ghost Console

Overview of Client Inventory ................................................................................. 15-3
Managing Collected Data Sets.............................................................................. 15-7
Viewing Inventory Information............................................................................. 15-14
Using Filters ........................................................................................................ 15-22
Using Reports ..................................................................................................... 15-31
Using Dynamic Machine Groups......................................................................... 15-35
Lesson 16: Preparing to Remove a Computer from Production

Importance of Preparing Computers for Retirement ............................................. 16-3
Using GDisk to Securely Retire a Hard Disk......................................................... 16-4
Table of Contents v
vi Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration
Course Introduction
Intro–2 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration
Course Introduction
• Lesson 1: Computer Lifecycle Managem ent and
Sym antec Products
• Lesson 2: Ghost Solution Suite Product Overview
• Lesson 3: Installing Ghost Solution Suite
• Lesson 4: Creating Boot Packages
• Lesson 5: Using Boot Packages
• Lesson 6: Creating and Restoring Images
• Lesson 7: Creating and Restoring Master Images
• Lesson 8: Deploying Images
• Lesson 9: Automating the Creation and
Restoration of Images
• Lesson 10: Creating AutoInstall Packages to
Autom ate Post-Deployment Customizations
• Lesson 11: Integrating and Configuring Windows
Desktop Computers in the Ghost Console
Course Introduction
The lessons in this course are designed to build your knowledge of Symantec
Ghost Solution Suite, enabling you to deploy systems across your network and
maintain client computers effectively and efficiently. The following lessons are
included in this course:
• Lesson 1: Computer Lifecycle Management and Symantec Products
• Lesson 7: Creating a Master Image File
• Lesson 9: Automating the Creation and Restoration of Images
• Lesson 10: Creating AutoInstall Packages to Automate Post-Deployment
Customizations
• Lesson 11: Integrating and Configuring Windows Desktop Computers in the
Ghost Console
Course Introduction Intro–3

Course Introduction (continued)
• Lesson 12: Using the Ghost Console to Create and
Restore Im ages
• Lesson 13: Using the Ghost Console to Migrate OS-
Based User Profiles
• Lesson 14: Using the Ghost Console to Perform
Post-Deployment Customizations
• Lesson 15: Using Client Inventory Reports in the
Ghost Console
• Lesson 16: Preparing to Remove a Computer from
Production
• Lesson 12: Using the Ghost Console to Create and Restore Images
• Lesson 13: Using the Ghost Console to Migrate OS-Based User Profiles
• Lesson 14: Using the Ghost Console to Perform Post-Deployment
Customizations
• Lesson 15: Using Client Inventory Reports in the Ghost Console
• Lesson 16: Preparing to Remove a Computer from Production

Course Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to:

– Discuss the importance of managing the computer lifecycle and how
Symantec products can help with this task.
– Install the Ghost Solution Suite com ponents.
– Use Ghost Solution Suite to create boot packages.
– Use boot packages to load a preOS environment and perform imaging
tasks.
– Manually create and restore images using the preOS graphical user
interfaces for both Ghost and DeployCenter.
– Create a master image file you can use to deploy systems across a
network.
– Use the multicasting technologies included in Ghost Solution Suite to
deploy im ages to systems across a network.
– Use Ghost’s command line interface and DeployCenter’s scripting
language to automate the creation and restoration of images.
Course Objectives
This course includes practical exercises that enable you to test your new skills and
begin to transfer them into your working environment. By the end of this course,
you should be able to:
• Discuss the importance of managing the computer lifecycle and how Symantec
products can help with this task.
• Install the Ghost Solution Suite components.
• Use Ghost Solution Suite to create boot packages.
• Use boot packages to load a preOS environment and perform imaging tasks.
• Manually create and restore images using the preOS graphical user interfaces
for both Ghost and DeployCenter.
• Create a master image file you can use to deploy systems across a network.
• Use the multicasting technologies included in Ghost Solution Suite to deploy
images to systems across a network.
• Use Ghost’s command line interface and DeployCenter’s scripting language to
automate the creation and restoration of images.

Course Objectives (continued)
After completing this course, you will be able to:

– Use Ghost AutoInstall to customize newly-deployed system s.
– Bring Windows-based desktop systems under the management of the
Ghost Console.
– Use tasks in the Ghost Console to create and restore im ages.
– Capture a user’s personal files and settings from a computer and restore
them to the same computer or to another com puter.
– Use the Ghost Console to push out applications and other post-
deployment customizations to m anaged systems.
– Use the Ghost Console to create software and hardware inventory
reports for managed computers.
– Use Ghost’s GDisk utility to prepare aging systems for retirement.
• Use Ghost AutoInstall to customize newly-deployed systems.

• Bring Windows-based desktop systems under the management of the Ghost
Console.
• Use tasks in the Ghost Console to create and restore images.
• Capture a user’s personal files and settings from a computer and restore them
to the same computer or to another computer.
• Use the Ghost Console to push out applications and other post-deployment
customizations to managed systems.
• Use the Ghost Console to create software and hardware inventory reports for
managed computers.
• Use Ghost’s GDisk utility to prepare aging systems for retirement.

Intended Audience
This course is intended for technical personnel responsible for:
Deploying new computer systems
Managing the software and hardware configurations

of production computers
Retiring obsolete computer systems
Intended Audience
This course is for network and system administrators, IT managers, IT support
personnel, and other network operations staff who are responsible for:
• Deploying new computers across their organizations
• Managing ongoing software and hardware configuration tasks for computers
• Retiring obsolete computers

Course Materials
Each student must have a:

• Lesson Guide
• Lab Exercise Guide
• Preconfigured PC for the lab exercises
on b
ss La e
Le i de id
Gu Gu
Course Materials
At the beginning of the course, your instructor should provide you with the
following course materials:
• A lesson guide
• A lab guide
• A computer that has been configured for the lab exercises you will perform in
this class.

VMware Environment
To begin VMware labs:

1. Start a virtual machine.
2. Mount the ISO image (virtual CD).
3. Use Ctrl+Alt+Insert to bring up the login
prom pt.
VMware Environment
You will complete the hands-on lab exercises in this course using VMware
Workstation.
VMware Workstation is virtual machine software for Intel x86-compatible
computers. VMware Workstation allows you to set up multiple x86 virtual
computers and to use one or more of these virtual machines simultaneously with
the hosting operating system. Each virtual machine instance can execute its own
guest operating system, such as Windows and Linux. In simple terms, VMware
Workstation allows one physical machine to run two or more operating systems
simultaneously.
To begin a VMware lab:
1 Start the virtual machine (or machines) you will be using for the lab.
If a lab instructs you to start multiple virtual machines, a good practice is to
start one virtual machine at a time and wait until the Windows login prompt is
displayed before starting up the next virtual machine. Attempting to load
multiple virtual machines simultaneously puts a heavy load on system
resources and considerably slows the loading process.
2 Mount any ISO images (virtual CDs) associated with the lab.
Some labs require you to access a product CD or other CD-based software. In
such cases, you will be directed to mount ISO image files to the CD drive of
your virtual machines. Once mounted, these files behave exactly as if they
were physical CDs, enabling you to browse the virtual CD drive inside the
virtual machine, install software, and so on. Instructions for mounting ISOs as
virtual CDs in VMware are included in the lab exercises.
3 Use Ctrl+Alt+Insert to bring up the Windows login prompt.

Virtual Machine Configuration
Virtual Machine Configuration

There are a total of four virtual machines you will use when performing the lab
exercises in this course. These virtual machines are configured as follows:
Virtual Guest Host Name Purpose IP Address

Machine
1 domcontroller Primary Domain 10.130.6.2
(Windows Server Controller
2003) (Domain/DHCP/AD)
2 GhostServer Ghost Server + Image 10.130.6.129

(Windows Server Repository
2003)
3 ClientSystem01 Ghost client 10.130.6.130
(Windows XP)
4 ClientSystem02 Ghost client 10.130.6.131
(Windows XP)

Introduction Lab: The VMware Lab
Environment
In this lab, you familiarize yourself with VMware and the
VMware lab environment used with the Ghost Solution
Suite course.
Introduction Lab: The VMware Lab Environment

In this lab, you familiarize yourself with VMware and the VMware lab
environment used with the Ghost Solution Suite course.

Lesson 1
Computer Lifecycle Management and
Symantec Products
Lesson Introduction
• Lesson 1: Computer Lifecycle Management and

Symantec Products
Lesson Topics and Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will

Topic
be able to:
Define the term “computer lifecycle
Overview of Com puter
management” and describe the various
Lifecycle Managem ent
stages of this lifecycle.
Symantec Products for Identify the Sym antec products that
Managing the Computer address the needs of computer lifecycle
Lifecycle management.
Match the Symantec products discussed
Lifecycle Stages
in this lesson with the stages of the
Addressed by Sym antec
com puter lifecycle each product
Products
addresses.
1–2 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

Overview of Computer Lifecycle
Management
1
Overview of Computer Lifecycle Management
The term “computer lifecycle management” refers to the management of computer
assets from the time a business receives a new computer and prepares the
computer for employee use, until the computer is decommissioned from its
original role and either disposed of or repurposed.
There are numerous stages in the computer lifecycle, and these stages may vary
from company to company, depending on business needs. In most cases, however,
these stages can be categorized as follows:
• Asset identification: Accounting for and reconciling real IT assets with
physical locations, cost centers, and users within an organization
• Contract management: Keeping track of which licenses the business owns and
when leases and license agreements are set to expire
• Deployment and configuration: Creating OS images and deploying these
images to new computers or to computers that are being migrated to a new OS
• Application distribution: Creating and distributing application installation
packages to deliver corporate software or department-specific software to
employees
• Vulnerability and compliance: Ensuring that computers are protected from
system and network threats such as viruses, malware, unauthorized intrusion,
and data theft
• Patch management: Managing and delivering OS and application fixes and
updates across an organization
• System continuity: Ensuring system availability by regularly creating backups
to quickly recover from data loss or OS failure
Lesson 1 Computer Lifecycle Management and Symantec Products 1–3

• Monitor and track: Staying informed about the status and health of computers
across the organization
• Problem resolution: Tracking, troubleshooting, and resolving computer issues
• Transition and migration: Preparing obsolete computers for retirement, or
migrating computers to a new OS or hardware

Overview of Computer Lifecycle
Management
Procurement Deployment Management Retirement
1
• Asset • Deployment and • Ongoing Transition and
identification configuration distribution of migration
• Contract • Initial corporate-wide
management distribution of and department-
standard specific
corporate applications
applications • Vulnerability and
com pliance
• Patch
m anagement
• System continuity
• Monitor and track
• Problem
resolution
The Four Main Areas of the Computer Lifecycle

To simplify the discussion of the computer lifecycle, these ten stages are often
grouped into the following areas:
• Procurement (asset identification and contract management)
• Deployment (deployment and configuration, as well as initial distribution of
standard corporate applications)
• Management (ongoing distribution of corporate-wide and department-specific
applications, vulnerability and compliance, patch management, system
continuity, monitor and track, and problem resolution)
• Retirement (transition and migration)

Symantec Products for Managing the
Computer Lifecycle
Sym antec Ghost Solution Suite
Altiris Client Management Suite
Altiris Service and Asset Management Suite
Symantec Backup Exec
Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery
Sym antec Endpoint Protection
Symantec Network Access Control
Symantec Products for Managing the Computer Lifecycle

Symantec offers a wide range of products for both server and client systems that
address the needs of the computer lifecycle. Symantec’s full lifecycle management
portfolio is not discussed here; however, this section offers a brief overview of the
following products that assist businesses in the lifecycle management process.
• Symantec Ghost Solution Suite
• Altiris Client Management Suite
• Altiris Service and Asset Management Suite
• Symantec Backup Exec
• Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery
• Symantec Endpoint Protection
• Symantec Network Access Control

Symantec Ghost Solution Suite
1
• File-based and sector-based
imaging for Windows and Linux
deployment and m igration
Symantec Ghost • Software distribution
Solution Suite • PC “personality” migration (user
provides small data, settings, and profiles)
businesses with: • Hardware and software inventory
• Secure system retirement
Symantec Ghost Solution Suite

Symantec Ghost Solution Suite is a proven, trusted, and affordable solution for
imaging, deploying, and configuring systems in the small business sector. Ghost
Solution Suite helps reduce information technology costs and assists with
maintaining a consistent and compliant desktop environment by streamlining and
automating IT tasks from procurement to retirement.
Ghost includes the following features:
• File-based and sector-based imaging for Windows and Linux deployment and
migration
• Software distribution
• PC “personality” migration (user data, settings, and profiles)
• Basic hardware and software inventory
Note: Symantec Ghost Solution Suite should not be confused with Norton Ghost,
another Symantec imaging product. Norton Ghost is a consumer product designed
primarily for backing up home or small office computers, while Symantec Ghost
Solution Suite is a system deployment solution for business, with capabilities for
centralized management and unattended deployment of images across a network.

• Imaging, deploym ent, and configuration

of multiple OS types (Windows, Linux,
and Solaris)
• Policy-based software distribution
• PC personality and OS migration
Altiris Client
• Centralized management of mixed
Management Suite
hardware, OS, and device types from a
provides medium to single console
large businesses • Com prehensive hardware and software
with: inventory
• Usage tracking and reporting for
hardware, software, and applications
• Patch m anagement
• Help desk problem assessment

Altiris Client Management Suite provides medium to large businesses with a
robust endpoint management solution for desktops, notebooks, and handheld
devices throughout their lifecycle. Client Management Suite addresses critical IT
issues encountered throughout the computer lifecycle in one affordable, easy-to-
use suite. The suite includes the following features:
• Imaging, deployment, and configuration of multiple OS types (Windows,
Linux, and Solaris)
• Policy-based software distribution
• PC personality and OS migration
• Centralized management of mixed hardware, OS, and device types from a
single console
• Comprehensive hardware and software inventory
• Usage tracking and reporting for hardware, software, and applications
• Patch management
• Help desk problem assessment

Altiris Service and Asset Management
Suite
1
• Provides a centralized, unified
configuration management database
(CMDB) and asset repository
• Integrates help desk management and
asset management functions
Altiris Service and • Em powers the help desk to quickly
Asset Management resolve incidents
Suite: • Creates a baseline for security audits
• Enforces corporate standards
• Provides a foundation for
configuration management activities
(OS and user m igration, deployment
and provisioning, software packaging,
and so on)
Altiris Service and Asset Management Suite

Traditionally, service and asset management processes have been separate. The
introduction and growing requirement for a centralized configuration management
database (CMDB) and asset repository has led to the integration of service and
asset management processes. Although this integration is a trend in the
marketplace, few service and asset management tools allow organizations to easily
integrate service management and asset management domains. This situation has
led to high integration and maintenance costs, inaccuracy of repository data, and
process re-engineering.
Altiris Asset Management Suite removes the high cost of integration and helps
ensure repository data accuracy by leveraging a unified CMDB and asset
repository. Altiris Asset Management Suite:
• Provides a centralized, unified configuration management database (CMDB)
and asset repository
• Integrates help desk management and asset management functions
• Empowers the help desk to quickly resolve incidents
• Creates a baseline for security audits
• Enforces corporate standards
• Provides a foundation for configuration management activities (OS and user
migration, deployment and provisioning, software packaging, and so on)

• Protects and recovers data on file

servers, application servers, desktops,
and laptops
Symantec Backup • Provides continuous data protection
Exec: • Enables recovery of e-mail messages,
folders, and documents in seconds
• Provides centralized management
capabilities to simplify administration

Symantec Backup Exec addresses data protection requirements by continuously
backing up data and making it available for quick and easy retrieval in the event of
data loss. Whether data resides on a Windows file server; on a desktop or laptop;
or on a critical application server like Exchange, SQL, or SharePoint, Symantec
Backup Exec has the capability and compatibility to offer full data protection and
recovery.
Designed to meet the growing needs of today’s businesses, Symantec Backup Exec
delivers complete disk-to-disk-to-tape data protection and recovery for Windows
environments. The Backup Exec solution provides traditional tape-based, as well
as disk-based, continuous data protection—eliminating backup windows
altogether, speeding data recovery, and enabling end users to recover their own
files without IT intervention. Backup Exec recovers data in seconds, including
business-critical information such as individual email messages, folders, and
documents.

Symantec Backup Exec System
Recovery
1
• Captures backups of the entire live
Windows system
Symantec Backup • Provides rapid, reliable recovery —
Exec System even to dissimilar hardware and
virtual environments
Recovery:
• Provides centralized management
capabilities to simplify
administration
Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery

Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery enables businesses to recover Windows
computers from system malfunction or failure in minutes. Helping IT
administrators meet recovery time objectives, Backup Exec System Recovery
provides fast, easy-to-use system restoration or full bare metal recovery to
dissimilar hardware and even virtual environments. Backup Exec System
Recovery also provides the ability to recover systems in remote, unattended
locations.

Symantec Endpoint Protection
• Protects against viruses, spyware,

and proactive threats
• Provides device control
Symantec Endpoint
• Provides a firewall and intrusion
Protection:
prevention capabilities
• Sim plifies endpoint security
administration through the use of a
central management console
Symantec Endpoint Protection

Symantec Endpoint Protection addresses data, applications, OS, and network
security protection requirements by ensuring system integrity. Symantec Endpoint
Protection combines Symantec AntiVirus with advanced threat prevention to
deliver an unmatched defense against malware for laptops, desktops, and servers.
Symantec Endpoint Protection provides protection against even the most
sophisticated attacks that evade traditional security measures, such as rootkits,
zero-day attacks, and mutating spyware.
Symantec Endpoint Protection also provides advanced threat prevention that
protects endpoints from targeted attacks and attacks not seen before. It includes
turnkey, proactive technologies that automatically analyze application behaviors
and network communications to detect and block suspicious activities, as well as
administrative control features that allow you to deny specific device and
application activities deemed as high risk for your organization. With Symantec
Endpoint Protection, you can even block specific actions based on the location of
the user.
Symantec Endpoint Protection simplifies endpoint security administration through
the use of a central management console that manages the configuration and
behavior of the Symantec Endpoint Protection agent on protected systems. The
console provides operational efficiencies such as single software updates and
policy updates, unified central reporting, and a single licensing and maintenance
program.
Note: Symantec Antivirus should not be confused with Norton Antivirus. Norton
Antivirus is intended for home or small office use, while Symantec Antivirus is
designed to protect networked enterprise environments.

1
• Discovers com puters that attem pt to
access the network
• Determines if computers are
compliant with security policies
Symantec Network
• Quarantines, remediates, or gives
Ac cess Control:
limited network access to non-
compliant computers
• Monitors connected computers to
ensure ongoing com pliance

Symantec Network Access Control addresses network security protection
requirements by controlling computers’ access to the network.
In today’s computing environments, network administrators are faced with the
challenge of providing access to corporate resources for a growing user
population. This user population includes both onsite and remote employees, as
well as guests, contractors, and other temporary workers. Never before has the
burden of maintaining the integrity of network environments been more
challenging. It is no longer acceptable to provide unchecked access to the network.
With the significant increase in the numbers and types of endpoints accessing their
systems, organizations must have the ability to verify the health and posture of
endpoints, both prior to connecting to resources and on a continual basis after
endpoints connect.
Symantec Network Access Control helps ensure that endpoints are in compliance
with IT policy before those endpoints are allowed to connect to the corporate
network. Regardless of how endpoints connect to the network, Symantec Network
Access Control discovers and evaluates endpoint compliance status, provisions the
appropriate network access, provides remediation capabilities, if needed, and
continually monitors endpoints for changes in compliance status. The result is a
network environment where corporations can realize significant reductions in
security incidents and increased levels of compliance with corporate IT security
policy.

Lifecycle Stages Addressed by
Symantec Products
Procurement Deployment Management Retirement
Altiris Client • Ghost Solution • Ghost Solution • Ghost Solution

Management Suite Suite Suite
Suite • Altiris Client • Altiris Client • Altiris Client
Managem ent Management Management
Suite Suite Suite
• Altiris Service
and Asset
Management
Suite
• Backup Exec
• Backup Exec
System Recovery
• Endpoint
Protection
• Network Access
Control
Lifecycle Stages Addressed by Symantec Products

The products we have discussed in this lesson address the needs of the different
computer lifecycle stages as follows:
Procurement
• Altiris Client Management Suite (asset identification and contract
management)
Deployment
• Ghost Solution Suite (deployment and configuration for small businesses)
• Altiris Client Management Suite (deployment and configuration for medium to
large businesses)
Management
• Ghost Solution Suite (application distribution and monitoring and tracking
functionality for small businesses)
• Altiris Client Management Suite (application distribution, patch management,
and monitoring and tracking functionality for medium to large businesses)
• Altiris Service and Asset Management Suite (problem resolution)
• Symantec Backup Exec (system continuity)
• Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery (system continuity)
• Symantec Endpoint Protection (vulnerability and compliance)
• Symantec Network Access Control (vulnerability and compliance)

Retirement
• Symantec Ghost Solution Suite (transition and migration for small businesses)
• Altiris Client Management Suite (transition and migration for medium to large
businesses)

Lesson Summary
Key Points
In this lesson, you learned about:
– The definition of “computer lifecycle management”
– The various stages of the computer lifecycle
– Symantec products that address the needs of computer lifecycle
management
– The specific stages of the computer lifecycle that Symantec
products address

Lesson 2
Ghost Solution Suite Product Overview
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products
After completing this lesson, you will be able

Topic
to:
What Is Ghost Solution Describe the purpose and key features of Ghost
Suite? Solution Suite.
Ghost Solution Suite Identify the individual products and com ponents
Components included in Ghost Solution Suite, and describe how
these components are normally distributed across
the network.
System Requirements Describe the system requirements for the different
com ponents of Ghost Solution Suite.
Supported File Systems Identify the file system s that Ghost Solution Suite
can image.
Ghost Solution Suite Define common Ghost Solution Suite terms
Terminology (“master image,” multicasting,” “PXE,” and so on).

What Is Ghost Solution Suite?
Ghost Solution Suite provides:

• File-based and sector-based imaging
• OS deployment and migration
2
• Hardware and software inventory
What Is Ghost Solution Suite?

Ghost Solution Suite is a set of tools for small- to medium-sized businesses for
deploying new computer systems and managing these computers throughout their
lifecycle.
Ghost Solution Suite provides:
• File-based and sector-based imaging
• OS deployment and migration
• Hardware and software inventory
Ghost Solution Suite helps reduce information technology costs and assists with
maintaining a consistent and compliant desktop and server environment by
streamlining and automating IT tasks from acquisition to disposal.
Lesson 2 Ghost Solution Suite Product Overview 2–3

Key Benefits of Ghost Solution Suite
Ghost Solution Suite offers:

• Effective management of Windows environments
• Integrated user migration functionality
• Rapid deployment of files, applications, and systems
• Reliable system refreshes and updates
• Secure system retirement and data disposal
Key Benefits of Ghost Solution Suite

Ghost Solution Suite offers the following key benefits:
• Effective centralized management of Windows environments: Design
provisioning tasks based on specific client attributes, providing more effective
management of image and software deployments.
• Integrated user migration functionality
– Configure tasks to create a backup image, capture user data and settings,
deploy a new OS, perform post-migration configurations, and restore user
data and settings.
– Perform peer-to-peer migration.
– Utilize other Ghost features such as the client staging area and multicasting
to help further streamline the migration operation.
• Rapid deployment of files, applications, and systems
– Accelerate and automate deployments using powerful Ghost multicasting
and new generic task functionality.
– Reduce the cost, complexity, and time required to deploy operating systems
such as Windows Vista.
– Preserve files and folders during an image deployment using the client
staging area.
– Reduce the overall number of image files needed.
– Use a single image file for multiple hardware platforms.

• Reliable system refreshes and updates
– Ensure availability of systems, data, and PC settings following a system
refresh.
– Reduce help desk costs and end-user frustration following a system refresh.
– Simplify and speed image management by easily adding, removing, or
modifying files within an existing image.
• Secure system retirement and data disposal
– Reduce the risk and liability associated with system retirement and data
disposal.
– Comply with the U.S. Department of Defense Standard 5220.22-M
2
(guideline for erasing magnetic media to guarantee all data previously
contained is permanently deleted) for hard disk drive wiping.
– Implement best practices that meet the highest industry standards.

New Features in
Ghost Solution Suite 2.5
Key new features in Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 include:

• WinPE and Linux ThinStation PreOS environments
• Hardware-independent imaging (DeployAnywhere)
• Hot imaging
• Erase Machine task
• Support for .vmdk images (create and restore), and .v2i/.pqi
images (restore only)
• Native Linux versions of Ghost, GDisk, GhConfig, GhRegEdit,
and OmniFS
• Software and File Actions (ability to specify the order of task
steps in the Ghost Console)
• Improved Sysprep interface
New Features in Ghost Solution Suite 2.5

Key new features in Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 include the following:
• New PreOS environments: Both the Ghost Console and the standard tools
include support for WinPE 2.0 in addition to PC-DOS, greatly improving
hardware compatibility. Additionally, a bundled Linux distribution
(ThinStation) has been included for creating Linux PreOS boot packages.
• Hardware-independent imaging: The Ghost Console’s new DeployAnywhere
feature allows a single image to be deployed to diverse hardware. Necessary
drivers are obtained from a centrally managed driver database.
• Hot imaging: From both the Ghost Console and the standard tools, you can
create images of an OS partition while the operating system is running.
• Erase Machine task: The Ghost Console now includes a task to securely erase
computers for decommissioning or prior to reimaging.
• VMDK/V2i/PQI support: VMDK virtual disks, Symantec Backup Exec
System Recovery (V2i) images, and Symantec DeployCenter (PQI) images
can be deployed directly from the Ghost Console and the Ghost PreOS
executable. Ghost also lets you create images of VMDK virtual disks.
• Native Linux tools: Native Linux versions of the Ghost executable and
standard tools are provided.
• Software and File Actions: You can specify the order in which to perform file
transfer, command execute, and AI package deployment task steps in the Ghost
Console. You can also transfer folders to clients, retrieve files from clients, and
obtain return codes when running command actions.
• Improved Sysprep interface: The interface for creating Sysprep unattend files
is now much easier to use.
Ghost Solution Suite Components
Ghost Solution Suite
2
Symantec Ghost DeployCenter
Deploy Toolkit
Ghost Solution Suite Components

Ghost Solution Suite is a combination of two separate imaging products: Ghost
and DeployCenter. As you work with these two products, you will notice there are
numerous overlaps and duplications in their feature sets and functionality.
However, there are some distinct differences in the underlying technology and
capabilities of each product that make Ghost Solution Suite a highly flexible and
powerful imaging and deployment solution for a wide range of businesses.
To understand each product’s capabilities, you will begin by exploring the
individual components of Ghost and DeployCenter.

Ghost Components
Sym antec Ghost
Ghost
Ghost Ghost Standard
Console AutoInstall Tools
Ghost Ghost GhConfig

Console Ghost
Client User GDisk GhRegEdit
Migration
Wizard Ghost Walker OmniFS
Ghost Explor er User Migration

Package Explorer
Ghost Boot
Wizard
User Migration
Content IDE
GhostCast Server
Ghost Components
Ghost Console
The Ghost Console is a Windows server-based application for remote management
of computers. Using the Ghost Console, IT managers can group managed
computers and deploy tasks to them.
Ghost Console Client

The Ghost Console client enables remote control from the Ghost Console. The
Console client includes a Windows agent and a Ghost partition.
You can install the client on Windows Vista/XP/2000 computers. The Ghost
Standard Tools Windows agent lets the computer start from the Ghost partition
when necessary, and it coordinates the tasks that you start from the Console.
Ghost AutoInstall
Ghost AutoInstall has two components, AI Builder and AI Snapshot, that let you
create and customize application packages. You can use the Ghost Console to
deploy AutoInstall packages to computers.
Ghost User Migration Wizard

The Ghost User Migration Wizard is an application that lets you migrate the
settings and files from one computer to another. The process of upgrading
hardware or operating systems can be a time-consuming task. You must transfer
files and folders and then reset applications with mandatory settings and custom

options. The Ghost User Migration Wizard helps facilitate this process by helping
you copy files, folders, and settings from a source computer to a destination
computer. You can run the wizard in a direct computer-to-computer operation, or
you can save the settings and files in a package.
Ghost Standard Tools

Ghost for DOS
The Ghost executable (Ghost.exe) can create and restore images of computers.
Because the executable is small with minimal conventional memory requirements,
you can run the executable easily from a DOS boot disk set or hard drive.
2
Ghost for Linux
The Ghost executable for Linux (ghost) runs natively in Linux and is identical in
appearance and imaging capabilities to the Ghost executable for DOS.
Ghost for Windows
Ghost32.exe is a 32-bit version of Ghost.exe that runs on 32-bit versions of
Microsoft Windows Vista/XP/PE/2000.
Ghost64.exe is a 64-bit version of Ghost.exe that runs on 64-bit versions of
Microsoft Windows Vista/XP/PE.
Using Ghost32.exe or Ghost64.exe, you can create image files on hard
drives that are accessible from these operating systems, and communicate with the
GhostCast Server.
Note: To create an image file of the boot drive using the Ghost Windows
executables, you must run Ghost in Windows PE.
GDisk
GDisk is a complete replacement for the FDISK and FORMAT utilities that
enables:
• FAT and NTFS file system formatting
• Batch mode operation
• Hiding and unhiding of partitions
• Secure disk wiping to U.S. DoD requirements
• Extensive partition reporting
Unlike FDISK, which uses interactive menus and prompts, GDisk is command-
line driven and offers faster configuration of a disk’s partitions.

The following table lists the available GDisk versions:
Version Description
GDisk.exe Runs in DOS
GDisk32.exe Runs from the command line in 32-bit Windows
GDisk64.exe Runs from the command line in 64-bit Windows
gdisk Runs in Linux
Ghost Walker
Ghost Walker assigns statistically unique security identifiers (SIDs) to restored
Microsoft Windows Vista/XP/2000/NT workstations. The SID is an important part
of the Windows Vista/XP/2000/NT security architecture because it provides a
unique identifier when a computer is networked.
The following table lists the Ghost Walker versions that are available:
Version Description
ghstwalk.exe Runs in DOS
GhWalk32.exe Runs from the command line in 32-bit Windows
Ghost Explorer
Ghost Explorer lists all of the files and directories within image files. On FAT,
NTFS, and Linux file systems, you can also use Ghost Explorer to add individual
directories and files to image files, as well as recover and delete directories and
files from image files.
Ghost Boot Wizard
The Ghost Boot Wizard enables you to create boot packages. A boot package can
be a boot disk, a Ghost image file, an ISO image, or a Preboot eXecution
Environment (PXE) image. Boot packages are used for cloning jobs, from creating
a simple boot disk for GhostCasting to providing a boot image for use with PXE
applications such as DynamicAccess boot services from 3Com or Microsoft
Remote Installation Service. The Ghost Boot Wizard guides you to the drivers
needed to create a boot package.
GhostCast Server
The GhostCast Server lets you deliver an image file to multiple computers
simultaneously through a single IP multicast transmission. A multicast
transmission can minimize the impact on network traffic. The GhostCast Server
sends and receives images to or from one or more computers. This method of
delivery usually is faster than accessing a mapped network drive.

GhConfig
GhConfig is an executable you can use to quickly apply post-deployment
configuration settings to a computer. For example, GhConfig enables you to
change a computer’s name immediately after an image is deployed to that
computer.
The following table lists the GhConfig versions that are available:
Version Description
GhConfig.exe Runs in DOS
2
GhConfig32.exe Runs in 32-bit WinPE
GhConfig64.exe Runs in 64-bit WinPE
ghconfig Runs in Linux
GhRegEdit
GhRegEdit is a utility for editing the Windows registry.
The following table lists the GhRegEdit versions that are available:
Version Description
GhRegEdt.exe Runs in DOS
GhRegEdit32.exe Runs from the command line in 32-bit Windows
GhRegEdit64.exe Runs from the command line in 64-bit Windows
ghregedit Runs in Linux
OmniFS
OmniFS is a general-purpose utility for manipulating files and directories in a
locally attached NTFS or FAT file system (including FAT hidden partitions).
The following table lists the OmniFS versions that are available:
Version Description
OmniFS.exe Runs in DOS
OmniFS32.exe Runs from the command line in 32-bit Windows
OmniFS64.exe Runs from the command line in 64-bit Windows
omnifs Runs in Linux
User Migration Package Explorer

The User Migration Package Explorer enables you to explore the settings and files
contained in User Migration packages that you create in the Ghost Console to
migrate users’ desktop settings and files from one computer to another.

User Migration Content IDE
The User Migration Content IDE enables advanced users to create their own
application migration definitions. To run the User Migration Content IDE tool, you
must install Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or later.

DeployCenter Components
Symantec DeployCenter
ImageCenter PowerCasting PXE VF Editor Deploy Toolkit

Server
2
PQAccess
Boot Unicasting ImageExplorer VBE
Disk PQIDeploy
Builder PQA
PQDisk
PQIExtract
PQQuery
DeployCenter Components
ImageCenter DOS Executable

The ImageCenter DOS executable (Pqimgctr.exe) can create and restore
images of computers. Because the executable is small and has minimal
conventional memory requirements, you can run the executable easily from a DOS
boot disk set or hard drive.
Boot Disk Builder

Boot Disk Builder is a Windows application that automates and simplifies the
creation of five types of DOS boot diskettes: PowerCast, Unicast, Microsoft TCP/
IP network, Novell NetWare Client, and stand-alone boot diskettes for local
booting.
PowerCasting
PowerCasting enables you to deploy an image to multiple computers
simultaneously. There are executables for DOS and Windows PowerCast servers
and a DOS PowerCast client.
Unicasting
Similar to PowerCasting, you can use Unicasting to connect workstations to a
server to create and deploy images. Unicasting differs from PowerCasting,
however, in that Unicasting uses a point-to-point transport connection and a
specific IP address on both the server and client sides instead of sending data using
a multicast (limited broadcast) IP address.

PXE Server
The PXE Server provides greater flexibility and control when performing remote
deployments (for example, you can assign deployment jobs to PXE-booted
systems through their MAC addresses).
ImageExplorer
With ImageExplorer, you can copy image files, copy partitions within image files,
compress/uncompress partitions, and restore individual files from images.
VF Editor
VF Editor is based on WinImage technology. This tool enables you to easily open
and edit the contents of existing virtual floppies, create new virtual floppies, and
convert existing floppy diskettes into virtual floppies.
Virtual floppy technology, a patent-pending technology from Symantec, enables
you to boot any computer into DOS mode and execute tasks. Virtual floppy
technology is unique because it enables you to create an image of a physical boot
floppy and use that image to boot computers remotely. In addition, virtual floppy
technology operates independently of physical hard disk partitions and file
systems.

Deploy Toolkit
The Deploy Toolkit is a collection of utilities that perform a variety of tasks that
are common and useful for a configuration center or IT department. The utilities
are available for multiple operating systems, so they are easy to integrate with your
existing procedures. In addition, many of the programs are scriptable, so if you
perform some functions repeatedly, you can create script files to automate
processes.
The following utilities are included in the Deploy Toolkit:
• PQAccess enables you to perform file-related operations on partitions that the
active operating system cannot recognize or access. This is especially useful in
2
DOS environments when NTFS partitions (the primary partition type used by
Windows XP and Windows 2000 Server) are not visible and cannot be
accessed.
• PQIDeploy PQIDeploy.exe is a scripting-based Win32 version of ImageCenter
(included in the Deploy Toolkit) that runs on Microsoft Windows Vista/XP/PE/
2000. Using PQIDeploy.exe, you can create image files on hard drives that are
accessible from Windows Vista/XP/PE/2000, as well as perform a wide variety
of system management tasks such as partition manipulation, registry access
and manipulation, Sysprep and .inf file access and customization, messaging,
disk and partition queries, file system access, and so on.
• PQDisk is a scriptable version of Norton™ PartitionMagic®. PQDisk is
intended for use by PC configuration centers and corporations that need to
configure large numbers of PCs. It uses ASCII text script files to specify
operations that create and manipulate hard disk partitions.
• PQQuery is a DOS command line program that returns disk and partition
information in environment variables. PQQuery enables batch files or imaging
scripts to test environment variables and perform different actions depending
on the returned values.
• VBE (Virtual Boot Environment) enables any Windows-based computer to
reboot into DOS mode without using a floppy disk, CD-ROM, or any other
external or removable boot device. VBE is of great value to manufacturing
environments that use the DOS operating system in their PC manufacturing
and testing processes. VBE is also valuable to IS technicians that use DOS-
based imaging utilities or other DOS-based tools.
• PQA is an image addendum system that enables you to modify files or
directories on a visible or hidden partition on a hard disk. You can use PQA to
replace device driver files, provide patch files, rename files, and add or delete
files and directories. You build a package of changes, then apply the package to
the computers you want to change. With PQA, you avoid the necessity of
making new image files when you want to change a few files.
• PQIExtract enables you to restore individual files or directories from within
PQI image files. PQIExtract is useful when you want to restore individual files
or reinstall the operating system, but you do not want to lose customized
settings or applications that were installed after the image file was created.

