Ghost Boot Disk

[JStewart]

I am trying to image a new system or empty HD by booting to it using a boot disk.  However when it boots I receive a "Please remove the Boot Media and Click OK" message.  Behind it I can see Symantec DAgent Service Status: Client Record Updated and the server details.

I have seen in some videos the PC will pop up in GSS and the user can deploy that way or use GhostCast Server.  What could I be missing?

 

[ShawnOfTheFarm]

So if you have the dagent service running (this is good) then it is waiting for your ghost server to assighn a job to it.    This boot disk you have made is a ghost agent boot disk if you will.   

 

 If you wanted the ghost GUI to load you will want to use the other boot disk creatror,  It is confusing we have 2 boot wizards,

• Standard tools loads the ghost GUI when booted (makes a traditional ghost boot disk) 
• agent/automation boot disk.  Loads the agent and talkes to the console. (jobs are then run from the console)

Video on standard tools   (the download used to be from fileconnect.symantec.com but it is now mysymantec.com

https://youtu.be/Wn4hDFKyzio

Video on making and deploying a basic backup image with a client booted to automation with the agent running.  (could be PXE, USB, DVD or automation folder booted) 

https://youtu.be/zQ_3JtN_snA

The full play list. 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzKI8Y3zwNuCiGZ3QHrgih8n9R1L3Ef3s

 

Hope that is helpful. 

[JStewart]

I assume the Agent/Automation boot disk should enable the PC to be seen from the console? The console doesn't recognize the PC I have used the Agent/Automation boot disk.

[ShawnOfTheFarm]

Correct if the agent is listed as running  there is a gui that pops up with some info like IP, mac, the server's info that it is talking to stuff like that.   when you boot up what does it show on the agent?   does it list it's info correctly and is the server it is reaching out to correct? 

[JStewart]

The agent does show all the correct information for the server.  I see a command prompt window directed to the M:\ drive were I can see the directory on the server. When I go to the console I don't see the computer appear where I can push an image.

[ShawnOfTheFarm]

How many computers are listed on the server?  maybe you can grab a screen shot of the server and the client with the client GUI showing the server and ip and mac and so on.   If what I understand you are saying it should be listed there ready to assighn a job to.        Do you have valid license?   if the license was expired maybe that would cause a client to not populate, kind of a guess but the other things you have said sound proper. 

 

 

[JStewart]

I don't have any computers currently listed on the the server. I have successfuly pushed the image to an existing computer but I removed it from the console after the install. I do have a valid license which is good until July.

[ShawnOfTheFarm]

Cool that looks good. 

 

So was your boot DVD created with this same version of the server?  If the server was updated as an example maybe the client boot dvd would have an outdated agent in it?  Just trying to think of things that could be problematic.   

Does the client system when you install the agent show up in the console? 

Restart the services on the server system?   I have seen where the services will be listed as running but they won't be working.   Restarting them then takes care of that issue if that was what is going on. 

 Being that there aren't any clients it is hard to know.  If there were several clients and they were all working just not the boot dvd then it could be one direction of things to look for related to drivers on the boot disk (even though it is able to get to the M drive I have seen built in drivers perform poorly and updateing them fixes issues)  but since there aren't any clients to comare if the server is talking to any one there is a lot of unknown.    

If it was my environment I would restart the server services. 
Make sure the latest 3.3 RU2 was installed.  
Install a windows agent  (if it doesn't talk then we can at least look at a wireshark or agent logs) 

Hope that is helpful

 

 

[JStewart]

I created the boot DVD or USB Boot drive using the current version of the of GSS 3.3 Build 2121.

 

If I push the agent to a computer, delete the computer fron the console the computer will be added back into the console because the Agent is installed.

 

[JStewart]

I tried the boot disk on an older computer and I don't receive the message from the Agent telling me to remove the drive and press OK.  It does show up in the console! 

I assume I am looking at a driver issue on the boot disk?  I know when I was building the boot disk it fought me on adding new network drivers but they seemed to eventually install.  However when using the boot disk on the newer system I could still see the M share?

[ShawnOfTheFarm]

I need some clarification if you don't mind. 

 

Older computers with the same boot disk show up in the console based on this last screen shot from the 30th correct?     And you could then execute a job on that system from the console? 

But based on the screen shots from 29 May 2019   Then those "newer computers" don't show up in the console while booted to the same boot disk?  
From the "newer computers" you can get to the M drive while booted to the boot disk?

If you have network access and the screen shot on the 29th suggests that you have network access then I don't know what would prevent the new system from showing up on the console.   Some newer systems with build on network cards LOM they are called Lan On Motherboard will have updates available via a BIOS update.   And if this is the case then it actually will update the NIC's behavior after the bios update.   I would try on one of these new systems to see if that doesn't improve the situation if there are any bios updates.   And I would look for a newer NIC driver to be used by ghost.  I know you said you added a driver but those are the only thoughts I have at the moment on how to break up this log jam. 

 

Cheers