How to add Plug Ins for Bart PE Builder

are you talking about existing plugins, or are you designing one?

No this is the existing plugins. They have them on the list, but it looks like you have to install files to them in order to get them to work. I did that, however it is not working. Any help would be appreciated.  

on http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/plugins/ you find the list of plugins. Each plugin has a different way to be installed (let's not talk about the pre-installed ones). Click on a plugin link to see the instructions to get/install the plugin

I have a copy of ghost 9.0 and I put the files in the plugin folder and tried to click enable and it didn't work. Any suggestions?

When you install BartPE Builder to the default folder, you will have all the folders for the plugins here:

C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\

All of them are poplated, but not necessarily with the program files.  Some have batch files to run the programs that can either be in the root of the folder or in a sub-folder named "files", or some other differences depending on the program.

All the folders have a common layout of an *.inf, an *.xml, and an *.htm file in the root of the folder, whether or not the program files are in there, eg:

C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8

C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8\ghost.htm
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8\ghost.inf
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8\ghost_nu2menu.xml
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8\switches.txt

C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8\files
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8\files\put ghost files here

Try this:

Rename the folder:
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8
to:
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost9

Open ghost.htm in a text editor like notepad and change references to "Ghost 8" to "Ghost 9".  File > Save.  Open in a browser to check.

Open ghost.inf in Notepad and change all references to "ghost 8.0" or "ghost8" to "ghost 9.0" and "ghost8" respectively.  File > Save.

Open ghost_nu2menu.xml in notepad and change all references to "ghost8" and "Ghost v8" to "ghost9" and "Ghost v9" respectively.  ile > Save.

Install Ghost on your computer and then copy the following files from the C:\Program Files\Symantec\Ghost folder into:

C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost9\files

ghost32.exe
ghostexp.exe
ghostsrv.exe
ghostcdr.dll

When you run BartPE Builder, it should now show "Symantec Ghost 9.0" down near the bottom of the list that shows when you click the "Plugins" button.  It should show as "enabled".

It sounds to me like you may have copied the files to the folder:
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8\
instead of to:
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8\files\

As long as the file "ghost.inf" in the root of the "ghost8" or "ghost9" folder points correctly to the files using the correct path (ie. to the "files" sub-folder), then it should work.

Note:  The htm file specifically tells you that the CD needs to load ASPI support before Ghost will run:
"To activate support for CD or DVD write, you also need to enabled the "ASPI" plugin".

Follow the link and instructions in:
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\aspi\aspi.htm

By the way, elete the file:
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost9\files\put ghost files here
after copying your Ghost program files there.  I don't think it will interfere, but you don't need that file.

When using programs for plugins, you need to choose only those that are able to run in completely standalone mode without requiring to write to the host computer's hard drive.  Generally these are programs like IrfanView (image viewer) that writes all its settings to an *.INI file.  You install the program on your PC, configure it as you want, then close it.  When copied to the CD along with the *.INI file, it will load according to those settings, but you will not be able to make changes to those settings and save them because the progam can't write back to the *.INI file.

The configuration file may not always be an *.INI file.  It could be a *.cfg, *.xml, or some other file type that stores settings, or even a combination of files.  McAfee "Stinger" (eg. "stng399.exe") creates an *.OPT file when you configure it on a PC first.  It will load those settings when that *.opt file is burned to CD in the same folder as the *.exe.  In the case of Stinger, it may come as a new version with a slightly different file name.  The Plugins folder for it as installed by BartPE Builder has files that refer to it as ..... hmmm, I can't remember because I changed my *.inf file to reflect this.  The "stinger.inf" file contained references to another version, so you would have to change it to reflect the file name of the stinger *.exe file.

One Ghost 9 plugin issue is addressed here: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=20235&hl=ghost : it is related to the license file (maybe not your issue)

According to this post (http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=18784&hl=ghost) , Ghost 9 plugin seem unfixed. You may want to try another version...

I change all the references of Ghost 8 to 9 and I copied the ghost 9 files to the plugin\ghost9\files\. Also, I noticed you said I need the ASPI files installed. What do these files do and where do I get this?

I think maze-uk may be correct bout Ghost verson 9 not being able to run in BartPE.  It does say in the readme file:
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\ghost8\ghost.htm

"Ghost32 (version 8.0!) is certified to run on Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE).
But it also works on BartPE."

So, although he doesn't go as far as to say that version 9.0 doesn't run in BartPE, he is hinting strongly that it may not.  You might as well try it with version 9.0 and see though.