Ghost Solution Suite Topography
Ghost Solution Suite Topography

The illustration in the slide shows how the main components of Ghost Solution
Suite are normally distributed across the network.
1 The following components should be placed on a dedicated server:
– Ghost
– DeployCenter
– Image repository (storage location for all images)
– AutoInstall package repository (storage location for all AutoInstall
packages)
– Ghost Console
– PXE service (either the 3Com Boot Services PXE Server or the
DeployCenter PXE Server)
2 AutoInstall should be installed on a dedicated computer that is running the
same Windows operating system as the computers to which the packages will
be deployed. (Note: AutoInstall does not support Windows NT/9x.) To ensure
the integrity of packages, this computer should not have any other software
installed on it besides AutoInstall.
3 The Ghost Console client is installed on all systems you want to manage. The
client can be installed on the following operating systems:
– Windows Vista
– Windows XP
– Windows 2000

Ghost Console and Standard Tools
Hardware/Software Requirement
Processor Pentium III or later
Monitor VGA, 1024 x 768 screen resolution
RAM 512 MB
Operating system • Windows Server 2008
• Windows Vista Business/Enterprise/Ultimate
2
• Windows Server 2003 Standard/Enterprise SP1
• Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard/Enterprise
• Windows XP SP2
• Windows 2000 Professional/Server SP4
Other To use the Ghost Boot Wizard to modify the
WinPE PreOS environment (for exam ple, to add
updated network or storage drivers), you m ust
install Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML) 6.0
or later.
System Requirements
Ghost Console and Standard Tools
The minimum requirements for running the Ghost Console are:
Processor Pentium III or later
Monitor VGA, 1024 x 768 screen resolution
RAM 512 MB
Operating system • Windows Server 2008
• Windows Vista (Business/Enterprise/Ultimate)
• Windows Server 2003 Standard/Enterprise SP1
• Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard/Enterprise
• Windows XP Professional SP2
• Windows 2000 Professional/Server SP4
Other To use the Ghost Boot Wizard to modify the WinPE PreOS
environment (for example, to add updated network or storage
drivers), you must install Microsoft Core XML Services
(MSXML) 6.0 or later. You can download MSXML 6.0 from:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?
FamilyId=993c0bcf-3bcf-4009-be21-27e85e1857b1
&displaylang=en
Note: Ghost has been tested with the service packs listed in the preceding table.
Before installing Ghost, make sure you install the latest service packs available
from Microsoft.
Ghost.exe
Platform IBM PC computer or 100% compatible
Processor Pentium or later
RAM 16 MB
Monitor VGA
Operating system • PC-DOS (included with Ghost)
• MS-DOS
Pointing device Microsoft-compatible mouse recommended
Ghost Executable
Ghost.exe
You can run Ghost.exe on a computer with the following minimum
requirements:
Platform IBM PC computer or 100% compatible
RAM 16 MB
Monitor VGA
Operating system • PC-DOS (included with Ghost)
• MS-DOS
Pointing device Microsoft-compatible mouse recommended

Ghost (Linux Version)
Supported Linux distributions Supported Linux distributions

for running Ghost: for imaging:
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
release 5.1 (releases 1 to 5.1)
• Fedora Core 8 (Werewolf) • Fedora Core 8 (Werewolf)
• Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) • Fedora Core 7 (Moonshine)
2
• SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 • Fedora Core 6 (Zod)
• Fedora Core 5 (Bordeaux)
Note: The hardware • Red Hat Linux 9
requirements for the Linux • Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)
version of the Ghost executable • Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
are the same as the
requirements for the DOS • Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy Eft)
version of Ghost. • Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake)
• SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
Ghost (Linux Version)

The hardware requirements for the Linux version of the Ghost executable are the
same as the requirements for the DOS version of Ghost.
Supported Linux distributions for running Ghost:
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES release 5.1
• Fedora Core 8 (Werewolf)
• Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)
Supported Linux distributions for imaging:
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES (releases 1 to 5.1)
• Fedora Core 8 (Werewolf)
• Fedora Core 7 (Moonshine)
• Fedora Core 6 (Zod)
• Fedora Core 5 (Bordeaux)
• Red Hat Linux 9
• Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)
• Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
• Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy Eft)
• Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake)

Ghost32.exe
You can run Ghost32.exe on the following operating

systems:
• Windows XP
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows 2000
• WinPE
– Windows Vista: version 2.0
– Windows XP SP2: version 2004
– Windows 2003 SP1: version 2005
Note: Ghost also includes a 64-bit executable (Ghost64.exe)

that runs on 64-bit versions of Windows XP/Vista/PE.
Ghost32.exe
You can run Ghost32.exe on the following operating systems:
• Windows XP
• Windows 2000
• WinPE
Ghost32.exe is supported on the following WinPE versions:
– Windows XP SP2 Version 2004
– Windows 2003 SP1 Version 2005
– Windows Vista Version 2.0
Note: Ghost also includes a 64-bit executable (Ghost64.exe) that runs on 64-
bit versions of Windows XP/Vista/PE.

Ghost Console Client and
Configuration Client
Hardware/ Requirement
Software
Operating Networked computer running one of the following:
system •Windows Vista (Business/Enterprise/Ultimate)
•Windows XP
•Windows Server 2003
•Windows 2000
2
Other • Single boot system
• DOS drivers for network card (when using DOS PreOS)
• Clients running WinPE PreOS must have at least 256 MB
RAM
• Limitations for AutoInstall and incremental backups: On
x64 platforms, you can only capture 32-bit applications
• Minimum requirements for user migration: Windows Vista
(Business/ Enterprise/Ultimate)/XP/2000
Ghost Console Client and Configuration Client

The minimum requirements for running the Ghost Console client are as follows:
Operating system Networked computer running one of the following:
• Windows XP
• Windows 2000
Other • Single boot system
• DOS drivers for network card (if using a DOS PreOS boot
environment)
• If you want to run WinPE as the PreOS on client
computers, the clients must have at least 256 MB RAM
• Limitations for AutoInstall and incremental backups: On
x64 platforms, you can only capture 32-bit applications;
you cannot capture 64-bit applications
• Minimum requirements for the user migration feature:
Computer with Windows Vista (Business/Enterprise/
Ultimate)/XP/2000

Symantec User Migration Wizard
Operating system • Windows Vista (Business/Enterprise/Ultimate)
• Windows XP Professional
• Windows 2000
Note: Symantec User Migration does not support server

platforms.
Symantec User Migration Wizard

The minimum requirements for running Symantec User Migration Wizard are as
follows:
Operating system • Windows Vista (Business/Enterprise/Ultimate)
• Windows XP
• Windows 2000
Note: Symantec User Migration does not support server platforms.

DeployCenter
RAM 32 MB (working with large hard disks or
partitions may require significantly m ore
memory)
Diskette drive None; 3.5-inch diskette drive recom mended
CD drive Any speed; MMC-2 compliant IDE or SCSI CD-R
2
or CD-R/W required for creating images directly
to CD
Hard disk free space 52 MB
Operating system Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000,
Windows XP, Windows 2003, DOS (only
ImageCenter and DOS utilities are supported
under DOS)
Monitor VGA; SVGA recommended
Pointing device None required; Microsoft mouse recommended
DeployCenter
The minimum system requirements for all DeployCenter components are as
follows:
RAM 32 MB (working with large hard disks or partitions may
require significantly more memory)
Diskette drive None; 3.5-inch diskette drive recommended
CD drive Any speed; MMC-2 compliant IDE or SCSI CD-R or CD-R/
W required for creating images directly to CD
Hard disk free space 52 MB
Operating system Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows
XP, Windows 2003, DOS (only ImageCenter and DOS
utilities are supported under DOS)
Monitor VGA; SVGA recommended
Pointing device None required; Microsoft mouse recommended

Deploy Toolkit
RAM 16 MB
Operating system • WinPE 2.0
• Windows XP
• Windows 2000
• Windows 98
• Windows NT 4
Monitor 16-color VGA video or better
Deploy Toolkit
The minimum system requirements for the Deploy Toolkit utilities are as follows:
RAM 16 MB
Operating system • WinPE 2.0
• Windows XP
• Windows 2000
• Windows 98
• Windows NT 4
Monitor 16-color VGA video or better

Supported File Systems
Imaging Engine File Systems

Ghost (DOS and Windows) FAT
FAT32
NTFS
Linux ext2
2
Linux ext3
ImageCenter FAT
FAT32
NTFS
Linux ext2
Linux ext3
Linux swap
Supported File Systems

File Systems Supported by Ghost
The Ghost executable (both the DOS and Windows versions) supports creating
images of the following file systems:
• FAT
• FAT32
• NTFS
• Linux ext2
• Linux ext3
File Systems Supported by ImageCenter

ImageCenter supports creating images of the following file systems:
• FAT
• FAT32
• NTFS
• Linux ext2
• Linux ext3
• Linux swap

Ghost Solution Suite Terminology
• Image
A replica of the contents of an entire hard disk or a partition
• Restore (Clone)/Deploy
Restore (clone): An image is laid down on a single computer’s hard disk.
Deploy: An image is pushed out to one or more computers.
• Master Image
A hardware-independent image
• Multicasting
Deployment of a single image simultaneously to multiple computers across a
network
• PXE
Preboot eXecution Environment; a network boot technology that enables computers
to boot to a remote server and perform tasks
• WinPE
Windows Preinstallation Environment; a lightweight version of Windows Vista,
Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 that large corporations use to deploy
workstations and servers
Ghost Solution Suite Terminology

Throughout this course, some terms will be used frequently in discussing the
functionality and usage of Ghost Solution Suite. This topic provides definitions of
these terms for those who are new to the field of client management software.
Image
An image (or disk image) is a replica of the contents of an entire hard disk or a
partition. This replica is stored as a file (or, if the image is split, as a series of files)
that can be used to quickly place an OS on new systems or recover crashed
systems.
Restore (Clone)/Deploy
When you restore (or clone) an image to a computer, you lay down the image’s
data on a system’s hard disk. After the process is complete and the system is
rebooted, the restored system is identical to the original system from which the
image was created. Although “deploying” a disk image to a system is basically the
same as “restoring” the image, the term “deploy” applies more specifically to the
process of pushing out an image to one or more new systems that an organization
is adding to its network.
Master Image
A master image is a disk image of a computer that has had hardware-specific
information (such as device drivers, security identifier, computer name, and so on)
removed from it. The purpose of a master image is to minimize the number of disk
images needed to quickly place an OS on new systems that have different

hardware configurations. Without a master image, it would be necessary to create a
separate disk image for each possible hardware configuration you want to deploy
in your organization.
Multicasting
Multicasting is the generic term for sending individual packets of data to multiple
computers at the same time. In the context of Ghost Solution Suite, multicasting
refers to deploying a single image simultaneously to multiple systems across a
network. Two multicasting engines are included with Ghost Solution Suite; each
has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on your needs. Ghost’s
multicasting piece is called “Ghostcasting” and DeployCenter’s multicasting piece
2
is called “Powercasting.” The differences between these components are discussed
in Lesson 8, “Deploying Images to Systems.”
Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)

PXE is a network boot technology that enables systems to boot to a remote server
and perform tasks. The PXE technology included with Ghost Solution Suite
enables you to boot bare metal systems (that is, systems that do not have an OS
installed on their hard drives) to a network boot menu from which users can select
an OS. PXE then passes control to Ghost or DeployCenter, and the requisite OS
image is deployed to the user’s hard drive.
Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE)

Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) is a scaled-down version of
Windows Vista, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003. WinPE is used by large
corporations to deploy workstations and servers. OEMs also use WinPE to
preinstall Windows client operating systems on computers during manufacturing.
Additionally, WinPE can be used as an alternative to MS-DOS to boot computers
from a CD or USB flash drive instead of a floppy diskette or hard disk.
WinPE provides a complete Win32 environment (which includes support for
networking, Plug-and-Play drivers, and FAT/NTFS/CDFS file systems). This
enables you to run Ghost32, PQIDeploy, and other tools in an environment that is
faster and easier to use than DOS.

Two different WinPE environments are available. Following is a brief overview of
each environment’s characteristics:
Environment Characteristics
WinPE • Supported by Microsoft
• Command-line interface
• For Windows XP: Only available to Microsoft OEM users
• For Windows Vista: Available to all licensed owners of Vista
• Limited plugins
BartPE • Not supported by Microsoft
• Graphical interface
• Available to all licensed owners of Windows XP or Server 2003
• Unlimited custom plugins

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The two separate imaging products that compose Ghost Solution
Suite—Ghost and DeployCenter
– The functionality, key features, and components included in
Ghost Solution Suite, and where the components are installed
2
– The definitions of some imaging-related terms that are frequently
used throughout this course
Lab 2: Ghost Solution Suite Product

Overview
In this lab, you complete a self-assessment that helps you
to measure what you have learned about the components
and functionality of Ghost Solution Suite.

Lesson 3
Installing Ghost Solution Suite
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products
After completing this lesson, you will be able

Topic
to:
Installing Symantec Ghost Install Symantec Ghost in a network environment.
Installing DeployCenter Install DeployCenter in a network environment.
Creating an Image Create an image repository for storing item s your
Repository managed clients need to access.

Installing the Ghost Console and
Standard Tools
1
Launch the installation wizard.
2
Accept the licensing agreements.
3
Specify installation options.
4
Complete the installation.
3
Installing Ghost
Installing the Ghost Console and Standard Tools
To install the Ghost Console on a computer, you must have administrator rights on
the computer. When you install the Ghost Console, the Standard Tools are
automatically installed.
To install the Ghost Console:
1 Launch the installation wizard.
a Insert the Ghost Solution Suite CD into the CD-ROM drive, and when the
Ghost Solution Suite installation window appears, click Install Symantec
Ghost.
b Click Install Ghost Console and Ghost Standard Tools.
c At the installation wizard’s welcome screen, click Next.
2 Accept the licensing agreements.
a Accept the terms of the Symantec Software License Agreement, then click
Next.
b Accept the terms of the Thinstation License Agreement for Ghost’s Linux-
based PreOS environment, then click Next.
c Read and confirm that you understand the additional licensing information,
then click Next.
3 Specify installation options.
a At the User Information screen, verify that the user and organization names
are correct, then click Next.
Lesson 3 Installing Ghost Solution Suite 3–3

bAt the Destination Folder screen, confirm the installation location, then
click Next.
c In the Custom Setup window, make sure the components you want to
install are selected, then click Next.
4 Complete the installation.
a Click Install.
b After the installation is complete, click Next.
c Review the instructions for registering Symantec Ghost Server, then click
Next.
d Click Finish.

Activating Ghost
Before you can activate Symantec Ghost, you need a:

• License certificate (includes the serial number for your
license)
• License file (includes the license key required to activate the
product)
3
Activating Ghost
Ghost is activated by a license. Before you can activate Ghost, you need the
following:
• A license certificate
The license certificate includes the serial number for your license. You must
register your serial number online to obtain a license file and to register your
maintenance agreement.
• A license file
The license file includes the license key that is required to activate the product.
For more information, see the instructions on your license certificate.
To obtain a license file, you must have the serial number that is printed on your
license certificate. The format of the serial number is a letter that is followed by 10
digits.
For example:
F8573329133
Symantec sends you the file by e-mail as a .zip file attachment. You should
ensure that your e-mail program is configured to allow incoming .zip file
attachments.
Note: License files are digitally signed. You should not attempt to modify the
license file.

Obtaining a License File
1. On the Internet, log in at:

https://licensing.symantec.com
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete
the registration process.
3. When you receive the e-mail message from
Symantec containing your license file, save the
license file to an easily accessible location.
Obtaining a License File

To obtain a license file:
1 On the Internet, log in (or create a new account) at the following URL:
https://licensing.symantec.com
2 Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the registration process.
3 When you receive the e-mail message from Symantec that contains the license
file, save the license file to a location that is easily accessible.
The file is delivered as a .zip file attachment. You must extract the file
contents from the .zip file. The license file has an .slf extension.

Adding a License File
1. In the Symantec Ghost Console, select

Help Æ Register Console.
2. In the Symantec Ghost Registration window,
click Browse.
3. In the Open dialog box, browse to and open the
license file (.slf) that you want to import, then
click OK.
3
Adding a License File
You must add the license file in the Ghost Console to activate Ghost. If you
purchase additional licenses, you receive an additional license file. You must add
this license file through the Ghost Console.
To add a license file:
1 In the Ghost Console, select Help —> Register Console.
2 In the Ghost Registration window, click Browse.
3 In the Open dialog box, browse to and open the license file (.slf) that you want
to import, then click OK.

Installing DeployCenter
1
Launch the installation wizard.
2
Enter user name and company nam e.
3
Accept the license agreement.
4
Select installation options.
5
Complete the installation.
Installing DeployCenter
To install DeployCenter:
1 Launch the installation wizard.
Ghost Solution Suite installation window appears, click Install Tools and
Utilities.
b Click Install DeployCenter.
c At the installation wizard’s welcome screen, click Next.
2 Make sure the User Name and Company Name fields contain the correct
information, then click Next.
3 At the License Agreement screen, click Yes.
4 Select installation options.
a At the Choose Destination Location screen, click Next to accept the default
installation folder.
b At the Select Features screen, select the features you want to install and
click Next.
c At the Select Program Folder screen, click Next.
a When DeployCenter is installed and the completion screen appears, click
Finish.
b If prompted, restart the system.

Creating an Image Repository
GSS 2.5 Dedicated Server
Image Repository
\\GSS Server\Reposit ory Share
3
Images Programs AutoInstall Boot
Packages Packages
Creating an Image Repository

After you have installed the Ghost Solution Suite components you need, you must
create an image repository on the Ghost Solution Suite server.
The image repository is simply a shared folder where you will store all the items
your managed clients need to access. The image repository should contain the
following subfolders:
• An Images folder for storing the image files you create with the Ghost Solution
Suite’s imaging engines
• A Boot Packages folder for storing the PreOS boot environments you will use
to capture or deploy image files
• A Programs folder for storing executables (such as utilities) that you want
managed clients to run
• An AutoInstall Packages folder for storing AutoInstall software packages you
want to deploy to managed clients
Make sure to set up sharing and security rights on the image repository so all your
managed clients have read/write access to the share.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
In this lesson, you learned how to:
– Install the Ghost Console and Standard Tools.
– Install DeployCenter
– Create an image repository for storing items your managed
clients need to access
Lab 3: Installing Ghost Solution Suite
In this lab, you:

•Install Symantec Ghost.
•Modify the Domain Controller to allow Ghost boot
environments to access the network.
•Install Symantec DeployCenter.
•Create an image repository.

Lesson 4
Creating Boot Packages
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products

Topic
be able to:
P ur pose of Boot Packages Define what boot packages ar e and explain
w hat they do.
Overview of Boot Packages Describe the different types of boot packages
you can cr eate.
Requir ements for Creating a Ghost Describe the pr ocess for building a boot
Solution Suite Boot Package package.
Differences Betw een the G host Describe the main differ ences betw een the
and DeployCenter Boot Package Ghost Boot Wizard and Boot Disk Builder.
Builder s
Creating Boot Packages w ith the Use the Ghost Boot Wizard to create boot
G host Boot Wizar d packages.
Creating Boot Packages w ith the Use the DeployCenter Boot Disk Builder to
DeployCenter Boot Disk Builder create boot packages.

Purpose of Boot Packages
• Because Ghost Solution Suite’s imaging tools

require full access to hard disks in order to create
and deploy hardware-independent images, these
tools must operate outside of the normal Windows
environment.
• Boot packages provide a flexible, convenient
method for booting computers to a PreOS
environment and running tasks necessary for
capturing or restoring hardware-independent hard
disk images.
Purpose of Boot Packages
4
To understand the need for boot packages in the computer deployment process, it
is necessary to first understand a basic fact about how Windows works. When
Windows is running, it requires constant access to the system disk to keep critical
system files updated. As a result, Windows prevents any application from having
full, unrestricted control of the system disk.
Although several modern disk imaging tools, including Ghost Solution Suite,
include “hot imaging” capabilities that work around Windows’s restrictions and
enable you to capture stable backups of live Windows systems, it is still not
possible to capture a hardware-independent master image of the system partition
while Windows is running. This is because imaging tools require full access to the
system disk so they can strip all system-specific information (hardware drivers,
security identifiers, and so on) from the operating system before the image is
captured. Consequently, a method is needed to boot computers to an operating
environment outside of Windows to capture a hardware-independent master image
for deployment purposes. This need is met by boot packages.
Boot packages are essentially boot images that contain all the individual files and
components needed to boot computers to an operating environment outside of
Windows (sometimes referred to as a “PreOS” environment) and perform any task
necessary for capturing or restoring an image—such as running Ghost or
ImageCenter, connecting to a network share where images are stored, and so forth.
Boot packages are a flexible, convenient method for providing all the pieces you
need to launch the image deployment process on your computers.
Lesson 4 Creating Boot Packages 4–3

Types of Boot Packages
• Network
Boots a computer to a PreOS environment, loads drivers for
the computer’s network interface card, and maps a network
share
• Multicasting
Boots a computer to a PreOS environment, loads imaging
software, and connects the computer to a multicast server
• Stand-alone
Boots the local computer to a PreOS environment, runs
imaging software, and restores an image from a local hard
drive or CD
Overview of Boot Packages

Types of Boot Packages
There are three main types of boot packages you can build with the Ghost Solution
Suite:
• Network: This type of boot package can boot a computer to a PreOS
environment, load drivers for the computer’s network interface card, and map a
network share where images are stored. Users can then run imaging software
and restore an image to their computer from the network share.
• Multicasting: This type of boot package can boot a computer to a PreOS
environment, load imaging software, and connect the computer to a multicast
server which then automatically restores an image to the computer.
• Stand-alone: This type of boot package can boot the local computer to a
PreOS environment, run imaging software, and restore an image from a
secondary partition on the local computer’s hard drive or from a CD.

Methods for Making Boot Packages
Available to Users
• Distributed
Boot packages are stored in a central location on the
network.
• Remote
Boot packages are integrated into a PXE server or a client
management console.
• Portable
Boot packages are placed on a bootable floppy diskette,
bootable USB device, or CD.
Methods for Making Boot Packages Available to Users
4
You can access and use boot packages in the following ways:
• Distributed: Boot packages are stored in a central location on the network
where they can be easily accessed and downloaded to create physical boot
disks (such as a bootable floppy or CD).
• Remote: Boot packages are integrated into a PXE server or a client
management console (such as Altiris Client Management Suite or Microsoft
SMS). Users either boot their computers to the network and select the boot
package from a network boot menu, or the client management console is used
to push out the boot package to managed clients.
• Portable: Boot packages are placed on a bootable floppy diskette, bootable
USB device, or CD. Users must insert the bootable media and manually boot
their computer.

Requirements for Creating a Ghost
Solution Suite Boot Package
1
Decide which type of boot package you want to create.
2
Decide how you want users to be able to use the boot package.
3
Collect all the components needed to build the boot package.
4
Use a boot package building tool to create the boot package.
Requirements for Creating a Ghost Solution Suite Boot Package

Although the detailed steps involved in using the Ghost Solution Suite’s boot
package building tools vary depending on which tool you are using, the general
process for successfully building a boot package is as follows:
1 Decide which type of boot package you want to create (network, multicasting,
or stand-alone).
2 Decide how you want users to be able to use the boot package (make it
available on a network share; make it available in a network boot menu or
deploy it through a client management console; or put it on bootable physical
media, such as a floppy disk, USB drive, or CD).
3 Collect all the components needed to build the boot package (NIC drivers,
network credentials, bootable media, and so on).
4 Use a boot package building tool to create the boot package.

Differences Between the Ghost and
DeployCenter Boot Package Builders
Ghost Boot Wizard (Ghost) Boot Disk Builder (DeployCenter)
Compatibility: Boot packages compatible with Compatibility: Boot packages compatible with
Ghost components (by default) and DeployCenter components only
DeployCenter components (by manually adding
components)
Can save boot packages to: Can save boot packages to:
•Floppy diskette •Floppy diskette
•VMware virtual floppy •Folder on hard drive
•USB flash driv e •Virtual boot disk
•ISO image
•CD/DVD
•One-click virtual partition
PXE support: Includes 3Com PXE Services, PXE support: Includes a PXE Server that is easy to
which is more complicated to set up and use set up and use
than DeployCenter PXE Server and is not
officially supported by Symantec
PreOS options: PC-DOS, MS-DOS, WinPE, Linux PreOS option: Caldera DOS (DR-DOS), MS-DOS
(Thinstation)
Note: For a more extensive list of differences, see the Symantec Ghost Solution Suite Lesson Guide.
Differences Between the Ghost and DeployCenter Boot Package
4
Builders
The Ghost Solution Suite offers two different boot package building utilities—
Ghost Boot Wizard and Boot Disk Builder. Both utilities build the same basic
types of boot packages (that is, network, multicasting, and stand-alone boot
packages). However, there are a number of differences between these utilities to
consider when deciding which utility to use to build boot packages, as summarized
in the following table.
Ghost Boot Wizard (Symantec Ghost) Boot Disk Builder (DeployCenter)

Compatibility: Boot packages are compatible with Compatibility: Boot packages are only compatible
Ghost components (by default) and DeployCenter with DeployCenter components (ImageCenter,
components (by manually adding DeployCenter PowerCasting, and so on).
components to Ghost boot packages).
Can save boot packages to: Can save boot packages to:
• Floppy diskette • Floppy diskette
• VMware virtual floppy • Folder on hard drive (so the boot package can
• USB flash drive be copied to floppy diskettes on an “as
• ISO image needed” basis)
• CD/DVD • Virtual boot disk
• One-click virtual partition (consists of a zip
file, an executable, and a shortcut that runs the
executable with the zip file as a parameter; you
can store this package on a network share and
run it from the destination machine simply by
double-clicking the shortcut)

Ghost Boot Wizard (Symantec Ghost) Boot Disk Builder (DeployCenter)
UNDI functionality: Includes a Universal Packet UNDI functionality: Includes an UNDI driver that
Driver (UNDI) for network boot packages so that is confined to connecting clients to the
you can detect most network cards without having DeployCenter PXE server.
to load a NIC-specific driver.
PXE support: Includes 3Com PXE Services, PXE support: Includes a PXE Server that is easy
which is more complicated to set up and use than to set up and use.
DeployCenter’s PXE Server and is not officially
supported by Symantec.
Ghost Console support: Enables you to create Ghost Console support: None
network boot packages that boot clients from the
network and connect to the Ghost Console
This feature allows you to manage any client from
the Ghost Console even before the client has an
operating system.
Support for Windows Server 2003 shares: Support for Windows Server 2003 shares:
Network boot packages support mapping to a Network boot packages provide built-in support
share on a Windows 2003 server, but additional for mapping to a share on a Windows 2003 server.
configuration of the server is required. (See the
section “Configuring Windows 2003 Servers to
Support the Ghost Drive Mapping Boot Package”
later in this lesson.)
CD/DVD support: Enables you to build boot CD/DVD support: Enables you to build boot
packages that include the following CD/DVD packages that include the following CD support:
support: • Write an image directly to CD.
• Write an image directly to CD/DVD. • Make image CDs bootable. (CDs are made
• Make image CDs/DVDs bootable. (You must bootable by default when you write an image
select an option in the Ghost Boot Wizard to directly to CD.)
make bootable CDs/DVDs.) • Access ImageCenter images stored on CD.
• Access Ghost images and other files stored on
CD/DVD.
Peer-to-peer support: Offers support for peer-to- Peer-to-peer support:None
peer connections in PC-DOS and MS-DOS (that
is, running Ghost.exe on two computers that
are connected by either an LPT or USB cable)
Default PreOS: WinPE 2.0 Default PreOS: Caldera DOS (DR-DOS)
Additional PreOS options: Additional PreOS options: MS-DOS
• PC-DOS
• MS-DOS
• Linux (Thinstation)
External storage support: Includes built-in External storage support: None
support for accessing external storage devices,
such as FireWire, USB, or Zip drives
NetWare support: None NetWare support: Enables you to build Novell
NetWare boot packages to connect clients to
Novell servers running IPX

Boot Packages Available in the Ghost
Boot Wizard
Ghost Boot Wizard enables you to create:

• Standard Ghost Boot Package
• Network Boot Package
• Drive Mapping Boot Package
• CD/DVD Startup Boot Package with Ghost
• Console Boot Partition
• TCP/IP Network Boot Image
• TCP/IP Network Ghost Client Boot Image
Note: Detailed procedures for creating each of these boot package types
can be found in the Sym antec Ghost Solution Suite Lesson Guide.
Creating Boot Packages with the Ghost Boot Wizard
4
The Ghost Boot Wizard enables you to create the following types of boot
packages:
• Standard Ghost Boot Package
• Network Boot Package
• Drive Mapping Boot Package
• CD/DVD Startup Boot Package with Ghost
• Console Boot Partition
• TCP/IP Network Boot Image
• TCP/IP Network Ghost Client Boot Image
Starting the Ghost Boot Wizard

To start the Ghost Boot Wizard, select Start—>Programs—>Symantec Ghost
—>Ghost Boot Wizard.
Note: If Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML) 6.0 is not already installed on
your computer, you will be prompted to install it when you run the Ghost Boot
Wizard. MSXML 6.0 is required to edit the WinPE PreOS environment.
You can download MSXML 6.0 from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/
details.aspx?FamilyID=993C0BCF-3BCF-4009-BE21-27E85E1857B1&
displaylang=en

Creating a Standard Ghost Boot
Package
1 Select PreOS environment.
2
Select Standard Ghost Boot Disk package type.
3
Point to Ghost executable.
4 Specify destination location settings.
5 Specify boot package form at.
6 Specify additional files to include in package.
7 Create boot package.
Creating a Standard Ghost Boot Package

The Standard Ghost Boot Package wizard creates a boot package that loads a
PreOS environment and runs Ghost. Depending on the PreOS option you select,
the boot package can also do the following:
• Load network drivers and map a network share (WinPE and Linux PreOS
options only)
• Save images to a USB device, ISO image, CD/DVD, or One-click Virtual
Partition (all PreOS options)
• Save images to a floppy disk set or VMware virtual floppy (PC-DOS and
MS-DOS PreOS options only)
• Run Ghost on two computers that are connected by either an LPT or USB
cable (PC-DOS and MS-DOS PreOS options only)
To create a standard boot package that uses the WinPE PreOS environment:
1 On the first screen of the Ghost Boot Wizard, verify that Windows PE
(Default) is selected, then click Next.
Note: We will discuss the DeployAnywhere option later in this course.
2 Select “Standard Ghost Boot Disk,” then click Next.
3 Verify that the path to the Ghost executable is correct, then click Next.
4 Specify destination location settings.
a If you want to save the image to a network location, specify the
information needed to log in to the location and map the network share to a
local drive letter, then click Next.
b If you are saving the image to a network location, specify the method for
assigning the client an IP address (dynamic or static), then click Next.
5 Select the format you want to use for the boot package, specify associated
settings, then click Next.
6 Specify any additional files you want to include in the boot package, then click
Next.
7 Create the boot package.
a Review the boot package details and click Next to create the boot package.
b After the boot package is complete, click Finish to close the Ghost Boot
Wizard, or click Start Again to return to the main Ghost Boot Wizard
window.
Creating a Network Boot Package

The Network Boot Package provides network support for GhostCasting and
TCP/IP peer-to-peer connections in the PC-DOS or MS-DOS PreOS.
To create a boot package with network support:
1 On the first screen of the Ghost Boot Wizard, select PC-DOS or MS-DOS as
the PreOS, then click Next.
If you select MS-DOS and you are using the Ghost Boot Wizard for the first
time, you are prompted to insert an MS-DOS system disk that was formatted
on a Windows 95/98 computer. The Ghost Boot Wizard then copies the MS-
DOS system files from this disk.
4
2 Click “Network Boot Package,” then click Next.
3 Select the Universal Packet Driver, then click Next.
If your hardware does not support the Universal Packet Driver, select the
option “Show all drivers” and select the driver for your NIC model, or click
Add and point the Ghost Boot Wizard to the appropriate driver.
When you select the Universal Packet Driver, information is displayed about
the options that must be enabled in the BIOS in order to use the driver. Review
this information and click OK.
4 In the Ghost.exe field, type the correct path if the executable has been moved
or you want to use a different version of Symantec Ghost.
The default path to ghost.exe appears in the Ghost.exe field.
5 In the Parameters field, type any required command-line parameters.
6 Click Next.
7 If you want to move control of USB devices from the BIOS to Ghost, enable
the option “Override BIOS USB control.”
This option is unavailable if you have previously included USB support in the
boot package.
Do not enable this option if you are creating a bootable USB device.
8 If you want to move control of FireWire devices from the BIOS to Ghost,
enable the option “Override BIOS FireWire control.”
9 Click Next.

10 Perform one of the following:
– Select “DHCP will assign the IP settings” if your network contains a
DHCP server.
– Select “The IP settings will be statically defined” and complete the fields
below this option if your network does not contain a DHCP server.
If you create more than one boot package, the static IP address
incrementally increases as each boot package is created.
11 Set the Router Hops option to the desired value.
This option specifies how many routers the client searches across when
attempting to find the multicast server. The default value of 16 allows Ghost to
find the server as long as it is not more than 16 router hops away. This is
sufficient for most networks.
12 Click Next.
13 Select a destination for the boot package, then click Next.
Next.
15 Review the boot package details, then click Next to create the boot package.
16 After the boot package is complete, click Finish to close the Ghost Boot
Wizard, or click Start Again to return to the main Ghost Boot Wizard window.
Creating a Drive Mapping Boot Package

The Drive Mapping Boot Package maps a drive letter to a shared resource on a
network server. This drive mapping lets you access a network drive from the DOS
version of Ghost.
You can choose to include Ghost.exe in the boot package. If you do not include
Ghost.exe, you must run Ghost from the network drive. If you include
Ghost.exe in the boot package, you cannot create a boot package on a floppy
disk set. You can save the package to a USB flash drive or an to an ISO image.
Note: A Drive Mapping Boot Package supports NDIS drivers but does not support
using packet drivers. If you want to run Ghost.exe with network support and
you want to use packet drivers, create a Network Boot Package.
Note: If you do not run Ghost.exe from the A: drive, you must reset the
environment variable WATTCP to provide the location of the Wattcp.cfg file.
To create a boot package that supports mapping network drives:

Also, if you choose MS-DOS, you must click Get MS Client and point the
Ghost Boot Wizard to your MS client files. If MS-DOS client files are not
installed on your system, you need to manually create a client disk. For
instructions on how to do this, see:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/on-
technology.nsf/docid/1998081310484225
2 Select “Drive Mapping Boot Package,” then click Next.
3 In the Network Interface Card window, perform one of the following:
– In the driver list, double-click the Universal NDIS Driver, browse to the
location of the Universal NDIS Driver files, and then click OK.
If you do not have a Universal NDIS Driver, you can download 3Com’s
MBA Utility Disk v4.30, which includes a Universal NDIS Driver for
DOS, from the following URL:
http://support.3com.com/infodeli/tools/nic/mba.htm
– In the driver list, select or add a network driver, and then click Next.
4 Click Next.
The default path to Ghost.exe appears in the Ghost.exe field.
4
7 Click Next.
boot package.
10 Click Next.
11 In the Client Computer Name field, type the name of the client computer.
This specifies the name of the computer after it starts from the package and
does not have to be the same name given to the computer in Windows. If you
create more than one package, a number is added to the computer name so that
the names for subsequent packages are unique.
12 In the User Name field, type the user name that the boot package will use to log
on to the network.
This user must exist on the network and have sufficient access rights to the
mapped network drive, files, and directories that you want to use.
13 In the Domain or Workgroup field, type the domain or workgroup to which the
user belongs.
14 From the Drive Letter drop-down list, select a drive letter to access a network
share through a mapped drive.

Select a drive letter greater than any existing drive letter. If you want to prevent
the boot package from mapping a drive when the computer starts, click None.
15 In the Maps To field, type the complete UNC path to the network share.
For example, to access a shared folder named Backups on a computer named
Ghostserver, the UNC path is \\Ghostserver\Backups.
16 Click Next.
DHCP server.
18 Set the Router Hops value to the desired value.
attempting to find the multicast server. The default value of 16 lets Ghost find
the server as long as it is not more than 16 router hops away. This is sufficient
for most networks.
19 Click Next.
Next.
Configuring Windows 2003 Servers to Support the Ghost Drive Mapping

Boot Package
If you intend to use a Ghost Drive Mapping Boot Package to map to a share on a
Windows 2003 server, you must first configure several settings on the Windows
2003 server. If you do not configure these settings, you will receive the error
message, “Access Denied,” when the DOS mapping client attempts to map to the
share.
The settings you must configure depend on whether or not the Windows 2003
server is a domain controller.
To change settings on a Windows 2003 domain controller:
1 On the Windows taskbar, select Start—>Programs—>Administrative Tools
—>Domain Controller Security Policy.
2 Select Security Settings—>Local Policies—>Security Options.
3 Navigate to “Network Security: LAN Manager Authentication Level” and
change the setting from “Send NTLM response only” to “Send LM & NTLM
responses.”

4 Click OK.
5 Navigate to “Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications
(always)” and change the setting from Enabled to Disabled.
6 Click OK.
7 Reboot the Windows 2003 server.
To change settings on a Windows 2003 server that is not a domain controller:
1 On the Windows taskbar, select Start—>Programs—>Administrative Tools
—>Local Security Policy.
2 Select Security Settings—>Local Policies—>Security Options.
3 Navigate to “Network Security: LAN Manager Authentication Level” and
change the setting from “Send NTLM response only” to “Send LM & NTLM
responses.”
4 Click OK.
5 Navigate to “Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications
(always)” and change the setting from Enabled to Disabled.
6 Click OK.
7 Reboot the Windows 2003 server.
Creating a CD/DVD Startup Boot Package that Includes Ghost

The CD/DVD Startup Boot Package lets you access images and other files stored
4
on CD and DVD drives that are not supported by Symantec Ghost. This kind of
package also contains the DOS system files and Ghost.exe.
To create a boot package with CD-ROM and DVD support:
2 Select “CD/DVD Startup Boot Package with Ghost,” then click Next.
5 Click Next.

boot package.
8 Click Next.
Next.
Creating a Console Boot Partition Image

The Console Boot Partition Image contains the boot partition. Install this image on
client computers to allow remote control by the Ghost Console.
To create a boot image that contains a boot partition:
1 On the first screen of the Ghost Boot Wizard, select PC-DOS, MS-DOS, or
Windows PE as the PreOS, then click Next.
2 Select “Console Boot Partition,” then click Next.
3 PC-DOS or MS-DOS: Select the Universal Packet Driver, then click Next.
4 Type the correct path in the Ghost.exe field if the executable has been moved,
or you want to use a different version of Ghost.exe.
5 Type the correct path in the Ngctdos.exe field if the executable has been
moved, or you want to use a different version.
The default path to the Ghost DOS client executable appears in the
Ngctdos.exe field.

