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BEFORE I START:-
The following guide will help you install a boot message when the system boot from hard-disk to
restore using any of the key combination. This guide will use F-10 as the key to initiate an
automated recovery of partition using Ghost in DOS mode. This is similar to recovery presented
by OEM manufactures like DELL/IBM etc.
The restore files or ghost images are stored in a hidden partition, which would prevent
unauthorized access through windows.
For the snap shot purpose, I have used a virtual machine to test. These steps work on actual
hardware as well.
The Ghost Suite used for testing is 30-day trial version which can be downloaded from Symantec
site after registration. In my opinion it would let you create backup in DOS mode but wont let
you restore using DOS mode. In full version this would not be a limitation.
The hard disk is 200GB capacity. The following would be partition created:-
1. First partition of 50GB (approx) – Operating System
2. Second partition of 70GB (approx) – user data
3. Third partition of 70GB (approx) – user data
4. Third partition of 10GB (approx) – Recovery partition.
This is the hard-disk structure for the given experiment. You can create more partitions but try
limiting primary partitions to two. I read in some blogs too many (I think 3) may fail Ghost to
work properly.
If you have any other disc management software create Disc configuration which suites your
need but try keeping two primary partition one for the operating system and other for the Ghost
recovery.
I have shown a snapshot of the current hard-disk configuration below to have a clear picture.
Additionally, I have taken a snapshot of the license window, which was emailed, to me for
testing the trial version.
So to have recovery purpose you would require to copy the DOS-executable of Ghost and
Gdisk( optional but useful if you use it disc management) into the RECOVERY partition.
Therefore, I copy the ghost.exe and gdisk.exe from the program files where the ghost is
installed.
For MS-DOS once you boot into the command prompt type “sys C:” This would copy the file
needed to boot the partition. This is the bare-minimum files, which it will copy to boot this
partition and run Ghost.exe.
I don’t know what is the relevant command or setting in Free-DOS or IBM PC-DOS for that
matter.
2. Edit the AUTOEXEC.bat file in RECOVERY partition and add following lines
SET TZ=GHO-04:30
ghost.exe
or the restore command-line if you have bootable ghost disc to create backup
3. In the AUTOEXEC.BAT you can add the command line to perform the automation task
of recovering the partition without user interface.
In the numbering above like 1:2 indicates the 1 as the hard-disk number and 2 and the partition
number. This would come handy when booting in DOS mode.
When I boot in DOS mode, DOS doesn’t recognize the C, D and E drive as its NTFS and re-
labels the FAT32 drive as C drive which actually is F drive in reality.
Hence, number mode should be preferred for command line operations for correct backup and
recovery.
If you have the bootable disc, I would suggest go to section taking initial backup and then set the
recovery key.
To edit MBR of the hard-disk I use a tool “Master Bootloader”. The best part of it is, it’s free and
open source and above all you can custom the message and time out and other features quickly.
The first screen shows the hard-disk. Select the hard-disk present.
The next screen is where I modify all the settings are made to activate the recovery key and hide
the RECOVERY partition.
You would see two primary partitions, One is NTFS where Windows is installed and second is
FAT32 where you have copied the bootable files.
The Master Bootloader can perform several tasks of arranging boot order and timeout and all.
We will deal with setting up functionality of adding a recovery key and display a message at
boot-up to start the process.
Now before you commit change to the MBR, I would recommend that you backup the MBR in
case you would like to remove the recovery button option at some later stage.
To set up the recovery key we need to have keyboard scan codes. Check the last section of the
guide for this.
I wanted to use the F-10 as the recovery key. The Master Bootloader sets the keys in sequence
after the first key you select. So I keep the recovery PARTITION order on top of list. This means
the F-10 key would be set for RECOVERY partition. The scan code for F-10 is 68 (44 in hex) as
mentioned on the guide. Therefore, I use that. I have presented the full settings screenshot for the
same below.
The * against the partition shows which one is default partition to boot. I set that as the
NTFS with windows installed.
The second step is to select the partition to backup and then the destination of the image which
will be in RECOVERY partition.
Don’t confuse the C shown here with the actual C partition. This is the DOS C drive which
happens to be FAT-32.
The command line should be put in the AUTOEXEC.bat which is stored in RECOVERY
partition.
The place where we initially had Ghost.exe written should be replaced with this.
ghost.exe -clone,mode=prestore,src=1:4\CImage.gho:1,dst=1:1 -sure>null
The src=1:4\Cimage.gho will indicate the location of Ghost Image on the 4 partition of the
disk which will be restore to 1:1 i.e. first partition of disk i.e. C(NTFS).
Now since the backup has been taken we need to automate this recovery system. The
RECOVERY partition is hidden in windows. We can boot using the Win98se disc and use edit
C:\autoexec.bat command.
This would open up a text editor in DOS, replace the ghost.exe with the command line above.
I would recommend to put a password when you create a backup. This would prevent accidental
recovery without any confirmation.
The full version would let you recover using the Ghost in DOS mode. For trial version it won’t
let me restore using ghost in DOS mode.
The next step is to unhide the RECOVERY partition, so you should use this command.
“Gdisk32 1 /-hide /p:5”
You must be surprised that why number 5 when RECOVERY partition is 4th in number. Well
when the list pop ups it shows the extended partition is shown as 2 hence there is shift of 1 for
every partition.
A list of scan codes for special keys and combinations with the SHIFT, ALT and CTRL keys can
be found in table below. They are for quick reference only.
kaviteshsingh@ymail.com; kavitesh.s@gmail.com Page 21
One step recovery using Symantec Ghost – similar to IBM/Dell recovery
FINAL WORDS
I read the recovery manual given along, the utility mentioned for setting boot menu was
SRFixMbr.exe along with SRFixMbr.xml.
It seems in the trialware they didn’t want to give in for evaluation. However, the manual itself
wasn’t explaining what this would do. Simple telling about setting and not explain what each
will do was showing pretty laid back attitude of the company.
If I search for SRFixMbr to know what this application does, I end up with the official forum
https://forums.symantec.com/syment/board/message?board.id=109&thread.id=12279 where
people still await what this is. Nothing has come forward from the Symantec.
I hope you find this guide useful and I appreciate any feedback or suggestions in this
regard. Email is provided in the footer.