How to save an image file directly to a CD/DVD R/RW disc

Symantec.com > Enterprise > Support > Knowledge Base

How to save an image file directly to a CD/DVD R/RW disc

Question/Issue:
You want to know how to save an image file directly to a CD/DVD R/RW disc instead of saving the image elsewhere and then copying it to the disc.

Solution:
To save an image file directly to a CD/DVD R/RW disc, run Ghost.exe or Ghostpe.exe using one of the methods for image creation and choose the CD/DVD R/RW drive as the destination drive. The Burner must be attached directly to the computer where the Source data is stored.

Preparation

Here are some hints for successfully saving an image file to the CD/DVD R/RW drive:

Before beginning, check the Ghost compatibility list to determine whether Ghost supports your CD/DVD R/RW drive. See the documents Ghost 2001, 6.5, and 7.0 compatibility with CD-R and CD-RW drives, Ghost 2002 and 7.5 compatibility with CD-R and CD-RW drives, and Ghost 2003 compatibility with CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD drives.
If you start the computer with a floppy disk, use a floppy disk that has the Ghost files but not the CD/DVD R/RW driver files. If you do include the CD/DVD R/RW driver files on the floppy disk, do not load drivers from the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files.
If you start the computer with a floppy disk, use a floppy disk that includes only the DOS system files and Ghost files. Do not load drivers for peripheral devices, such as scanners, printers, and so forth. See the documents How to create a DOS system disk for Ghost and Which boot disks to use when writing to CD-R/RW drives.
Do not use the span switch on the Ghost command-line. Ghost will automatically span CD/DVD R/RW discs if necessary.
Most SCSI devices require an ASPI driver that is specific to that device or brand of device. If using a SCSI CD/DVD R/RW device, then examine the CD/DVD R/RW drive's documentation to verify that the file Config.sys loads the driver from the floppy disk. For more information on accessing SCSI CD/DVD R/RW devices, see the document How to determine whether Ghost can access the CD-R/RW drive.

Making a bootable CD/DVD with Norton Ghost 2003
Ghost will automatically make the CD/DVD bootable when creating an image to a CD/DVD R/RW, if the process you choose uses the Ghost Virtual Partition. If you use a Standard Ghost Boot Disk, the CD/DVD will not automatically be made bootable. For more information on Ghost Virtual Partition, see the documents How to change files or settings in the Ghost Virtual Boot Partition and Introduction to Norton Ghost 2003.

Note that you can start the computer from the Standard Ghost Boot Disk that you create in Ghost Boot Wizard or from the option Ghost Basic Backup. The Standard Ghost Boot Disk works with the drives that are on the list Ghost 2003 compatibility with CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD drives.

Making a bootable CD/DVD with other Ghost versions
To make a bootable CD/DVD with Norton Ghost 2002 or earlier, or with Symantec Ghost 7.5 or earlier, you need to have a disk available that contains the necessary drivers. You can create a CD/DVD ROM Boot Disk in Ghost boot Wizard with the appropriate CD/DVD R/RW driver files for your computer. You need the disk when prompted on step 3 in the section "To create the image file with other Ghost versions".

For information on creating a bootable CD/DVD when you do not have Ghost save the image files directly to the CD/DVD R/RW disk, see the document How to create a bootable CD that can restore a Ghost image.

Making boot disks for writing to a CD/DVD R/RW drive
To save an image file directly to a CD/DVD R/RW drive, Ghost requires that you run Ghost in DOS. Depending on your Ghost version, you can run Ghost in DOS by starting the computer from a bootable floppy disk, or by starting Ghost in Windows.

In Norton Ghost 2002 and earlier, and in Symantec Ghost 7.5 and earlier, Ghost requires one or two floppy disks, depending on whether you want to make the CD/DVD R/RW disc bootable.

The first floppy disk is a bootable floppy disk that has the Ghost files on it. Use this disk to start the computer when you want to save an image file directly to a CD/DVD R/RW drive. Note that the floppy disk does not load CD/DVD R/RW driver files.
The second floppy disk is used only when you want to make the CD/DVD R/RW disc bootable. The second floppy disk is not used to boot the computer. Instead, it is used to store the CD/DVD R/RW driver files that will be needed later to make the CD/DVD R/RW disc bootable. While creating an image file and saving it to the CD/DVD R/RW drive, Ghost will prompt for the location of the appropriate CD/DVD R/RW driver files. When prompted, insert the second floppy disk. Ghost will copy the CD/DVD R/RW driver files from the second floppy disk to the CD/DVD R/RW disc. To create this second floppy disk, choose "CD-ROM Boot Disk" in Ghost Boot Wizard.