6 Type the correct path in the Ghstwalk.exe field if the executable has been
The default path to the Ghost Walker executable is entered in the Ghstwalk.exe
field.
7 In the Machine Group field, type the computer group folder, if required.
When a Client is first discovered on the network, an icon is created for it in the
Machine Group section of the Default folder in the Ghost Console. When DOS
Console Client computers are discovered, they are identified by Adapter
Address only. Specifying a group folder makes identification of the computer
easier.
8 Click Next.
DHCP server.
4
attempting to find the multicast server. The default value of 16 lets Ghost find
for most networks.
11 Click Next.
12 In the Image File field, specify a name for the image file and the location
where you want to save the file.
13 In the Description field, type a description for the image file.
14 Click Next.
15 Review the boot package details and click Next to create the boot package.
Creating a TCP/IP Network Boot Image

The TCP/IP Network Boot Image enables you to start client computers in
Ghost.exe from the network using 3Com DynamicAccess Boot Services
software.
To create an image file to start client computers from the network:
1 On the first screen of the Ghost Boot Wizard, select PC-DOS, MS-DOS,
Windows PE, or Linux as the PreOS, then click Next.

2 Select “TCP/IP Network Boot Image,” then click Next.
or you want to use a different version of Symantec Ghost. The default path to
Ghost.exe appears in the Ghost.exe field.
6 Click Next.
7 PC-DOS or MS-DOS: On the External Storage Support screen:
a If you want to move control of USB devices from the BIOS to Ghost,
enable the option “Override BIOS USB control.” This option is unavailable
if you have previously included USB support in the boot package.
b If you want to move control of FireWire devices from the BIOS to Ghost,
c Click Next.
8 WinPE or Linux: On the Network Client Configuration screen:
a In the User Name field, type the user name that the boot package will use to
log on to the network.
b In the Domain or Workgroup field, type the domain or workgroup to which
the user belongs.
c From the Drive Letter drop-down list, select a drive letter to access a
network share through a mapped drive.
Select a drive letter greater than any existing drive letter. If you want to
prevent the boot package from mapping a drive when the computer starts,
select None.
d In the Maps To field, type the complete UNC path to the network share.
For example, to access a shared folder named Backups on a computer
named Ghostserver, the UNC path is \\Ghostserver\Backups.
9 PC-DOS, MS-DOS, or WinPE:
a Perform one of the following:
› Select “DHCP will assign the IP settings” if your network contains a
DHCP server.

› Select “The IP settings will be statically defined” and complete the
fields below this option if your network does not contain a DHCP
server.
b Set the Router Hops value to the desired value.
attempting to find the multicast server. The default value of 16 lets Ghost
find the server as long as it is not more than 16 router hops away. This is
sufficient for most networks.
c Click Next.
Next.
11 PC-DOS or MS-DOS: On the TCP/IP Network Boot Image screen:
a In the Image File field, specify a name for the image file and the location
where you want to save the file. This image can be used with any BOOTP/
TFTP server.
b Click Next.
12 WinPE or Linux: On the TCP/IP Network Boot Image screen:
a In the TFTP Root Directory field, specify the path to your TFTP server root
4
directory.
b WinPE: In the Name field, specify the name for the WinPE boot image you
are creating.
c Click Next.
Creating a TCP/IP Network Ghost Client Boot Image

The TCP/IP Network Ghost Client Boot Image enables you to start client
computers from the network and connect to the Symantec Ghost Console, using
3Com DynamicAccess Boot Services software.
To create an image file to start client computers from the network:
1 On the first screen of the Ghost Boot Wizard, select PC-DOS, MS-DOS, or
Windows PE as the PreOS, then click Next.
2 Select “TCP/IP Network Ghost Client Boot Image,” then click Next.

4 Type the correct path in the Ghost.exe field if the executable has been moved,
or you want to use a different version of Ghost.exe.
5 Type the correct path in the Ngctdos.exe field if the executable has been
The default path to the Ghost DOS client executable appears in the
Ngctdos.exe field.
6 Type the correct path in the Ghstwalk.exe field if the executable has been
The default path to the Ghost Walker executable is entered in the Ghstwalk.exe
field.
7 In the Machine Group field, type the computer group folder, if required.
When a client is first discovered on the network, an icon is created for it in the
Machine Group section of the Default folder in the Ghost Console. When DOS
Console Client computers are discovered, they are identified by Adapter
Address only. Specifying a group folder makes identification of the computer
easier.
8 Click Next.
9 WinPE: On the Network Client Configuration screen:
a In the User Name field, type the user name that the boot package will use to
b In the Domain or Workgroup field, type the domain or workgroup to which
the user belongs.
c From the Drive Letter drop-down list, select a drive letter to access a
network share through a mapped drive.
Select a drive letter greater than any existing drive letter. If you want to
prevent the boot package from mapping a drive when the computer starts,
select None.
d In the Maps To field, type the complete UNC path to the network share.
For example, to access a shared folder named Backups on a computer
named Ghostserver, the UNC path is \\Ghostserver\Backups.
DHCP server.

attempting to find the Multicast Server. The default value of 16 lets Ghost find
for most networks.
12 Click Next.
Next.
14 PC-DOS or MS-DOS: In the Image File field:
a Specify a name for the image file and the location where you want to save
the file. This image can be used with any BOOTP/TFTP server.
b Click Next.
15 WinPE: On the TCP/IP Network Boot Image screen:
directory.
b In the Name field, specify the name for the WinPE boot image you are
4
creating.
c Click Next.

Boot Packages Available in Boot Disk
Builder
Boot Disk Builder lets you create:

• Microsoft TCP/IP Boot Disks
• Novell NetWare IPX Client Boot Disks
• PowerCast Boot Disks
• Unicast Boot Disks
• Standalone Boot Disks
Note: Detailed procedures for creating each of these boot package types
can be found in the Sym antec Ghost Solution Suite Lesson Guide.
Creating Boot Packages with the DeployCenter Boot Disk Builder

Boot Disk Builder enables you to create the following types of boot packages:
• Novell NetWare IPX Client Boot Disks
• PowerCast Boot Disks
• Unicast Boot Disks
• Standalone Boot Disks
Installing Microsoft Client Files

For the following types of boot disks, Microsoft Client files must be installed on
the Boot Disk Builder computer before you create a boot disk:
• Unicast Boot Disks with a TCP/IP driver
To install Microsoft Client files, you must be logged onto the computer as an
Administrator and be connected to the Internet.

Installing Microsoft Client Files:
Locating GETMSLAN.BAT
To download the Microsoft Client files, run GETMSLAN.BAT from the

\BDBUILD folder in the location where DeployCenter is installed.

Running GETMSLAN.BAT
GETMSLAN.BAT connects to a Microsoft FTP server and downloads the

Microsoft Client files.

Files Downloaded by GETMSLAN.BAT
Run Getmslan.bat a second time to copy the Microsoft Client files to the
\BDBUILD\MS folder. After the files are copied locally, you can create TCP/IP
4
boot disks with Boot Disk Builder.
Starting Boot Disk Builder

To start Boot Disk Builder, select Start—>Programs—>Symantec DeployCenter
—>DeployCenter Tools—>Boot Disk Builder.

Creating a Microsoft TCP/IP Boot Disk
1 Select boot disk type.
2 Configure Microsoft TCP/IP settings.
3
Specify how ImageCenter should be run.
4 Select network adapters.
5 Add network adapters, if needed.
6 Specify IP address settings.
7 Select destination for boot disk.
Creating Microsoft TCP/IP Boot Disks

Note: Before creating Unicast boot disks, you must have the Microsoft Client files
installed. See the section “Installing Microsoft Client Files” at the beginning of
this topic.
To create Microsoft TCP/IP boot disks:
1 From the Boot Disk Builder main menu, select Microsoft TCP/IP Boot Disks,
and then click Next.
2 Configure the following Microsoft TCP/IP settings:
– Enter the User name that will be used to log in to the network.
If this boot disk is part of a task, the designated user must have the
necessary rights to perform the network-based tasks.
– If the boot disk needs to run “hands-off” (without user input), mark Login
automatically and enter the user’s password in the Password and Confirm
password fields. Note that you should not have a password on a shared
volume if you are going to access it with a boot disk; the password you
enter will only allow access to the domain, not the domain and a shared
volume.
– Select Login to Workgroup to log the user into a workgroup, or select
Login to Domain to log the user into a domain.
– Designate the network drive letter to be mapped at boot up and the UNC
path it is mapped to.
3 Specify the location and parameters (optional) for ImageCenter, and then click
Next.

4 Select your network adapter and click Next.
5 If your network adapter is not listed:
a Click Add.
b To manually add driver information in situations when a driver’s .INF file
is not available, select the option “Enter driver information manually,” then
click Next.
c Ensure that the option “Support multi-driver boot disks” is selected.
d In the Network adapter ID field, enter the network adapter’s vendor string.
A quick way to find the vendor string is to use the Windows Device
Manager to view the network adapter’s properties.
To start the Device Manager in Windows XP/2003, right-click My
Computer and select Properties. Click the Hardware tab, and then click
Device Manager.
In Device Manager, expand the “Network adapters” item. Right-click the
appropriate adapter and select Properties.
In the Properties window, click the Details tab, and then select “Device
Instance Id” from the Property drop-down list. The vendor string should be
displayed in the Value box. Select the vendor string and press Ctrl+C to
copy the string. You can then return to the Network Adapter ID field in
Boot Disk Builder and press Ctrl+V to paste the vendor string.
4
e In the “Network adapter descriptive name” field, type the name of the
network adapter as you want it to appear in Boot Disk Builder’s adapter
list, and then click Next.
f If you chose to include a NetWare IPX DOS driver, browse to and select
the appropriate driver (.COM or .EXE), and then click Next.
g Browse to the network adapter’s NDIS2 DOS driver (.DOS or .EXE),
select the driver, and then click Finish.
The device is added to Boot Disk Builder’s network adapter list.
6 Perform one of the following, then click Next:
– Select “Obtain an IP address from a DHCP server” if a DHCP server is
used to assign client IP addresses.
– Select “Specify an IP address” if there is no DHCP server and you need to
use TCP/IP on the network. You must also enter a static IP address and
subnet mask.
7 Select a destination for the boot disk, then click Finish to build the boot
package. The available destinations are:
– To a floppy diskette set (for portability)
– To a network location (for distribution)
– As a virtual floppy (for remote use, such as PXE booting)
Creating PowerCast Boot Disks

PowerCast client machines must have the necessary NIC drivers and network
configuration files to receive PowerCast sessions.

To create PowerCast boot disks:
1 From the Boot Disk Builder main menu, select PowerCast Boot Disks, and
then click Next.
2 Select the start-up mode for ImageCenter, and then click Next.
Client The Client is the workstation receiving the PowerCast session. If you
click Client, you must indicate the session name and the hard disk
number the client will use for PowerCasting.
When a client computer is booted from a PowerCast Client boot disk,
ImageCenter starts in PowerCast Client mode, connects to the
designated PowerCast session, and restores the image to the specified
hard disk. Any existing information on the client hard disk is
completely erased.
Server The Server is the computer PowerCasting the image to the client
workstations. When a PowerCast Server is booted from a PowerCast
Server boot disk, the diskette launches ImageCenter in PowerCast
Server mode, displays the server progress screen, waits for the
specified number of clients to attach, and PowerCasts the specified
image file. When it is finished, the server waits for additional clients to
attach until you click Close.
You can have the server start automatically by checking this option and
specifying a session name, image file path and filename, and autostart
client count.
3 Select your network adapter or multiple adapters and click Next.

You can select multiple NICs. All of the files for those NICs will be copied to
the boot disk. (There must be enough space on the first disk for all the selected
NICs.) At boot time, the list of NICs copied is compared to the NIC in the
computer. If one of these NICs matches, that driver is loaded, and the system is
configured for it. Selecting multiple NICs for the boot disk enables the disk to
be used on computers with different NICs.
You cannot use this method to deploy to laptops because there are
incompatibilities with the PCBUS or PCMCIA NIC cards.
If your network adapter is not listed, click Add and point Boot Disk Builder to
the appropriate driver file for your network adapter.
subnet mask.
5 In the PowerCast Maximum TTL field, specify the number of routers a packet
can pass through.
6 Click Next.

7 Select a destination for the boot package (floppy disk, folder, or virtual boot
disk file).
8 Click Finish to build the boot package.
Creating Unicast Boot Disks

You can create Unicast client boot disks for connecting to a Unicast image server.
Unicast boot disks are recommended for PXE applications. When you create the
boot disks, you can specify the Unicast server to connect to and the driver to use
(UNDI or Microsoft TCP/IP NDIS).
Note: Before creating Unicast boot disks, you must have the Microsoft Client files
installed. See the section “Installing Microsoft Client Files” at the beginning of
this topic.
To create Unicast boot disks:
1 From the Boot Disk Builder main menu, click Unicast Boot Disks, and then
click Next.
2 Select “By Name” and specify the name of the Unicast Image server, or select
“By IP Address” and specify the IP address of the Unicast Image server.
3 Click Next.
– Select UNDI Driver if you intend to boot the client computer from a PXE
4
server.
A virtual floppy disk file (.VFD) is created, which you can then place on
the PXE server. Use the Symantec PXE Configuration Utility to add the
virtual floppy to the user’s PXE boot menu.
– Select Microsoft TCP/IP, click Next, and select the Microsoft NDIS driver
you need.
5 Click Next.
6 Specify the location and any optional command-line parameters for
ImageCenter.
The Microsoft TCP/IP Boot Disk automatically boots a network workstation to
ImageCenter. Therefore, you must indicate where the ImageCenter program
files can be found.
7 Click Next.

subnet mask.
9 In the PowerCast Maximum TTL field, specify the number of routers a packet
can pass through.
10 Click Next.
11 Select a destination for the boot disk (floppy disk, folder, or virtual boot disk
file).
Note: If you chose the UNDI driver as the network adapter type, you can only
save the boot disk as a virtual boot disk file.
Creating Novell NetWare IPX Client Boot Disks

To create Novell NetWare IPX client boot disks:
1 From the Boot Disk Builder main menu, select Novell NetWare IPX Client
Boot Disks, and then click Next.
2 Configure the following Novell NetWare client settings:
– Enter the User name that will be used to log in to the network.
If this boot disk is part of a task, the designated user must have the
necessary rights to perform the network-based tasks.
– If the boot disk needs to run “hands-off,” that is, without user input, mark
Login automatically and enter the user’s password in the Password and
Confirm password fields.
– Indicate the network’s first mapped drive in the First network drive drop-
down list.
– In the Preferred server field, enter the full NDS context name for the server
that the user typically logs in to (the server that has the user’s network files
and directories). The preferred server is the same as the NDS tree.
– In the Name context field, enter the NDS context for the user’s NDS User
object (for example, docs.dev.acmecorp).
– If you want to automatically map a network drive at boot up, mark Map a
network drive.
This requires that you designate the drive letter to be mapped and the UNC
path it is mapped to. For example, Q:\ might be mapped to
\\SERVER\Volume.
3 Click Next.

4 Specify the location and parameters for ImageCenter and click Next.
The Novell NetWare Client boot disk automatically boots a network
workstation to ImageCenter. Therefore, you must indicate where it can find the
ImageCenter program files. Parameters for ImageCenter are optional.
5 Select your network adapter or multiple adapters, and then click Next.
If your network adapter is not listed, click Add and point Boot Disk Builder to
the appropriate driver file for your network adapter.
subnet mask.
7 From the Frame Type drop-down list, select the appropriate communications
protocol for your network.
8 Click Next.
file).
4
Creating Standalone Boot Disks
To create standalone boot disks:
1 From the Boot Disk Builder main menu, select Standalone Boot Disks, and
then click Next.
2 Specify the location and parameters (optional) for ImageCenter, and then click
Next.
file).

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– What boot packages are and what you can do with them
– The different types of boot packages you can create
– The process for building a boot package
– The main differences between the Ghost Boot Wizard and Boot
Disk Builder
– Using the Ghost Boot Wizard to create boot packages
– Using the DeployCenter Boot Disk Builder to create boot
packages
Lab 4: Creating Boot Packages
In this lab, you:

•Create a Linux-based Ghost ISO image boot environment.
•Create a WinPE-based Ghost Virtual Partition boot
environment.
•Create a DOS-based Ghost Virtual Partition boot
environment.
•Create a DOS-based DeployCenter Virtual Floppy Disk
boot environment.

Lesson 5
Using Boot Packages
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products

Topic
be able to:
Methods for Using Boot Packages Describe the different w ays you can use the
boot packages you create w ith the Ghost
Solution Suite.
Creating QuickBoot Executables Use Boot Disk Builder to build a QuickBoot
executable.
PXE Com ponents in Ghost Identify the different PXE ver sions included
Solution Suite w ith Ghost Solution Suite.
Configuring the 3Com Boot Configur e 3Com Boot Services PXE in
Services PXE Environment preparation for performing remote
deployments with Ghost.
Configuring the DeployCenter PXE Configur e DeployCenter PXE in pr epar ation
E nvir onm ent for perform ing rem ote deploym ents with
DeployCenter.

Methods for Using Boot Packages
Launch Method Advantages Disadvantages
Physical floppy diskette Portable; writable Very small capacity; slow;

newer systems may not have
a floppy drive
VMware virtual floppy Can be used to boot VMware Very small capacity; cannot
virtual machines to Ghost be converted to physical boot
floppy
USB flash drive Very compact and portable; Older computers may not
fast, durable; large capacity; support bootable USB
writable devices; more expensive per
unit than floppy diskettes and
CDs
ISO image Can be used to boot VMware Cannot be used directly on
virtual machines to Ghost; physical machines (must be
fast; large capacity; can be burned to CD/DVD fir st)
burned to physical CD/DVD
media
CD/DVD-ROM Portable; larger capacity and Slower than flash memory or
faster than floppy diskettes hard drives

There are several ways you can use the boot packages you create with the Ghost
Solution Suite. Following is a brief overview of the different ways you can launch
boot packages, along with their relative advantages and disadvantages.
5
Physical floppy Portable; writable Very small capacity; slow; newer
diskette systems may not have a floppy
drive
VMware virtual Can be used to boot VMware Very small capacity; cannot be
floppy virtual machines to Ghost converted to physical boot
floppy
USB flash drive Very compact and portable; fast, Older computers may not
durable; large capacity; writable support bootable USB devices;
more expensive per unit than
floppy diskettes and CDs
ISO image Can be used to boot VMware Cannot be used to directly boot
virtual machines to Ghost; fast; physical machines (must be
large capacity; can be burned to burned to CD/DVD first)
physical CD/DVD media
CD/DVD-ROM Portable; larger capacity and Slower than flash memory or
faster than floppy diskettes hard drives
Lesson 5 Using Boot Packages 5–3

(continued)
One-click virtual Easy to distribute to users Requires an OS to be

partition (from a networ k shar e, installed
through e-mail as a zipped
file, and so on); customizable
and easy to run (launched
from an installed OS)
QuickBoot executable Easy to distribute to users Requires an OS to be
(through e-mail, client installed; requires you to first
management console, and so build a virtual floppy and then
on); customizable and easy to convert it to a QuickBoot
run (launched from an executable
installed OS)
PXE Centralized; easy to use and More complicated setup than
maintain; ideal for remote other methods; requires a
deployment of bare metal system to act as a PXE
systems server; clients must support
network booting

One-click virtual Easy to distribute to users (from Requires an OS to be installed
partition a network share, through e-mail
as a zipped file, and so on);
customizable and easy to run
(launched from an installed OS)
QuickBoot executable Easy to distribute to users Requires an OS to be installed;
(through e-mail, client requires you to first build a
management console, and so virtual floppy and then convert it
on); customizable and easy to to a QuickBoot executable
run (launched from an installed
OS)
PXE Centralized; easy to use and More complicated setup than
maintain; ideal for remote other methods; requires a system
deployment of bare metal to act as a PXE server; clients
systems must support network booting

Overview of QuickBoot Executables
QuickBoot executables:
• Provide a quick and easy method for making
virtual floppies self-launching.
• Can be sent to users through e-mail, deployed
across the network, or packaged as an .MSI file.
Creating QuickBoot Executables

The methods for using boot packages that we discussed in the previous topic cover
all the types of boot packages you can create with Ghost Solution Suite’s tools,
with one exception—the virtual floppies you create with DeployCenter’s Boot
Disk Builder.
Once you create a DeployCenter virtual floppy, it is of no practical use until a way
5
is provided to run it. It is not possible to simply double-click the virtual floppy
.vfd file to make it run. Symantec has provided a quick and easy method for
making DeployCenter virtual floppies self-launching—QuickBoot executables.
Using the QuickBoot wizard in Boot Disk Builder, you can easily create an
executable file from a virtual floppy. When you double-click the QuickBoot
executable, it extracts the virtual floppy to the Windows temporary folder, writes a
pointer in the hard disk’s Master Boot Record that indicates where the virtual
floppy is stored, reboots the computer, and runs the contents of the virtual floppy.
After you create the QuickBoot executable, you can send it to users through
e-mail, deploy it across the network, or package it as an .MSI file. Users can then
run the QuickBoot executable on their computers just as they would any other
executable file. You can even use a management tool such as SMS or LANDesk to
push the QuickBoot executable out to remote machines, causing them to
automatically reboot and run the virtual floppy.
Note: Before you can build a QuickBoot executable, you must have created a
virtual boot disk using Boot Disk Builder. You cannot create a QuickBoot
executable if a virtual floppy does not exist.

Using VF Editor to Customize Virtual
Floppies
Select
SelectStartÆProgramsÆ
StartÆProgramsÆ
Symantec
SymantecDeployCenterÆ
DeployCenterÆ
DeployCenter
DeployCenterToolsÆ
ToolsÆ
VF
VFEditor.
Editor.
Using VF Editor to Customize Virtual Floppies

Prior to converting a virtual floppy into a QuickBoot executable, you can use the
VF Editor tool included with DeployCenter to edit the contents of a virtual floppy
(for example, modify batch files, add drivers, and so on).
To run VF Editor, select Start—>Programs—>Symantec DeployCenter—>
DeployCenter Tools—>VF Editor.
For more information on using VF Editor to edit virtual floppies, refer to the
DeployCenter User Guide.

The pqdotask.bat File
The pqdotask.bat File

Virtual floppies contain one file in particular that makes it easy to customize the
imaging process—pqdotask.bat. This file contains commands that control
when and how ImageCenter is run. These commands are placed in the
pqdotask.bat file rather than the autoexec.bat to make it easier to
customize the imaging process without affecting device driver information. When
5
you choose to run ImageCenter from the boot diskettes, that information is
recorded in pqdotask.bat.

Building a QuickBoot Executable
Building a QuickBoot Executable

To build a QuickBoot executable:
1 Start Boot Disk Builder (select Start—>Programs—>Symantec DeployCenter
—>DeployCenter Tools—>Boot Disk Builder).
2 From the Boot Disk Builder drop-down menu, select Tools—>Build a
QuickBoot Executable.
3 Specify the name of an existing virtual boot disk configuration file (*.VFD) in
the Virtual Boot Disk file text field. Click the browse button to navigate to the
file’s location.
4 Specify the filename of the QuickBoot executable you want to build in the
QuickBoot executable to build text field. Click the browse button to navigate
to the location where you want to save the executable.
5 (Optional) Type a brief description of the executable and what it does in the
QuickBoot description text field.
Users will be able to read the description only when they run the executable
with the /PROMPT option selected. If you want users to always see the
description, select the option “Prompt the user before rebooting” (see the next
step).
6 (Optional) If you want to prompt a user before rebooting their computer, select
“Prompt the user before rebooting.”
7 Click OK to create the QuickBoot executable.
8 When a dialog box appears informing you that the QuickBoot executable has
been successfully created, click OK.

PXE Components in Ghost Solution
Suite
Advantages:
• Supports WinPE boot images
• Supports Linux boot images
3Com Boot Services Disadvantages:
• More difficult to set up than
DeployCenter PXE
• Not officially supported by Symantec
Advantages:
• Very easy to set up
DeployCenter PXE • Fully supported by Sym antec
Server Disadvantages:
Only supports floppy (DOS) boot images
PXE Components in Ghost Solution Suite

QuickBoot executables and one-click virtual partitions are excellent for allowing
users to load a boot package by running an executable within Windows, but what if
the computer does not have an operating system installed? IT professionals need a
different method than QuickBoot executables to boot such computers. This need
primarily exists when deploying images to new computers or when performing
disaster recovery. In these situations, you need a quick way to boot a computer and
5
begin the imaging process. A PXE server is usually the best solution in such cases.
The Ghost Solution Suite includes two different versions of PXE server software:
3Com Boot Services and the DeployCenter PXE server. Following are some of the
main differences between the two versions.
3Com Boot Services

• Advantages: Supports WinPE boot images; supports Linux boot images
• Disadvantages: More difficult to set up than DeployCenter PXE; not officially
supported by Symantec
DeployCenter PXE server

• Advantages: Very easy to set up and configure; fully supported by Symantec
• Disadvantages: Only supports floppy (DOS) boot images
In this lesson, we will discuss how to install and use 3Com Boot Services with
Ghost. A later topic in this lesson discusses how to configure and use the
DeployCenter PXE server.

Configuring the 3Com Boot Services
PXE Environment
This topic covers:

• Installing the 3Com Boot Services software
• Creating a WinPE PXE boot image
• Editing the BOOTPTAB
• Starting the TFTP Server software
• Starting the PXE Server software
Configuring the 3Com Boot Services PXE Environment

In this topic, we cover the following procedures for configuring the 3Com Boot
Services environment:
• Installing the 3Com Boot Services software
• Creating a WinPE PXE boot image
• Editing the BOOTPTAB
• Starting the TFTP Server software
• Starting the PXE Server software

Installing the 3Com Boot Services
Software
1 Launch 3Com Boot Services installation wizard.
2 Accept licensing agreement.
3 Select installation folders.
4 Select “Server” setup type.
5 Complete installation.
Installing the 3Com Boot Services Software

Prerequisite: Before setting up your 3Com PXE server, ensure that a DHCP
server is available.
1 Launch the 3Com Boot Services installation wizard.
Ghost Solution Suite installation window is displayed, click “Install Tools
5
and Utilities.”
b Click “Install 3Com Boot Services PXE Server.”
c When the 3Com Boot Services wizard is displayed, click “Install 3Com
Boot Services.”
d At the Welcome screen, click Next.
2 To accept the licensing agreement, click Yes.
3 Select installation folders.
a To accept the default location for the 3Com Boot Services installation, at
the Choose Destination Location screen, click Next.
b To accept the default location for the TFTP boot directory
(C:\TFTPBOOT), at the Choose TFTP Boot Directory screen, click Next.
4 Select Server as the setup type and click Next.
a At the Select Program Folder screen, click Next.
b At the Boot Services Setup Complete screen, click Finish.
The C:\TFTPBOOT directory is created and the BOOTPTAB file is copied
to this directory.

Creating a WinPE PXE Boot Image
1
In Ghost Boot Wizard, select WinPE as PreOS.
2 Select TCP/IP Network Boot Image.
3
Accept default Ghost settings or add parameters.
4
Specify network settings.
5 Include additional files as needed.
6 Specify TFTP settings.
7 Create boot image.
Creating a WinPE PXE Boot Image

To boot client computers from the network using 3Com Boot Services software
and run Ghost32.exe, perform the following steps:
1 Run the Ghost Boot Wizard, select WinPE as the PreOS and click Next.
2 Select TCP/IP Network Boot Image and click Next.
3 To accept the default Ghost executable settings, at the Client Type screen, click
Next.
4 Specify network settings.
a At the Network Client Configuration screen, leave all fields blank and click
Next.
b At the Network Client Address screen, verify that the option “DHCP will
assign the IP settings” is selected and click Next.
5 At the Additional Files screen, click Next.
Note: If you are using the DeployAnywhere option with PXE, you need to
include both Ghdplyaw32.exe and Ghconfig32.exe in the boot image.
Both files can be found in C:\Program Files\Symantec\Ghost on
the computer where the Ghost Standard Tools are installed.
6 Specify TFTP settings.
directory. (C:\TFTPBOOT).
b In the Name field, specify the name for the WinPE boot image you are
creating.

7 Create the boot image.
a Review the settings you have selected, then click Next to create the boot
image.
b At the last screen of the wizard, click Finish.
c Copy bootmgr.exe from C:\TFTPBOOT\boot to C:\TFTPBOOT.
This enables the TFTP server to locate and communicate with the boot
manager and load the boot image.

Editing the BOOTPTAB
1 Start BOOTPTAB Editor.
2 Add new host to BOOTPTAB file.
3 Configure new host.
4 Save changes to BOOTPTAB file.
Editing the BOOTPTAB

1 Select Start—>Programs—>3Com Boot Services—>BOOTPTAB Editor.
2 Select Edit—>Add Host to add a new host to the BOOTPTAB file.
3 On the Identification tab, perform the following:
a Select the option “Use node for name.”
b In the Node field, enter 12 question marks
(for example: ????????????).
This allows any MAC address to connect to the PXE server.
c In the Image field, type: /boot/pxeboot.n12
IMPORTANT: You must type the path to the boot image, not browse to it.
If you browse to the image, the PXE boot process will fail.
d Click OK.
4 In the main BOOTPTAB Editor window, click File —> Save, then exit the
BOOTPTAB Editor.

Starting the 3Com TFTP Server
Select
StartÆProgramsÆ
3Com
3ComBoot
BootServicesÆ
ServicesÆ
TFTP
TFTP Server.
Server.
Starting the TFTP Server Software

To start the 3Com TFTP Server, select Start—>Programs—>3Com Boot
Services—>TFTP Server.

Starting the 3Com PXE Server
Select
StartÆProgramsÆ
3Com
3ComBoot
BootServicesÆ
ServicesÆ
PXE
PXEServer.
Server.
Starting the PXE Server Software

To start the 3Com PXE Server, select Start—>Programs—>3Com Boot
Services—>PXE Server.
Note: If you installed 3Com Boot Services on a computer that does not provide
DHCP services, click “Yes” when prompted to enable Proxy DHCP. This is
required for the 3Com PXE Server to work correctly when it is installed on a
computer that is not running the DHCP service.

Configuring the DeployCenter PXE
Environment
1
Launch PXE Configuration Utility.
2
Add virtual floppy to PXE system.
3
Assign PXE client menu item to virtual floppy.
4 Reorder PXE client menu items as desired.
5 Configure PXE client menu.
6 Assign MAC address to virtual floppy.
7 Reorder MAC addresses.
Configuring the DeployCenter PXE Environment

The DeployCenter PXE server software included in the Ghost Solution Suite is
fully supported by Symantec and is easy to set up and use. DeployCenter’s PXE
server runs as a service, allowing PXE clients to boot to the network and choose
from a menu of virtual floppies. By making a selection from the menu, the virtual
floppy is immediately loaded and the PXE client boots to the selected
environment. You can add any virtual floppy to this menu.
5
DeployCenter includes a PXE Configuration Utility that simplifies the setup and
use of the DeployCenter PXE service. To use this utility to configure the
DeployCenter PXE environment:
1 Launch the DeployCenter PXE Configuration Utility (Start—>Programs—
>Symantec DeployCenter—>DeployCenter Tools—>PXE Configuration
Utility).
2 Add a virtual floppy to the PXE system.
Note: Before you can add a virtual floppy to the PXE menu, you must have
created a virtual floppy using Boot Disk Builder. You cannot add a virtual
floppy if one does not exist.
a Click the PXE Virtual Floppies tab, then click Add.
b Specify the full path to the virtual floppy, including the filename, then click
OK.
The virtual floppy is now available to the PXE system. The location of
each virtual floppy you add is also specified in the list box.

3 Assign a PXE client menu item to a virtual floppy.
a Click the PXE Client Menu tab, then click Add.
b Type the text you want to assign to the virtual floppy’s boot option as it will
appear on the PXE client menu.
Make sure this text is descriptive of what the virtual floppy will do.
c Select a virtual floppy from the drop-down list to associate with the text
you typed in the previous step, then click OK.
The menu text and associated virtual floppy appear in the list box.
4 Reorder PXE client menu items as desired.
a On the PXE Client Menu tab, select a menu item name.
b Click Up or Down to move the menu item where you want it to appear on
the PXE client menu.
5 Configure the PXE client menu.
a On the PXE Client Menu tab, click Configure.
b In the “PXE client menu prompt” field, type the text that you want to
display at the top of the PXE client menu.
c (Optional) To allow the PXE client menu to time out, select the option “If
no keys hit, time out and do local boot,” then specify the number of
seconds you want the menu to remain visible before the computer
automatically boots from the local hard drive.
d Click OK.
6 Assign a MAC address to the virtual floppy.
a Click the MAC Assignment tab, then click Add.
b Enter the MAC address you want to assign.
To assign an entire group of contiguous MAC addresses, use a ** or .. in
place of a two-digit text field.
c From the Assignment drop-down list, select the virtual floppy that you
want to associate with the MAC address.
If there is no virtual floppy task that the assigned computer needs to run,
select Boot to local hard disk to force PXE to boot the computer as normal.
d (Optional) If you want the client computer to boot the assigned virtual
floppy only one time, select the option “Run once and then change to Local
Boot.”
After the client computer has booted the assigned virtual floppy, it will
revert to the local hard disk boot for all subsequent PXE boots.
e Click OK.
The MAC address and associated virtual floppy task appear in the list box.

7 Reorder MAC addresses.
The order of MAC addresses is important. When searching for a matching
MAC address, the PXE server uses the first address it finds in the list.
Therefore, addresses with wildcards (such as ** or ..) in the MAC address
field should be placed at the bottom of the list, and specific, non-wildcard
MAC addresses should be moved to the top of the list.
To reorder MAC addresses:
a On the MAC Assignment tab, select a MAC address.
b Click Up or Down to move the address to the desired position.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The different ways you can use the boot packages you create
with the Ghost Solution Suite
– Using Boot Disk Builder to build a QuickBoot executable
– The different PXE versions included with Ghost Solution Suite
– Configuring 3Com Boot Services PXE in preparation for
performing remote deployments with Ghost
– Configuring DeployCenter PXE in preparation for performing
remote deployments with DeployCenter
Lab 5: Using Boot Packages
In this lab, you:

•Use a Linux-based Ghost ISO image
•Use a WinPE-based Ghost Virtual Partition
•Use a DOS-based Ghost Virtual Partition
•Use a DeployCenter Virtual Floppy / QuickBoot
Executable
•Use PXE with Ghost
•Use PXE with DeployCenter

Lesson 6
Creating and Restoring Images
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products

Topic
be able to:
Methods of Creating Images Describe the different types of im ages you can
create with Ghost Solution Suite.
Determ ining an Imaging Str ategy Plan an effective imaging str ategy in
preparation for cr eating im ages for
deployment.
Creating an Image Using the Ghost Cr eate an image using the Ghost PreOS GUI.
PreOS G UI
Creating an Image Using the Cr eate an image using the ImageCenter Pr eOS
Im ageCenter PreOS GUI GUI.
Restor ing an Im age Using the Restore an image using the G host Pr eOS GUI.
G host Pr eOS GUI
Restor ing an Im age Using the Restore an image using the ImageCenter
Im ageCenter PreOS GUI PreOS GUI.

Methods of Creating Images
You can create Sector-based images

the following
image types with File-based images
the Ghost
Solution Suite: SmartSector-based images
Methods of Creating Images

The Ghost Solution Suite offers a variety of methods for creating images. The
method you choose depends on your needs. Following is a summary of the Ghost
Solution Suite’s available image types.
Lesson 6 Creating and Restoring Images 6–3

Advantages and Disadvantages of
Image Creation Methods
Imaging Advantages Disadvantages
Method
Sector-based Exact copy of hard drive (all • Large image file sizes
optimizations/customizations • Longest imaging times
are preserved) • No image editing
File-based • Generally takes less time • Disk optimizations and
than sector-based method to custom izations based on file
create images fragment location are lost
• Smaller image file sizes • Slow image creation speed if
• Images can be easily edited drive is heavily fragmented
SmartSector- • Disk optimizations and No image editing
based customizations based on file
fragment location are
preserved
• Fastest imaging times
• Smallest image file sizes
Sector-Based Images
Both Ghost and ImageCenter can create sector-based images. With this image
type, the hard disk is copied sector by sector, sequentially.
The main advantage of this image type is that sector-based images capture a
precise copy of a hard drive. When the image is restored, all data is restored
exactly as it existed on the original drive, thus preserving all optimizations and
customizations from the original drive.
Disadvantages of this image type are:
• Since every hard drive sector is included in the image, image file sizes are
large.
• Since data is copied sequentially one sector at a time, sector-based images take
the longest to create.
• It is not possible to edit sector-based images.
File-Based Images
Ghost creates file-based images by default. With this image type, files are copied
one at a time from the hard drive to the image.
The advantages of this image type are:
• Provided that files are not heavily fragmented on the hard drive, file-based
images can be created faster than sector-based images.
• File-based images are smaller than sector-based images.
• It is easy to edit images (that is, add files to or remove files from images).

Disadvantages of this image type are:
• Disk optimizations and customizations based on the location of file fragments
on a disk are lost (such as optimal file fragmentation for increased disk
performance).
• Image creation speed can be slow if a drive is heavily fragmented (since Ghost
must search for file fragments across a hard drive and copy them before it can
begin copying the next file).
SmartSector-Based Images
ImageCenter’s default imaging mode is called “SmartSector” imaging.
SmartSector technology is a variation of sector-based imaging. It also performs a
sequential sector-by-sector copy of all data on a hard drive, but unlike normal
sector-based imaging, it skips sectors that do not contain data.
The main advantages of this image type are:
• Disk optimizations and customizations based on the location of file fragments
on a disk are preserved.
• SmartSector-based images can usually be created more quickly than either file-
based or normal sector-based images, since only used sectors are copied.
• SmartSector-based images are often much smaller than either file-based or
normal sector-based images.
Like sector-based images, the main disadvantage of this image type is that it is not
possible to edit images.

Determining an Imaging Strategy
When preparing to Im age storage locations

create images for
deployment,
consider: Image file-naming standard

In preparation for creating base images for deployment, there are a number of
things you should consider to ensure that everything goes smoothly both during
and after the deployment effort.

