Ghost Framework For Computer Backup

The Ghost app which can be used to back up Windows based computer.

1. Ghost: Computer Back Up & Restore Concept
Presented by Songkran S.
[email protected]

2. Problems
1.It is frustrating whenever the computer is clashed or
malfunctioned which may caused mostly by computer
viruses making it necessary to reinstall new Windows with
several others default software
2.It is quite a time-consuming task to install new Windows
and other necessary software
What if we can alleviate these problems ourselves by cloning
a hard disk and making it as a back up?
So, when necessary, the machine can be recovered by using
the backup file and the machine can get back to the
condition as it is used to.

3. Purposes underlying Ghost backup & restore concept
1.To save time and energy to installing new Windows every
time that the computer has problem whether it be
software clashes or viruses affecting a machine to
become malfunctioned, etc.
2.To save time and energy to installing software necessary
to work with Windows such as MS-Office, Antivirus
programs, etc.
3.To encourage anyone using the computer to be able to
manage one’s own computer with ease because the
Ghost backup & restore concept is easy to follow.

4. What application can be used to supporting the backup
& restore concept?
Various of similar software is available in the market, but
Symantec Norton Ghost (
http://www.symantec.com/norton/ghost) has been selected to
deal with these tasks because it is a small program but
sufficiently powerful for the task.
Basically, Ghost is simply a disk cloning software which means it
will copy the whole hard disk or a disk partition to another hard
disk or partition. When Windows clashes, the computer can be
recovered using the ghost backup file giving the computer to
work working normally again without reinstalling new Windows
and software. Ghost is therefore an ideal system backup &
restore application for computer or network administrator
worldwide.
Ghost has been released in various versions. It can be used as a
sophisticated system installed within the Windows environment
similarly to other software working in one computer machine, or
it can be run on its own environment such as a bootable CD-
ROM; or a bootable removable disk (e.g. thumb drive); or
embedded boot menu of the computer unit running Windows.

5. Methods to using Ghost
There are several ways to deal with Ghost, but what I’m proposing
here is to embedding ghost into the computer boot menu
making it a selectable menu to choose from when booting the
computer as shown in the figure below. GGG (Grid Ghost
Guru), who created the small program to embed the Ghost app
to the computer boot menu, made his idea available for
download through his website (http://www.gggcomputer.com).
When I tested his idea with my own computer, I found the
backup & restore result of my computer system impressive. I
think it is better to disseminate this idea to other people too.

6. How to embed Ghost into boot menu
To embed Ghost menu into the computer boot menu as shown in
the above figure, there is only 1 file to be used. This file is
called HBG.EXE.
1. Go to
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=2d94686951689d9967cd7f7bd65f7eefd463c0df55260a24d6e38d13f15c3e80
2. Download HBG.EXE file (file size 3.6 MB). Once HBG.EXE is
downloaded, double click HBG.EXE to activate Ghost and embed
Ghost menu to machine boot menu. Restart the computer and the
selectable boot menu will appear as shown in the above figure.
***HBG.EXE can be saved for further use or dropped to trash.

7. Embedded Ghost menu to the computer boot screen
When Ghost has been embedded into the machine boot menu, the
computer user can choose whether to run normal Windows or
go to Ghost application in order to back up or restore the
machine.
Technically, the 1st menu is set as the default with adjustable 10
seconds timing to automatically go to Windows. So, at the boot
menu screen, if the user does not move the arrow key to select
the menu, the machine will boot Windows up automatically.

8. Two Ghost Episodes: backup & restore
There are 2 episodes to use Ghost, that is, to create backup Ghost
file and to use the backup Ghost file to recover computer
system (Windows + software).

9. Ghost Episode I: Create a backup Ghost file
When a computer is working nicely without noticeable problem, it
should be perfect to create a backup Ghost file occasionally or
it can be a one-time default backup, for example, when doing
fresh installing Windows and other necessary software.
However, it can be the case that if one is certain that the
computer system is clean and working without any problem.
Then, it should be fine to making a backup Ghost file. Making
backup using Ghost, from the boot menu screen as shown in
the above figure, select “Ghost Menu For Choose Option”
and hit Enter key.

