Symantec Norton GHOST

In this part really does not need much explanation. Program support 'Symantec Ghost Solution Suite - v2.5.1' after installation offers the choice run 'Symantec Ghost Boot Wizard' of software that allows you to create boot CD, the size of the order of MB or a hundred MB, depending on whether you are using a PC DOS, MS-DOS, Windows PE and Linux environment, which contains only the GHOST program support (Ghost.exe executable file in the DOS environment). No need for special PATA or SATA drivers for disks because the client software GHOST correctly recognize. The next set of pictures (a, b, c) shows that it is very easy for you to choose a local disk partition wants to back-partition image file, which will serve as a complete archive of data and partitions, with professional support program specifically for this purpose. This author uses a part of the software (MS-DOS Boot CD), so that when they get a new operating system patches or drivers, turn saved files with images of partitions, make the necessary changes, and if everything is OK clean 'garbage' again and make a fresh image partitions. Other part of this program support by making a CD is uninstalled.

The next set of images (a, b, c) shows that it is very easy for you to choose a local disk partition wants to back-partition image file, which will serve as a complete archive of data and partitions, with professional support program specifically for this purpose.

Figure** 4.4.48 Simplicity backing up with a professional tool. ( + / - )

Figure below shows how to choose a place to save disk partition image.

Figure 4.4.49 Place of the image file saving disk partitions.

The process of making the image disk partitions or entire disk, it is more than simple, and in reverse order of the displayed image from disk partitions can very quickly make its reconstruction. Depending on the size of the disk, the user can store several pictures of his partitions are important and program support Symantec's offering is a great deal of options, from whom she is most looking forward to the finished image can 'peek' and look at its contents, and to add or delete some data. Damage is not money that should be given to this program support, especially as the price is very affordable, online versions except, of course, and does not require additional payment as antivirus protection. 'Computer Life' with it is a lot easier. The CD is bootable, which means that it is possible to restore a system that is 'destroyed', and the part that is installed in a Windows environment allows you to create disk images very quickly. Everything takes less than 10 minutes.

Besides, the program support shown, there is a file Ghostexp.exe (and accompanying its help Ghostexp.chm), which may be located anywhere and executed in the system partition of operating system without additional software, and allows direct changes to the content stored in the .GHO file. Very nice about small changes of an image disk partitions.

Available are other solutions for this purpose, such as 'Acronic True Image (Home)', but his GUI interface is not nearly as easy and as described.

Sometimes it is easier to restore the disk image rather than bother with a worm which the user is 'scooped' who knows how and where. Not that it advertises, but the tool is really perfect. Be distinguished save images from disk image partitions. This second part of the author's many charms. Partitions cleaned in some DVD media can quickly get back in the event of physical disk replacement no matter how many partitions on the new drive great. With the help of software BartPE for example. If it returns the partition on which the operating system needs to be taken into consideration that the partitions on the new disk bootable and to begin the process of installing the operating system (up to the moment of transcript-loader on the partition). So, MBR (Master Boot Record) of the new disk to do again before restoring a partition image to the new drive. Restoring files disk partition has another, one beautiful peculiarity; returned to partition data are entered sequentially, that is defragmented.

As to entries in the MBR relies operating system, if you use two drives in the computer, so that the operating system on one drive and the 'pagefile.sys' and program support on a different drive, then it needs to do two images of partitions for security. Should keep in mind that upgrading program support could mean changing the contents of both partitions and it is necessary to renew the image of both partitions simultaneously. If the physical disks in such a changing environment with new conceived, patricians on the disks must be arranged in the same way as it was before the change due to mentioned MBR records that must remain the same with regard to partition the disks. Namely, first retrieves the first primary partition bootable disk, so the primary partition of the second disk, and then an extended partition first drive and later on extended partition another disk. If the division of the partitions on the new disk is different than the original, MBR track does the same structure and partitions that the 'return' to the new disks will not work, or the operating system will load the data block after switching computers - 'frozen'. Described the concept of using two discs, as in the Figure 4.4.22, should be distinguished from the RAID concept.

If the image is copied to the system partition of the same computer hardware features, the computer with the copied installation, it is immediately ready to use and will work right up to the moment until they join the network. If there are computers in the network with the same protective copies - clones, there will be a conflict of jurisdiction around hostnames and IP addresses. Cloned computers should change this data to plan network scheme, but it is not entirely sufficient. Need another computer and its contents change SID (Security IDentifier), a number that is generated by a random process of installing the OS on the computer and can not generate the same two numbers. In short it is a unique identifier of a computer within a network, similar to Social Security or credit card number. Although on the internet states that the same SID does not violate the integrity of individual participants in the network, but that claim is not true.

There are quite a lot of programming works to change the SID and is very friendly free tool company Sysinternals (now Windows Sysinternals) NewSID which can be downloaded by following the hyphen. And if the 'Ghost' program support built in BartPE - Boot CD / DVD for Windows NT platform, maintaining efficient computers really helps. NewSID ensures that you can access and edit all files in the system registry key for attributes: the system, archive, and restore and take ownership. The latter is very important, because if for some reason the disk system that has multiple partitions, make reinstalling the operating system to a bootable partition, the ownership of the files on the other partitions will no longer coincide.

'Symantec Ghost Solution Suite' is the industry’s most widely-used deployment, system management, and computer imaging software solution. For avoidance of doubt, even though the software is described in the section of the operating system Windows XP, described software is functional for most versions of Windows server operating systems, and of course for the latest versions for PCs; Windows 7 and Windows 8. For professionals it is very significant potential use in a network environment, as well as the ability to use the disk RAID systems performed with the Windows PE environment or similar (as BartPE). For the Windows 10 operating system, all you need is available here, but without networking capabilities. A simple, easy and efficient way to quickly create, processing or restore image of partition, which the author of these pages has been using for years without any problems.

Recently, the 'sponsor' of GHOST software became 'Broadcom Inc.' which modernized this system of creating security 'backup' content of the computer called 'Symantec Ghost Solution Suite - v3.3' as shown in the following Figure.

The basic interface is almost has not changed. According to the data in the header of the software window, 'Ghost' is 'alive' again. The animated image shows a part of the software of this software package called 'Ghost Explorer', with which it is possible to make changes to an already created .GHO file. A very useful feature when there is a need to, for example, delete a part of some unwanted content that cannot be deleted by common procedures. By restoring a partition from a .GHO record, the unwanted content is gone. According to the shape of the window, it can be seen that the software is adapted to Windows 10 OS. There is also a newer version from 2023 that does not work very reliably.