Image Storage Locations

• The folder where you store your deployment images should
be in a central location on your corporate network.
• All the computers to which you want to deploy an image
must be able to access this network share. (This requirement
does not apply if you are using GhostCast Server,
PowerCasting, or the Ghost Console to deploy images.)
Image Storage Locations

Ideally, the folder where you store your deployment images (which we will refer to
throughout the rest of this course as the “image repository”) should be in a central
location on your corporate network. All the systems to which you want to deploy
an image must be able to access this network share.
Note: The requirement for all systems to be able to access the image repository
does not apply if you intend to use GhostCast Server, PowerCasting, or the Ghost
Console to deploy images.
A centrally located image repository has several advantages. By keeping your
images in a central network location, not only is it easier to find your images and
deploy them to machines across the network, but it is also easier to back up your
6
images.

Image File-Naming Standard

1. Come up with a standard that makes sense and is consistent for
all the computers within your company.
For example:
WXP0408.gho = Windows XP Ghost image created in April 2008
WXPSP3.pqi = Windows XP Service Pack 3 ImageCenter image
2. Stick to your standard.
Image File-Naming Standard

The most important considerations when deciding on a naming standard for your
base images are:
1 Come up with a standard that makes sense and is consistent for all the systems
within your company.
For Ghost and ImageCenter images that must be restored in DOS, image
names should conform to the DOS 8.3 file-naming convention (that is, eight or
fewer characters for the main filename and three characters for the filename
extension).
For example, you might name images based on operating system and the date
the image was created:
WXP0408.gho = Windows XP Ghost image created in April 2008
You might also name images based on operating system and service pack:
WXPSP3.pqi = Windows XP with Service Pack 3 ImageCenter image
2 Stick to your standard.

Valid Destinations for Ghost Image
Files
Ghost images can be saved to the following locations:

• Secondary hard disk
• Secondary partition on hard disk (partition backup only)
• CD-R/RW or DVD-R/RW/+R/+RW
• FireWire hard disk
• USB hard disk
• Tape
• Locally mapped network file server
• Another computer using a peer-to-peer connection
Creating an Image Using the Ghost PreOS GUI

Ghost images can be stored on the following media:
• Secondary hard disk
• Secondary partition on hard disk (partition image only)
• CD-R/RW or DVD-R/RW/+R/+RW
• FireWire hard disk
• USB hard disk
• Tape
• Locally mapped network file server
• Another computer using a peer-to-peer connection
6
Compression may affect the speed of your operation. When you select a
compression level, Ghost estimates the amount of space available for the
destination image file. If there is insufficient space, Ghost prompts you to enable
spanning of image files.

Creating an Image Using the Ghost
PreOS GUI
1
Boot to Ghost PreOS environment.
2
Specify source drive or partition to image.
3
Specify image file destination and name.
4
Select compression level.
5 Create image.
6 Verify integrity of image file.
To create a Ghost image:

1 From a Ghost boot package you have created, boot to the Ghost PreOS
environment.
2 Specify the source drive or partition you want to image.
a On the Ghost main menu, select Local—>Partition—>To Image (or to
create an image of the entire disk, select Local—>Disk—>To Image).
b In the Source Drive dialog box, select the source drive and click OK.
The Source Drive dialog box contains the details of every disk that Ghost
finds on the local computer.
c If you are creating an image of individual partitions, select the source
partitions to include in the destination image file and click OK.
The Source Partition dialog box contains the details of all the partitions on
the selected source disk. You can select multiple partitions.
3 In the File Name field, specify the image file destination and name and click
Save.
4 In the Compress Image dialog box, select a compression level.
If Ghost detects that there is not enough space for the image file, you are
prompted to enable spanning.

CAUTION Ensure that you store spanned Ghost images in separate folders.
This is important because Ghost uses the same filenames for all
image file segments, regardless of the image to which the file
segments belong. Therefore, if you save a new spanned image in the
same folder as a spanned image you created previously, Ghost will
overwrite the segments of the older image file.
5 In the Proceed with partition image creation? dialog box, to proceed with the
image file creation, click Yes.
The system performs a quick integrity check of the file structure on the source
partitions, and then copies the source partitions to the destination image file. If
you need to abort the process, press Ctrl+C, but be aware that this action leaves
the destination image file in an unknown state.
If spanning is required, insert new media as prompted during the image
creation process.
6 After the image has been successfully created, verify the integrity of the image
file by selecting Local—>Check—>Image File, browsing to and selecting the
image, and clicking Yes when asked to proceed with the integrity check.

Valid Destinations for ImageCenter
Image Files
Destinations with a drive letter:

• Floppy drives
• Secondary hard drives
• Network drives
• Removable media storage devices
Destinations without a drive letter:

• Hidden NTFS, FAT, and FAT32 partitions
• Standard MMC2-compliant IDE or SCSI CD-R or CD-RW
Creating an Image Using the ImageCenter PreOS GUI

ImageCenter, DeployCenter’s PreOS interface, enables you to create image files
on any physical or logical drive that has been assigned a drive letter, including the
following:
• Secondary hard drives
• Network drives
• Removable media storage devices
You can also create image files on hidden NTFS, FAT, and FAT32 partitions and
standard MMC2-compliant IDE or SCSI CD-R or CD-RW drives that have not
been assigned drive letters.
If you are unsure whether a drive is available to save an image file, click Browse
and all of the available drives will display.

Preparing to Create an ImageCenter
Image File
1. Run a disk utility program to identify and repair any errors on

your hard disk.
2. Run a disk defragmenting utility to further optimize your hard
drive.
3. In the BIOS, disable virus detection.
4. In the PreOS environment, verify the availability of the
destination drive where you want to save the image.
Preparing to Create an ImageCenter Image File

1 Before creating an image with ImageCenter, use a disk utility program to
identify and repair any errors on your hard disk.
Under Windows XP or Vista, run CHKDSK /F.
2 You may also choose to run a disk defragmenting utility to further optimize
your hard drive.
3 Disable virus detection in the BIOS before creating an image file.
If virus protection is enabled, ImageCenter may hang after you click Finish or
incorrectly report a virus when you reboot.
4 Check to ensure that the drive where you want to create an image is available
in the PreOS environment. You can see the available drives by clicking
6
Browse at the Name Image File screen. You may need to set up removable
media or create boot disks to access network drives before you can create an
image.

Creating an Image Using the
ImageCenter PreOS GUI
1
Boot to ImageCenter PreOS environment.
2
Specify source to image.
3
Enter desired path and image filename.
4 Specify imaging options.
5 Create image.
Creating an ImageCenter Image

1 Boot to the ImageCenter PreOS environment from a DeployCenter boot
package you have created, and at the ImageCenter main screen, click Create
Image.
If you have more than one hard drive in your computer, the Select Source
Drive screen is displayed.
2 Select the disk you want to create an image of.
3 Browse to the image file you want to restore and click Next.
You must save your image file to a partition that you are not including in your
image file. You can click Browse to find the directory where you want to save
the image file. Click Browse to select a CD-R or CD-RW drive because you
cannot just type the CD-R drive letter to save an image to CD. CD drives are
displayed in the list as \\.\pqcdx\name of drive, where x is the number of the
CD drive.
If you are planning to restore the image by running ImageCenter from the
rescue diskettes, you must save the image to a FAT, FAT32, or NTFS partition.
To save an image to a hidden FAT partition or to an NTFS or FAT32 partition
that has not been assigned a drive letter, click Browse to display the New
Image File dialog box. From the New Image File dialog box, select the image.
A hidden FAT partition or an NTFS or FAT32 partition is displayed in the
Drives list as \\.\Diskn.Partm, where n is the number of the disk and m
is the number of the partition on that disk. For example, if an NTFS partition is
the third partition on the first disk, the partition is displayed as
\\.\Disk1.Part3. To further identify the partition, the volume label, if
available, is displayed.

Important Notes:
– If you include spaces or extended characters in the filename, you may not
be able to access the image file from ImageCenter, the DOS PreOS
environment, or ImageExplorer.
– If you are creating an image on CD-RW media, the media must be empty
but not formatted. You cannot save more than one image file to a single CD
or create images on CDs that already contain other data.
You cannot save images to local Linux partitions.
Ensure that there is no existing file with the same name, unless you want the
existing file to be overwritten. ImageCenter uses .PQI as the default image
filename extension.
If an image is split because it exceeds 2 GB in size or to span media, the first
segment of the image file has the name you specify. Subsequent segments have
the extensions .002, .003, and so on.
4 Specify imaging options.
a Select the desired compression level and click Next.
Be aware that if you create an image file that is larger than 2 GB, the file is
automatically split into multiple files (segments).
› No Compression is usually the fastest method for creating an image file
and is useful if storage space is not an issue. However, if you are saving
your image file to a busy network drive or to a relatively slow
removable media device, high compression may be faster than no
compression because there is less data to write to the file. ImageCenter
selects No Compression by default.
› Low compression offers a 40 percent average compression ratio.
› High compression offers a 50 percent average compression ratio.
You cannot read compressed ImageCenter images with Symantec Drive
Image or Drive Image Pro.
b (Optional) To split an image file into multiple files (for removable media),
disable file system error-checking or SmartSector copying, password
protect your image file, verify the integrity of the image file after it is
6
created, or verify disk writes, click Advanced Options.
5 To create the image file, click Finish.
If you entered a name of a current file, ImageCenter displays a message that
path and filename already exists. You can replace the existing file or
choose a new filename. If you click Replace, the existing image file is
immediately deleted.
If ImageCenter detects that you are saving your image file to a floppy drive or
removable media, it enables a media-spanning feature that spreads the image
file over a series of disks. You must have at least 128K of available space on
each disk in the series. If you use the media-spanning feature, ensure that you
number the disks in order because you must insert them in the correct sequence
when restoring the image file.
The Creating the Image dialog box is displayed.

Upon completion, the following message is displayed:
Image was copied successfully to file: image filename
If you created the image on CD media, the CD is bootable. If you experience a
system crash that renders your computer unbootable, you can boot from the
image CD and restore the image file to fix your system.
IMPORTANT: Because operating system conflicts can result from different
hardware configurations, you should not restore your image to a system that
has different hardware.

Restoring an Image Using the Ghost
PreOS GUI
1
Boot to Ghost PreOS environment.
2
Select image to restore.
3
Specify destination for image restore.
4 Restore image.
Restoring an Image Using the Ghost PreOS GUI

To restore a disk from a Ghost image:
1 From a Ghost boot package you have created, boot to the Ghost PreOS
environment.
2 Select the image you want to restore.
a On the Ghost main menu, select Local—>Disk—>From Image.
b Browse to and click the image file you want to restore.
The image file may reside on a local drive or on a locally mapped network
file server. When using a peer-to-peer connection, the image file is located
on the slave computer.
3 Specify the location to which you want to restore the image.
6
a In the Destination Drive dialog box, select the destination disk and then
click OK.
Choose carefully because this is the disk that will be overwritten.
The Destination Drive dialog box shows the details of every drive that
Ghost finds on the local computer.
b In the Destination Drive Details dialog box, confirm or change the
destination disk partition layout and click OK.
The Destination Drive Details dialog box shows a suggested partition
layout for the destination disk. By default, Ghost tries to maintain the same
size ratio between new disk partitions.
You can change the size of any target FAT, NTFS, or Linux Ext2/3 partition
by entering the new size in megabytes.

You cannot enter a value that exceeds the available space, is beyond the file
system’s limitations, or is not large enough to contain the data held in the
source image.
CAUTION The Destination Drive Details dialog box shows a suggested

partition layout for the destination drive after the cloning process is
completed. This partition layout may mirror the source drive layout.
Therefore, the destination drive details appear similar to the source
drive.
4 To begin restoring the image, click Yes.

If you are restoring a spanned image, you are prompted to specify the location
of each image segment as it is needed.
When the restore process is complete, restart the computer. Symantec recommends
that you also verify the integrity of the destination disk by running Symantec Disk
Doctor, Chkdsk, ScanDisk, or a similar utility.

Restoring an Image Using the
ImageCenter PreOS GUI
1
Boot to ImageCenter PreOS environment.
2
Enter path and filename of image file to restore.
3
Specify destination options.
4 Set advanced restore options as desired.
5 Restore image.
Restoring an ImageCenter Image Using the ImageCenter PreOS

GUI
Important: If the BIOS of the computer you are restoring the image to includes a
virus detection feature, disable it. If virus protection is enabled, ImageCenter may
hang after you click Finish or incorrectly report a virus when you reboot.
1 Boot into the ImageCenter PreOS environment from a DeployCenter boot
package you have created, and at the ImageCenter main screen, click Restore
Image.
2 In the Image File field, enter the path and filename of the image file you want
to restore, or click Browse to select the path and image file, then click Next.
If you assigned a password to the image file when you created it, the Get Image
File Password dialog box appears. You must enter the password to restore the
6
image file. Symantec does not maintain image file passwords or have a
workaround for restoring password-protected images without the password.
You can restore an image from a hidden NTFS, FAT, or FAT32 partition by
choosing it from the Open Image File dialog box that appears when you click
Browse. A hidden NTFS partition will appear in the Drives list as
\\.\Diskn.Partm, where n is the number of the disk and m is the number of the
partition on that disk. To further identify the hidden partition, the volume label
will display, if available.
If you click Browse and select an image file, you will have an option to verify
the integrity of an image file before you attempt to restore it. Click Verify, and
ImageCenter will check to see that all of the files in the image are available for
you to open, the internal data structures in the image file match the data that is

available, and the image file can be uncompressed and create the expected
amount of data. ImageCenter reports whether the image file passes or fails the
integrity check.
If you are running ImageCenter from rescue diskettes, you can restore image
files from FAT, FAT32, or NTFS partitions.
3 Specify destination options.
a Select the drive to which you want to restore the image, then click Next.
b Select an unallocated space or existing partition to which you want to
restore the image.
When you restore an image to unallocated space, ImageCenter creates a
new partition for the image. The unallocated space where you restore an
image must be at least as large as the used space required by the image. For
example, if you created an image of a 20 GB partition that included 5 GB
of data, the unallocated space where you restore the image must be at least
5 GB. In addition, if you are restoring an NTFS partition, it cannot be
resized below the master file table (MFT), regardless of how much data is
included in the partition. The MFT is generally near the midpoint of the
partition.
If you select an existing partition as the destination, ImageCenter displays a
dialog box telling you that the existing partition will be deleted before your
image file is restored. ImageCenter does not delete the partition until you
click Finish on the Ready to Restore Image File screen.
If the unallocated space on the destination drive is greater than the space
required to restore the selected partitions, the Resize Options dialog box
appears. Choose to automatically resize partitions proportionally to fit,
leave remaining unused space, or resize partitions manually to fit.
4 (Optional) If you want to enable bad-sector checking, enable disk-write
verification, check for file system errors, or hide partitions after they are
restored, click Advanced Options.
Important Notes:
– Restoring partitions can cause the drive letters of subsequent partitions to
change. This may make the computer unbootable or cause applications to
fail.
– If you are restoring a primary partition that contains an operating system,
and the partition will not replace your existing primary partition, you must
click Advanced Options and choose to hide the partition after restoring it.
Otherwise, data corruption could occur.
5 Click Finish to begin restoring the image file.
If ImageCenter detects that you are restoring your image file from removable
media, it enables a media-spanning feature that is capable of reading the image
file from a series of disks. As ImageCenter prompts you for each media, be
careful to insert them sequentially.
The Restoring the Image dialog box appears, tracking the progress of the
image restore. Upon completion, the following message appears:
Image was restored successfully.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The different types of images you can create with Ghost Solution
Suite
– Planning an effective imaging strategy in preparation for creating
images for deployment
– Creating an image using the Ghost PreOS GUI
– Creating an image using the ImageCenter PreOS GUI
– Restoring an image using the Ghost PreOS GUI
– Restoring an image using the ImageCenter PreOS GUI
Lab 6: Creating and Restoring Images
In this lab, you:

•Create an image using the WinPE-based Ghost boot
environment.
•Create an image using the DOS-based DeployCenter
QuickBoot executable boot environment.
•Restore an image using a PXE-based Ghost boot
6
environment.
•Restore an image using a PXE-based DeployCenter boot
environment.

Lesson 7
Creating and Restoring Master Images
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products
After completing this lesson, you will be

Topic
able to:
Issues Involved in Deploying Images Identify the issues involved in deploying images
on a Network on a network.
How Microsoft Sysprep Resolves Explain how Microsoft Sysprep solves image
Image Deployment Issues deployment issues.
Using Sysprep for Use Sysprep for Windows XP/2000 to prepare a
Windows 2000/XP reference system for imaging.
Using Sysprep for Windows Vista Use Sysprep for Windows Vista to prepare a
reference system for imaging.
Building and Optimizing the Prepare a r eference computer for imaging.
Reference Computer
Creating a Master Image of the Create a master image of the reference computer
Reference Computer and validate the image.
Restor ing Master Images Use G host and ImageCenter to restore a master
image, and use Ghost’s DeployAnywhere feature
to install drivers on the target computer.

Issues Involved in Deploying Images
on a Network
SID duplication
When creating an
image to deploy an OS
to multiple computers, Computer name duplication
you m ust address the
issues of:
Hardware differences
Issues Involved in Deploying Images on a Network

When creating an image to deploy an operating system to multiple computers on a
network, there are several important issues that must be addressed:
• SID duplication
A computer’s SID (Security Identifier) uniquely identifies a user or group to a
Windows server. When you log on to your computer, your computer name,
user account, and SID are verified to ensure you have valid access to the
network. To ensure security, only a single instance of the SID is able to access
the network at any given time. This creates a problem when restoring an image
to a new system since by restoring your image, you are creating a system with
a duplicate SID. If this issue is not addressed, the machine will not be able to
• Computer name duplication
Similar to the SID, the computer name is used to uniquely identify a computer
to a Windows server. When you log on to your computer, your computer name
is verified to ensure you have valid access to the network. To ensure security,
only a single instance of the computer name is able to access the network at
7
any given time. This creates a problem when restoring an image to a new
system since by restoring your image, you are creating a system with a
duplicate computer name. If this issue is not addressed, the duplicated machine
will not be able to log on to the network.
• Hardware differences
When Windows is installed, it detects the devices in your system and loads
drivers for them. When you create an image of a machine, all this device
configuration information is included in the image. This becomes a concern
Lesson 7 Creating and Restoring Master Images 7–3

when restoring the image to systems that do not have the same hardware. The
result is hardware conflicts, incorrect device drivers, and misconfigured
devices. If this issue is not addressed, you may have serious problems with
hardware and may need to spend a large amount of time resolving hardware
conflicts and adding new device drivers.

How Microsoft Sysprep Resolves
Image Deployment Issues
• Sysprep strips the SID, computer name, and hardware/driver

information from the OS prior to imaging.
• When the image is restored to a computer, needed system
and hardware information is supplied in one of the following
ways:
− The computer runs through a setup wizard, allowing the user to
manually specify needed computer settings.
− Sysprep uses an “answer file” to automatically create all needed
computer settings.
How Microsoft Sysprep Resolves Image Deployment Issues

Microsoft developed Sysprep to overcome the major issues of deploying Windows
computers in network environments. Sysprep resolves these issues by stripping the
SID, the computer name, and all hardware and driver information from the
operating system just prior to imaging.
When the image is restored to other computers, the computers act as though they
are in the initial setup mode of Windows, allowing the user to manually specify all
needed computer settings. Alternately, Sysprep can automate the creation of a new
computer name and SID, configure network settings and domain membership, and
detect all new hardware using Plug and Play technology, thus providing a truly
automated solution that generates a unique network identity for each computer.

Overview of the Sysprep Process
Overview of the Sysprep Process

There are eight main steps involved in using Sysprep to create hardware-
independent, or master, images. The main steps in the Sysprep process are as
follows:
1 Obtain the appropriate Sysprep files for the Windows operating system and
service pack you want to deploy.
2 Create a Sysprep answer file. This file is used to automate Windows setup on
the computers you deploy the master image to.
3 Test the Sysprep answer file to verify that it works properly before you use it in
your production environment.
4 Optimize the system you want to use to create the master image.
5 Run Sysprep with the required switches to strip the optimized system of
hardware-specific information and to shut the system down in preparation for
imaging.
6 Use a PreOS boot package that includes an imaging tool (Ghost or
ImageCenter) and capture an image of the Sysprepped system.
7 Test the master image by restoring it to a variety of computers with different
hardware configurations.
8 Once you have verified that the master image will work successfully in your
environment, deploy it to computers as needed.
This lesson covers each of the preceding steps in detail, first for Windows 2000/
XP, and then for Windows Vista.

Using Sysprep for Windows 2000/XP
Using Sysprep for Windows 2000/XP

Where to Obtain Sysprep
You can download the appropriate version of Sysprep from Microsoft’s Web site,
or you can search your OS installation CD for the file deploy.cab. This is a
compressed file that contains all the Sysprep files.
IMPORTANT: Only use the version of Sysprep designed for your specific
operating system and service pack. For example, do not use the Windows XP
version of Sysprep on a Windows 2000 system. Doing so could result in serious
errors and possible data loss. Also, if you have downloaded and installed a Service
Pack for Windows XP, do NOT use the version of Sysprep that comes on the
Windows XP installation CD. Doing so could result in serious operating system
errors. Instead, download the Windows XP Corporate Deployment Tools
(deploy.cab) for your specific Windows XP Service Pack from Microsoft’s
website.
Sysprep Documentation
For Windows XP, detailed information about how to use Sysprep is contained in
7
the various .chm files in the deploy.cab file. Make sure to also refer to the
readme file for documentation updates and corrections.
Windows 2000 users should refer to the unattend.doc file for information
about using Sysprep. This document is contained in the deploy.cab file.

Additional Information
For additional information on Sysprep, refer to the following Microsoft
documents, which have been compiled based on frequently-asked questions and
best practices:
• “Computer May Hang After Using Sysprep on ACPI-Enabled Computer”
(Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 259144)
• “HOW TO: Add Customized User Settings When You Run Sysprep in
Windows Server 2003” (Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 325858)
• “How to Add OEM Plug and Play Drivers to Windows XP” (Microsoft
Knowledge Base Article 314479)
• “HOW TO: Clear the Paging File When You Use the Sysprep Tool Before
Imaging Windows 2000” (Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 295919)
• “Event ID 7011 Messages and Computer Stops Responding After You Install
Windows XP by Using the Sysprep Utility” (Microsoft Knowledge Base
Article 811428)
• “Using SysPrep in Factory Mode” (SysPrep 1.1 Help File)
• “Microsoft Windows 2000 SysPrep Update – Image Maintenance: Reducing
the Number of Master Images Required” (filename: NewSysprep.doc;
available in the Docs folder of the Sysprep 1.1 update)
Note: The Sysprep 1.1 update for Windows 2000 can be downloaded at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/
tools/sysprep/default.asp
Notes on Using Sysprep with Windows 2000

There are two limitations you should be aware of when using the Sysprep Setup
Manager for Windows 2000:
• Computer names: Unlike the Windows XP Sysprep Setup Manager, Setup
Manager for Windows 2000 does not offer an option to create unique computer
names on the target systems. To work around this limitation, simply enter a
temporary computer name in Setup Manager when prompted, and once the
Sysprep answer file (Sysprep.inf) has been created, open it and change the
computer name to an asterisk (*). This causes Sysprep to generate random
computer names.
• Product key: The Sysprep Setup Manager for Windows 2000 does not allow
you to specify a product ID; thus, the CD key must be entered on each target
machine the master image is restored to. To work around this limitation, simply
add the following entry on a separate line directly after the Computer Name
entry in the USERID section of the Sysprep.inf file . . .
ProductID=#####-#####-#####-#####-#####
. . . replacing the # characters with the valid product ID key. This will
automatically populate the product ID field on the target computers when the
Sysprep answer file is applied after the master image is restored to them.

Building a Sysprep Answer File (2000/XP)
Building a Sysprep Answer File

After a hardware-independent image has been deployed to a computer and the
computer is booted into the operating system for the first time, initial configuration
information must be provided before the computer can be used. This information
includes such things as the product key, the domain the computer should be joined
to, the correct time zone, desktop settings, and so on.
To automate the process of supplying initial configuration information, you must
build a Sysprep answer file. Sysprep uses the information in this file to complete
the setup wizard it runs when a newly deployed system is booted for the first time.
For the purposes of this topic, we will focus on building a Sysprep answer file for
Windows XP.
To build a Windows XP Sysprep answer file:
9 Create a folder named Sysprep on the root of the system partition (which is
usually C:\) and extract the contents of the deploy.cab file into the
Sysprep folder.
7
CAUTION If the Sysprep files are not placed in a folder on the root of the
system partition, the Sysprep answer file will not work correctly.
10 Open the Sysprep folder and double-click the file setupmgr.exe.

The setupmgr.exe program is a wizard that helps you create a Sysprep
answer file.

11 At the Setup Manager wizard welcome screen, click Next.
12 Choose to create a new answer file.
13 When asked which type of setup Sysprep is being used for, select Sysprep
setup.
14 Select the appropriate operating system (in this case, Windows XP

Professional).
15 Choose to fully automate the installation so that users do not have to accept
Microsoft’s End User License Agreement when the master image is restored to
their computers.
16 Specify a name and organization.

This can simply be the location of your users and your company name (for
example, Name: Lindon, UT; Organization: Symantec).
17 Assign the desired display settings.

If you already specified these settings when you configured the operating
system, you can choose to use the defaults.
18 Choose the correct time zone for your area.
19 Enter the CD key for the operating system you have installed.
20 Choose to automatically generate a computer name.

This causes Sysprep to create a unique computer name for each system the
master image is restored to. The computer names will be based on your
organization name.
21 Leave the administrative password fields blank and do not choose to

automatically log on.
22 Choose the appropriate network settings for the system.

In most cases, you should choose the typical settings.
23 Specify that computers will participate in a domain.

a Select Domain and specify the required domain name.
b Select “Create a computer account in the domain” and specify an admin
name and password that has rights to add users’ computers to the domain.

24 Edit any of the following advanced settings as desired:
– Telephony
– Regional Settings
– Languages
– Install Printers
25 If desired, use the Run Once setting to specify a command that should be
executed the first time (and only the first time) the operating system boots.
Note: The Run Once setting is usually used to start an application installation
or to run an application that is already installed. An example would be starting
a migration utility to migrate previous user settings to the new operating
system.
26 If desired, use the Additional Commands setting to specify a command that

should execute upon the completion of Sysprep but before the system boots for
the first time.
Note: This setting is ordinarily used to display notifications to the end user.
27 In most cases, you can ignore the Identification String, since it is rarely used in
today’s computing environments, and click Finish to close the Setup Manager
wizard.
28 Save the Sysprep answer file (Sysprep.inf) to the same folder (that is, the
Sysprep folder) from which you executed the setupmgr.exe file
29 Click Cancel to close Setup Manager.
30 Use Notepad to open the Sysprep.inf file that you created in

C:\Sysprep and type the following heading at the end of the file:
[SysprepMassStorage]
31 Save the Sysprep.inf file.
32 Select Start—>Run, and then run the following command:

C:\Sysprep\Sysprep -bmsd
This automatically populates the [SysprepMassStorage] section of the
Sysprep.inf file with driver information for many common mass storage
devices.
7
33 If you want to add OEM drivers to the Sysprep setup, perform the following
steps (as prescribed in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 314479):
a On the root of the volume where the %WinDir% folder is located, create a
folder structure to hold the drivers, then copy the drivers to their
appropriate subfolders.
For example, on the root of C:, create a Drivers folder. Within the Drivers
folder, create separate subfolders to hold the drivers for each hardware type
(NIC, Video, etc.).

b Add the entry OemPnPDriversPath = path to drivers in the
[Unattended] section of the Sysprep.inf file. You can list multiple paths
in this key by separating them with a semicolon (;), as shown in the following
example:
[Unattended]
OemPnPDriversPath = Drivers\NIC;Drivers\Video
34 Create a backup copy of the Sysprep folder on the root of the system drive.
The reason for doing this is that you should always test your Sysprep answer file
before you create a master image to make sure the Sysprep process runs successfully.
However, once Sysprep runs and applies the answer file, it automatically deletes the
Sysprep folder and all its contents. Without a backup copy, you would have to retrieve
all the Sysprep files again and create a new Sysprep answer file from scratch before
creating the master image.
35 Close all windows that are currently open.

Note: If you do not close all open windows, these windows will attempt to reopen on
the users’ computers after the master image is restored and they boot for the first time.
Not only is this an annoyance to users, but it can also cause errors if the windows were
associated with folders that no longer exist (such as the Sysprep folder, which is
automatically deleted after Sysprep has been run).
36 Select Start—>Run, and enter the command line and switches needed to run Sysprep.
For example:
C:\Sysprep\Sysprep.exe -mini -reseal -quiet -reboot
The switches provide the following functionality:
-mini Tells Sysprep to use the answer file you created
-reseal Removes system-specific information from the Windows installation
-quiet Tells Sysprep to run without displaying user prompts
-reboot Tells Sysprep to reboot the system upon completion
In addition to the preceding switches, you can also use the -pnp switch to perform an
in-depth search of hardware and devices. This helps ensure that all devices will work
correctly once the image is restored. Be aware, however, that this switch causes
machines to run slowly for about 45 minutes to 2 hours while the detection process is
being performed.
There should be a slight delay while Sysprep strips information from the system, and
then the machine should automatically reboot.
If an error occurs during the Sysprep testing process, re-create and re-test the answer
file until the test is successful.
37 Rename the backup copy of the Sysprep folder to C:\Sysprep\.
38 Copy the Sysprep folder to a centrally accessible location (for example, a network
drive) for future deployment projects.

Example of a Modified Sysprep.inf File
[Unattended]
InstallFilesPath="%systemdrive%\WINNT\I386"
OemPreinstall=Yes
OemSkipEula=Yes
OEMPnPDriversPath=drivers\audio;drivers\net\3com;drivers\net\i
ntel
DriverSigningPolicy=ignore
UnattendedMode=FullUnattended
InstallFilesPath=C:\sysprep\i386
TargetPath=\WINNT
[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword=mechanics
AutoLogon=Yes
AutoLogonCount=1
OEMSkipRegional=1
TimeZone=35
OemSkipWelcome=1
[UserData]
FullName="IT Infrastructure"
OrgName="Company Name"
ComputerName=*
ProductID = AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE
[SetupMgr]
DistFolder=C:\sysprep\i386
DistShare=win2000dist
[Identification]
JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP
[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=No
7
;GuiRunOnce]
;"C:\SYSPREP\SYSPREP.EXE -clean"
[NetClients]
MS_MSClient=params.MS_MSClient
[data]
UseBIOSToBoot=1

UnattendedInstall=Yes
[SysPrepMassStorage]
;usage format for 3rd party mass storage device drivers
;<pnpid>=<path to inf>,<disk directory>,<disk
description>,<disk tag>
;Other IDE Devices
PCI\CC_0101=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_0E11&DEV_AE33=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_1039&DEV_0601=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_105A&DEV_4D33=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_10AD&DEV_0001=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf

Using Sysprep for Windows Vista
Using Sysprep for Windows Vista

Where to Obtain Sysprep
When you install Vista, Sysprep is installed in the
\Windows\system32\sysprep directory. Sysprep is only supported in
Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate.
To create the Sysprep answer file (sysprep.xml), use the Windows System
Image Manager tool, which is included in the Windows Automated Installation Kit
(Windows AIK). To install this kit:
1 Go to Microsoft’s Web site (www.microsoft.com/downloads).
2 Search for WAIK.
3 Download the Windows AIK disk image for the version of Vista you are
deploying.
4 Burn the image to DVD and install Windows AIK on the computer where you
7
want to create the Sysprep answer file.
Note: As of July 2008, the developers of the Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 course were
unable to get Vista SP1 to successfully process a Sysprep answer file created with
the Windows AIK for Vista SP1. Consequently, Symantec recommends that you
use a pre-SP1 installation of Vista to create your answer file and your master
image, and then deploy SP1 as a software package to users’ computers.

System Requirements
If you are using a Windows 2000/XP system to create the Vista Sysprep answer
file, you must install the following software in order to use the Windows
Automated Installation Kit:
• MSXML 6
• .NET 2.0
Note: MSXML 6 and .NET 2.0 are installed by default in Windows Vista.
Sysprep Documentation
You can find detailed information about how to use the Windows AIK in the
various .chm files in the \docs\chms folder on the Windows AIK DVD. You
can find Sysprep documentation in the waik.chm file under the topic
“Deployment Tools Technical Reference.” Also, refer to the readme.htm file for
documentation updates and corrections.
Additional Information
Following are some additional sources of information related to Vista deployment:
• Windows Vista Deployment Step by Step Guide
http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/
88f80cb7-d44f-47f7-a10d-e23dd53bc3fa1033.mspx
• How Configuration Passes Work
791eb40e-6624-4217-b913-82a02e07465d1033.mspx
• Comparing Windows XP and Windows Vista Deployment Technologies
2957d7c4-02c7-4205-afb5-f03434d8f37d1033.mspx
• Deploying Vista with Sysprep and ImageX
http://www.svrops.com/svrops/articles/sysprepvista.htm

Building a Sysprep Answer File (Vista)
Building a Sysprep Answer File

After a hardware-independent image has been deployed to a computer and the
computer is booted into the operating system for the first time, initial configuration
information must be provided before the computer can be used. This information
includes such things as the product key, the domain the computer should be joined
to, the correct time zone, desktop settings, and so on.
To automate the process of supplying initial configuration information, you must
build a Sysprep answer file. Sysprep uses the information in this file to complete
the setup wizard that runs when a newly deployed system is booted for the first
time.
In this topic, we will create a basic answer file that meets some common
deployment needs. Our example is not intended to be an ideal answer file; rather, it
is intended to give you a brief introduction to the wide range of Sysprep
configuration options available in the Windows System Image Manager tool.
To build a Vista answer file:
1 Insert the Windows Vista installation DVD, open the sources folder on the
7
DVD, and copy the file install.wim to a folder on your hard disk (for
example, C:\vista_install\install.wim).
The install.wim file is the Vista installation image. It will be used to
create a local catalog of Vista components that can be configured in the
Sysprep answer file.

2 Launch Windows System Image Manager (Start—>Programs—>
Microsoft Windows AIK—>Windows System Image Manager).
3 In Windows System Image Manager, select File—>Select Windows Image,

then browse to and open the install.wim file you copied to the hard drive.
4 Select the version of Windows Vista you are deploying, then click OK.
5 When prompted to create a catalog, click Yes.

The catalog is a binary file that lists all the settings in the Vista installation
image. You will select components from the catalog file to add as configuration
entries in the Sysprep answer file.
6 After the catalog file has been created, select File—>New Answer File.
An untitled answer file is added in the Answer File pane.
7 In the Windows Image pane, expand the Components item.

Note: To view context-sensitive help on components and settings in the
Windows AIK, select the component or setting you want to learn about and
press the F1 key.
8 In the Components list, perform the following:

a Right-click “x86_Microsoft-Windows-Security-Licensing-SLC” and select
“Add Setting to Pass 3 generalize.”
What this component does: Controls what happens to licensing values set
during system installation and testing.
Our purpose for using it: To prevent Sysprep from resetting Vista
activation-related licensing and registry data during the “generalize” pass
when it strips out system-specific information.
b Right-click “x86_Microsoft-Windows-Deployment” and select “Add
Setting to Pass 4 specialize.”
What this component does: Enables you to specify settings related to
auditing a computer.
Our purpose for using it: To run a command that enables Vista’s built-in
administrator account.
c Right-click “x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup” and select “Add
What this component does: Enables you to control how the Windows shell
is installed on destination computers.
Our purpose for using it: To configure various settings for the Windows
environment, including product key, time zone, default look and feel of the
desktop, and so on.
d Right-click “x86_Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin” and select “Add
What this component does: Enables you to join computers to a domain
during the “specialize” pass.

Our purpose for using it: To specify settings needed to join deployed
computers to a domain.
e Right-click “x86_Microsoft-Windows-International-Core” and select “Add
Setting to Pass 7 oobeSystem.”
What this component does: Enables you to specify language and input
locale settings for the system and user.
Our purpose for using it: To set system locale and language.
f Right-click “x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup” and select “Add
Setting to Pass 7 oobeSystem.”
What this component does: Enables you to control how the Windows shell
is installed on destination computers.
Our purpose for using it: To specify organization and owner information,
and to configure various other settings for the Windows environment,
including user accounts and passwords.
Note: If you experience problems with Plug and Play detecting incorrect drivers
on newly deployed computers (which sometimes happens when deploying virtual
machines in VMware), consider adding the “x86_Microsoft-Windows-
PnpSysprep” component to the generalize pass and setting
“PersistAllDeviceInstalls” to “True.” This prevents Sysprep from stripping out
device drivers during the generalize pass. Although this can resolve the issue of
incorrectly detected drivers, generally you should not make this configuration
when creating a master image file because it prevents Plug and Play from detecting
new devices on deployed systems.
9 Configure the “Security-Licensing-SLC” component for the “generalize”

configuration pass.
a In the Answer File pane, expand the “3 generalize” item and select the
“x86_Microsoft-Windows-Security-Licensing-SLC” component.
b In the SkipRearm field, type the number 1.
This setting ensures that all activation-related licensing and registry data
remains and is not reset by Sysprep.
10 Configure the “Deployment” component for the “specialize” configuration

pass.
a In the Answer File pane, expand the “4 specialize” item, expand the
“x86_Microsoft-Windows-Deployment” component, then right-click the
“RunSynchronous” item and select “Insert New
7
RunSynchronousCommand.”
b Configure the RunSynchronousCommand settings as follows:
› In the Order field, type the number 1.
This ensures that the command is run before any other commands.
› In the Path field, type:
net user administrator /active:yes
This enables Vista’s built-in administrator account.