The ASPI Layer in Windows is the set of files that allow certain operating system functions and some programs to access SCSI and CD-type drives.  Windows XP has its own ASPI files installed, and there is rarely (if ever) the need to start messing around installing other ASPI support files.  In fact, you are strongly advised against doing so.  Some CD-Burning software like Nero installs its own ASPI files that it uses when accessing CD Drives.

Because the BartPE CD is booting its own operating system from the CD, and not to an installed version of Windows, it would not have the ASPI support apparently needed by Ghost unless you copied the correct files to the ASPI Plugin folder.

In the same "ghost.htm" file above, Bart states:

"To activate support for CD or DVD write, you also need to enabled the "ASPI" plugin."

So, in looking at the readme file in the ASPI plugins folder:
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\aspi\aspi.htm
he states:

"Download the ASPI driver and extract all files to the \plugin\aspi\files directory".

Now, the link seems to be old in that web page, and it doesn't lead to where it should:

http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/support/driverdetail.jsp?language=English+US&filekey=aspi_471a2.exe&sess=no

In fact, the Adaptec site has been restructured to the extent that even their own Knowledgebase links resolve to the same page where there is no direct link to download the package:
http://www.adaptec.com/en-US/downloads
or to "Page Not Found" pages.

What a mess!!

Here's the direct link to the files you need (found at http://web.ncf.ca/aa571/aspi.htm):

http://download.adaptec.com/software_pc/aspi/aspi_471a2.exe

This is a self-extracting zip file that will prompt you to unzip the contents as shown in screenshot No. 1.  CHANGE the path to the one shown in screenshot No. 2 and it will unpack 18 files plus two new folders with files in them.

If you open and read the file:
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\aspi\aspi.inf
you will see that it only needs 3 files:

[SourceDisksFiles]
files\WNASPI32.DLL=2,,1
files\ASPI32.SYS=4,,1
files\aspichk.exe=2,,1

Delete ALL files from the ones extracted to the \plugin\aspi\files folder EXCEPT:

C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\aspi\files\aspichk.exe
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\aspi\files\aspixp.sys
C:\pebuilder3110a\plugin\aspi\files\wnaspixp.dll

RENAME the files as follows:

aspixp.sys   to   aspi32.sys
wnaspixp.dll   to   wnaspi32.dll

As an alternative to double-clicking on the downloaded "aspi_471a2.exe" file and changing the path, if you have WinZip or imilar installed, just Right-Click the file and "Extract to Folder: C:\whatever\aspi_471a2".  That will create a new folder named "aspi_471a2" containing the same files, and you just need to copy the above files to the BartPE folder and rename them.

"aspichk.exe" isn't actually required in the plugins folder, but can be used to verify the version of Aspi that is "installed" after booting to the BartPE CD.

That should be it, and it remains to be seen if Ghost version 9.0 works from a BartPE CD.
Aspi-01.jpg
Aspi-02.jpg

Once I install ghost 9 and copy the files to the ghost plugin folder there is a share folder that you can not copy because it is being used. I successful installed the ASPI, but ghost 9 still will not work. I am starting to agree with you that ghost 9 is not compatible. That stinks you would think any software would work.

I am going to use ghost 8 and see if I can get a Bart PE CD made.

I am having problems ghosting to a external drive. I have my ASPI plugin installed is there something else I am missing? Also, since that was not working I tried ghosting to the local hard drive and once I had it worked and tried ghosting it but when I booted the computer up, all I had was a BSOD or nothing on my screen. I tried high and fast compression and nothing works.  Any suggestions?

Have you tried ghosting partitions instead of disks?
Are source and target disks similar/identical?

I am ghosting partitions. I have my external drive hooked up to a laptop and it has my ghost images on them and I have my Bart PE CD that runs ghost 8 and I ghost the images what appears to be fine, but it still doesn't ghost right. All I get is a black screen with a blinking cursor. Any clues

I'm sorry DornerDiamonds, but I don't know what to suggest.  Perhaps other experts may return here with ome suggestions.

I think the problem is I need a usb 2.0 card to make my image work.

Let me summarize, to ensure we are all at the same point:
You have a working machine with XP, on which you boot with Bart CD, and you use Ghost 8 to copy the partition on an external drive.
Once you restore this partition (with ghost 8, from the Bart CD), and attempt to boot from the local hard drive, you get a black screen with blinking cursor. Is that right?

yes

... and you are sure this wasn't happening before the ghost ?
(sorry for my late reaction)

Boot on an original XP CD: is the existing installation detected?
BTW, are you restoring on the same machine, or a 2nd identical machine?