Cloning with Symantec Ghost ...Lenevo new hardware

CLONING
Cloning using Symantec Ghost


Cloning is the process of taking an image of a target workstation to deploy this image to same or similar hardware workstation using Symantec ghost tools


The prerequisite setting for cloning are:

A Ghost server
A target machine to clone with Ghost client running at that machine.
The target machine has to be seen by the ghost server. Ghost icon in system tray without an X on it indicates that client machine is ready.


The tools to clone or image a workstation:
On Ghost server 2 tools are used to create an image or clone a target machine

The Ghost console: A three pan windows where the imaging/cloning is executed (See Part 1)

The Ghost Boot wizard:This wizard is the tool to rebind the PreOS in case of cloning failure due to drivers issue(See Part 2).
PART 1
Step by step Cloning using Symantec ghost

All steps are initiated from main Ghost console window and have to completed with some respect to following order:

1. Associate an appropriate PreOS with target machine to image.

2. Define a new task by:
a. Naming the new task.
b. Choosing the target machine to clone.
c. Naming the new image file.
d. Defining the drive and folder for image destination.

3. Execute the new task.

First Step:

Associate a PreOS with target Machine

The PreOs is the operating system that will takeover the target machine replacing any running OS, to collaborate with server in creating the image.
Note: check Ram size on target machine prior to this step.
The window state of this step allows verifying Ghost server sees that target machine.

In [Top left pan] of Symantec Ghost Console [Main window]
Select \\ Machine Groups\\ Default
In [Top right pan]
Double Click target-machine-name

In Properties for target-machine-name [edit control box]
Select Client [Page Tab]


Under Virtual partition PreOs

Open [Drop list Box]
Select PreOs from list

Note: The List contains as well predefined PreOS s as user rebinded.If RAM size on target machine is over 512 Megs choose winPE-512.

Click OK
Second step:
Creating a new Task

To create a new task following items has to be defined:
· The name for the new task
· The name of the target machine to be cloned.
· The drive, folder filename where to save the created image.

Note: Ghost creates multiple files as needed for the image, each not exceeding 2 Megs in size.

From [Menu Bar] of Ghost Console [Main Window]

Select \\ File \\ New \\ Image Create Task [drop cascade menu]
….in next [Input control Box]
Select General [Page Tab] In Properties for New Task [Window]

-For Name: [Title] In Properties for New Task[ Window]Type a-chosen-name-for-the-new-task [Edit box]
-For Source machine: [Title] In Properties for New Task [Window]Click Browse…
Note: Source Macine is Target to clone

In Select Target [Control Box]Select \Machine Groups \ Default \ target-machine-nameClick OK

-For Image: [Title] In Properties for New Task [Window]Press Browse…

In Select Image [Control Box]
Select \Configuration Resources \ Images \Click New… [button]



-For Name: [edit Title] In Properties for New Image [control Box]
Type a-new-image-file-name [Edit Box]

-For Location: [edit Title] In Properties for New Image [control Box]
Select Browse…Select a location (drice:Folder\) Press OK



Click Save [Button]

Note: in this window there is a possibility to execute the new task but choose otherwise.

Close Window return to Main console

Third Step:
Execute
With Execute Ghost process the Selected task and save image to 2Meg file size in destination folder.
Results are displayed in the bottom pan of ghost console window

In [Top Left Pan] of Symantec Ghost Console [window]
Select \ Tasks [Subfolder]
In [Top right pan]
Select Task-name

On [The Tool Bar] Click Execute [Icon]

Process can be monitored in the Bottom Pan.
Double-click on task-name to display the list of image files.

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Part 2


The Ghost Boot wizard:
This wizard is the tool that help rebind the PreOS with appropriate drivers when Ghost predefined PreOs fail to reboot a target machine
The PreOs is the operating system loaded (bootstrap) by ghost server on target machine to be cloned. This PreOs replace any previously running OS for the time duration of the cloning.
Although Ghost has a predefined PreOSs some time a PreOs has to rebind with appropriate drivers.

Ghost Boot Wizard Window
In PreOs [edit Box]
Select WindowsPE click Edit….

IN Windows PE Editor
Highlight WinPE –512 Press Copy...

Note: PreOS WinPE is default Alltought WinPe-512 is the choice four machine with grater Ram Size

Supply a name for the new PreOS
Press "Remove all" to deselect drivers that are not required.Select "Add New driver..."

Browse to the folder for the network driver.
Enter a "Friendly name" (something meaningful for the specific device, not something like 'NIC')
Select "OK"

In windows PE drivers
Select (check box) the driver that was just loaded (by default it is not yet selected)
Select "OK"

Wait for the drivers to be rebined.



Important When PreOs Is Modified:

On Client Machine:
After rebinding the PreOs to add new driver it is important to reinstall the client software on target machine because older intallation is always pointing to older PreOS.

Than On Ghost Server

When Repeating Part 1 on the server Changing :
In Properties for target-machine-name [edit control box] Client [Page Tab]
Under Virtual partition PreOs
Select The-New-PreOs from Drop list Box