11 Configure the “Shell-Setup” component for the “specialize” configuration
pass.
a In the Answer File pane, under the “4 specialize” item, select the
“x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup” component and configure settings
as follows:
› ComputerName: Type an asterisk: *
This causes a random computer name to be generated for each
computer.
› CopyProfile: true
This enables you to overwrite the default user profile
(C:\Users\Default) with the current user profile. The advantage
of this is that you can configure the current user profile to comply with
corporate standards, and then replace the default user profile with these
customizations. As a result, corporate standards will be automatically
applied to each new user profile that is added to the computer.
› DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet: false
This resets the time on the computer to daylight savings time.
› DoNotCleanTaskBar: true
This specifies that icons on toolbars (for example, the QuickLaunch
toolbar) should not be cleared out.
› ProductKey: Type a valid volume activation license for Vista.
› ShowWindowsLive: false
This specifies that a link to Windows Live is not displayed on the Start
menu.
› StartPanelOff: false
This specifies that the new Vista Start Panel is displayed when the Start
button is clicked.
› TimeZone: Type the correct time zone for your location.
b Expand the “x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup” component, select the
Display item, and configure settings as follows:
› ColorDepth: 32
Sets the display color depth to the “Highest” setting (32-bit color)
› DPI: 120
Sets the resolution of graphics, such as icons and screen fonts, to 120
dpi (dots per inch)
› HorizontalResolution: 1024
Sets the monitor’s horizontal resolution to 1024 pixels
› RefreshRate: 60
Sets the monitor’s refresh rate to 60 Hertz
› VerticalResolution: 768
Sets the monitor’s vertical resolution to 768 pixels

c Select the Themes item and configure settings as follows:
› CustomDefaultThemeFile: Type the path to a custom Vista display
theme you have developed for your organization.
› DefaultThemesOff: false
This specifies that the default Vista visual style should be used.
12 Configure the “UnattendedJoin” component for the “specialize” configuration

pass.
a In the Answer File pane, under the “4 specialize” item, expand the
“x86_Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin” component, select
Identification, and in the JoinDomain field, type the name of the domain
you want computers to join.
b Expand the Identification item, select Credentials, and configure settings as
follows:
› Domain: Specify the name of the domain to use for account
authentication.
› Password: Specify the password for an account that has rights to join
computers to the domain.
› Username: Specify the name of the user account whose password you
entered in the previous setting.
13 Configure the “International-Core” component for the “oobeSystem”

configuration pass.
a In the Answer File pane, expand the “7 oobeSystem” item and select the
“x86_Microsoft-Windows-International-Core” component.
b Enter the correct localization code for your location in the InputLocale,
SystemLocale, UILanguage, and UserLocale fields.
Note: For a list of localization codes, refer to the topic “Supported
Language Packs” in the Unattended Windows Setup Reference help file
(Help—>Unattended Reference).
14 Configure the “Shell-Setup” component for the “oobeSystem” configuration

pass.
a In the Answer File pane, under the “7 oobeSystem” item, select the
“x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup” component and configure settings
as follows:
› RegisteredOrganization: Type the name of your company.
7
› RegisteredOwner: Type the name of the department or group that owns

the computer.
b Expand the “x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup” component, select
OOBE, and configure settings as follows:
› HideEULAPage: true
Specifies that the Microsoft End User License Agreement page of
Windows Welcome is hidden when the user logs in to Windows.

(Note: For system builders in OEM environments, Microsoft requires
this setting to be “false” so end users can view and accept the Windows
license agreement when they use their system for the first time.)
› NetworkLocation: Work
Informs Windows that the computer is connected to a private office
network.
› ProtectYourPC: Type the number 1.
Sets the option “Help protect your computer automatically” to the most
appropriate level for the user’s situation, as determined by Windows.
› SkipMachineOOBE: true
Hides the Windows Welcome screen that appears when the user logs in
for the first time.
Note: In the Unattended Windows Setup help, Microsoft cautions
against setting this option to “true” in a production environment
because “the user will not be prompted for values that are necessary to
successfully complete Windows Setup.” This could result in the
computer being “left in an unusable state.” If you set this option to true
in a production environment, Microsoft advises you to “add values for
the Windows Welcome screens in your answer file.”
c Expand the UserAccounts item, select AdministratorPassword, and enter
the password for the Administrator account in the Value field.
d Right-click LocalAccounts and select Insert New LocalAccount.
e Verify that the newly added LocalAccount item is selected, then configure
its settings as follows:
› Description: Enter a short description for the new local account
› DisplayName: Enter the account’s display name (the name that is
displayed for the account on the Windows login screen and on the Start
menu).
› Group: Administrators
› Name: Enter the user name for the account.
f Expand the LocalAccount item, select Password, and enter the password
for the local account in the Value field.
This completes the configuration of our sample Sysprep answer file.
15 Select Tools—>Validate Answer File.

If any errors are displayed in the Messages pane, double-click each message to
navigate to the affected setting and correct any issues. You can ignore warning
messages that state “the setting has not been modified; it will not be saved to
the answer file.” These simply indicate that empty configuration settings (in
other words, settings you did not configure) will not be saved to the Sysprep
answer file.

16 Select File—>Save Answer File As, then save the answer file to the
C:\Windows\system32\sysprep folder.
Note: The exact name of the answer file does not matter, as long as you save it
as an XML file. In this course, we are naming the file sysprep.xml.
17 Open a command prompt and enter the command line and switches needed to
perform a test run of the Sysprep answer file.
For example:
C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /oobe
/generalize /reboot /quiet
/unattend:C:\Windows\System32\sysprep\sysprep.xml
The switches provide the following functionality:
/oobe Tells Sysprep to use the answer file you created
/generalize Removes system-specific information from the Windows
installation
/reboot Tells Sysprep to reboot the system upon completion
/quiet Tells Sysprep to run without displaying user prompts
/unattend: Points Sysprep to the location of the answer file
After you run Sysprep, there is a slight delay while Sysprep strips information
from the system, and then the machine automatically reboots.
If errors occur during the Sysprep testing process, correct the problems and
retest the answer file until the test is successful.
18 Copy the Sysprep folder to a centrally accessible location (for example, a

network drive) for future deployment projects.

Example of a Sysprep.xml Answer File
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="generalize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Licensing-SLC"
processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"
language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://
schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://
www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="specialize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment"
<RunSynchronous>
<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<Order>1</Order>
<Path>net user administrator /active:yes</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
</RunSynchronous>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup"
<Display>
<ColorDepth>32</ColorDepth>
<DPI>120</DPI>
<HorizontalResolution>1024</HorizontalResolution>
<VerticalResolution>768</VerticalResolution>
<RefreshRate>60</RefreshRate>
</Display>
<Themes>
<CustomDefaultThemeFile>C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\symantec.theme</
CustomDefaultThemeFile>
<DefaultThemesOff>false</DefaultThemesOff>
</Themes>
<ComputerName>*</ComputerName>
<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>

<DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>false</
DisableAutoDaylightTimeSet>
<DoNotCleanTaskBar>true</DoNotCleanTaskBar>
<ProductKey>12345-12345-12345-12345-12345</ProductKey>
<ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
<StartPanelOff>false</StartPanelOff>
<TimeZone>Mountain Standard Time</TimeZone>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin"
<Identification>
<Credentials>
<Domain>symantec</Domain>
<Password>Passw0rd</Password>
<Username>DomainAdmin</Username>
</Credentials>
<JoinDomain>symantec</JoinDomain>
</Identification>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="oobeSystem">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core"
<InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>
<SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
<UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
<UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup"
7
<OOBE>
<HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
<NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
<ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
<SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE>
</OOBE>

<UserAccounts>
<AdministratorPassword>
<Value>UABhAHMAcwB3ADAAcgBkAEEAZABtAGkAbgBpAHMAdAByAGEAdABvAHIAUABhAHMAc
wB3AG8AcgBkAA==</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</AdministratorPassword>
<LocalAccounts>
<LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
<Password>
<Value>UABhAHMAcwB3ADAAcgBkAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</Password>
<Description>Required local account</Description>
<DisplayName>Local User</DisplayName>
<Group>Administrators</Group>
<Name>localuser</Name>
</LocalAccount>
</LocalAccounts>
</UserAccounts>
<RegisteredOrganization>Symantec</RegisteredOrganization>
<RegisteredOwner>Symantec Education Services</
RegisteredOwner>
</component>
</settings>
<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:c:/vista_image/install.wim#Windows
Vista ULTIMATE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Building and Optimizing the
Reference Computer
1
Wipe disk if not em pty
9
Clean up unwanted/temp files
2
Perform clean OS install
10 Clear out Web browser cache
3
Install OS service packs, updates
11 Defrag drive
4
Remove problematic drivers
12
Set paging file to zero
5
Remove null drivers
13 Run CHKDSK /F
6
Configure Default User (XP)
14
Rebuild pagefile
7
Install standard corporate apps
15
Change Guest account usage (XP)
8
Uninstall hardware-related apps
Building and Optimizing the Reference Computer

In this course, we refer to the computer you use to create the master image as the
reference computer.
Before you create the master image, there is a series of tasks you need to perform
to prepare and optimize the reference computer:
Note: Unless otherwise noted, the tasks in this section apply to Windows 2000/XP
as well as Windows Vista.
1 If the reference computer already has an OS and applications installed on it (as

may be the case when receiving a new computer directly from the
manufacturer), use a tool such as GDisk to wipe the hard disk’s MBR or to
perform a full disk wipe.
2 Perform a clean installation of Windows on the reference computer using a

volume license. Do not add the reference computer to a domain.
CAUTION If the machine is a member of a domain when Sysprep runs, then

7
when you deploy the master image to the users’ computers, Sysprep
will not be able to automatically add the users’ computers to a
domain. Therefore, always make sure the machine you are using to
create the master image is not a member of a domain when you run
Sysprep.

3 Install Windows service packs, patches, and updates as needed.
4 The drivers for the following devices often prevent the reinstallation of Plug
and Play devices, so you must remove them from Device Manager:
– Network cards
– Modems
– USB hubs
– Audio
– Keyboard and mouse (Important: Do not reboot after uninstalling these
drivers, even if you are prompted to do so.)
– Video (Important: Uninstall this driver last. Also, do not reboot after
uninstalling the video driver, even if you are prompted to do so.)
5 If any null drivers are present in Device Manager, remove them.

Null drivers prevent Windows from reinstalling their related devices during the
next reboot. These drivers appear as yellow icons in Device Manager.
To remove a null driver, right-click the device and select Uninstall.
6 Windows XP: Configure the Default User profile to comply with corporate
standards (for example, set wallpaper and screensavers to the corporate
standards, add corporate documents to the Documents folder, and so on). By
doing this, any user profile that is added to the computer in the future will be
automatically configured to comply with corporate standards.
To configure the Default User profile in Windows XP:
a Create a temporary administrative user.
b Log in as the temporary user and configure system settings as needed.
c Log off the temporary user and log in as Administrator.
d Run the User Profiles management tool (Control Panel —> System —>
Advanced tab —> User Profiles group box —> Settings) and copy the
temporary user’s profile settings to the Default User profile.
Note: In some cases, you may need to reboot the computer before you can
perform the copy operation.
e Delete the temporary user profile.
7 Install any additional applications that you want to include in your base image.
Include an application if at least 80 percent of your users need it. Also, install
important application patches. Do not install applications that are hardware-
related (Control Panel items, hardware utilities, and so on).
8 Often, hardware-related applications are installed by default during an

operating system installation to provide extra functionality for such devices as
video, network, mouse/touchpad, and so on. Open the Control Panel, double-
click Add/Remove Programs, and uninstall any applications that are hardware-
related.

9 Remove any unwanted or unneeded files from the C: drive, including files in
temporary directories.
10 Clear out cached Internet Explorer documents, including Files, History, and
Cookies.
11 Run a defrag utility.
12 Set the system paging file to zero, as follows:

a Right-click on My Computer and select Properties.
b Windows XP: Click the Advanced tab.
Windows Vista: Click “Advanced system settings.”
c In the Performance group box, click Settings.
d Click the Advanced tab.
e In the Virtual memory group box, click Change.
f Select the option “No paging file” and click Set.
Note: In Windows Vista, you must remove the check mark from the
“Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” option before you
can select the “No paging file” option.
g In each of the open dialog boxes, click OK until you are back at the
desktop.
h Reboot the computer.
13 From a command prompt, run CHKDSK /F C:

CHKDSK searches for and fixes any disk-related errors that could affect the
integrity of your image file. To run CHKDSK on the system drive, you must
reboot your computer after running the CHKDSK /F C: command.
14 Configure Windows to rebuild the pagefile based on the destination

workstations’ total memory.
a Run REGEDIT.EXE.
b Delete the existing multi-string entry for:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\
Session Manager\Memory Management\PagingFiles
c Create a new string value for:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\
Session Manager\Memory Management\PagingFiles=C:\pagefile.sys 0 0
7
15 Windows XP: You may want to change how the Guest login account is used.
By default, Windows XP forces anyone attempting to connect to a remote
system to log in as “Guest.” To allow the connecting user to enter a name and
password instead of having to log in as “Guest,” perform the following:
a Run REGEDIT.EXE.
b Locate the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\Forceguest
c Change the “Forceguest” value to 0.
Creating a Master Image of the
Reference Computer
1
Create PreOS boot package on physical media.
2
Copy Sysprep folder to reference computer.
3
Run Sysprep.
4 Boot reference computer from boot package.
5 Load appropriate imaging engine.
6 Create image of reference computer.
7 Test master image.
Creating a Master Image of the Reference Computer

After Sysprep finishes running and the computer shuts down, you are ready to
create a master image.
To create the master image:
1 Because Sysprep powers off the system after it has run, you must create a
PreOS boot package that is capable of booting a powered-down system (in
other words, the boot package must be created on physical media, such as a
floppy disk, CD, PXE, or a USB bootable device).
For Ghost, the boot package should be created using the WinPE PreOS
environment, and you should choose to include the DeployAnywhere driver
database to ensure that all drivers that may be needed in your environment are
available in the boot package.
2 Copy the Sysprep information to the reference computer.

Windows XP: Copy the previously created Sysprep folder to the root of the
system drive (for example, C:\Sysprep).
Windows Vista: Copy the previously created syprep.xml file to
C:\Windows\System32\sysprep
3 Run Sysprep.
Windows XP:
C:\Sysprep\Sysprep.exe -mini -reseal -quiet

Windows Vista:
C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe
/oobe /generalize /shutdown /quiet
/unattend:C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.xml
After Sysprep finishes running, it shuts down the system.
4 Boot the reference computer from your PreOS boot package.
5 Load the imaging engine that is compatible with the PreOS you are using (for
example, Ghost32 or PQIDeploy if you are imaging under WinPE).
6 Use the imaging engine to create an image of the reference computer.
7 After the master image has been created, be sure to test it.
You test the master image by restoring it to other computers with different
hardware configurations. Boot each computer you restored the image to, and
verify that each computer runs through the Setup Manager wizard properly. If
the test is successful, you should be able to use the image on all the other
computers in your organization.

Restoring Master Images
For detailed instructions on using Ghost or ImageCenter to restore an

image, review the “Creating and Restoring Images” lesson.
Restoring Master Images

To restore a master image, boot the target computer from a boot package created
with either the Ghost Boot Wizard or Boot Disk Builder. When Ghost or
ImageCenter launches, use it to manually restore the master image to the target
computer.
For detailed instructions on using Ghost or ImageCenter to restore an image,
review the “Creating and Restoring Images” lesson in this student guide.

Using DeployAnywhere to Detect and
Install Needed Drivers
The DeployAnywhere executable can be found in the following location on

the system where Ghost Solution Suite is installed:
C:\Program Files\Symantec\Ghost\GhDplyAw32.exe
1. Evaluating the Target Computer

GhDplyAw32.exe /target=[Windows disk] /eval /ddb=[location of
DeployAnywhere driver database]
Example:
GhDplyAw32.exe /target=1.1:\Windows /eval /ddb=E:\Windrivers
2. Installing Drivers from the DeployAnywhere Database

GhDplyAw32.exe /target=[Windows disk] /ddb=[location of DeployAnywhere
driver database]
Example:
GhDplyAw32.exe /target=1.1:\Windows /ddb=E:\Windrivers
Using DeployAnywhere to Detect and Install Needed Drivers

After restoring a master image, you must provide a way to install needed drivers
on deployed systems. An easy way to do this is to use Ghost’s DeployAnywhere
feature.
If you created a WinPE-based boot package and made the DeployAnywhere driver
database available in the boot package or from a centrally accessible location (such
as a network share), you can install missing drivers on target machines by running
DeployAnywhere after the master image is restored. The DeployAnywhere
executable can be found in the following location on the system where Ghost
Solution Suite is installed:
C:\Program Files\Symantec\Ghost\GhDplyAw32.exe
There are two main steps involved in the DeployAnywhere process:
1 Evaluate the target computer.

Before attempting to use DeployAnywhere to install drivers on a target
computer, you should perform a hardware evaluation of the computer to
determine which drivers are needed and to see if all required drivers are
7
included in the DeployAnywhere driver database. If required drivers are not

available, a list of missing drivers is returned. You can also review the list of
missing drivers in the ghDplyAw.txt file.
To perform the driver evaluation, use the following command line:
ghDplyAw32.exe /target=[Windows disk] /eval
/ddb=[location of DeployAnywhere driver database]

For example:
ghDplyAw32.exe /target=1.1:\Windows /eval /ddb=E:\Windrivers
In this example, the /target parameter points to the Windows directory on
the first partition of the computer’s first hard drive (1.1), and the
/ddb parameter specifies that the DeployAnywhere driver database is located
on drive E: (the CD-ROM drive, in our case) in the Windrivers directory.
If all of the required drivers are available, the message “Success” is returned.
If DeployAnywhere detects that required drivers are missing from the driver
database, add the drivers.
2 Install drivers from the DeployAnywhere database.

When all necessary drivers are available, you can run DeployAnywhere to
install drivers and perform other necessary configuration tasks.
To install drivers, use the following command line:
ghDplyAw32.exe /target=[Windows disk] /ddb=[location of
DeployAnywhere driver database]
For example:
ghDplyAw32.exe /target=1.1:\Windows /ddb=E:\Windrivers
Troubleshooting DeployAnywhere
• Issue: Error: “A test that safeguards the integrity of the program failed
unexpectedly. CHECK failed, Argument::GetInt323: .\
CommonArgumentTypes.cpp(156): false.
Solution: This error is reported if DeployAnywhere fails to find all the files it
needs to perform the retargeting process. One instance in which this error has
been encountered is when a system optimization tool removed the sp2.cab
and drivers.cab files from the C:\Windows\Driver Cache\i386
directory. In this case, the error was corrected by copying the missing
sp2.cab and drivers.cab files from a different system into the affected
system’s C:\Windows\Driver Cache\i386 directory.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The issues involved in deploying images on a network
– How Microsoft Sysprep solves image deployment issues
– Creating a Sysprep answer file in preparation for performing an
unattended deployment of Windows XP/2000
– Creating a Sysprep answer file in preparation for performing an
unattended deployment of Windows Vista
– Preparing a reference computer for imaging
– Creating a master image of the reference computer and
validating the image
– Using Ghost and ImageCenter to restore a master image, and
using Ghost’s DeployAnywhere feature to install drivers on the
target computer
Lab 7: Creating a Master Image File
In this lab, you:

•Prepare to run Sysprep.
•Optimize the reference system.
•Create a WinPE-based Ghost ISO boot environment with
the DeployAnywhere driver database.
•Use Ghost to create a master image file.
•Use DeployCenter to create a master image file.
•Restore a master image file using Ghost and
DeployAnywhere.
7

Lesson 8
Deploying Images
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products

Topic
be able to:
Benefits and Challenges of Describe the benefits of deploying a single
Deploying an Im age to Multiple image to multiple com puters at the same tim e.
Com puters
Overview of Multicasting Explain the basics of multicasting and discuss
how m ulticasting is im plemented in Ghost
Solution Suite.
Using G hostCasting to Deploy Deploy an im age to m ultiple computers using
Im ages GhostCasting.
Using P owerCasting to Deploy Deploy an im age to m ultiple computers using
Im ages Pow erCasting.

Benefits and Challenges of Deploying
an Image to Multiple Computers
Benefits:
• Simplifies the deployment process (especially if a hardware-
independent image is used).
• Dramatically reduces time required to deploy computers
(compared to manually installing an operating system on each
computer).
Challenges:
• Early image deployment methods required the administrator to
download a separate copy of the image from a network volume
to each machine.
• Copying a full image repeatedly across the network puts a
heavy burden on network bandwidth, leading to network
slowdowns and even instability.
Benefits and Challenges of Deploying an Image to Multiple

Computers
Before disk imaging technology became available, IT professionals deployed
computers by manually installing an operating system on each new computer their
company purchased. This process could take from hours to a whole day, depending
on how many applications needed to be installed and how much configuration
needed to be performed for each computer.
Imaging gave IT professionals a better way to deploy computers. Rather than
installing each operating system manually, they could now create a hardware-
independent image of a reference computer and then send out the image to each
new computer across the network. This method dramatically reduced the amount
of time needed to deploy new computers in a business.
However, there were still some drawbacks. Early image deployment processes
used a “pull” method. This method required the administrator to boot each
computer individually, run imaging software, and then download an image from a
network volume to each computer (that is, each computer received a separate copy
of the original image file). Since image files can be very large, sending an image
file multiple times to computers across the network puts a heavy burden on
network bandwidth, leading to network slowdowns and even network instability.
To overcome the drawbacks of the “pull” deployment method, multicasting
technology was developed.
8
Lesson 8 Deploying Images 8–3

Facts About Multicasting
• Multicasting is a “push” method of deployment.

• To participate in a multicasting session, client computers must:
− Have network hardware and drivers that support multicasting.
− Boot to the network and be assigned a unique IP address.
− Run imaging software and join a m ulticast session.
• During multicasting, an image file is pushed out as data packets
from a central computer simultaneously to all clients logged on
to the multicast session.
Overview of Multicasting
Multicasting technology uses a “push” method of deployment. Each computer that
needs to receive the image must still be booted to the network and have imaging
software run on it. Each computer must also be joined to a multicast session. Once
these things are done, however, the image file is pushed out as packets of data from
a central computer simultaneously to all computers logged in to the multicast
session. In other words, the image file is sent out only once across the network, not
multiple times. This significantly reduces the impact on network performance and
stability.
Prerequisites for Multicasting

To perform multicasting, you must meet the following requirements:
• All network hardware (routers, NICs, etc.) must support multicasting.
• You must have the appropriate network drivers for all the computers that will
be part of the multicast session.
• You must assign a unique IP address to each computer that will be part of the
multicast session. This can be accomplished either automatically (for example,
with a DHCP server) or manually (with a WATTCP.CFG file).

Multicasting in the Ghost Solution
Suite
The Ghost Solution

GhostCasting (Symantec Ghost)
Suite includes two
different multicasting
engines: PowerCasting (Sym antec DeployCenter)
Multicasting in the Ghost Solution Suite

The Ghost Solution Suite includes two different multicasting engines—
GhostCasting and PowerCasting. Each of these engines has its own multicasting
server and client software. The next topic discusses the main differences between
GhostCasting and PowerCasting.

Differences Between Ghost and
DeployCenter Multicasting
GhostCasting PowerCasting
Can create and restore images Can restore images
Works with .gho, .v2i, .pqi, Only works with .pqi image file format
and.vmdk file formats
Is integrated into the Ghost Console Is not integrated into the Ghost Console
Differences Between Ghost and DeployCenter Multicasting

GhostCasting and PowerCasting are for the most part very similar. There are only
three significant points on which they differ. The following table summarizes these
differences.
GhostCasting (Symantec Ghost) PowerCasting (DeployCenter)

Can create and restore images Can restore images
Works with .gho, .v2i, .pqi, .vmdk file Only works with .pqi image file format
formats
Is integrated into the Ghost Console Is not integrated into the Ghost Console

Starting a GhostCast Session in
Windows
Select
StartÆ ProgramsÆ
Symantec GhostÆ
GhostCast Server.
Using GhostCasting to Deploy Images

Starting a GhostCast Session in Windows
The GhostCast Server creates or distributes a copy of an image file to Symantec
Ghost clients in a session consisting of one server, a single image file, and one or
more similar clients. The session name acts as a key. The session name identifies
the session and is used by clients to indicate the session that they are to join.
To start a GhostCast session to deploy an image to multiple computers:
1 On the computer where the GhostCast Server is installed, select
Start—>Programs—>Symantec Ghost—>GhostCast Server.
2 In the GhostCast Server window, in the Session Name box, type a session
name.
A GhostCast session name can be any alphanumeric sequence of characters
and must be unique on your network. You can use spaces on the GUI but not
with command-line switches. Session names are not case-sensitive.
3 Click Restore Image to send an image file to all connecting clients.
4 In the Image File field, specify the name and full path of the image file
containing the image, or click Browse to find the location of the image file.
– Click Disk to restore an image of an entire disk.
– Click Partition to restore an image of a partition and select the partition
from the image file.
8

6 Click Accept Clients to accept the client computer into the session.
The Accept Clients button becomes active when all required boxes are filled
out.
7 Join the client computers to the GhostCast session.

Joining Clients to the GhostCast
Session
Joining Clients to the GhostCast Session

To join clients to the GhostCast session:
1 Boot each client computer from a Ghost boot package that includes network
support.
For PC-DOS or MS-DOS PreOS environments, use a Network Boot Package
created with the Ghost Boot Wizard.
For WinPE or Linux PreOS environments, use a Standard Ghost Boot Package
created with the Ghost Boot Wizard.
2 On the main Ghost menu, select GhostCast—>MultiCast.
3 In the GhostCast Session Name to Join dialog box, type the session name and
click OK.
4 Select the client disk to which you want to restore the image, and then click
OK.
5 If you want the restored partition to be a different size than the original
partition in the image file, specify a new size for the partition in the New Size
field; otherwise, leave the default values. Click OK to continue.
6 Click Yes to indicate that the computer is ready to receive the image.
The IP and MAC addresses of the client computers that are connected and
waiting for the GhostCast session to start appear in the Connected Clients list
on the GhostCast server, along with the clients’ status.
8

7 Once all of the required clients have joined the GhostCast session, go to the
computer that is running the GhostCast Server and click Send to start the
image restore process.
The progress indicator shows the status of the GhostCast session as it proceeds,
along with other image file and transfer details. The statistics shown are based on
the image file size and reflect the sizes after compression. The speed shows the
actual amount of data being sent over the network in megabytes-per-minute from
the image file. The client status changes to In Progress.

Starting a PowerCast Session in
Windows
Select StartÆProgramsÆ
Symantec DeployCenterÆ
DeployCenter ToolsÆ
PowerCast Server.
Using PowerCasting to Deploy Images

Starting a PowerCast Session in Windows
Note: While it is not mandatory, you will have better performance with a
PowerCast session if you run the PowerCast server before the PowerCast clients.
Also, you must run the Windows PowerCast Server on a network with a DHCP
server. The Windows PowerCast Server does not support the PowerCast BOOTP
server.
To start a PowerCast session to deploy an image to multiple computers:
1 Select Start—>Programs—>Symantec DeployCenter—>
DeployCenter Tools—>PowerCast Server.
2 Type the name you have chosen for the PowerCast session in the Session
Name text box.
The session name will be used by the clients to select a session to join.
3 Specify the full path and image filename to be PowerCast during this session.
If necessary, click the browse button to locate the image file you want.
Note: You cannot PowerCast images spanned across multiple removable
media.
If the image file contains more than one partition, each partition is displayed in
the list box.
8

4 Use one of the following methods to select the part of the image file you want
to PowerCast:
– In the partitions list box, select the partitions you want to include.
– Click Select All to include all partitions in the image file.
– Click Select None to clear the selections.
5 In the Resize Options group box, specify how you want to configure the
remaining free space on the client computers.
If you want the image file to: Select:

Fill all available space Automatically resize partitions
proportionally to fit
Occupy equal space and leave Leave remaining free space
the remaining space free
6 Select the Client Mode option you want.
Express Eliminate a decision step on the client side and have the
image file replace the entire contents of the hard disk
chosen by the client. The client does not have to choose a
destination partition or free space. Do not choose this
option unless you are confident you can replace the entire
contents of the hard disk.
Custom Let the client choose the destination (partition or free
space) and partition resize values.
If you are finished setting PowerCast Server options, you can either set advanced
options before launching the PowerCast session, or you can launch the PowerCast
session by clicking Start.

Starting a PowerCast Session in
Windows
To begin sending the

image, wait for the
specified number of
clients to join (Autostart
client count), or click Go.
The selected image will be PowerCast to connected clients once the Autostart
client count is reached or you click Go.

Joining Clients to the PowerCast
Session
To automatically join a
PowerCast session, boot
clients from a PowerCast
boot disk created with
Boot Disk Builder.
Joining Clients to the PowerCast Session

To join clients to the PowerCast session, boot the clients from a PowerCast boot
disk you created with Boot Disk Builder. As soon as the Autostart client count is
reached or Go is clicked in the PowerCast Server, the image is automatically sent
to all connected clients.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The benefits of deploying a single image to multiple computers at
the same time
– The basics of multicasting and how multicasting is implemented
in Ghost Solution Suite
– Deploying an image to multiple computers using GhostCasting
– Deploying an image to multiple computers using PowerCasting
Lab 8: Deploying Images
In this lab, you:

•Use GhostCasting to deploy a master image to a client
system.
•Use PowerCasting to deploy a master image to a client
system.

Lesson 9
Automating the Creation and Restoration of
Images
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products

Topic
able to:
Autom ating Sy mantec G host Use Ghost comm and-line switches in batch files to
autom ate the image create and r estore pr ocesses.
Autom ating Im ageCenter Use Im ageCenter scripting to autom ate the im age
create and restor e processes.
Additional Autom ation Tools Descr ibe additional autom ation tools included in
G host Solution Suite.

Format of Ghost Batch Files
9
1. The Ghost executable is called and Ghost
command-line switches are specified.
2. Error trapping and other commands are
specified as needed.
Note: For a com plete listing of Ghost command-line switches and their
usage, see Appendix C in the Symantec Ghost Solution Suite Lab Guide.
Automating Symantec Ghost

You can automate image creation and restoration tasks in Ghost by using
command-line switches in conjunction with batch files.
Ghost can be automated using the DOS (Ghost.exe) or Windows
(Ghost32.exe) executable. For most automated solutions, using
Ghost32.exe with WinPE is recommended since it enables faster imaging
speeds, improved network support, and can be used to create much more robust
solutions.
The suggested format of Ghost batch files is as follows:
1 The Ghost executable is called, and command-line switches are specified.
2 Error trapping and other commands are specified as needed.
The following are examples of batch files for automating the creation and
restoration of Ghost images.
Sample Image Creation Batch File

@ECHO OFF
ghost32.exe -batch -clone,mode=create,src=1,dst=2:1\image.gho
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO PROBLEM
ECHO Symantec Ghost exited with value 0 indicating success.
REM ** Add any commands required to run if Symantec Ghost
REM succeeds here**
GOTO FINISH
:PROBLEM
ECHO Symantec Ghost returned with an Error value 1 or higher
ECHO Symantec Ghost operation was not completed successfully
Lesson 9 Automating the Creation and Restoration of Images 9–3

REM **Add any commands required to run if Symantec Ghost
REM fails here **
:FINISH
ECHO Batch File Finished
Sample Image Restoration Batch File

@ECHO OFF
ghost32.exe -batch -clone,mode=restore,src=2:1\image.gho,dst=1,szeL
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO PROBLEM
ECHO Symantec Ghost exited with value 0 indicating success.
REM ** Here you can add other commands that need to be run
REM if Ghost succeeds. For example, to run DeployAnywhere
REM after the image is restored, add the following
REM command, using parameters that fit your situation **
ghDplyAw32.exe /target=1.1:\Windows /ddb=E:\Windrivers
GOTO FINISH
:PROBLEM
ECHO Symantec Ghost returned with an Error value 1 or higher
ECHO Symantec Ghost operation was not completed successfully
REM **Add any commands required to run if Symantec Ghost
REM fails here **
:FINISH
ECHO Batch File Finished
For a complete listing of Ghost command-line switches and their usage, please see
Appendix C in the Symantec Ghost Solution Suite Lab Guide.

Functions that Can Be Performed with
ImageCenter Scripting
9
• Image Creation
• Image Restoration
• Partition Manipulation
• Registry Access
• Access to Files on Visible and Hidden Partitions
• SYSPREP.INF Access and Manipulation
• .INI File Access and Manipulation
• Messaging
• Math Operations
• Disk and Partition Queries
• Scripting Logic
Automating ImageCenter
ImageCenter scripting provides a way to automate ImageCenter’s functions.
ImageCenter can be automated using the DOS (Pqimgctr.exe) or Windows
(PQIDeploy.exe) executable. For most automated solutions, WinPE is
recommended since it enables faster imaging speeds, improved network support,
and can be used to create much more robust solutions.
Using scripting requires forethought and preparation since you must manually
write script files that instruct ImageCenter what to do. However, when the scripts
run, no user interaction is required. Through scripting, the following functions can
be performed:
• Image Creation
• Image Restoration
• Partition Manipulation
• Registry Access
• Access to Files on Visible and Hidden Partitions
• Sysprep.Inf Access and Manipulation
• .INI File Access and Manipulation
• Messaging
• Math Operations
• Disk and Partition Queries
• Scripting Logic
To use ImageCenter scripting, you must first understand its three components—
program parameters, script files, and scripting commands.

ImageCenter Program Parameters
Required Parameters Optional Parameters
ImageCenter executable Error reporting parameter and path to error

Usage: <path>PQIMGCTR report file
Example: A:\PQIMGCTR Usage: /ERR=<path to error report file>
Example: /ERR=A:\err.txt
Scripting parameter and path to script file
Usage: /CMD=<path to script file> Log file parameter and path to log file
Example: /CMD=A:\Script.txt Usage: /LOG=<path to log file>
Example: /LOG=A:\Image.log
Image file parameter and path to image file
Usage: /IMG=<path to image file>
Example: /IMG=E:\Image.pqi
ImageCenter Program Parameters

Program parameters not only enable ImageCenter scripting, but they also alter the
way that ImageCenter behaves while executing scripts.
Program parameters (often called switches) allow the user to simultaneously
launch the ImageCenter program and specify program startup options from a
single command-line prompt.
Symantec products all have specific program parameters, which are entered on the
command line directly after the name of the program executable. Each program
parameter is preceded by a forward slash and should be separated from other
commands by a space.
To activate scripting in the ImageCenter engine, certain program parameters must
first be specified at the command line, as shown in the following example:
Program Executable Program Parameters
A:\>PQIMGCTR /cmd=a:\script.txt /img=\\.\disk1.part2\image.pqi /err=a:\err.txt

As the example shows, there are several parts to this command line:
ImageCenter executable
Usage: <path>PQIMGCTR
Example: A:\PQIMGCTR
9
Scripting parameter and path to script file
Usage: /CMD=<path to script file>
Example: /CMD=A:\Script.txt
Image file parameter and path to image file

Usage: /IMG=<path to image file>
Example: /IMG=E:\Image.pqi
In addition to the preceding parameters, you may also choose to include either of
the following two optional (but recommended) parameters. It is suggested that you
only use one of these parameters at a time, since using both returns redundant
information.
Error reporting parameter and path to error report file
This parameter creates an output file of errors encountered during the scripting
process.
Usage: /ERR=<path to error report file>
Example: /ERR=A:\err.txt
Log file parameter and path to log file
This parameter creates an output file of all scripting instructions executed and all
errors encountered during the scripting process.
Usage: /LOG=<path to log file>
Example: /LOG=A:\Image.log
While the parameters discussed thus far are required in order to activate
ImageCenter scripting, there are a number of additional parameters that can be
used to modify how ImageCenter functions. Remember that once a script is
running, no user interaction is involved. Any advanced options or other program
features that are available in the ImageCenter GUI can only be accessed in
scripting mode through the use of program parameters.
To view the additional program parameters available with ImageCenter, see
Appendix D in the Symantec Ghost Solution Suite Lab Guide.

Facts About ImageCenter Script Files
• A script file is simply a list of commands saved in a

text file and executed through the use of program
parameters.
• You can create a script file using any text editor
program.
• Use the standard 8.3 DOS naming convention to
name ImageCenter script files.
The ImageCenter Script File

A script file is simply a list of commands saved in a text file and executed through
the use of program parameters. The program uses the commands, or instructions,
within the script file to completely automate the program’s functions, eliminating
the need for user intervention.
You can create a script file using any text editor program (Notepad, Omnipad, etc.)
and can save the file with any name or extension. Keep in mind that since the file
will be accessed in DOS, you should use the standard 8.3 DOS naming convention
(eight characters for the main file name and three characters for the file extension;
for example, myscript.txt) when naming your ImageCenter script files.
Once you have created your script file, you can use it by specifying the
/CMD=<script filename> parameter in the ImageCenter command line.
CAUTION Because the script file executes without user intervention, use extra
care when developing the script file. For example, if the
DELETE ALL command is encountered, all the partitions on the
currently selected drive will be deleted without any warning or
confirmation message which would normally allow the user to
cancel the operation. Enter only one command per line; otherwise,
only the first command (if any) will successfully execute.

