Making a bootable DVD backup with Ghost 9?

[mikepg]

I'm not sure if this is possible or not but here is what I want out of the end product. I want to put the DVD that I make (which has my HD image on it) into my computer and recover the image to the HD.

Here is the scenario: I want to build a PC for my mom. Run all the updates, install all the apps, virus scan, firewall, DVD software and all the utilities that she needs and get it running smoothly for her.

Then, with Ghost 9, I want to make a backup of that perfect fresh install. I know I can write the image to DVD (s), but the computer won't boot to them directly, correct?

is there a way that if she pops the DVD in, it will reinstall the "fresh" system back to the way it was? I'd be great if it would even re-format the partition if it is possible. I guess I am kind of trying to make recovery disks like Compaq and HP have with their new computers.

Does anyone know hoe this is done and if it is possible? I would like to do it without a floppy if possible. Thank a lot for any help you can give me!!!

 

[Inaris]

Id know and can walk you through it... It's really a fairly easy thing to do.
First you need to actually create a floppy for starting up a system with the DVD. On the floppy, you need the autoexec.bat that will launch whatever it is that you want to run, the config.sys with all the drivers for the DVD for dos and anything else you will need. I use Perl and have Perl installed on the DVD so that i can run special functions, but I don't think that will be needed for you. All you need is to make a bit of .....

you do know how to write a few simple batch commands right?

 

[mikepg]

Yeah, I've been using PC's since DOS 3.3 so a couple .bat files should be no problem

 

[mikepg]

Let me make sure we are on the same page here. The autoexec.bat will launch the format or Fdisk command? then it will launch the ghost restore option? on the DVD?

Is there an option in Ghost to make a floppy? I've used www.bootdisk.com before and there is a lot of different disks there to chose from. Are thece files then copied to the DVD? I'm guessing the bat files point to the ghost image file on the DVD then. Am i on the right track?

 

[Inaris]

I stopped mid way, cause I didn't want to get you going on the wrong track.
What you are going to do is basically create a mounting platform for DOS to work from.
The floppy is used to load the DVD drivers and get the drive readable. From that point it's all batch commands. You might want to think about building a little user interface incase somone puts the disc in by accident and reboots, cause this could get messy...
for starters, there is not any need to reformat when using ghost. it does that for you. You just need the partition done.
if you want to rebuild the partition first, that is something that Gdisk would be good for. it's provided with Ghost.
make sense so far?

 

[mikepg]

yeah, makes sense, but I can boot to DVD's now, I have a "sample" DVD that contains a lot of Winblows versions and it is 2 DVD's. It boots to that.

I understand about the user-interface. don't want someone wiping their drive w/o intentionally doing so. I'll make sure to have SUFFICIENT WARNINGS! Thanks for the reminder on that!

I did not know that Ghost took care of the formatting, that is nice to know. How exactly does Gdisk work? I can look it up as well.

PS. Thanks a lot for helping me out. This has been something that I've wanted to do for quit some time but I always get sloppy answers or people who don't knwo what they are talking about.

 

[Inaris]

GDisk is a very powerful version of Fdisk. It's really cool, but rather complex to get into. It's best you read about what you want to do in the help docs with the program. If you can't find what you are looking for, ask me a specific question on it and I'll give you an answer.

You have to boot to a floppy first so you can set the machine up like dos. once you have the floppy configured, you use that to build the boot image for the DVD. There are ways to make the boot able aside from using a flooppy emulation, but I have never looked into it cause the way we do it works.
I'm leaving for the day, so let me knwo what I can help you with.
later..

 

[mikepg]

thanks. I'll have a list when you come back!

 

[mikepg]

I posted a new question that makes what I'm looking for a little more clear. it's on this site, check it out!

http://www.techist.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49387

 

[Inaris]

Next time just keep it here. it will be easier to keep the info in one location.

are you still looking for information on this? or are you done?