How to Create a Bootdisk and Backup Your Computer with Ghost

Learn how to create a bootdisk and use Ghost software to backup your computer in full DOS mode. Follow our step-by-step guide for easy backup and restore.

First of all, download bootdisk.exe (810 KB) and get yourself a 1.44 MB floppy disk.

You don’t even need to format it. When the download is done, just run:

Bootdisk.exe

and follow the on-screen instructions.

After the boot disk is written, copy the file:

ghost.exe

from the directory where you installed Ghost 6.x or Ghost Personal Edition to the boot disk.

If you have the Personal Edition of Ghost, after copying ghostpe.exe to the boot disk, rename it to:

ghost.exe

Boot Disk Menu

The boot disk includes the following menu:

1. Boot computer with support for CD-ROM
2. Boot computer without support for CD-ROM
3. Backup/Restore partition/drive with Ghost
4. Restore partition/drive with Ghost from CD

Restart your computer with the floppy disk in drive A: and select:

1. Boot computer with support for CD-ROM

If everything goes correctly, you’ll get the following error message:

FindCD was unable to detect a bootable CD

This is normal since we haven’t created a bootable Ghost CD yet.

The important thing is that you do not receive any other error messages.

If everything works fine, you’re ready to create a backup.

Creating Ghost Images

Ghost runs only in FULL DOS MODE, not from a Windows DOS box. That’s why you created the boot disk in the previous section.

There are many ways to back up partitions and drives with Ghost, such as:

• Cloning partitions from HDD1 to HDD2
• Cloning entire drives
• Creating image backups

In the following example we will:

• Clone Partition 1 (P-1) of Hard Drive 1 (HDD-1)

• To Partition 2 (P-2) of Hard Drive 1

• Using:

  • split images
  • automatic naming
  • high compression

If you check the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on the boot disk, you will find a line similar to this:

GHOST.EXE -split=640 -autoname -z9

What the Parameters Mean

-split=640

Splits the image into 640 MB parts so they fit on a CD-R/RW.

-autoname

Automatically names the split image files.

-z9

Uses high compression for the image.

If you are using Ghost 6.5 or later, replace:

-autoname

with:

-auto

Creating a Backup

Backup Partition 1 (HDD1) to an Image File on Partition 2 (HDD1)

1. Boot your computer using the boot disk in drive A:

2. Select:

   3. Backup/Restore partition/drive with Ghost

3. You’ll see the mouse driver loading and the message:

   Loading Ghost...

4. At the Ghost welcome screen click:

   OK

5. From the menu select:

   Local > Partition > To Image

6. Select local source drive:

   • Choose Drive 1
   • Click OK

7. Select source partition:

   • Choose Partition 1
   • Click OK

8. Select the destination partition:

   • Choose drive D:

NOTE:
If you use Windows NT/2000/XP and the source partition is NTFS, DOS may show Partition 2 as drive C:. This is normal because DOS does not recognize NTFS.

9. Open drive D: and create a new directory called:

   Backup

10. Open the Backup folder.

11. In the File name box type:

Backup

12. Click Save
13. You’ll see:

Proceed with partition dump?

14. Verify all details carefully before clicking Yes

Example Details

• Connection type: Local

• Source partition:

  • Type: FAT32
  • Size: 20000 MB
  • Used: 5000 MB
  • Label: Windows

• Source drive:

  • Local drive [1]
  • Size: 40000 MB

• Destination file:

  D:\Backup.GHO

15. Click Yes

The dumping process starts.

16. After completion you’ll see:

Dump completed

17. Click:

Continue > QUIT > Yes

You have now created a backup image:

D:\Backup.GHO

Because the image was split into 640 MB parts, additional files will be created:

Backup0001.GHS
Backup0002.GHS
...

depending on the size of the data.

Restoring Ghost Images

Restore Partition 1 (HDD1) from an Image on Partition 2 (HDD1)

1. Boot with the boot disk in drive A:

2. Select:

   3. Backup/Restore partition/drive with Ghost

3. Wait for Ghost to load.

4. At the Ghost welcome screen click:

   OK

5. From the menu select:

   Local > Partition > From Image

6. Select the image file:

   • Source drive: D:
   • Folder: Backup
   • File: Backup.GHO

7. Select source partition:

   • Choose 1
   • Click OK

8. Select destination drive:

   • Choose 1
   • Click OK

9. Select destination partition:

   • Choose 1
   • Click OK

IMPORTANT:
Double-check all details before proceeding.

Example Restore Details

• Connection type: Local

• Source:

  • D:\Backup.GHO

• Destination:

  • FAT32 partition
  • 20000 MB
  • Windows partition
  • Local drive [1]

10. Click Yes

The loading process starts.

The split image files (.GHS) will load automatically.

11. When completed you’ll see:

Clone complete

12. Remove the boot disk and reset the computer.

Restoring from a Bootable Ghost CD

1. Create a bootable Ghost CD (explained below)

2. Boot using the Ghost Bootable CD

3. Select:

   4. Restore partition/drive with Ghost from CD

4. Ghost loads automatically.

5. You’ll see:

Proceed with partition load?
Destination partition will be permanently overwritten.

6. Click Yes

If you added the -sure parameter to rest.bat, this confirmation screen will not appear.

7. Ghost restores the partition automatically.

8. When completed:

   • Remove the CD
   • Click Reset Computer

Creating a Bootable Ghost CD

The boot disk includes a batch file called:

REST.BAT

This file loads Ghost and restores the image automatically.

The command looks like this:

GHOST.EXE -clone,MODE=pload,SRC=%CDROM%\Backup.GHO:1,DST=1:1

Parameter Explanation

-clone,MODE=pload

Sets Ghost to restore mode.

SRC=%CDROM%\Backup.GHO:1

Specifies the image file location on the CD.

:1

Means Partition 1 from the image.

DST=1:1

Restore to:

• Hard Drive 1
• Partition 1 (C:)

Fully Automatic Restore

With Ghost 6.5 or later, you can make restores fully automatic by adding:

-sure

Example:

GHOST.EXE -clone,MODE=pload,SRC=%CDROM%\Backup.GHO:1,DST=1:1 -sure

Burning the Bootable CD

You can use Nero Burning ROM or any CD burning software that supports bootable CDs.

Steps

1. Insert the boot disk into drive A:

2. Launch Nero

3. Choose:

   CD-ROM (Boot)

4. If Nero starts in Wizard mode:

   • Close it
   • Select File > New

5. On the Boot tab:

   • Select:

     Bootable logical drive

   • Choose:

     A: 2MB

6. Click New

7. Drag and drop these files onto the CD:

   • REST.BAT
   • GHOST.EXE
   • BKUP.GHO

8. If your image spans multiple CDs:

   • Put remaining .GHS files on additional CDs
   • They do not need to be bootable

NOTE:
REST.BAT and GHOST.EXE must be in the root directory of the CD or FindCD will not detect the bootable Ghost CD.

If using Ghost Personal Edition:

Rename:

GHOSTPE.EXE

to:

GHOST.EXE

9. When ready select:

File > Write CD

10. Insert:

• A blank CD-R/RW
• The boot disk in drive A:

11. Click:

Write

Nero will now burn the Ghost bootable CD.

It’s recommended to test first using a CD-RW disc.