ImageCenter Scripting Commands
Scripting commands are the instructions within the script file that tell the program
how to function.
For example, a very simple script that creates an image file might consist of the
9
following scripting commands:
Select Drive 1
Select Partition All
Store With Compression High
These three commands tell ImageCenter to create an image file of all partitions on
the first drive and to compress the image file as much as possible.
A script to restore the partitions in the image file to two different hard drives might
consist of the following scripting commands:
Select Drive 1
Delete All
Select Drive 2
Delete All
Select Drive 1
Select Freespace Largest
Select Image 1
Resize Image Max
Restore
Select Drive 2
Select Freespace First
Select Image 2
Resize Image 850
Restore
Select Freespace Next
Select Image 3
Resize Image Max
Restore

Following are some of the most commonly-used scripting commands:
Imaging Partitioning File Access Multipurpose
SET DESCRIPTION CREATE APPEND SELECT DISK/DRIVE
SET IMAGE FILENAME DELETE COPY SELECT PARTITION
SET PASSWORD PROTECT PARTITION MERGE INI SELECT FREESPACE
STORE HIDE USE REGISTRY SET VAR
VERIFY IMAGE UNHIDE USE INI MESSAGE
SELECT IMAGE RESIZE PARTITION USE Sysprep REBOOT
RESIZE IMAGE RESIZE EXTENDED GET REG EXPIRES
RESTORE SECTOR CHECK GET INI
SET ACTIVE SET INI
SET REG
USE NONE
Following are some of the most commonly-used query commands (which are used to
determine the number of disks in the system, disk sizes, partition sizes, used and
unused space within partitions, file systems of partitions, etc.):
Multiple Disks Selected Disk Selected Partition Selected Free Space
(No Disks Selected)
GetTotalDisks GetCurrentDiskNum GetCurrentPartNum GetCurrentFreeSpaceNum
QueryLargestUnusedSize GetDiskSize GetSelectedPartitionSize QueryFreeSize(Num)
QueryLargestUnusedDisk GetTotalPartitions GetUsedAmount
QueryLargestUnallocatedSize GetAllocatedSize GetUsedPercent
QueryLargestUnallocatedDisk GetAllocatedPercent GetUnusedAmount
GetTotalUnallocatedSpaces GetUnusedPercent
GetUnallocatedSize GetPartitionLabel
GetUnallocatedPercent IsFAT
IsFAT32
IsNTFS
IsHPFS
IsLinuxEXT2
IsLinuxEXT3
IsLinuxSWAP
IsActive
IsHidden
IsPrimary
IsLogical

For a complete listing of ImageCenter scripting commands and their usage, see
Appendix D in the Symantec Ghost Solution Suite Lab Guide.
For a discussion of best practices for ImageCenter scripting, see Appendix E in the
Symantec Ghost Solution Suite Lab Guide.

Ghost Automation Utilities
• GDisk
Offers such features as FAT and NTFS file system formatting, batch mode
operation, hiding and unhiding of partitions, secure disk wiping to U.S. DoD
requirements, and extensive partition reporting.
• GhConfig
Enables you to quickly apply post-deployment configuration settings to a
computer (such as changing a computer’s name immediately after an image is
deployed to the computer).
• GhRegedit
Enables you to edit Windows registry keys and values.
• Om niFS
Enables you to manipulate files and directories in a locally attached NTFS, FAT,
or EXT3 file system (including hidden partitions).
Additional Automation Tools

In addition to the built-in automation capabilities of Ghost and DeployCenter, the
Ghost Solution Suite also includes a variety of Ghost and DeployCenter
automation tools.
Ghost Automation Utilities

The Ghost Standard Tools include the following utilities that can be used to
automate imaging and system deployment tasks:
• GDisk is a complete replacement for the FDISK and FORMAT utilities that
enables FAT and NTFS file system formatting, batch mode operation, hiding
and unhiding of partitions, secure disk wiping to U.S. DoD requirements, and
extensive partition reporting. Unlike FDISK, which uses interactive menus and
prompts, GDisk is command-line driven and offers faster configuration of a
disk’s partitions.
• GhConfig is an executable you can use to quickly apply post-deployment
configuration settings to a computer. For example, GhConfig enables you to
change a computer’s name immediately after an image is deployed to that
computer.
• GhRegEdit is a utility for editing the Windows registry.
• OmniFS is a general-purpose utility for manipulating files and directories in a
locally attached NTFS or FAT file system (including FAT hidden partitions).
For details on how to use the automation utilities included with Ghost, refer to the
Symantec Ghost Implementation Guide.

The Deploy Toolkit
• PQAccess
9
Enables you to perform file-related operations on partitions that the active operating system
cannot recogniz e or acc ess.
• PQIDeploy
Creates and restores image files, and performs bas ic hard drive partitioning operations.
Has no GUI and can only be c ontrolled through scripting.
• PQDisk
Scriptable version of Norton PartitionMagic.
• PQQuery
DOS command-line program that returns disk and partition information in environment
variables.
• VBE
Enables Windows-based computers to reboot into DOS without using physical media
(floppy disk, CD-ROM, etc.)
• PQA
An image addendum utility that enables you to modif y files or directories on a visible or
hidden hard disk partition.
• PQIExtract
Enables you to restore individual files or directories from within PQI image files.
Deploy Toolkit
The Deploy Toolkit is a set of automation tools specifically designed to meet the
system configuration and deployment needs of equipment manufacturers,
configuration centers, and enterprise IT professionals.
The Deploy Toolkit reduces the time required to set up and configure new
workstations, deploy software applications across an entire network, and upgrade
systems to new operating systems and larger hard drives.
The following utilities are included in the Deploy Toolkit:
• PQAccess enables you to perform file-related operations on partitions that the
active operating system cannot recognize or access. This is especially useful in
DOS environments when NTFS partitions (the primary partition type used by
Windows XP and Windows 2000 Server) are not visible and cannot be
accessed.
• PQIDeploy is based on ImageCenter, the imaging component of DeployCenter.
PQIDeploy can create and restore image files, as well as perform basic hard
drive partitioning operations. Unlike ImageCenter, however, PQIDeploy does
not have a graphical user interface and can only be controlled through
scripting.
• PQDisk is a scriptable version of Norton™ PartitionMagic®. PQDisk is
intended for use by PC configuration centers and corporations that need to
configure large numbers of PCs. It uses ASCII text script files to specify
operations that create and manipulate hard disk partitions.
• PQQuery is a DOS command line program that returns disk and partition
information in environment variables. PQQuery enables batch files or imaging

scripts to test environment variables and perform different actions depending
on the returned values.
• VBE (Virtual Boot Environment) enables any Windows-based computer to
reboot into DOS mode without using a floppy disk, CD-ROM, or any other
external or removable boot device. VBE is of great value to manufacturing
environments that use the DOS operating system in their PC manufacturing
and testing processes. VBE is also valuable to IS technicians that use DOS-
based imaging utilities or other DOS-based tools.
• PQA is an image addendum system that enables you to modify files or
directories on a visible or hidden partition on a hard disk. You can use PQA to
replace device driver files, provide patch files, rename files, and add or delete
files and directories. You build a package of changes, then apply the package
to the computers you want to change. With PQA, you avoid the necessity of
making new image files when you want to change a few files.
• PQIExtract enables you to restore individual files or directories from within
PQI image files. PQIExtract is useful when you want to restore individual files
or reinstall the operating system, but you do not want to lose customized
settings or applications that were installed after the image file was created.
For details on how to use each of the tools in the Deploy Toolkit, refer to
the Deploy Toolkit User’s Guide.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
9
– Using Ghost command-line switches in batch files to automate
the image create and restore processes
– Using ImageCenter scripting to automate the image create and
restore processes
– Additional automation tools included in Ghost Solution Suite
Lab 9: Automating the Creation and

In this lab, you:
•Automate the creation of images using Ghost.
•Automate the restoration of images using Ghost.
•Automate the creation of images using DeployCenter.
•Automate the restoration of images using DeployCenter.
•Automate the configuration of a new system.
•Automate the creation of local backup partitions.

Lesson 10
Creating AutoInstall Packages to Automate
Post-Deployment Customizations
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products
Automate Post-Deployment Customizations

Topic
be able to:
How AutoInstall Works Explain how AutoInstall w orks.
Setting Up the AutoInstall Model Set up a model computer and install AI
Com puter Snapshot and AI Builder on the computer.
Generating an AutoInstall Use AI Snapshot to generate an AutoInstall
Installation Script installation script.
Custom iz ing AutoInstall P ackages Edit the installation script created by AI
Snapshot.
Validating AutoInstall Packages Explain the importance of validating
AutoInstall packages and describe the
validation pr ocess.

How AutoInstall Works
AutoInstall captures the changes made to a system when you

install software. These changes are placed in a single package
that can be executed manually or deployed across the network
using login scripts or a management console.
10
Files
AutoInstall can
Registry entries
capture changes to:
Entire application suites
How AutoInstall Works

Symantec Ghost AutoInstall (AI) reduces the time and cost of managing software
distribution across a network by providing an efficient means of installing
application packages and updates. Once installed, these packages can be removed
quickly using the AutoInstall applications.
AutoInstall captures changes to files, registry entries, or entire application suites
on a single Windows computer and stores these changes as an executable file. This
file can either be emailed to employees (so users can manually execute the
package themselves), or deployed across a network using login scripts or a
management console.
Lesson 10 Creating AutoInstall Packages to Automate Post-Deployment Customizations 10–3

AutoInstall Components
• AI Snapshot: Creates an installation script that records the

changes to a model computer when software is installed.
• AI Builder: Uses the installation script to create a package

that duplicates the changes made by the software
installation; AI Builder also lets you customize the package
to meet your needs.
AutoInstall Components
Symantec Ghost AutoInstall has the following components to help you create and
customize AI packages:
• AI Snapshot creates an installation script that records the changes to a model
computer when software is installed.
• AI Builder uses the installation script to create a package that duplicates the
changes made by the software installation. AI Builder also lets you customize
the package to meet your needs.

Using AutoInstall
To use AutoInstall:
1. Install AI Builder and AI Snapshot on the model computer.
2. Scan the model computer to capture existing system
10
information.
3. On the model computer, install the software that you want to
deploy.
4. Scan the model computer a second time to capture the
changes to the system.
Using AutoInstall
To use AutoInstall, ensure that AI Builder is installed on the computer where the
Ghost Console is installed (AI Builder is included in the Console installation), and
then perform the following procedures:
1 Install AI Builder and AI Snapshot on the model computer.
2 Scan the model computer to capture existing system information.
3 On the model computer, install the software that you want to deploy.
4 Scan the model computer a second time to capture the changes to the system.
AI Builder automatically builds and saves the file created by AI Snapshot as an
executable AI package. You can use AI Builder to customize the installation
script, prior to building, or after building the executable, if necessary.
Hardware and Software Restrictions

AutoInstall is designed to install packages to computers with the same hardware
and same operating system as the model computer.
On 64-bit Windows platforms, you can only capture 32-bit applications.
AutoInstall does not support 64-bit applications.

Using the Ghost Console to Deploy
AutoInstall Packages
Model Computer Ghost Console
Creat e, cus tomize, and The Ghost Console The c lient w orks tations
build the applic ation deploys t he Aut oIns tall listen for ins tallation
package on the model pac kage to the c lient task s from the Ghost
comput er . w orks tations as a tas k. Console.
Using the Ghost Console to Deploy AutoInstall Packages

AutoInstall, in conjunction with the Symantec Ghost Console, simplifies and
streamlines the process of implementing workstation updates. AutoInstall lets you
create a comprehensive software install AI package that you can deploy to
workstations via the Symantec Ghost Console.

Setting Up the AutoInstall Model
Computer
The model computer should:

• Have the same operating system and service packs as the
10
computers that will receive the finished package.
• Not have any other software besides the operating system
installed on it.
Setting Up the AutoInstall Model Computer

Before you can create an AI package, you must set up a model computer with AI
Builder and AI Snapshot installed.
Choose a computer that has the same operating system and service packs as the
computers that will receive the finished AI package. Ideally, this computer should
have only the operating system installed and have network support to connect to
the Console.
If Microsoft Installer is not installed on the computer, then you are asked if you
want to install it. If you want to include the installation of Microsoft Installer in the
AI package, do not install it now.
To install AI Snapshot and AI Builder on the model computer:
1 Insert the Symantec Ghost Solution Suite CD into the CD-ROM drive, and
when the Symantec Ghost Solution Suite installation window appears, click
Install Tools and Utilities.
2 Click Install AutoInstall.
3 At the installation wizard’s Welcome screen, click Next.
4 Accept the terms of the license agreement, then click Next.
5 On the Destination Folder screen, click Next.
6 On the Custom Setup screen, verify that both AI Builder and AI Snapshot are
selected for installation, then click Next.
7 Click Install.
8 When the installation has completed, click Finish.

Generating an AutoInstall Installation
Script
1
Capture pre-installation state of computer.
2
Monitor software installation.
3
Capture post-installation state of computer.
4 Build AutoInstall package.
Generating an AutoInstall Installation Script

Creating the installation script involves a number of steps. First, AI Snapshot
captures computer information before the software is installed. Then, you install
the software and AI Snapshot captures the computer information again. Finally, AI
Snapshot creates the installation script file that contains the differences. The
default name for the installation script is Install.aic.
To generate an AutoInstall installation script:
1 Capture computer information before the software installation.
Note: If you monitor only the disks affected by the installation, the monitor
process goes faster. For example, if the installation affects drive C, you don't
need to monitor drive D.
a Disable any programs that are running in the background.
b If the installation process includes restarting the computer, disable any
programs that execute during the restarting process.
c On the Windows taskbar, select Start—>Programs—>Symantec Ghost
—>AI Snapshot.
d If you want to change the locations on the model computer that AI
Snapshot monitors, or if you want to change AI Snapshot’s working
directory, then click Options, make the appropriate changes, and click OK.
e Click Next.
When AI Snapshot finishes analyzing your system, the Start Your
Installation screen appears.

2 Monitor the software installation.
CAUTION For a Microsoft installation, it is important that you allow AI

Snapshot to perform a complete scan of the computer by cancelling
all restarts until the package is built.
a In the Start Your Installation screen, perform one of the following:

› Type the path to the software's installation program, usually named
Setup.exe.
10
› Click Browse, and then navigate to the file.
b Click Monitor.
c During the installation, select the options in the application being installed
that you want to install on the target computers.
d Perform one of the following:
Microsoft installation Cancel any restart by clicking No or

pressing Ctrl+Esc to continue creating the
AI package.
All other installations Restart the computer if the installation
requires it.
eType a name for the installation package when the software installation is
complete. The default name is INSTALL.
3 Capture computer information after the software installation.
a In the Is Software Installation Complete window, click Compare to check
the new configuration against the original configuration.
b Click OK when the installation script file name appears.
4 Build the AutoInstall package.
a At the Ready to Build screen, click Build.
Note: If you would like to customize the installation script or add an
uninstall command before building the package, click Modify. The script
opens in AI Builder, allowing you to make needed modifications. Once you
have modified the installation script, you should build the package before
any further changes are made to the model computer. This prevents the
changes from being included in the package.
b Click Finish.

Customizing AutoInstall Packages
You can edit the installation script text file in AI

Builder to build customized packages to:
•Add a specialized splash screen to the package.
•Customize an installation process to run automatically without
user interaction.
•Check for and removing obviously unnecessary files or registry
keys to help make packages more stable.
•Replace specific user profile names or directories with system
variables (such as $AllUsersDir$ or $WINDIR$) to make it
possible to deploy a package to multiple computers.

AI Builder uses the installation script created by AI Snapshot to build an AI
package. You can edit the installation script in AI Builder to build customized
packages to meet your needs. For example, you can:
• Add a specialized splash screen to the package.
• Customize a lengthy installation process to run automatically without user
interaction.
• Check for and remove obviously unnecessary files or registry keys to help
make packages more stable.
• Replace specific user profile names or directories with system variables (such
as $AllUsersDir$ or $WINDIR$) to make it possible to deploy a package
to multiple computers.
The installation script is an ASCII text file containing commands that dictate how
the software package is installed.
AI Builder integrates graphics, sound, and animation. It includes messages and
questions and allows .ini file and registry editing.
The checklist interface guides you through the required steps. Installations can test
for CPU, RAM, and video configurations. You can use If statements to adapt to
individual configurations. AI Builder creates a wizard interface for AI packages
that can be run on the client.
Note: If the customized installation requires user interaction, it cannot be deployed
by the console.

Command Type Description

Base Installation Defines how the installation begins.
Example: Select WindowsItem to add, remove, or r eplace items within
a program group.
Appearance Defines how the installation appears to the user.
Example: Select IntroScreen to display a graphic when the
installation begins.
Messages & Input Adds messages that require user input.
10
Example: Select Prompts to change the messages displayed during
the installation.
System Changes Makes changes to Windows during the installation.
Example: Select Registry to insert or delete items in the Windows
registry.
If Conditions Lets you include If statements for unattended installations.
Example: Select IfMemory() to check a memory value during the
installation.
Defaults & Calls Sets up defaults and includes calls to external programs.
Example: Select RunAtExit to run an external program at the end of
the installation.
The following table outlines the command types that are available in AI Builder.
Command Type Description

Base Installation Defines how the installation begins.
For example, select WindowsItem to add, remove, or replace
items within a program group.
Appearance Defines how the installation appears to the user.
For example, select IntroScreen to display a graphic when the
installation begins.
Messages & Input Adds messages that require user input.
For example, select Prompts to change the messages that
display during the installation.
System Changes Makes changes to Windows during the installation.
For example, select Registry to insert or delete items in the
Windows registry.
If Conditions Lets you include If statements for unattended installations.
For example, select IfMemory() to check a memory value
during the installation.
Defaults & Calls Set up defaults and include calls to external programs.
For example, select RunAtExit to run an external program at
the end of the installation.

1
Edit installation script text file in AI Builder.
2
Build customized AI package.
To customize an AutoInstall Package:

1 Edit the installation script.
a Start AI Builder (Start—>Programs—>Symantec Ghost
—>AI Builder).
b Open the installation script that you want to modify.
The default location for script files is:
C:\Documents and Settings\<current user>\Application
Data\Symantec\Ghost\Working\Configs\
c In the AI Builder window, in the left pane, expand a command type.
For attended installations, you can add custom screens and messages, as
well as graphics and sound files.
For unattended installations, you can add If conditions to check client
compatibility before the installation proceeds.
d Select a command.
e In the AI Builder window, in the right pane, type the parameters for the
selected command.
f Perform one of the following:
To add a command Click Add.
To modify a command Select the command and click
Modify.
To remove a command Click Remove.
Continue adding, modifying, or removing commands as needed until the
installation script is complete.

2 Build the customized AI package.
a From the Build menu, select Build.
b When asked if you want to save changes to the existing script file, click
Yes.
c In the Build Install dialog box, specify the build directory, if needed, then
click Build.
d When prompted to overwrite the existing output file (that is, the AI
package), click Yes.
e When the build process is complete, click OK and close AI Builder.
10
Adding an Uninstall Command to the Installation Script
AI Builder places an uninstall program in the AI Builder working directory and
creates a hidden file, Uninstall.aic, that captures the changes made during
the installation. Successive installations modify the Uninstall.aic file so that
the uninstall program returns the system to the state before the first installation.
The uninstall program places an option on the Control Panel Add or Remove
Programs dialog box from which the user can uninstall the application.
To include an uninstall command in an AI package:
1 In the left pane of the builder options, select BASE INSTALLATION, and then
click UnInstall to include an uninstall package.
2 Check Remove Groups During Uninstall to remove any program groups that
were created during the installation.
Use this option cautiously, because some users may select an existing group for
the installation or add files to the group after installation.
3 Type the name for the uninstallation in the space provided.
This name appears on-screen when the uninstallation runs.
4 Click Add to record the options that you have chosen.

Validating AutoInstall Packages
To ensure that AutoInstall packages work correctly,

perform the following before deploying the packages
to users:
1.Run the package on a clean test computer to make sure that
the package installs correctly in the most basic environment.
2.Run the package on a test computer that accurately reflects the
average computing environment of your users.
3.If you are planning to deploy the package to multiple operating
systems, test the package separately on each operating system.
Validating AutoInstall Packages

Once you have created a package, it is important that you test it thoroughly before
you start deploying it to users’ computers. Adequate testing helps you avoid
software compatibility issues and other problems related to deploying new
software.
First, run the package on a clean test computer to make sure the package installs
correctly in the most basic environment. If you added an uninstall command to the
installation script, make sure you also test uninstalling the package.
Next, run the package on a test computer that accurately reflects the average
computing environment of your users. This test helps ensure that the package will
not conflict with other software your company uses on a regular basis.
Finally, if you are planning to deploy the package to multiple operating systems,
test the package on each operating system. As stated earlier, however, AutoInstall
is designed to install packages to computers with the same hardware and operating
system as the model computer. If your organization runs multiple Windows
operating systems, the best practice is to set up a different AutoInstall model
computer for each operating system and build a separate package version for each
OS.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– How AutoInstall works
– Setting up a model computer and installing AI Snapshot and AI
Builder on the computer
– Using AI Snapshot to generate an AutoInstall installation script
10
– Editing the installation script created by AI Snapshot
– The importance of validating AutoInstall packages and how the
validation process works
Lab 10: Creating AutoInstall Packages
In this lab, you create a PE Builder AutoInstall package.

Lesson 11
Integrating and Configuring Windows
Lesson Introduction

Sym antec Products
Desktop Com puters in the Ghost Console

Topic
be able to:
P ur pose of the Ghost Console Describe the purpose of the Ghost Console.
Preparing for Client Integr ation Prepare the Ghost environment for client
integration.
Installing the Console Client Install the Console Client.
Setting Global Pr operties for Configur e settings that apply automatically to
Managed Clients all client com puters detected by the Ghost
Console.
Gr ouping Clients in the G host Explain the benefits of using gr oups in the
Console Ghost Console and create a new group.
Creating Tasks in the Ghost Cr eate a basic task in the G host Console.
Console
Populating the G host Console with Populate the Ghost Console database w ith
Client Infor mation client inventory and configuration inform ation.

Purpose of the Ghost Console
The Ghost Console lets you organize client computers and

perform a wide variety of client management tasks, such as:
•Creating and restoring images
•Deploying AutoInstall (AI) packages to clients
•Migrating user data
•Transferring files to clients
•Executing commands on clients
•Altering the configuration settings on individual clients or groups of
clients
•Gathering hardware and software inventory data for clients, and
creating reports from this data
•Running the Microsoft Sysprep application
11
•Organizing and managing client computers, image files,
configuration sets, and other resources
Purpose of the Ghost Console

The Ghost Console lets you organize client computers and perform a wide variety
of client management tasks from a centralized location. These tasks include:
• Creating and restoring images
• Deploying AutoInstall (AI) packages to clients
• Migrating user data
• Transferring files to clients
• Executing commands on clients
• Altering the configuration settings on individual clients or groups of clients
• Gathering hardware and software inventory data for clients, and creating
reports from this data
• Running the Microsoft Sysprep application
• Organizing and managing client computers, image files, configuration sets,
and other resources required to complete these tasks
Lesson 11 Integrating and Configuring Windows Desktop Computers in the Ghost Console 11–3
Overview of Ghost Console Tasks
Ghost Console tasks:

•Are sets of instructions carried out by the Ghost Console
•May contain one or more steps
•Enable the Ghost Console to perform its various functions
Overview of Ghost Console Tasks

A Ghost Console task is a set of instructions carried out by the Ghost Console. The
task may contain one or more steps. If multiple steps are included in a single task,
the Ghost Console decides the order in which the steps must be performed. The
administrator has no control over this order.

Prerequisites for Running Tasks on
Clients
Before you can assign tasks to clients, you need to:

1.Install the Ghost Client Agent on all client computers.
2.Group the client computers in the Ghost Console to create a
specific set of target computers to receive the task.
3.Create the task and set up the appropriate task steps.
11
Prerequisites for Running Tasks on Clients
There are a number of procedures you need to perform before you can assign tasks
to clients. These procedures are as follows:
1 Install the Ghost Client Agent on all client computers.
2 Group the client computers in the Ghost Console to create a specific set of
target computers to receive the task.
3 Create the task and set up the appropriate task steps.
The preparation and procedure for remotely installing the Ghost Client Agent was
covered in the “Installing the Ghost Solution Suite” lesson. The procedures for
grouping computers and creating tasks are covered later in this lesson.
Preparing for Client Integration
Before you can integrate clients into the Ghost

Console, you must:
•Prepare the Ghost Console
•Prepare Windows desktop clients
Preparing for Client Integration

Prior to installing the Ghost client on computers you want to manage across a
domain, you need to create a Console Service account on the domain and
configure security settings on Windows Vista/XP computers.
Preparing the Ghost Console

During installation, a service is installed called the Configuration Server. This
service is responsible for task execution and client communication. One of its roles
is to create and remove computer accounts in Windows domains if computers are
added to domains during the execution of a task. The Configuration Server is also
required when you are changing a computer name or taking an image of a
computer that belongs to a domain. To perform this role, a Console Service user
account must be created in the domain.
The Configuration Server logs on as this user. The user does not have interactive
logon rights and does have the rights to create computer accounts in the domain.
When a Console Service account is created on the domain, the domain is now
supported for Configuration Server operations.
You can either create a Console Service account from the Symantec Ghost Console
or create a Console Service account manually.
Note: You must set some rights for the account. The user of the Console Service
account must have the authority to create an account in the domain.
To create Console Service accounts from the Symantec Ghost Console:

1 On the Console server, on the Windows taskbar, select Start—>Programs—>
Symantec Ghost—>Ghost Console.
2 From the Tools menu, select Supported Domains List.
3 Click Add.
4 Click Browse to select a domain.
5 Verify that the option “Create Console Service Account in the domain” is
selected, type a user name and password that has domain administrator rights
to create a Console Service account on the domain, then click OK.
6 In the Domain Administration screen, click Close.
Editing the Console Service Account

To increase security, you may want to use the Windows administration tools on the
domain server to change the password for the Console Service user account. You
must then edit the Console Service account password through the Ghost Console.
If you change the Console Service account’s user name, you must remove from the
11
supported domains list any domains that have previously been added with this
user. You then must add the domains to the new Console Service account.
To edit the Console Service account:
1 On the Console server, on the Windows taskbar, select Start—>Programs—>
Symantec Ghost—>Ghost Console.
2 On the Tools menu, click Supported Domains List.
3 In the Domain Administration dialog box, click Edit.
4 In the User Name field, type the Console Service account name.
5 In the Password field, type the Console Service password.
6 Click OK.
7 Click Close.
Preparing Windows Vista Clients for Remote Installation

Before you remotely install the Console client on Windows Vista computers you
must verify that the following conditions are met:
• If the Windows Firewall is turned on, you must verify that File and Printer
Sharing is added to the Firewall Exceptions list.
• If a firewall other than Windows Firewall is turned on, you may need to allow
the following ports:
For UDP: 137 and 138
For TCP: 139 and 445
• The administrator user account on the client computer must have a password.
• If the client computer belongs to a workgroup, you must either turn on the
built-in Administrator account, or turn off the User Account Control.
To add File and Printer Sharing to the Exceptions List on a Windows Vista
computer:
1 On the client computer, click Start.
2 In the Start Search field, type Firewall.cpl.
3 On the Windows Firewall dialog box, click Change Settings.
4 Under the Exceptions tab, verify that File and Printer Sharing is checked.
5 Click OK.
To turn on the built-in Administrator account for Windows Vista:
1 On the client computer, log on as a user that has administrator rights.
2 On the Control Panel, click Classic View.
3 Click Administrative Tools.
4 Click Computer Management.
5 Select System Tools—>Local Users and Groups—>Users.
6 Double-click the Administrator user.
7 Uncheck Account is disabled.
8 Click OK.
9 Right-click Administrator and click Set Password.
10 Set a password for the Administrator account and click OK.
To disable the User Account Control in Windows Vista:
1 On the client computer, log on as a user that has administrator rights.
2 On the Control Panel, click User Accounts.
3 Click Turn User Account Control on or off.
4 Uncheck Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer.
5 Click OK.
6 Restart the computer.
Preparing Windows XP SP2 Clients for Remote Installation

Before you remotely install the Console client on Windows XP Service Pack 2
computers, you must verify that the following conditions are met:
• If the Windows Firewall is turned on, you must verify that File and Printer
Sharing is added to the Firewall Exceptions list.
• If a firewall other than Windows Firewall is turned on, you may need to allow
the following ports:
For UDP: 137 and 138
For TCP: 139 and 445
• The administrator user account on the client computer must have a password.
• You must ensure that simple file sharing is turned off.
To alter client computer security settings on a Windows XP SP2 computer:
1 On the client computer, select Start—>All Programs—>Accessories—>
Windows Explorer.
2 In Windows Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
3 On the View tab, under Advanced Settings, uncheck “Use simple file sharing”.
4 Click OK.

To add File and Printer Sharing to the Exceptions List on a Windows XP SP2
computer:
1 On the client computer, select Start—>Run.
2 In the Run dialog box, type Firewall.cpl.
3 Click OK.
4 On the Windows Firewall dialog box, under the Exceptions tab, verify that File
and Printer Sharing is checked.
5 Click OK.
11
Installing the Console Client
There are two methods for installing the Console

client:
•Use the Ghost Console to install the client remotely on
computers running Windows Vista/2000/XP.
•Use the Symantec Ghost CD to manually install the client on
one workstation at a time.
Installing the Console Client

You can install the Console client in either of the following ways:
• Install the Console client remotely from the Symantec Ghost Console.
You can install the Console client on computers that run Windows Vista/XP/
2000. You cannot remotely install the Console client on Windows XP Home
computers.
• Manually install the Console client on a workstation from the Symantec Ghost
CD.
Remotely Installing the Console Client

Once you have installed the Symantec Ghost Console, you can perform remote
client installations.
If the Ghost Console is running on a Windows Vista computer and you are having
problems installing the Console client to clients, then verify that the LAN Manager
authentication level setting on the Console computer is the same setting as the
setting on your client computers. The Console computer setting might be
incompatible with the setting on your client computers. The default level in
Windows Vista is Send NTLMv2 response only.
Note: On the client computer, the share C$ must be shared for administrative
purposes to allow remote client installation.

To remotely install the Console client:
1 On the computer where the Ghost Console is installed, select Start—>
Programs—>Symantec Ghost—>Ghost Console.
2 From the Tools menu, select Remote Client Install.
3 In the Remote Client Installation window, expand the Network tree until the
computers you want to include in the client installation are displayed, then
select the computers and click Add.
You can select multiple computers under different domains.
4 In the Administrator User Account dialog box, enter credentials needed to log
in to the selected computers as an administrator (for example, domain admin
credentials), then click OK.
5 Click Install.
6 When the installation is complete, click OK.
Manually Installing the Console Client
11
You can install the Console client directly on a client computer from the
installation CD.
To manually install the Console client:
1 Insert the Symantec Ghost Solution Suite CD into the CD-ROM drive of the
client computer.
2 In the Symantec Ghost Solution Suite installation window, click Install
Symantec Ghost Corporate Edition.
3 Click Install Console Client.
4 At the installation wizard’s welcome screen, click Next.
5 Accept the terms of the license agreement, and then click Next.
6 At the Connect to Server screen, type the computer name of the Ghost Console
server.
7 Click Next.
8 At the Destination Folder screen, confirm the installation location.
9 Click Next.
10 Click Install to start the installation process.
Setting Global Properties for Managed
Clients
In the Ghost
Console, select
ToolsÆOptions.
Setting Global Properties for Managed Clients

You can set default client properties in the Ghost Console. These settings apply
automatically to all client computers detected by the Ghost Console. These settings
are used unless you set the individual computer or task properties to override them.
To modify global properties for managed clients:
1 In the Ghost Console, on the Tools menu, select Options.
2 In the Options window, click the Client tab.
3 Set properties as needed, then click OK to apply the changes and close the
Options window.

Global Properties for Managed Clients
Property Description
Client Warning Warns users that the Ghost Console is
about to run a task and gives them the
option to cancel the task
Client Heartbeat Sets the frequency with which clients
send update messages to the Ghost
Console
Virtual Partition Default PreOS Sets the default PreOS used for the
Ghost virtual partition on all clients
Default DOS Network Template Sets the network driver that clients use
to connect to the network when running
tasks under DOS
Client User Interface Enables users to initiate tasks from the
11
Ghost Client Agent icon in their
com puter’s system tray
Following are descriptions of the global client properties you can set:
Client Warning Warns users that the Ghost Console is about to run a task
and gives them the option to cancel the task.
Client Heartbeat Sets the frequency with which clients send update
messages to the Ghost Console. If your computers are
networked over a WAN, you might set this number lower
to reduce network traffic. If you set the client heartbeat to
0, the status of the client computer is indicated as
“Unavailable” on the Ghost Console.
Virtual Partition Default Symantec Ghost creates a virtual partition automatically
PreOS when a task that requires a computer to restart in a PreOS
environment is executed.
Both PC-DOS and WinPE are available, both of which are
supplied with Ghost. The default is WinPE. If you want to
use DOS but your computers don’t run under PC-DOS,
you need to provide Ghost with MS-DOS system files.
(For details on how to do this, see the topic “Creating Boot
Packages with the Ghost Boot Wizard” in the “Creating
Boot Packages” lesson.)
Two versions of WinPE are supplied with Ghost: WinPE,
which is designed to run on 256 MB RAM computers, and
WinPE-512, which is designed to run on 512 MB
computers. Win PE-512 includes more drivers and
packages.
Virtual Partition Default The PreOS version you specify here is the default version
PreOS (continued) for all clients. You can choose a different PreOS version
for individual clients, by changing the client property
settings.
Note: When Ghost boots a client into WinPE from the
virtual partition, it boots into the WinPE Ramdisk
environment, removes the virtual partition from the
partition table, and restores the partition table and MBR to
exactly what was in the operating system before booting
into WinPE. It attempts to return the drive letters to what
they were in the operating system, with the exception of
X:, which is dedicated to the WinPE ramdisk. As soon as
the client reboots from WinPE it should go back to the
main operating system.
Default DOS Network Sets the network driver that clients use to connect to the
Template network when running tasks under DOS.
Client User Interface Enables users to initiate tasks from the Ghost Client Agent
icon in their computer’s system tray. This permits users to
execute tasks at their own convenience. It also permits
administrators to execute tasks immediately from a client
without having to return to the Ghost Console computer.

Overriding Global Properties for
Individual Clients
In the Ghost
Console, right-click
a client and select
Properties.
11
Overriding Global Properties for Individual Clients
To override global properties for individual clients:
1 In the Ghost Console, right-click the client whose properties you want to
modify, and then select Properties.
2 Click the Client tab.
3 Adjust client settings (client heartbeat, default PreOS, or default network
template) as needed.
Creating Groups
Grouping Clients in the Ghost Console

Overview of Ghost Console Groups
Grouping computers lets you distinguish among computers with different user
requirements. For example, you could create a group of client computers for
students and a group for teachers. You could then run a task to restore the
appropriate image file to the student computers, and then run another task to
restore another image file to the teacher computers.
Computer group information is stored in folders under the top-level Machine
Groups folder in the Symantec Ghost Console. You can have a hierarchy of
subgroups under the main groups so that a subgroup can be selected for a task, or
you can apply a task to a main group that includes the subgroups.
For example, you might have an Administration folder, and beneath that, an HR
folder and a Payroll folder. A computer can be added to any one of these three
groups. A task can be applied to either the HR group or the Payroll group. To
execute the task for both HR and Payroll, select the Administration folder. The
task executes for both the HR group and the Payroll group as well as any
computers that are grouped in the Administration folder.
Creating Groups
The Ghost Console detects its client computers on the network and automatically
adds them to the Default group in the Machine Groups folder. You can use this
group if you want, or you can create new computer groups to suit your
requirements.

To create a new computer group:
1 In the Ghost Console’s left pane, expand the Machine Groups folder.
2 Expand the computer group folder in which you want to place the new
computer group.
3 In the Machine Groups pane, right-click an empty area and select New Folder
from the quick menu.
4 Type a name for the new computer group.
5 Press Enter or click anywhere in the Symantec Ghost Console to confirm the
name.
The new group is added to the computer group hierarchy. You can now add
computers to this group.
11
Adding Managed Computers to
Groups
After being pasted,

this machine exists
in both the
“Symantec” and
“Dev” groups.
Adding Managed Computers to Groups

All the client computers must belong to a computer group. When you install the
Ghost Client Agent on a computer, the client is automatically added to the Default
group. You can copy or move the computers into other groups as appropriate. A
computer may belong to two or more different groups.
Following are some restrictions for adding computers to a group:
• You cannot copy or move a computer into the Machine Groups folder. This
folder is not a computer group, instead it is a container for your computer
groups.
• A computer group may contain only one copy of a computer. A computer
group includes the main group folder and all its subfolders; therefore, each
computer may appear only once under each main folder. (A main folder is a
folder immediately below the Machine Groups folder.)
To add a computer to a group you have created:
2 Click the Default group.
3 In the Group pane, right-click the computer you want to add to a group, and
then select Copy.
4 In the Ghost Console’s left pane, select the group where you want to add the
computer.
5 In the Group pane, click Paste.
The computer is added to the selected group.

Task Steps
Task Step Description

Clone Restores a specified image file onto a client computer or
group of computers
DeployAnywhere Tells Ghost to use the DeployAnywhere driver database
to install needed drivers when restoring a hardware-
independent image to clients
Configuration Applies specified configuration settings to clients
Refresh Configuration Reads configuration from clients and updates their
default configuration settings in the Console
Refresh Inventory Gathers inventory infor mation from clients and updates
the Console’s inventory database
User Migration: Capture Captures user files, application settings, and registry
settings from clients and stores them in user packages
User Migration: Restore Restores user files, application settings, and registry
settings from user packages to clients
11
Softwar e and File Actions Installs and uninstalls AutoInstall packages, transfer s
files and folder s, retrieves files, and executes
commands on clients
Creating Tasks in the Ghost Console

Once you have installed the Ghost Agent software on all client computers and
grouped the clients in the Ghost Console, you are ready to create tasks.
The following table lists the available task steps.
Task step Description

Clone Restores a specified image file onto a client computer or
group of computers
DeployAnywhere Tells Ghost to use the DeployAnywhere driver database to
install needed drivers when restoring a hardware-
independent image to clients
Configuration Applies the specified configuration settings (computer
name, domain membership, and so on) to the client
computers
Refresh Configuration Reads the configuration from client computers and updates
their default configuration settings in the Ghost Console
database
Refresh Inventory Gathers inventory information from client computers and
updates the Inventory database on the Ghost Console server
User Migration: Capture Captures user files, application settings, and registry settings
from client computers and stores them in user packages
User Migration: Restore Restores user files, application settings, and registry settings
from user packages to client computers
Task step Description
Software and File Actions Installs and uninstalls AutoInstall packages on client
computers, transfers files and folders to client computers,
retrieves files from client computers, and executes
commands on client computers.
Note: Image creation is not included in the preceding table because it exists as a
stand-alone task, not a task step, in the Ghost Console.
There are two categories of tasks you can create in the Ghost Console—normal
tasks and “image create” tasks. This topic discusses how to create normal tasks.
Image create tasks will be discussed in a later lesson.
To create a task:
1 In the Ghost Console’s left pane, expand the Tasks folder.
2 Expand the folder where you want to store the new task.
3 In the Tasks pane, right-click an empty area, and then select New Task from
the quick menu.
4 In the Properties For New Task window, type the name for the new task in the
Name field.
The name can be anything you want, up to a maximum of 50 characters, as
long as you do not duplicate the name of an existing task in the same folder.
5 Under Task Steps, select the task steps that you want to include in the task.
You must include at least one step in a task.
When you deselect a step, the corresponding tab is hidden. Only the tabs
relevant to the selected steps are shown.
6 Select the refresh steps that you want to include in the task.
These steps have no tab associated with them, since you do not need to set any
properties.
7 Under Target Machine Group/Machine, click Browse; select the computer,
machine group, or dynamic machine group to which you want to apply the
task; and then click OK.
8 If you want to be able to execute the task from the client computer, select the
option Allow Client Initiation.
This option does not become available until you complete all of the required
information in the task.
9 Click Set Password and type the authorization password that the client user
must provide to run the task.
You must retype the password in the box below to confirm the password. The
client users are prompted to type this password when they try to run the task.
10 If you want to override the default network properties for the task, make the
appropriate settings on the Network tab.
11 On each of the remaining tabs, set the properties for each step that you have
included in the task.