Norton Ghost 2003 does not require a boot disk. You can start Ghost from Windows by choosing the options Ghost Basic and then Backup. If you choose to use a boot disk, use the Standard Ghost Boot Disk that you create in Ghost Boot Wizard.

For more information, see the document Which boot disks to use when writing to CD-R/RW drives.

Splitting the image file
If the image file is too large to fit on a single CD disk, Ghost automatically splits the image file into smaller files when it detects that the first disc is full. Ghost does not require that you use the -SPAN or -SPLIT switch to split the image file.

Creating the image file
Here are the general steps for creating an image file that Ghost saves directly to your CD-R/RW disc.

To create the image file with Norton Ghost 2003 from Windows

Click Start > Programs > Norton Ghost 2003 > Norton Ghost.
Select Ghost Basic in the left pane, and then click Backup.
Click Next.
In the Source pane, navigate to the drive or partition you want to backup. Under Destination, click Recordable CD or DVD.
Click Next, and then click Next again.
Click Advanced settings. Check any appropriate options in the tabs External Storage and SCSI Drivers. Note that Ghost does not require that you check options in the tab CD Drivers for this task.
Click Apply, and then OK.
Click Next, and then click Next again.
Click Continue, and then click Run Now.
Click OK, and Norton Ghost restarts the computer and launches Ghost.exe.
Follow the on-screen prompts.

To create the image file with Norton Ghost 2003 from a floppy disk

Start the computer with the Standard Ghost Boot Disk that you create in the Ghost Boot Wizard. Do not use the CD/DVD ROM Boot Disk that you created in an earlier version of Ghost Boot Wizard. If you use a CD/DVD R/RW drive that is not on the list of tested drives for Norton Ghost 2003, use the "CD/DVD Startup Disk with Ghost" rather than the Standard Ghost Boot Disk.
Run Ghost.exe. Choose the CD/DVD R/RW drive as the destination drive.
If you check the option to make the CD/DVD R/RW disc bootable, Ghost automatically copies the necessary files to the disc. Ghost does not require you to supply DOS drivers for this purpose.
Follow the on-screen prompts.

To create the image file with other Ghost versions

If using Norton Ghost 2002 or earlier, or Symantec Ghost 8.x or earlier, start the computer with a bootable floppy disk that has the Ghost files on it. Do not use the CD-ROM Boot Disk that you created in the Ghost Boot Wizard. If you have Symantec Ghost 7.5, 8.x, or Norton Ghost 2002, use the "Boot Disk with CD-R / RW, LPT and USB support" that you created in the Ghost Boot Wizard.
Run Ghost.exe or Ghostpe.exe. Choose the CD/DVD R/RW drive as the destination drive.
If you answer "Yes" to the question of whether to make the CD/DVD R/RW disc bootable, Ghost will prompt you for the location of the DOS CD-R/RW drivers. When prompted, insert the CD-ROM Boot Disk that you created in the Ghost Boot Wizard. Ghost will copy the drivers from the floppy disk and save them on the CD/DVD R/RW disc.
Follow the on-screen prompts.

Restoring the image file
If you saved an image file to a CD/DVD R/RW disc, you can use that image to write over a disk or partition.

To restore an image from a CD/DVD ROM disc with Norton Ghost 2003

Start the computer with the Standard Ghost Boot Disk that you created in Ghost Boot Wizard.
Choose Local.
Click Disk or Partition, and then click From Image.
Follow the on-screen prompts. At the "File name to load image from" window, choose the CD/DVD R/RW drive.

To restore an image from a CD/DVD ROM disc with other Ghost versions

Start the computer with the CD/DVD ROM Boot Disk that you created in Ghost Boot Wizard.
Choose Local.
Click Disk or Partition, and then click From Image.
Follow the on-screen prompts. At the "File name to load image from" window, choose the CD/DVD R/RW drive.

For more detailed information, see the document How to restore an image from a CD disc.

Technical Information:
More information
How to troubleshoot problems writing to CD-R and CD-RW drives

Available Translations:

Document ID: 2000110312324125
Last Modified: 12/14/2007
Date Created: 11/03/2000
Operating System(s): DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Linux, Novell NetWare
Product(s): Symantec Ghost 7.0, Symantec Ghost 7.5, Symantec Ghost 8.0, Symantec Ghost 8.2, Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 1.0
Release(s): Ghost 7.0 [All Releases], Ghost 7.5 [All Releases], Ghost 8.0 [All Releases], Symantec Ghost 8.2 [All Releases], Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 1.0 [All Releases]