10. Ghost Episode I: Create a backup Ghost file (cont)
Then Ghost sub menus will appear with 3 choices available
including:
2)Ghost Manual 11.5 (11.5 denotes the Ghost version)
3)Ghost Auto Backup
4)Ghost Auto Restore
In Episode I, the focus is on the 2nd menu “Ghost Auto Backup”
However, before selecting this menu, let me briefly explain how
Ghost will do with cloning the hard disk.

11. Ghost Episode I: Create a backup Ghost file (cont)
From the left figure above, when the 2nd menu “Ghost Auto
Backup” is chosen and Enter key is hit. The Ghost will
automatically clone C:\ (partition or disk) and save the
successfully cloned C:\ to D:\ (partition or disk)
The backed up file is automatically saved as BACKUP.GHO and
placed into D:\ as illustrated in the right figure above.
The BACKUP.GHO file can NOT be renamed or relocated;
otherwise, the 3nd menu “Ghost Auto Restore” will not work
for the Ghost will NOT be able to locate the backup file.

12. Ghost Episode I: Create a backup Ghost file (cont)
Time taking to create the BACKUP.GHO file depends on the size
of C:\ which means the larger size of C:\, the more time is taken
for cloning. Space available on D:\ for hosting BACKUP.GHO
should also be sufficient by estimating the size of C:\.

13. Ghost Episode II: Computer restore using a backup
Ghost file
The most significant benefit of embedding Ghost into machine boot
menu prior to booting Windows is to allow option for machine
recovery even though Windows is already damaged.
From the above figure, if Windows can not be booted up for any
reasons, there are 2 choices from which to choose.
3)Fix whatever causes that block Windows to boot up
4)Recover the machine by using the back up ghost file
Choice No. 1 is more or less time consuming depending on factors
making the Windows clashed. No. 2 definitely uses the least
time.

14. Ghost Episode II: Computer restore using a backup
Ghost file (cont)
To restore the computer using the backup Ghost file.
1. On the boot menu screen as the above figure, choose Ghost
Menu For Choose Option.

15. Ghost Episode II: Computer restore using a backup
Ghost file (cont)
2. Appeared 3 choices as shown the above left figure including: 1)
Ghost Manual 11.5; 2) Ghost Auto Backup; and 3) Ghost Auto
Restore.
3. Choose the 3rd menu (Ghost Auto Restore) and hit Enter key to
automatically restore the backup Ghost file – the BACKUP.GHO
which is located in the D:\.
4. Wait until Ghost succeeds to restore the computer system.
Ghost Auto Restore will try to locate the BACKUP.GHO from D:\
and will automatically recover the machine.

16. Conclusions
HBG.EXE file used for Ghost concept is useful for auto backup and auto
restore is useful of any computer running Windows.
However, it requires the machine to have:
•Two partitions of one hard disk or two hard disks (C:\ and D:\)
•Embedded Ghost Menu which is activated by HBG.EXE file.
•Ghost Auto Backup will automatically clone the C:\ and save the whole
C:\ to create BACKUP.GHO. This file is placed into D:\ for restoring
purpose.
•Ghost Auto Restore will automatically locate the BACKUP.GHO from
D:\ and recover the machine to its original Ghost condition.

17. Conclusions (cont)
1)This proposal discusses only Ghost Auto Backup and Ghost Auto
Restore without touching upon the Ghost Manual 11.5 menu because
the focus of this proposal is auto process.
2)Although, the Auto Ghost provide interesting features for backing up
and restoring machine with ease, it should be used with cautions. For
example, accidentally choose Ghost Auto Restore may give
unfavorable outcome when the latest works are not properly saved to
other location than C:\ thus making all the works located in C:\
overwritten by the backup Ghost file.
3)Understanding the Ghost concept would give one’s comprehensive
understanding and minimize problems using Ghost.
4)Different environments using Ghost may result in different outcomes.

18. Ghost: Computer Backup & Restore Concept
Questions and discussions. Feel free to consult Grid, the author of
the HBG.EXE file, via his webboard at http://www.gggcomputer or
http://www.sermsudacamp.com/ggg/index.php?topic=34.0