– To save the task, click Save. The new task is added to the Tasks folder and
is available for use.
– To run the task, click Execute.
11
Populating the Ghost Console with
Client Information
Populating the Ghost Console with Client Information

One of the first tasks you should run on your managed computers is a client
inventory and configuration refresh task. This task is important because it
populates the Ghost Console database with all the latest information about what
software is installed on the managed computers and how they are currently
configured. The configuration data is particularly important because the Ghost
Console needs this information to run configuration-related tasks (such as
changing computer names).
To populate the Ghost Console database with client inventory and configuration
information:
1 In the left pane of the Symantec Ghost Console, click the Tasks folder.
2 In the Tasks pane, right-click an empty area, then select New Task from the
quick menu.
3 In the Properties For New Task window, type “Refresh Inventory and Config
for Default Group” in the Name field.
4 Under Refresh Steps, select the following options:
– Refresh Configuration
– Refresh Inventory
5 Under Target Machine Group/Machine, browse to and select the Default
group, then click OK.
6 Click Save.
7 Click Execute.
8 Click Yes to execute the task.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The purpose of the Ghost Console.
– Preparing the Ghost environment for client integration.
– Installing the Console Client.
– Configuring settings that apply automatically to all client
computers detected by the Ghost Console.
– The benefits of using groups in the Ghost Console and create a
new group.
– Creating a basic task in the Ghost Console.
– Populating the Ghost Console database with client inventory and
configuration information.
11
Lab 11: Integrating and Configuring
Windows Desktops in the Ghost Console
In this lab, you:
•Prepare systems for integration with the Ghost Console.
•Remotely integrate systems into the Ghost Console.
•Group managed systems.
•Populate the Ghost Console database with client
information.
•Change client configurations.
Lesson 12
Using the Ghost Console to Create and
Restore Images
Lesson Introduction
• Lesson 12: Using the Ghost Console to Create

and Restore Images
• Lesson 13: Using the Ghost Console to
Migrate OS-Based User Profiles
Perform Post-Deploym ent Customizations
• Lesson 15: Using Client Inventory Reports
in the Ghost Console
• Lesson 16: Preparing to Remove a Computer
from Production

Topic
be able to:
Overview of Imaging Tasks Describe the purpose of the image create task
and the clone task.
Configuring the G host Console to Configur e the Ghost Console to use an image
Use the Im age Repository repository for storing all im ages in a centr al
netw ork location.
Building and Running an Image Use the Ghost Console to build an im age
Create Task create task, and then r un the task imm ediately
or schedule it to run later.
Building and Running a Use the Ghost Console to build a
Deploy Anyw her e Clone Task DeployAnywhere clone task, and then r un the
task imm ediately or schedule it to run later.

Overview of Imaging Tasks
Image Create Task

A special task that enables you to capture an image (either a
normal backup image or a hardware-independent image) of
a client computer
Clone Task
A regular task in which you select and configure the “Clone”
task step; this task lets you restore an image file to one or
more client computers
Overview of Imaging Tasks
12
Image Create Task
The image create task is a special task that enables you to capture an image of a
client computer.
When you build an image create task, you must select the reference computer (that
is, the computer you want to capture an image of), assign an image definition to
the task, and optionally set the network and Sysprep parameters.
Clone Task
The clone task is a regular task in which you select and configure the Clone task
step. This task lets you restore an image file to one or more client computers. You
can restore an image file to a single computer, or restore the same image to all the
computers in a computer group. If you have saved an image file locally on each of
the target computers using the same name and location, you can restore them all in
a single task.
Lesson 12 Using the Ghost Console to Create and Restore Images 12–3
Configuring the Ghost Console to Use
the Image Repository
1
Update Sysprep versions in Console (Win 2000/XP only).
2
Add Sysprep configuration to Console.
3
Add image definition to Console.
Configuring the Ghost Console to Use the Image Repository

Before you can use the Ghost Console to create images to or deploy a master
image from a central location on your network, you must configure the Console to
use your image repository. To accomplish this, perform the following:
1 If you are planning on using the Ghost Console to deploy Windows 2000/XP,
you must update the Sysprep versions in the Console.
This step is not necessary for Windows Vista because the required Sysprep
files are built into the operating system.
Before you can update Sysprep versions in the Console, you must first obtain
the appropriate Sysprep files. For instructions on obtaining Sysprep files, see
the lesson “Creating a Master Image File” earlier in this student guide.
After all the needed Sysprep files are available on the Console computer,
perform the following to update the Sysprep versions in the Console:
a In the Console, select Tools—>Supported Sysprep Versions.
b In the Supported Sysprep Versions window, select the Sysprep
configuration you want to update (Windows 2000, Windows XP, or
Windows XP 64-bit) and click Update.
c In the Properties window, click Browse, locate and select the folder where
you placed the Sysprep files, and click OK.
d Click OK to close the Properties window.
The version numbers for the sysprep.exe and setupcl.exe files are
displayed next to the version of Windows you selected.
e Click OK to close the Supported Sysprep Versions window.

2 Add a Sysprep configuration to the Console’s configuration resources.
After you have updated the appropriate Sysprep versions, you can create and
modify Sysprep configurations. A Sysprep configuration includes an answer
file and, optionally, additional files that may be needed on target computers,
such as required drivers.
To add a Sysprep configuration:
a In the Console’s left pane, expand the Configuration Resources folder and
select Sysprep Configurations.
b In the Console’s right pane, right-click an empty area and select New
Sysprep Configuration.
c In the Name field, type a name for the Sysprep configuration (for example,
WinXP).
d To the right of the Version field, click Browse.
e Select the version of Sysprep you want to use and click OK.
f In the Answer File Status group box, do one of the following:
› Click Import, then browse to and select a Sysprep answer file you have
already created.
› To use the Console to create a basic Sysprep answer file, click Create
and fill out the “Create sysprep answer file” form. Note that this
method offers only a limited selection of the settings and options
12
available in Microsoft’s Sysprep answer file creation tools.
g To save the Sysprep configuration, click OK.
3 Add an image definition to the Console’s configuration resources.
The image definition points the Console to your image repository, enabling
you to create and restore images from a central network location.
To create an image definition:
a In the Console’s left pane, expand the Configuration Resources folder and
select Images.
b In the Console’s right pane, right-click an empty area and select New
Image.
c In the Name field, type a name for the image definition (for example,
WinXP).
d In the Location field, type the UNC path to your image repository and
include the image filename in the path.
Note: If an image file with the name you specify already exists at that
location, the status of the image file is displayed, including the partitions
included in the image and the image description (if any).
e In the Properties for New Image window, click OK.
The image definition is added to the Console, and the Console is now
configured to use the image repository so you can create and restore
images across the network.
Building and Running an Image
Create Task
Building and Running an Image Create Task

To build and run an image create task:
1 In the Console’s left pane, select the Tasks folder.
2 In the Console’s right pane, right-click an empty area and select New Image
Create Task.
3 On the General tab, set the following properties:
– The task name
– The drive and partition you want to image on the source computer
– The image definition (that is, the location of the image repository where the
image will be stored)
– Data compression settings for the image
– Whether the client computer can initiate the image create task
– Whether to remove the client from the domain before the image is captured
(when creating a master image, select this option)
– Whether to use hot imaging to capture the image
Note: The hot imaging feature, new in Ghost Solution Suite 2.5, enables
you to capture an image of the client’s operating system without having to
reboot into a PreOS environment. This option is useful if you want to
quickly capture a backup of a client’s operating system. However, do not
select this option when capturing a master image because hot imaging is
not compatible with the Sysprep process (Sysprep strips information from
the client computer and shuts down the client).
– Advanced image creation options, such as Ghost command-line switches
and whether to include the Ghost boot partition, if any, in the image

4 Click the Network tab and set the data transfer mode and data throughput
limits to optimize the way image files are transferred over your network.
5 To select a Sysprep configuration you defined previously and to choose
various options for creating hardware-independent images, click the Sysprep
tab.
Note: When creating a master image from the Console, be sure to select the
options “Tell Sysprep to perform a SID change” and “Run the MiniSetup
wizard.”
6 Click Save.
The new task is added to the Tasks folder.
7 If you want to run the task immediately, click Execute.
The task runs immediately, and the lower pane of the Console shows the
progress of the task.
8 If you want to schedule the task to run at a later time, perform the following:
a Close the task’s Properties window.
b In the Tasks pane, right-click the image create task and select Schedule.
c Click the Schedule tab.
d Select the appropriate Schedule Task, Start Time, and Run On settings,
then click OK.
12
Building and Running a
DeployAnywhere Clone Task
1 Create new task in Console.
2 Select Clone and DeployAnywhere task steps.
3
Select computers you want to clone.
4
Configure clone settings.
5 Configure DeployAnywhere settings.
6 Save task.
7 Execute task imm ediately, or schedule for later.
Building and Running a DeployAnywhere Clone Task

In most cases, you deploy a master image by using a boot package that boots target
computers into a PreOS environment and then runs Ghost. However, there are
instances when it is useful to restore a master image to computers on which an
operating system is already installed. For example, suppose you have a user whose
computer crashes frequently. You are managing the computer from the Ghost
Console, so you can use the Console to restore a corporate master image to the
computer. This is a much faster approach than manually re-installing an operating
system on the user’s computer.
To use the Console to deploy a master image to managed clients, build a task that
includes the Clone task step and the DeployAnywhere task step. The following is
an overview of how a DeployAnywhere clone task works:
• A master image is restored to the selected clients. Note that the Console client
must be included in the master image so that communication can be
established between the client computers and the Console in preparation for
the DeployAnywhere process.
• The DeployAnywhere executable ghDplyAw32.exe is run on the clients
with the switches /eval and /managed.
• DeployAnywhere sends back to the Console a list of NIC and storage drivers
that are missing from the clients.
• The Console checks the DeployAnywhere template driver database (by default
located at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
\Application Data\Symantec\Ghost\Template
\common\windrivers on the Console computer) and sends any missing
drivers to the clients.

• DeployAnywhere installs the missing drivers from the client’s copy of the
driver database (whose location is specified by the /DDB switch) and performs
other necessary configuration tasks.
To build and run a DeployAnywhere clone task:
1 Create a new task in the Console.
a In the Console’s left pane, select the Tasks folder.
b In the Console’s right pane, right-click an empty area and select New Task.
c In the Name field, type a name for the DeployAnywhere clone task.
The name can be anything you want, up to a maximum of 50 characters, as
long as you do not duplicate the name of an existing task in the same folder.
2 Under Task Steps, select the Clone and DeployAnywhere task steps.
3 Under Target Machine Group/Machine, click Browse, select the computer or
group of computers to which you want to clone (restore) the image, and click
OK.
4 Configure clone settings.
a Click the Clone tab.
b In the Destination drive box, type a drive number, if required.
c If you want to restore a partition in the image file to a particular partition
on the target computers, select Partition Restore, then type a destination
12
partition number.
d Under Image, click Browse, select the image configuration you want to
use, and click OK.
e If you want to restore a single partition in the image file, under Source
partition, select the appropriate partition from the drop-down list.
If the image file does not yet exist, no partitions are defined. You can type a
Source Partition number instead.
f If you want to preserve specific files or folders on the target computers,
click Preserve to set the file preservation options.
g If you want to add more advanced features to the task using the command
line, click Advanced to set the advanced feature options.
5 Configure DeployAnywhere settings.
a Click the DeployAnywhere tab.
b If you want the client to remain in the PreOS environment if the task fails
(for example, you want to troubleshoot the failure in the PreOS
environment), select the option “Remain in PreOS if DeployAnywhere
fails.”
c If you need to add NIC or storage drivers to the DeployAnywhere database,
click Manage Drivers, then use the Windows Driver Database Editor to add
the new drivers.
6 Click Save.
The new task is added to the Tasks folder.
7 Click Execute to run the task immediately, or schedule the task to run at a later
time.
Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The purpose of the image create task and the clone task.
– Configuring the Ghost Console to use an image repository for
storing all images in a central network location.
– Using the Ghost Console to build and run an image create task.
– Using the Ghost Console to build and run a DeployAnywhere
clone task.
Lab 12: Using the Ghost Console to

Create and Restore Images
In this lab, you:
•Configure the Ghost Console to use the image repository.
•Create and execute an image creation task.
•Create and execute an image restoration task.

Lesson 13
Using the Ghost Console to Migrate OS-
Based User Profiles
Lesson Introduction

and Restore Im ages
from Production

Topic
be able to:
Overview of User Migr ations Describe the types of user data you can
capture and r estore with the Ghost Console.
Building User Migr ation Templates Set up a migr ation template by specifying the
set of files, application settings, and registry
keys you want to captur e.
Capturing User Data Set up and r un a task in the G host Console to
capture user data from a computer.
Restor ing User Data Set up and r un a task in the G host Console to
restore user data to a computer.

Overview of User Migrations
User settings
You can use the
Ghost Console to Folders and files
capture and restore:
Registry entries
Overview of User Migrations

You can use the Ghost Console to capture a user’s personal files and settings from
a computer, save them to a migration package, and restore the package to the same
computer or to another computer. During a user migration you can perform tasks
that preserve a user’s personal setup and reset applications with mandatory or
personal configurations. You can use migration tasks to quickly move a user from
one computer to another.
13
If you installed an updated version of an application that Ghost supports, the
restore task updates the user settings.
You can capture and restore the following user information:
User settings You can capture desktop and application settings. For
example, you can capture the following settings:
• The default printer that is selected in Microsoft Word
• A user’s screen saver or desktop wallpaper settings
• A user’s Internet settings
Folders and You can capture entire folders or individual files from any
files Windows-accessible partition on the computer (for example,
the My Documents folder).
Registry You can capture individual registry entries, keys, or user
entries hives.
Lesson 13 Using the Ghost Console to Migrate OS-Based User Profiles 13–3
Components of a Migration Template
Component Description
Application settings The applications for which you want to capture user
settings. The list contains all the applications that Symantec
Ghost supports.
Specified user files and A specified set of user files and folders to include or to
folders to include or exclude. Each set contains a directory path and file
exclude definition and may include variables and wildcard
characters.
You can select files based on creation or modification dates
and file size.
You can specify a destination path and replacement options
for the files that you want to include.
Specified registry keys to The specified set of registry entries to capture or exclude.
capture or exclude Each set contains a registry path and may include wildcard
characters.
You can specify a destination path and replacement options
for registry keys that you want to include.
Building User Migration Templates

You specify the user information that you want to capture by setting up migration
templates. When you set up a migration template, you specify the set of files,
application settings, and registry keys that you want to capture from a computer.
You can create new migration templates at any time, and can modify existing
templates to suit your requirements.
The following table describes the components of a migration template.
Component Description
Application settings The applications for which you want to capture user settings. The list
contains all the applications that Symantec Ghost supports.
Specified user files and A specified set of user files and folders to include or to exclude.
folders to include or Each set contains a directory path and file definition and may include
exclude variables and wildcard characters. You can specify whether to
include or exclude particular sets of files. You can select files based
on creation or modification dates and file size.
You can specify a destination path and replacement options for the
files that you want to include.
Specified registry keys The specified set of registry entries to capture or exclude.
to capture or exclude Each set contains a registry path and may include wildcard
characters.
You can specify a destination path and replacement options for
registry keys that you want to include.

Creating a Migration Template
You can create new templates directly in the Configuration Resources folder or as
you set up a User Migration: Capture task. Each template must contain at least one
item to include or exclude, or it must contain an application setting.
To create a migration template in the Configuration Resources folder:
1 In the Ghost Console’s left pane, expand the Configuration Resources folder,
then expand the User Migration Templates folder.
2 In the User Migration Templates pane, right-click an empty area and select
New Migration Template from the quick menu.
3 In the Properties for New Migration Template window, type a name for your
new migration template in the Migration Template Name field.
4 In the Supported Applications list, select the applications for which you want
to capture user settings and files.
The list contains all the applications that Symantec User Migration supports.
To select an application, mark the checkbox next to the application name.
If the application is not installed on the source computer then no settings are
captured.
5 If you want to include or exclude additional files and folders in the template,
click the Files and Folders tab and include or exclude files as needed.
6 If you want to include or exclude specific registry keys, click the Registry
Keys tab and include or exclude registry keys as needed.
7 Click OK to save the migration template.
The new migration template is added to the User Migration Templates folder
and is available for inclusion in a capture task.
13
Capturing User Data
Capturing User Data

You capture user data from a computer by setting up and running a User
Migration: Capture task. This capture saves the user data in a user package. You
can use the package to restore the user data to the same computer or to another
computer by running a User Migration: Restore task. You can save all of the user
packages on the Console server, or you can save each user package on the client
computer from which it was collected.
You should save all user packages on the Console server when you want to move
users from one computer to another. If the target of the task is a computer group,
all packages are named automatically. If the target is a single computer, you can
specify a name for the package or use the automatic naming option.
To capture user data:
2 In the Tasks pane, right-click an empty area and select New Task from the
quick menu.
3 In the Properties for New Task window, type a name for the new task in the
Name field.
4 In the Task Steps box, select User Migration: Capture.
5 In the Target Machine Group/Machine box, click Browse, select the
destination computer or computer group from the folder structure, and then
click OK.
6 Click the User Migration: Capture tab.
7 Under Package, choose whether to save the migration packages on the Ghost
Console computer or on the client computers.

8 In the “Specify a package name” field, specify a name for the package.
9 In the Users box, in the Capture drop-down list, select one of the following
options:
Domain users only Migrates only the users that belong to a

domain.
Local machine users only Migrates only the user accounts that are stored
locally.
All users Migrates all the user profiles that are on the
computer.
Last logged in user Migrates only the user who last logged in to
this computer.
DOMAIN\Username Migrates the users that are specified in this
box. You can use a wildcard character with a
user name or a domain. For example, 2K3N\*
selects all users on the 2K3N domain, and
*\Joe_* selects all users that start with Joe_ in
any domain.
10 If you want to migrate only those users who have accessed their accounts
recently, check Only Users Accessed Within, and in the Days box, type the
appropriate number of days.
The maximum number of days that you can set is 365.
11 Under Migration Templates, click Browse.
12 In the Select Migration Template dialog box, expand User Migration
13
Templates, select a template, then click OK:
13 In the Logging Level drop-down list, select one of the following event logging
options:
Low Logs errors and warnings only.

Medium Logs errors, warnings, and debugging information.
Full Logs errors, warnings, information, and debug details.
14 In the Compression Level drop-down list, select the compression level for the
files in the package. The available options are:
– None
– Low
– Medium
– Full
Compression helps improve performance during package creation and
minimizes the storage requirements for the packages.
15 If you want the task to stop if a warning is issued, select Abort on Warning.
If multiple steps are included in the task, the task stops at the point of error and
does not attempt to run the rest of the steps. For example, if the task includes a
capture step, a clone step, and a restore step, and the capture step returns a
warning, then the task fails without running the clone and restore steps.
16 Click Save.
17 To run the task immediately, click Execute, or schedule the task to run later.
When you run a User Migration: Create task, the user settings on each
destination computer are stored in a user package. Each user package is an
.ump file and is saved on the Ghost Console computer or on the client
computer, according to the settings that you specified in the task. If the user
package is saved on the Ghost Console computer, the package definition is
added to the User Packages folder.

Restoring User Data
Restoring User Data

You restore user data from a user package to a computer by setting up and running
a User Migration: Restore task. You can set up a User Migration: Restore task as a
stand-alone task or as a step within a task.
To create a User Migration: Restore task:
13
2 In the Tasks pane, right-click an empty area and select New Task from the
quick menu.
3 In the Properties for New Task window, type a name for the new task in the
Task Name field.
4 In the Task Steps list, select User Migration: Restore.
5 In the Target Machine Group/Machine box, click Browse, select the
destination computer or computer group from the folder structure, and then
click OK.
6 Click the User Migration: Restore tab.
7 Under Package, specify the location of the user packages to restore (the Ghost
Console computer or the client machines).
– To select a package that has been named automatically, click “Select latest
Package based on Package’s Target Machine Name.”
The name format is: machinename (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss).
By default, the target computer name of a package is set to the source
computer name.
– To use the same naming convention that was selected in the capture step,
select “The package name is specified in the User Migration: Capture
step.”
– To specify a package name and location if a package is stored on the Ghost
Console, select “Specify a package name,” click Browse, and browse to the
appropriate package in the Configuration Resources folder.
– To specify a package name and location if a package is stored on the client
computer, select “Specify a package name,” click Edit, and type the drive
letter and path to the package on the client machine.
9 In the Logging Level drop-down list, select the level of event logging
information you want to capture (Low, Medium, or Full).
10 Click Save.
11 To run the task immediately, click Execute, or schedule the task to run later.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The types of user data you can capture and restore with the
Ghost Console
– Setting up a migration template by specifying the set of files,
application settings, and registry keys you want to capture
– Setting up and running a task in the Ghost Console to capture
user data from a computer
– Setting up and running a task in the Ghost Console to restore
user data to a computer

In this lab, you:
13
•Create a migration template.
•Create and execute a User Migration Capture task.
•Create and execute a User Migration Restore task.
Lesson 14
Using the Ghost Console to Perform Post-
Deployment Customizations
Lesson Introduction

and Restore Im ages
Perform Post-Deployment Customizations
from Production

Topic
be able to:
Benefits of Perfor ming Post- Discuss the benefits of using the Ghost
Deploym ent Customiz ations on Console to deploy AI packages and to perform
Remote Computers other post-deploy ment customizations on
client computers.
The Softw ar e and File Actions Describe the purpose and com ponents of the
Task Softw ar e and File Actions task.
Creating an AI Package Definition Cr eate an AI package definition to m ake an AI
package available for deploym ent.
Building and Running a Software Per form post-deployment customizations on
and File Actions Task client computers by running a Softw are and
File Actions task from the G host Console.

Benefits of Performing Post-Deployment
Customizations on Remote Computers
Using the Ghost Console to perform post-deployment

customizations enables you to:
•Manage the customization process from a central
location.
•Target customizations to specific individuals or
departments.
•Perform customizations on computers even if the
logged-in user does not have the necessary rights.
Benefits of Performing Post-Deployment Customizations on

Remote Computers
Using the Ghost Console, you can remotely customize computers you have
deployed in your organization. Performing post-deployment customizations offers
the following benefits:
• You can manage the process from a central location, greatly reducing the time
and cost required to customize users’ computers.
• Using computer groups in the Console, you can target customizations to
specific individuals or departments in your organization.
• Because the Console uses a special Ghost administrative account to manage
client computers, it can perform customizations on computers even if the
logged-in user does not have the necessary rights. (Issues with insufficient
14
rights often cause customizations, such as application installations, to fail
when using such methods as login scripts.)
Lesson 14 Using the Ghost Console to Perform Post-Deployment Customizations 14–3

Components of the Software and File
Actions Task
Action Functionality
Install an AI package Deploys AI packages to client computers
Uninstall an AI Removes installed AI packages from client
package computers
Transfer files and Copies files and folders from the Ghost Console
folders computer to the operating system or the Ghost
partition of the client computer
Retrieve a file Retrieves files from client com puters and stores
them in a specified location on the Ghost Console
computer
Execute a command Executes commands in the client’s operating
system or the Ghost partition
The Software and File Actions Task

The Software and File Actions task step (new in Ghost Solution Suite 2.5)
simplifies the process of customizing newly deployed computers. This feature
enables you to build a set of actions and control their order of execution. The
actions you can perform as part of a Software and File Actions Task are:
• Install an AI package
• Uninstall an AI package
• Transfer files and folders
• Retrieve a file
• Execute a command
Install AI Package Action

You can deploy AI packages to client computers by running an Install AI Package
action in a Software and File Actions task. When you set up the action, you select
the target computers and specify which AI packages to install.
Uninstall AI Package Action

You can remove installed AI packages from client computers by running an
Uninstall AI Package action.

Not all AI packages can be uninstalled. You cannot uninstall an AI package in the
following cases:
The package does When each package is built, you have the option to
not include an include an Uninstall command. If you do not include
Uninstall command. this command, you cannot uninstall the package in a
Deploy AI Package task. If you want to check whether
or not a package includes an Uninstall command, open
the package with AI Builder and view its contents.
The package has The rebuilt package cannot uninstall any software that
been rebuilt with a was installed with the package prior to the rebuild.
new identifying The application checks the GUID to ensure that the
number (GUID). package used to uninstall software is the same as the
package used to install the software.
If an AI package does not include an Uninstall command, or if the package has

been rebuilt with a new GUID, you must use some other means to uninstall the
software from the client computers.
Transfer Files and Folders Action

You can copy files and folders from the Ghost Console computer to the operating
system or the Ghost partition of the client computer by running a Transfer Files
and Folders action.
If you transfer the files to the virtual partition, then the files remain there only
while the task is being executed.
If you transfer files by multicast, you may encounter the following issues:
• When you transfer files to multiple clients by multicast, there is a 20-second
delay between each file transfer. Therefore, the task might take longer to run
than expected.
• The Ghost Console supports only one multicast file transfer at a time.
Multicast file transfers do not run simultaneously.
Warning: Do not attempt to transfer files to the My Documents folder on the
14
client computer in a file transfer task. If you want to move files to the My
Documents folder, use the User Migration task steps. User Migration
automatically handles the required directory mapping.
Retrieve File Action

You can use the Retrieve File action to retrieve files from client computers and
store the files in a specified location on the Ghost Console computer. You can use
variables to differentiate files that are retrieved from different clients in the same
task.
There are four variables that you can use in a destination path:
• MachineId: An internal unique ID for the client computer from which the
file was retrieved

• Filename: The name of the source file (without any drive or path
information)
• FileBase: The same as Filename, but without an extension
• FileExt: The file extension
You specify variables in a destination path or file name by surrounding them with
curly braces (for example: {Filename}). Variables are not case-sensitive. When
you select a destination path in the Console, the default file name is {FileBase}
({MachineId}).{FileExt}. This appends the client computer ID to the file
that was retrieved from it. You can modify the default to suit your requirements.
For example, you may want to place retrieved files in separate subdirectories for
each client computer.
Execute Command Action

You can use the Execute Command action to execute commands in the client’s
operating system or the Ghost partition.
You can specify the acceptable return codes to ensure that the command action
performs to your requirements. Any return codes that are not defined as successful
or warning codes are treated as failure codes. You can also specify the action name
and whether or not the task is to continue if the action fails.

Creating an AI Package Definition
Creating an AI Package Definition

In an earlier lesson, we discussed how to create AI packages. After you create an
AI package, there is one more step you must take before you can use the Ghost
Console to install the package on clients—you must create an AI package
definition in the Console.
Each AI package definition contains the name and location of an AI package and,
if the package is stored on the Ghost Console computer, the GUID of the package.
AI package definitions are stored in the AI Packages folder in the Console.
To create a new AI package definition:
1 In the Console’s left pane, expand the Configuration Resources folder and
select the AI Packages folder.
14
2 In the AI Packages pane, right-click an empty area and select New AI Package.
3 In the Properties For New AI Package window, in the Name field, type the
name for the new AI package definition.
The name can be anything you want, up to a maximum of 50 characters.
4 If the AI package file is stored on the client computer, select “Package is
located on the Client machine,” click Edit, and enter the location of the AI
package file on the client.
5 If the AI package file is stored on the Ghost Console computer, a network
share, or an HTTP location, browse to and select the AI package file.
If the package is located on an HTTP path, click Validate to verify that the
package is a valid AI Package. If the package is a valid AI Package, the
Package GUID is displayed.

6 If you want to view or edit the contents of the package, click Launch AI
Builder to open the package in AI Builder.
7 Click OK.
The new AI package definition is added to the AI Packages folder.

Sample Software and File Actions Task:
Conditional AI Package Installation
1
Create new Software and File Actions task.
2
Add “Install AI Package” action.
3
Add “Transfer Files and Folders” action.
4 Add “Execute a Command” action.
5 Arrange actions in desired order of execution.
6 Save Software and File Actions task.
7 Execute task imm ediately, or schedule for later.
Building and Running a Software and File Actions Task

In this topic, you step through the process of adding and arranging actions for a
Software and File Actions task. Specifically, you perform the following actions:
• Transfer a file to a managed client
• Run a command from a managed client’s operating system
• Install an AI package
To create and run the Software and File Actions task:
1 Create a new task.
a In the Ghost Console’s left pane, select the Tasks folder.
b In the Tasks pane, right-click an empty area and select New Task from the
shortcut menu.
14
c In the Properties for New Task dialog box, type a name for the new task in
the Task Name field.
The name can be anything you want, up to a maximum of 50 characters.
d In the Task Steps box, select Software and File Actions.
e In the Target Machine Group/Machine box, click Browse, select the
destination computer or computer group, then click OK.
2 Add and configure the “Install AI Package” action.
a Click the Software and File Actions tab.
b Click Add.
c Verify that the option “Install an AI package” is selected, then click Next.

d Click Browse, then browse to and select the AI package you want to
deploy.
e Choose to accept the default name for the action, or specify a custom name.
f If you want to abort the Software and File Actions task in the event that the
AI package fails to install, de-select the option “Continue task if the
package fails to install.”
In this case, we will keep the option selected because we want the task to
finish regardless of whether the AI package installs successfully or not.
g Click Finish.
3 Add and configure the “Transfer Files and Folders” action.
a Click Add.
b Select “Transfer Files and Folders,” then click Next.
c Click Add Files, then browse to and select the file or files you want to
transfer to clients.
d If you want to transfer the files to the client’s installed operating system,
verify that the option “Transfer to the Target Operating System” is
selected.
If you want to transfer the files to the Ghost partition (for example, you
want to reboot the client to a PreOS environment from a virtual Ghost
partition so you can perform operations outside of the client’s installed
operating system), then select the option “Transfer to the Ghost Partition.”
e To specify the destination location on the client computer where you want
to copy the files, click Edit.
f Under Volume Identifier, specify the drive letter or volume label for the
destination location on the client.
g In the Path field, specify the folder path to the destination location on the
client (for example, TransferredFiles\CommandFiles), then
click OK.
h Click Next.
i Choose to accept the default name for the action, or specify a custom name.
j De-select the option “Continue task if the files fail to transfer” because in
this case, we want the task to abort if files cannot be successfully copied to
the client.
k Click Finish.
4 Add and configure the “Execute a Command” action.
a Click Add.
b Select the option “Execute a Command,” then click Next.
c In the Command field, type the command you want to execute.
d To run the command in the client’s installed operating system, verify that
the option “Execute command in the Target Operating System” is selected,
then click Next.

e To pause the Software and File Actions task until the command finishes
executing and reports a return code, select the option “Wait for the
command to finish executing before continuing the task,” then specify both
the success and failure (or warning) return codes the command may return.
f Choose to accept the default name for the action, or specify a custom name.
g De-select the option “Continue task if the command fails to execute”
because in this case, we want the task to abort if a failure (or warning)
return code is received.
h Click Finish.
5 Click “Move Up” or “Move Down” to arrange the actions in the order you
want them to execute.
6 Click Save.
7 Click Execute to run the task immediately, or schedule the task to run at a later
time.
14

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The benefits of using the Ghost Console to deploy AI packages
and to perform other post-deployment customizations on client
computers
– The purpose and components of the Software and File Actions
task
– Creating an AI package definition to make an AI package
available for deployment
– Performing post-deployment customizations on client computers
by running a Software and File Actions task from the Ghost
Console

Perform Post-Deployment Customizations
In this lab, you:
•Add AutoInstall packages to the Ghost Console.
•Deploy an AutoInstall package using the Ghost Console.
•Build and run a Software and File Actions task.

Lesson 15
Using Client Inventory Reports in the Ghost
Console
Lesson Introduction

and Restore Im ages
in the Ghost Con sole
from Production

Topic
able to:
Overview of Client Inventory Describe the Ghost Console’s Client Inventory feature
and discuss the requirements for using Client
Inventory.
Managing Collected Data Sets Describe the purpose of collected data sets as they
apply to the Client Inventory feature, and explain how
to set up collected data sets in the Ghost Console.
Viewing Inventory Information Set up views in the Ghost Console to control how
information is displayed in inventory reports.
Using Filters Set up and use filters in the Ghost Console to control
which clients show up in reports.
Using Reports Create and run reports in the Ghost Console.
Using Dynamic Machine Groups Describe the purpose of dynamic machine groups,
and create a dynamic machine group in the Ghost
Console.

Client Inventory Resources
Overview of Client Inventory

In the lesson “Integrating and Configuring Windows Desktop Computers in the
Ghost Console,” you learned how to create and run a task that populates the Ghost
Console database with inventory and configuration data for managed clients. This
lesson discusses the Ghost Console’s Client Inventory feature in more detail.
Client Inventory lets you obtain information from the Windows Management
Instrumentation (WMI) repository on each managed client. You can choose the
type of information you want to collect and which computers to collect it from.
The information that you collect is stored in a database on the Ghost Console
computer and is updated on request. You can query this database to select the
computers that have certain properties and then use the selected computers as the
target of a task. For example, you can select the computers that have available
memory that is greater than a specified amount. You can view the property values
for each computer. You can also produce reports that contain the property values
for each computer in a group. 15
Lesson 15 Using Client Inventory Reports in the Ghost Console 15–3

Resource Description
Collected Data Stores the collected data sets that define the type of
information you want to collect from other computers and
store in the inventory database
Filter Stores the filters that you use for querying the Inventory
database; a filter is a query that you apply to a computer
group
Report Stores the reports that you use for retrieving detailed
information for computers that match a specific filter; a
report typically contains a filter and a view and is applied
to a particular computer group
View Stores the views that you use for displaying property
data; a view is a list of properties that you want to display

You can access and maintain the Client Inventory through the Ghost Console. The
Client Inventory resources are stored under the Inventory folder and in the
Dynamic Machine Groups folder. You can also view Client Inventory information
through the Machine Groups folder.

The Inventory folder contains the following subfolders:
Collected Stores the collected data sets that define the type of information
Data you want to collect from other computers and store in the
inventory database. You specify the WMI classes that you want
to collect from the client computers. You can assign user-
friendly names to the classes and properties. If you create a
new class, all properties are collected. You can turn off any
properties you do not want to collect.
Filter Stores the filters that you use for querying the Inventory
database. A filter is a query that you apply to a computer group.
It searches the Inventory database and selects all the computers
in the target group that match the filter conditions. You can set
up filters to search for any combination of properties and
property values that you want.
Report Stores the reports that you use for retrieving detailed
information for computers that match a specific filter. A report
typically contains a filter and a view, and is applied to a
particular computer group. The output of a report is the list of
computers that match the filter conditions and, for each
computer, the properties specified in the view. You can view
reports on the screen, print them, and save them as text files.
View Stores the views that you use for displaying property data. A
view is a list of properties that you want to display. You can
display the inventory information you are interested in by
applying the appropriate views to client computers or computer
groups. For example, you may want to set up views containing
groups of related properties (such as software, hardware, or
network) and apply them each time you want to view those
properties for a computer group.
The other folders that are used by the Client Inventory are as follows:
Machine Stores all the computers known to the Ghost Console, as

Groups well as the computer groups that you have set up. You can
see inventory information for individual computers in the
Properties window. You can also specify the views
associated with each computer in a computer group.
15
Dynamic Stores the dynamic machine groups that you have set up. A
Machine dynamic machine group is the result of a filter applied to a
Groups computer group, and contains the computers in the target
group that match the filter conditions. Each dynamic
machine group is treated as a virtual computer group, and
can be used as the target of a task.

Using the Client Inventory
To use the Client Inventory feature, you must:

1. Set up collected data sets.
2. Set up any needed computer groups.
3. Run a refresh inventory task.
4. Set up properties for each collected data set.
5. Set up appropriate views.
6. Set up filters.
7. Use filters and views to create reports, set up dynamic
machine groups, and show inventory information.
Using the Client Inventory

You need to set up and maintain the collected data sets, filters, and views that you
want to use. You can use the available filters and views to create and run reports on
particular computer groups, and view inventory information for client computers.
You can also set up dynamic machine groups, and use them as the target of a task.
The Client Inventory relies on the data provided by Microsoft Windows
Management Instrumentation (WMI). The accuracy of the data returned by WMI
depends on operating system version, service pack, and WMI version installed.
To use the Client Inventory feature:
1 Set up the collected data sets to include all the WMI classes that you want to
collect from the client computers.
2 If necessary, set up the computer groups that you require.
3 Run a refresh inventory task to collect the appropriate WMI class instances
from each computer in the target computer group. This task populates the
inventory database and produces a properties list for each collected data set.
4 Set up the properties for each collected data set to suit your requirements.
When you add a new collected data set and get data for it, all the properties in
the WMI class become available. You can then set the property display names,
and specify which properties to include in the collected data set for subsequent
database refreshes.
5 Set up the views that you want to use.
6 Set up the filters that you want to use.
7 Use the filters and views to create reports, set up dynamic machine groups, and
show inventory information.

Collected Data Sets
Collected data sets:

• Specify the WMI classes that are collected from client
computers when you run a refresh inventory task
• Are copied from client computers and stored in the inventory
database on the Ghost Console computer
• Can be queried in the inventory database to generate reports
for the purpose of targeting specific clients for tasks
For more information about WMI classes, see:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library
/en-us/wmisdk/wmi/wmi_classes.asp
Managing Collected Data Sets

The Collected Data folder shows all the WMI classes defined in the inventory
database. You need to set up the collected data sets to suit your requirements and
to ensure that you collect data for all the WMI classes that you want. You can also
choose to collect particular properties within a WMI class and ignore the
properties that you are not interested in.
The collected data sets specify the WMI classes that are collected from client
computers when you run a refresh inventory task. All instances of the specified
classes found on client computers are copied and stored in the inventory database
on the Ghost Console computer. You can query the inventory database to obtain
the information you want.
Groups of predefined collected data sets that contain commonly used WMI classes
are provided. These include the basic Windows classes such as operating system,
memory, and hard disk space. Each WMI class has a number of properties, which
represent the information gathered for the class. System properties are not
displayed, and you cannot collect them.
If you need more information on these classes, or on WMI classes in general, refer
15
to the documentation supplied by Microsoft. For more information see the article
at the following URL:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/
wmisdk/wmi/wmi_classes.asp
You can add additional collected data sets to collect the information you require
from the client computers. There is no restriction on the WMI classes you can use.
They may be additional Microsoft WMI classes or third-party vendor classes.

Showing the Collected Data Folder
In the Ghost Console,

select ToolsÆOptions.
Showing the Collected Data Folder

By default, the Collected Data folder is hidden in the Ghost Console. You can
show this folder when you want to view the collected data sets, or make any
changes.
To show the Collected Data folder:
1 In the Ghost Console, on the Tools menu, click Options.
2 Under the Inventory tab, check Show Collected Data Sets in Inventory.
3 Click Apply.

Setting Up Collected Data Sets
To set up collected data sets:

1.Create the new collected data sets that you require.
2.Run a refresh inventory task.
3.Set up the WMI class properties for each collected
data set.
Setting Up Collected Data Sets

If you want to collect data for a WMI class that is not included in a collected data
set, you need to create a new collected data set in the Ghost Console. You can then
specify the WMI class and properties to collect. You can also modify existing
collected data sets to change property names, or specify different properties to
collect.
To set up collected data sets:
1 Create the new collected data sets that you require.
This defines the WMI namespace, WMI class name, and display name for each
data set that you want to include.
2 Run a refresh inventory task.
The refresh inventory task reads the WMI repository on each client computer
and populates the inventory database with all the properties of all the new
WMI classes that are found.
3 Set up the WMI class properties for each collected data set.
You can specify the display name of each property and whether or not to use it
15
in data collection.

Creating a New Collected Data Set
From within a Collected

Data subfolder’s pane,
right-click and select
New Collected Data Set.
Creating a New Collected Data Set

You create a new collected data set by defining the WMI namespace, WMI class
name, and display name for the new collected data set in the Ghost Console.
To create a new collected data set:
1 In the Ghost Console’s left pane, expand the Inventory folder.
2 Expand the Collected Data folder, and then expand the subfolder where you
want to create the new collected data set.
3 In the Collected Data pane, right-click an empty area and select New Collected
Data Set from the shortcut menu.
4 In the Properties for New Collected Data Set window, in the Display Name
field, type a name for your new collected data set.
The name must be unique and may contain up to 50 alphanumeric characters.
Type a descriptive name that is easy to recognize when you are setting up
filters and views.
5 In the Namespace drop-down list, select the namespace of the WMI class that
you want to collect, if it is listed.
The Namespace list contains all the WMI namespaces known to the Ghost
Console. These namespaces are read from the WMI repository on the Ghost
Console computer. If the namespace of the class that you want to collect is not
listed, go to step 7.
6 In the WMI Class Name list, select the class, if it is listed.
The WMI Class Name list contains all the WMI classes known to the Ghost
Console in the selected namespace.

If you selected the WMI class that you want to collect from the list, go to
step 10.
If the name of the WMI class that you want to collect is not listed, go to step 7.
7 Select “Enter WMI Class details.”
8 In the Namespace field, type the full namespace of the class that you want to
collect.
The name may contain up to 255 alphanumeric characters.
9 In the WMI Class Name field, type the class name.
The name may contain up to 255 alphanumeric characters. The Ghost Console
does not perform any validation on user-defined classes. If you make an error
in typing the namespace or the class name, the Ghost Console is not able to
find the class instance data on the client computers.
10 Click OK.
11 In the Properties dialog box, view the details of the new collected data set
properties.
If the new collected data set is a user-defined WMI class, there are no
properties displayed.
If the new collected data set is a WMI class already known to the Ghost
Console, the Properties dialog box displays the class properties as they are
currently defined. These properties are read from the WMI repository on the
Ghost Console server and are usually sufficient to work with. You can set up
the properties as you want, or you may prefer to perform a refresh inventory
task to update the Inventory database first.
12 Click OK to close the Properties dialog box.
The new class is added to the Collected Data view.
Running a Refresh Inventory Task

The properties for all WMI classes defined in the collected data sets are gathered
when you run a refresh inventory task on the client computers. When you add a
new collected data set, you need to run a refresh inventory task to collect the
appropriate WMI class properties and add them to the Inventory database.
To populate the Inventory database:
1 Set up an inventory refresh task by selecting the Refresh Inventory step in the
task definition.
2 Run the inventory refresh task on the appropriate computer group.
15
You may want to set up a computer group that contains all the managed client
computers to ensure that the Inventory database is complete and up-to-date.
If a WMI class has instances with different properties on different computers,
the class properties are merged in the Inventory database.
If no instances of a WMI class are found on any client computers, the class
properties cannot be added to the database. If this occurs, you may want to
check that you have specified the WMI namespace and class name correctly in
the collected data set.

Setting Up WMI Class Properties
Setting Up WMI Class Properties

You can set up the properties of each collected data set to suit your requirements.
When you create a new collected data set, you need to set up the WMI class
properties as part of the process. You can modify the property settings at any time.
The default display name for each property is the WMI property name. You can
change the property display names to make them more descriptive when showing
inventory data. Descriptive property display names are also easier to use when you
create filters and views.
You can specify the properties in each class that you want to collect from client
computers. You can choose to collect particular properties within a class and
ignore the properties that you are not interested in. You may want to do this to
make the inventory data collection process quicker and more efficient, and to keep
the size of the Inventory database to a minimum.
To set up collected data set properties:
2 Expand the Collected Data folder, and then expand the subfolder that contains
the collected data set that you want to set up.
3 In the Collected Data pane, right-click the class you want to set up and select
Properties.
4 In the Properties window, set up the collected data set properties to suit your
requirements.
You can sort the properties by display name, WMI name, or type by clicking
the appropriate column header to toggle the order.

5 If you want to change the display name of a property, right-click the property
name and select Rename.
Type the new name, and then press Enter or click anywhere in the window.
Choose a descriptive name that is easy to recognize when you are setting up
filters and views.
6 To specify whether or not a property is collected from client computers and
added to the Inventory database, right-click the property name and select one
of the following:
– Enable
– Disable
The property status is indicated by the symbol beside the property display
name. A green check mark means the property is enabled for data collection;
an empty space means it is disabled.
You can also click directly on the space or green check mark to turn the status
on and off.
A key symbol indicates a key property, and a padlock indicates a property that
is currently used in a filter or view. These properties are always included in
data collections, and you cannot disable them.
7 If you want to hide disabled properties, check “Hide disabled properties.”
8 If you want to ignore this collected data set when refreshing the Inventory
database, check “Do not collect data for this class.”
This lets you temporarily disable all properties in the collected data set. You
may want to do this to minimize the time required to complete the refresh
inventory task by collecting only the data sets that you want.
9 When you have finished setting up the collected data set properties, click OK.
The refresh inventory task collects the enabled properties from the target
computers. Any disabled properties are removed from the Inventory database.
Collected data sets that are ignored when refreshing the Inventory database are
indicated in the Ghost Console by a small barred circle on the left side of the
collected data set icon.
15

Client Inventory Views
Views are a collection of properties that you want to

display. Typically, you set up a view as a group of
related properties that you are interested in.
For example, here are the properties included in the
predefined “System Information” view:
Viewing Inventory Information

You can view inventory information for client computers or computer groups by
selecting views. A view is essentially a collection of properties that you want to
display.
You would typically set up a view as a group of related properties that you are
interested in. For example, the Hardware view may include information such as
the make and model of the client computer, its physical memory, processor speed
and number and size of its hard drives. The Software view may include the
operating system, versions of installed software, and any patches applied. The
Networking view may include the IP and MAC addresses, domain membership,
and the DNS server to which the computer is connected.
You can use views in reports to obtain inventory information for the computers in
a computer group. You can also use views to customize the information shown on
the Inventory tab in the Properties window for client computers.
Note: The Ghost Console includes a set of pre-defined views. These contain
groups of properties that are commonly used. You can modify them to suit your
requirements.

Creating Views
From within a View

subfolder’s pane,
right-click and select
New Inventory View.
Creating Views
You can create new views and modify existing views at any time. When you create
a view, you select the properties that you want to include.
Note: Disabled properties have no values when you use a view in a report or to
display inventory information. If you want to see the values of these properties,
enable the properties in the collected data set, and then perform a refresh inventory
task to update the inventory database.
To create a view:
2 Expand the View folder, and then select the subfolder where you want to place
the new view.
3 In the View pane, right-click an empty area and select New Inventory View
from the shortcut menu.
15

Adding Properties to a New View
4 In the Properties for New Inventory View window, type the name of the new
view in the View Name field.
The name must be unique, and may contain up to 50 alphanumeric characters.
Choose a descriptive name that indicates which properties are contained in the
view.
5 In the Collected Data Sets list, select the collected data set that contains
properties that you want to add.
The Properties list shows the available properties for the selected data set. By
default, the available properties are those that are enabled in the collected data
set.
6 If you want to include disabled properties in the view, uncheck “Hide disabled
properties.”
This option is checked by default. When you uncheck it, the Properties list is
updated to show all properties of the selected data set, allowing you to select
the properties that you want. Remember that the disabled properties are not
collected from client computers until they have been enabled in the collected
data set and a refresh task has been executed.
7 In the Properties list, select the properties you want to add.
If you want to select all the properties in the collected data set, click Select All.
If you want to clear your selection, click Deselect All.
8 Click Add.
The selected properties are added to the list in the Preview pane.
9 Repeat steps 5 through 8 for each collected data set that has properties that you
want to include in the view.

10 In the Preview pane, arrange the list of properties in the order that you want
them to appear when inventory information is displayed.
To move an item in the list, click it to select it, and then click Move Up or
Move Down as many times as necessary. Each click moves the item one place
in the list.
If you want to remove an item from the list, click it to select it, and then click
Remove.
If you want to remove all items from the list, click Remove All.
11 When you have finished setting up the view, click OK.
The new view is added to the View folder.
15

Setting the Common Inventory View
for Computer Groups
Right-click a machine
group and select
Set Inventory Views.
Setting the Common Inventory View for Computer Groups

You can set the common Inventory views for computer groups. These views are
applied to all computers that are currently in the group. If a new computer is added
to the group, it uses the default views set in the Console Option window.
You will see the common views on the Inventory tab in the Properties window for
each client computer. You can change the views for individual computers, for
example, if you want to show more information for particular computers.
To set the common Inventory view for a computer group:
2 In the Machine Groups pane, right-click the computer group that you want to
set up and select Set Inventory Views.
3 In the Set Inventory Views window, from the “Settings for” drop-down list,
select whether to apply the view to “This Machine Group only” or “All
Machine Groups in hierarchy.”
4 If you want the group view settings to overwrite the individual settings for
each computer in the group, check Overwrite individual machine settings.
5 To move the views that you want to use into the Assigned Views pane:
– To add views, select them in the Available Views pane, and then click Add.
– To remove views, select them and click Remove.
The View Properties pane shows the properties (and their values if known) of
the selected view. The properties are listed in the order in which they are set up
in their respective views.
6 Click OK.

Setting the Default Inventory Views
for New Client Computers
Select ToolsÆOptions,
and on the Inventory
tab, click Modify.
Setting the Default Inventory Views for New Client Computers

You can specify the views to use for a client computer when it is detected by the
Symantec Ghost Console.
To set the default Inventory views for new client computers:
1 In the Symantec Ghost Console, on the Tools menu, click Options.
2 Under the Inventory tab, click Modify.
3 In the Set Inventory Views window, to move the views that you want to use
into the Assigned Views pane, perform the following:
– To add a view, select it in the Available Views pane, and then click Add.
– To remove a view, select it in the Assigned Views pane, and then click
Remove.
The View Properties pane shows the properties of the selected view. The
properties are listed in the order in which they are set up in their respective
views.
4 Click OK.
15
5 In the Options window, under the Inventory tab, click Apply.

Viewing Inventory Information for
Client Computers
In a machine group’s
pane, right-click a
computer and select
Properties.
Viewing Inventory Information for Client Computers

You can view inventory information for any client computer. The common views
applied to the machine group folders are automatically applied to each computer.
You can add views to individual computers to see more inventory information.
If you later change the common views for the computer group, the changes are
merged with the views that are currently applied to individual computers in the
group. The individual settings are updated to include any new views, but are not
overwritten unless you choose to overwrite them.
To view inventory information for a client computer:
2 Expand the computer group that contains the client computer that you want to
view.
3 In the Machine Groups pane, right-click the computer for which you want to
view inventory details and select Properties.
4 In the Properties window, click the Inventory tab.
This tab lists the views assigned to the computer. The default views are the
common views currently applied to the computer groups folder.
5 In the Inventory Views list, select a view to display the instance number, name,
and value of each property that it contains.
6 If you want to change the views assigned to this computer, click Set Views.

7 In the Set Inventory Views window, to move the views that you want to use
into the Assigned Views pane, perform the following:
– To add a view, select it in the Available Views pane, and then click Add.
– To remove a view, select it in the Assigned Views pane, and then click
Remove.
The View Properties pane shows the properties of the selected view.
If you remove a view that is one of the common views set for the computer
group, it is automatically removed from the list of common views.
8 Click OK to close the Set Inventory Views window.
The Inventory Views pane under the Inventory tab shows the updated list of
views.
9 If you want to save the changes you have made to the selected views, click OK.
If you want to remove the changes you have made and restore the previous
selected views, click Cancel.
15

Creating Filters
In the Filter pane,

right-click an empty
space and select New
Inventory Filter.
Using Filters
A filter is a query that searches the Inventory database and returns all the records
that match the specified property conditions. You can set up filters to search for the
combination of properties you want. You can also set up filters to return all the
records that do not match the filter conditions.
Note: You can only use properties that are enabled in the collected data sets.
Disabled properties are not available. If you want to use any properties, you need
to enable them in the collected data set first.
The filters have been developed for US English client computers. As the data
provided by WMI is dependent on the language of the client operating system,
filters used with clients that are not US English may return an incorrect number of
clients.
The Filter folder stores all the available filters. You can create new filters to suit
your requirements, and can edit, copy or delete existing filters.
You can use filters in reports, to select the computers in a computer group that
have particular property values. You can also use filters in dynamic machine
groups, to set up virtual computer groups that contain the computers that match the
filter conditions.
A set of predefined filters is provided. These are examples that illustrate the use of
a filter. You can modify them to suit your requirements. The predefined filters
include filters that are based on the minimum requirements for Microsoft Vista as
defined by Microsoft.

Creating Filters
You can create new filters to suit your requirements. When you create a filter, you
specify the filter conditions to use. Each filter condition is a restriction, such as a
maximum or minimum value, placed on a single property. The conditions are
linked by And, Or, And Not, or Or Not statements, which lets you group (nest)
them as appropriate.
Before you create a filter, you should decide which filter conditions you need and
determine the grouping required. This lets you add the conditions in the correct
order for the grouping you want to use. You cannot move a condition within the
list.
To create a filter:
2 Click the Filter folder.
3 In the Filter pane, right-click an empty area and select New Inventory Filter.
If appropriate, you can copy an existing filter and rename it, and then modify it
to suit your requirements. You may want to do this when you are creating a
number of filters with the same components.
4 In the Properties window, type the new filter name in the Filter Name field.
5 Set up the filter conditions that you require.
6 If you need to nest certain groups of conditions, or need two or more
conditions to apply to the same instance of a class, create the appropriate
groups.
7 If you want to remove a condition, select it, and then click Delete.
The grouping, if any is applied to the condition, is automatically adjusted.
8 Specify whether you want to select the computers that match the filter
conditions, or those that do not match the filter conditions, by clicking one of
the following:
– All machines from the Target group matching these filter conditions
– All machines from the Target group that do not match these filter
conditions
9 Click OK to save the filter.
The new filter is added to the Filter pane and is available for you to use in a
report or dynamic machine group. 15

Setting Up Filter Conditions
In the filter’s Properties window, click Add

or Modify to set filter conditions.
Setting Up Filter Conditions

You can add or modify filter conditions as required.
To set up a filter condition:
1 In the filter’s Properties window, perform one of the following:
– If you want to add a new condition, select an existing condition below
which you want to add the new condition and click Add.
If you do not select an existing condition, the new condition is added to the
bottom of the list.
– If you want to modify a condition, select it and click Modify.
2 In the Filter Condition window, in the Collected Data Sets pane, select the data
set that contains the property for which you want to set a condition.
The Collected Properties pane lists all the available properties in the selected
collected data set. Available properties are those that are currently enabled for
collection in the collected data sets. If a property is disabled in the collected
data set, you cannot use it in a filter.
3 In the Collected Properties pane, select the property for which you want to set a
condition.
4 In the Restriction box, from the drop-down list, select the operator that you
want to use for the property.
The list contains all the operators that are relevant to the type of property
selected.

The available comparison operators (conditions) and their limitations are
described as follows:
Operator Definition Limitations

= Equal to All except Array
<> Not equal to All except Array
< Less than All except Array and Boolean
<= Less than or equal All except Array and Boolean
> Greater than All except Array and Boolean
>= Greater than or equal All except Array and Boolean
Contains Contains the specified string String and Array only
Not Contains Does not contain the specified String and Array only
string
Is Empty Contains no characters String and Array only
Is Not Empty Contains characters String and Array only
Is Null Property does not exist; no All property types
instances collected
Is Not Null Property exists; one or more All property types
instances collected
5 In the Value field, specify the value against which you want to compare the
property as follows:
Boolean Select the value from the drop-down list.

String, Array, UInt Type the value.
DateTime In the Value field, click the down-arrow to open a calendar,
and then select the date.
If you want to specify a time as well, check Time, and then
type the time value or set it using the arrow buttons.
6 In the “Link with previous condition” drop-down list, select one of the
following:
– AND
– OR
15
– AND NOT
– OR NOT
The default is AND. If you are adding a new condition, you can specify the
link with the previous condition. If you are modifying a condition, you can
specify the link with the next condition.
7 Click OK.
If you are creating a new condition, it is added to the list in the filter’s
Properties window.

Grouping Filter Conditions
Grouping Filter Conditions

By default, the filter conditions are evaluated in the order in which they are listed,
and the links between them have the same priority. Each condition is evaluated
independently of other conditions.
If you want to give higher priority to the links between particular conditions, or
make two or more conditions apply to the same class instance, you need to group
the filter conditions.
You can group filter conditions as follows:
Group Evaluate the conditions as a single unit within the list of

conditions.
Group on Instance Evaluate the conditions on the same instance of a class.
Grouping
You can group two or more conditions as a single unit within the list of conditions.
The grouped conditions are evaluated before the conditions outside the group.
A group may contain multiple nested levels of subgroups, but each subgroup must
be completely within its parent group. When a filter contains multiple levels of
grouping, the innermost group is evaluated first.

For example, if you have a number of computers, with some running Windows XP
and some running Windows 2000, you can apply the following filter:
OperatingSystem.Name = Windows XP AND
PhysicalMemory.Capacity > 512 Mb OR
OperatingSystem.Name = Windows 2000 AND
PhysicalMemory.Capacity < 256 Mb
Without grouping, this filter returns only the Windows 2000 computers that have
less than 256 MB of memory. The Windows XP computers that were selected with
the first two conditions are not returned since they do not satisfy the fourth
condition.
To make the filter return the Windows XP computers that have over 512 MB of
memory and the Windows 2000 computers that have less than 256 MB of memory,
you need to group each OperatingSystem condition with the corresponding
PhysicalMemory condition. This grouping is as follows:
( OperatingSystem.Name = Windows XP AND
PhysicalMemory.Capacity > 512 Mb ) OR
( OperatingSystem.Name = Windows 2000 AND
PhysicalMemory.Capacity < 256 Mb )
The grouping is indicated in the list of conditions as follows:
An opening The first condition in the group

parenthesis in the
(... column
A closing The last condition in the group
parenthesis in the
...) column
When you delete conditions from a group, the grouping is automatically adjusted
according to the remaining group start and end conditions. The grouping
adjustment depends on whether the deleted conditions are at the start or end of the
group, or in the middle as follows:
Conditions deleted from within a Grouping is preserved on remaining conditions.

group, and no end-of-group
conditions deleted.
Condition deleted from start or end Grouping is removed from remaining
of a group. conditions.
15
If a deleted condition is the start or end of two or

more nested groups, all nested groups are
ungrouped.
To group (nest) filter conditions:

1 In the filter’s Properties window, in the list of conditions, select the conditions
that you want to group.

You can select all the conditions, or just the first and last conditions. Any
unselected conditions between the selected conditions are automatically
included in the group.
2 Click Group.
The grouping is indicated in the list of conditions.
3 If you need to undo any grouping, select all the conditions in the group, or the
first or last condition of the group, then click Ungroup.
If the selected condition is the first or last for two or more groups, the
outermost group is ungrouped.

Grouping Filter Conditions on
Instance
Grouping on Instance
If you need to apply two or more conditions to the same instance of a class, you
can group the conditions on instance. When you do this, all the conditions in the
group must be satisfied for properties of the same class instance. The same
restrictions as for a nested group apply, but you cannot create any subgroups on
instance.
For example, you might have a computer with two logical disks as follows:
• Drive C: NTFS, 10 gigabytes
• Drive D: FAT, 30 gigabytes
You can apply the following filter:
LogicalDisk.FileSystem = NTFS AND
LogicalDisk.Size > 20 Gb
By default, the filter returns this computer because both conditions are met, one on
each logical disk, even though the computer does not contain a disk that meets the
filter criteria.
15
To make the filter exclude the computer unless it contains a logical disk that
satisfies both the conditions, you need to group the conditions on instance:
( <* LogicalDisk.FileSystem = NTFS AND
*>LogicalDisk.Size > 20 Gb )

The grouping is indicated in the Property column, as follows:
<* preceding the class name The first condition in the group on instance
* preceding the class name A condition (not the first or last) in the
group on instance
*> preceding the class name The last condition in the group on instance
A group on instance is automatically a nested group. This grouping is indicated by

the ( symbol in the (... column and the ) symbol in the ...) column.
When you add conditions to the filter within a group on instance, you are restricted
to properties for the same class as in the group.
To group filter conditions on instance:
1 In the filter’s Properties window, in the list of conditions, select the conditions
that you want to group on instance.
You can select all the conditions, or just the first and last conditions. Any
unselected conditions between the selected conditions are automatically
included in the group.
All the conditions must relate to the same class in order to group them on
instance.
2 Click Group on Instance.
The grouping is indicated in the list of conditions, in the Property column.
3 If you need to undo the grouping on instance, select all the conditions in the
group, or the first or last condition of the group, and then click Ungroup.

Creating Reports
In the Report pane,

right-click an empty
space and select New
Inventory Report.
Using Reports
A report is simply the association of one filter, one view, or one of each, and a
target computer group. You cannot have two or more filters or views in the same
report. If you run a report on a single computer, you must use a view; you cannot
use a filter.
The output of a report depends on whether or not it includes a view. If the report
has no view (just a filter), the output is the list of computers that satisfy the filter
criteria. If the report contains a view, the output is the list of computers in the target
computer group, and the values of the properties contained in the view.
You need to set up your filters and views before you can include them in a report.
If necessary, you can create a new filter or view as you set up your new report.
Creating Reports
You can create a new report at any time, and can use any combination of filters and
views. You can preview a report by running it immediately, or you can save it in
the Reports folder and run it later.
15
To create a report:
2 Click the Report folder.
3 In the Report pane, right-click an empty area and select New Inventory Report
from the shortcut menu.

4 In the Properties for New Inventory Report window, in the Report Name field,
type the name of the new report.
The name must be unique, and may contain up to 50 alphanumeric characters.
Choose a descriptive name that indicates what information is contained in the
report.
5 Next to the Target box, click Browse.
6 In the Select Target window, select the computer group that you want to use as
the target of the report.
7 If you want to use a filter in the report, check Use Filter and click Browse. In
the Select Inventory Filter window, select the filter that you want to use in the
report.
8 If you want to use a view in the report, check Use View and click Browse. In
the Select Inventory View window, select the view that you want to use in the
report.
9 Click OK to save the report.
The new report is added to the Report folder.

Inventory Report Results
Running Reports
You can run a report to obtain inventory information from the database. You
should update the inventory database before running a report to ensure that the
report results are up-to-date.
The following formats are for report results, depending on whether or not a view is
included:
If the report contains a view The output is a table listing computers and the values
of the properties that were included in the view.
You can set the sort order for each column by clicking
the column headers.
If the report contains a filter and a view, the table
contains the computers that match the filter conditions.
If the report does not contain a filter, the table contains
all the computers in the target computer group.
If the report does not contain The output is the list of computers in the target
a view (just a filter) computer group that meet the filter criteria. For
15
example, you may want to obtain a list of computers

that have the prerequisites for a software rollout.
You can print the report results, or export the results to a formatted text file or a
comma-separated file. You can also create a new dynamic machine group from the
report.
Note: You can also run a report directly from the report’s Properties window, by
clicking Run Report.

To run a report:
2 Click the Report folder.
3 In the Report pane, right-click the report that you want to run, then select Run
Report.
4 In the Inventory Report Results window, view the report result.
5 If you want to preserve the report results, you can save the report as a dynamic
machine group, export the results to a file, or print the results.
6 Click Close to close the Inventory Report Results window.
Printing the Report Results

You can print the report results on any printer that the Console can access.
To print the report results:
1 In the Inventory Report Results window, click Print.
2 In the Print window, select the appropriate settings.
3 Click OK.
Exporting the Report Results to a File

You can export the report results to a formatted text file, or a comma-separated
file. The file can be exported to any directory that the Console can access.
To export the report results to a file:
1 In the Inventory Report Results window, click Export.
2 In the Export Inventory Report To window, browse to the location to which
you want to export the results.
3 In the File Name field, type the file name.
4 In the Save as Type drop-down list, select one of the following:
– Formatted Text File
– Comma-separated File
– Comma-separated File (legacy format)
5 Click OK.
The file is saved in the specified location and is automatically opened in
Notepad.
6 View the file and make any appropriate changes or add extra information.
7 If necessary, save your changes, and then close Notepad.

Dynamic Machine Groups
A dynamic machine group:

• Is a group created from the results of an inventory report or
by applying a filter
• Is populated each time the inventory database is updated
• Includes all the computers in the target computer group that
currently match the filter conditions
• Is stored as a folder within the Dynamic Machine Groups
folder
• Can be used as the target of a task in the same way as a
normal computer group
Using Dynamic Machine Groups

A dynamic machine group is created from the results of an inventory report or by
applying a filter to the computer records in the Ghost Console database. Dynamic
machine groups are populated each time the inventory database is updated, and
contain all the computers in the target computer group that currently match the
filter conditions. The members of a dynamic machine group may change as their
property values change.
15

Dynamic Machine Groups
Dynamic machine groups are stored as folders within the Dynamic Machine
Groups folder. Each dynamic machine group can be used as the target of a task, in
the same way as a computer group.
Note: You may want to refresh the inventory database before you use a dynamic
machine group as the target of a task, to ensure the dynamic machine group
contains the appropriate computers. The inventory database is not updated
automatically.

Saving a Report as a Dynamic
Machine Group
In the Inventory Report

Results window, click
Create Group.
Creating Dynamic Machine Groups

You can create a dynamic machine group directly from the results of a report. You
can also manually create a new dynamic machine group at any time, and can use
any filter and target computer group.
Saving a Report as a Dynamic Machine Group

To save a report as a dynamic machine group:
1 In the Inventory Report Results window, click Create Group.
2 In the Properties for New Dynamic Machine Group window, type the name for
the dynamic machine group.
3 Click OK.
The new dynamic machine group is added to the Dynamic Machine Groups
folder.
15

Manually Creating a Dynamic Machine
Group
In the Dynam ic Machine Groups
pane, right-click an empty
space and select New Dynamic
Machine Group.
Manually Creating a Dynamic Machine Group

To manually create a dynamic machine group:
1 In the Ghost Console’s left pane, expand the Dynamic Machine Groups folder.
2 In the Dynamic Machine Groups pane, right-click an empty area and select
New Dynamic Machine Group from the quick menu.
3 In the Properties for New Dynamic Machine Group window, in the Dynamic
Machine Group Name field, type the name of the new dynamic machine group.
4 Next to the Target field, click Browse. In the Select Target window, select the
computer group that you want to use as the target of the dynamic machine
group and click OK.
5 Next to the Filter Name field, click Browse. In the Select Inventory Filter
window, select the filter that you want to use in the dynamic machine group
and click OK.
6 Click OK.
The new dynamic machine group is added to the Dynamic Machine Groups
folder.

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– The Ghost Console’s Client Inventory feature and the
requirements for using Client Inventory
– The purpose of collected data sets as they apply to the Client
Inventory feature, and how to set up collected data sets in the
Ghost Console
– Setting up views in the Ghost Console to control how information
is displayed in inventory reports
– Setting up and using filters in the Ghost Console to control
which clients show up in reports
– Creating and running reports in the Ghost Console
– The purpose of dynamic machine groups, and how to create a
dynamic machine group in the Ghost Console
Lab 15: Using Client Inventory Reports in

the Ghost Console
In this lab, you:
•Run reports in the Ghost Console.
•Create dynamic groups within the Ghost Console.
15

Lesson 16
Preparing to Remove a Computer from
Production
Lesson Introduction

and Restore Im ages
from Production

Topic
be able to:
Im por tance of Preparing Explain w hy it is cr ucial for businesses to
Com puters for Retirem ent perm anently erase sensitive data from their
hard disks befor e r etiring computer s.
Using GDisk to Securely Retir e a Use GDisk to securely wipe a hard disk.
Har d Disk

Importance of Preparing Computers
for Retirement
Steps must be taken to prepare obsolete computers

for retirement because:
•Deleting files and reformatting partitions do not
permanently remove data from hard disks.
•There are numerous, readily available data recovery
services and software that can be used to recover
data from hard disks years after files were deleted.
Importance of Preparing Computers for Retirement

When you delete files and empty the Recycle Bin in Windows, and even when you
reformat a partition or a partition becomes corrupt, the data from your files still
remains on your hard disk. Files are merely pointers to data on the hard disk. When
you delete files, you are actually only deleting pointers to data, not the data itself.
There are numerous, readily available data recovery services and software that can
be used to recover data from hard disks years after files were deleted. Therefore, it
is crucial for businesses to permanently erase sensitive data from their hard disks
before retiring computers.
16
Lesson 16 Preparing to Remove a Computer from Production 16–3

Overview of the Ghost Solution
Suite’s GDisk Utility
GDisk:
•Is a multipurpose disk management utility that
includes a secure disk wiping feature
•Can wipe disks according to the U.S. Department of
Defense DoD 5220.22-M standard
•Comes in two versions:
− GDisk.exe (DOS)
− GDisk32.exe (Windows)
•Can be found in the following directory:

\Program Files\Symantec\Ghost\
Using GDisk to Securely Retire a Hard Disk

The GDisk utility included with the Ghost Solution Suite is a multipurpose disk
management utility that includes a secure disk wiping feature.
GDisk’s secure disk wiping feature wipes data according to the U.S. Department
of Defense DoD 5220.22-M standard. According to this standard, the following
group of operations is performed six times:
• All addressable locations on the hard disk are overwritten with 0x35.
• All addressable locations hard disk are overwritten with 0xCA.
• All addressable locations hard disk are overwritten with a pseudo-random
character.
• All addressable locations hard disk are verified in hardware using the Verify
Sectors command to the disk.

GDisk Disk Wipe Syntax
The syntax for using GDisk to securely wipe a hard

disk with the DoD 5220.22-M standard is as follows:
gdisk disk /diskwipe /dodwipe
Command-line examples:
DOS
gdisk.exe 1 /diskwipe /dodwipe
Windows
gdisk32.exe 2 /diskwipe /dodwipe
Running GDisk to Securely Wipe a Disk

There are two versions of GDisk.
• GDisk.exe
This version of GDisk runs in DOS. You can run GDisk.exe from a DOS
boot disk to securely wipe an entire hard disk.
If you use the Ghost Boot Wizard to create a DOS boot disk, you must choose
to include the GDisk.exe file at the “Additional Files” screen. GDisk.exe
is located in the \Program Files\Symantec\Ghost\ directory on the
computer where Ghost Solution Suite is installed.
• GDisk32.exe
This version of GDisk runs in Windows. To use this version of GDisk to wipe
an entire hard disk, you must run GDisk32.exe from a WinPE boot disk.
You can create a WinPE boot disk with Ghost Boot Wizard. Using this
method, when you create a Standard Ghost Boot Disk, GDisk32.exe is
automatically included in the Ghost folder on the root of the disk.
The syntax for using GDisk to securely wipe a hard disk with the DoD 5220.22-M
standard is as follows:
gdisk disk /diskwipe /dodwipe
16

The following table explains the GDisk command line elements:
Element Description
gdisk The GDisk executable; use GDisk.exe for the DOS
version and GDisk32.exe for the Windows version
disk Represents the physical fixed disk you want to wipe,
from 1 to 128
/diskwipe Instructs GDisk to perform a disk wipe
/dodwipe Makes six passes when deleting the data on the specified
disk
Following are examples of the GDisk secure wipe command line:
gdisk.exe 1 /diskwipe /dodwipe

This command line runs in DOS to securely wipe physical disk 1 using the DoD
5220.22-M method.
gdisk32.exe 2 /diskwipe /dodwipe

This command line runs in WinPE to securely wipe physical disk 2 using the DoD
5220.22-M method.

Running GDisk from the Console to
Securely Wipe Managed Clients
In the Ghost Console, select

ToolsÆErase Machine.
Running GDisk from the Ghost Console to Securely Wipe A Managed

Client
To use the Ghost Console to wipe one or more disks on managed clients, perform
the following:
1 From the menu bar in the Console, select Tools-->Erase Machine.
2 In the Task Name field, specify a name for the task (or accept the default
name).
3 To the right of the Target Machine Group/Machine field, click Browse, then
browse to and select the machine group or individual machine that you want to
wipe.
4 In the Disks to Wipe group box, specify what you want to wipe (system disk,
all disks except USB and FireWire disks, or all disks).
5 In the Options group box, you can choose to perform a secure six-pass erase
and to remove wiped clients from the Console.
6 To proceed with the task, click Execute. When you are prompted to verify that
you want to erase the disks on the selected client or clients, click Yes.
16

Lesson Summary
Key Points
– Why it is crucial for businesses to permanently erase sensitive
data from their hard disks before retiring computers
– Using GDisk to securely wipe a hard disk
Lab 16: Preparing to Remove a Computer

from Production
In this lab, you:
•Perform a standard disk wipe with GDisk.
•Perform a secure disk wipe with GDisk.


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Symantec Ghost

Solution Suite 2.5

Lesson 1: Computer Lifecycle Management and Symantec Products

Lesson 2: Ghost Solution Suite Product Overview

Lesson 3: Installing Ghost Solution Suite

Lesson 4: Creating Boot Packages

Lesson 5: Using Boot Packages

Lesson 6: Creating and Restoring Images

Table of Contents iii

Lesson 7: Creating and Restoring Master Images

Lesson 8: Deploying Images

Lesson 9: Automating the Creation and Restoration of Images

Lesson 10: Creating AutoInstall Packages to Automate Post-Deployment Customi-

iv Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

Lesson 14: Using the Ghost Console to Perform Post-Deployment Customizations

Lesson 15: Using Client Inventory Reports in the Ghost Console

Lesson 16: Preparing to Remove a Computer from Production

Course Introduction Intro–3

Intro–4 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

After completing this course, you will be able to:

Course Introduction Intro–5

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Use Ghost AutoInstall to customize newly-deployed systems.

Intro–6 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

This course is intended for technical personnel responsible for:

Deploying new computer systems

Managing the software and hardware configurations

Retiring obsolete computer systems

Course Introduction Intro–7

Each student must have a:

Intro–8 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

To begin VMware labs:

Course Introduction Intro–9

Virtual Machine Configuration

Virtual Guest Host Name Purpose IP Address

2 GhostServer Ghost Server + Image 10.130.6.129

Intro–10 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

Introduction Lab: The VMware Lab Environment

Course Introduction Intro–11

• Lesson 1: Computer Lifecycle Management and

Lesson Topics and Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will

1–2 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

Lesson 1 Computer Lifecycle Management and Symantec Products 1–3

1–4 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

Procurement Deployment Management Retirement

The Four Main Areas of the Computer Lifecycle

Lesson 1 Computer Lifecycle Management and Symantec Products 1–5

Sym antec Ghost Solution Suite

Altiris Client Management Suite

Altiris Service and Asset Management Suite

Symantec Backup Exec

Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery

Sym antec Endpoint Protection

Symantec Network Access Control

Symantec Products for Managing the Computer Lifecycle

1–6 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration

Symantec Ghost Solution Suite

Lesson 1 Computer Lifecycle Management and Symantec Products 1–7

• Imaging, deploym ent, and configuration

Altiris Client Management Suite

1–8 Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 Administration