Ghost Network boot disk for Dell Optiplex 760

Experts:
We have recently started purchasing the new line of Dell Optiplexes, the 760's for our standard computer configuration within my company.  For the life of me I cannot get a boot disk created for this model of Optiplex - none of the methods I use to create a Network boot disk with this computer's drivers are working for me.  

I have gone to the Dell support site www.dell.com/support to Drivers and Downloads - Entered the service tag which is 9RH36J1 - set the OS to WinXP pro (not that I think it matters booting into Ghost/DOS) then downloaded the Network>Inte 825xx Gigabit Platform LAN Network Device.  The file is R207259.exe, I run it which extracts the files, I go to the driver directory\dos\nsids2 and there is a file called e1000.dos which I *think* is the file needed for the Network Boot wizard in Ghost.

So I typically Run Ghost Boot Wizard,
select Network Boot Package, click next
Click +Add
Choose NDIS2 Driver, click OK
From here I've tried pressing Browse and choosing the .dos driver mentioned above, I've also tried just pressing Setup and selecting the directory where the NDIS driver should be.  
Then I basicaly finish the wizard with the defaults - Use PC DOS, Symantec Ghost, ghost.exe, DHCP, and I choose format disk and create the boot disk to a flash drive

I can boot off of the disk but I get some variation that the network driver fails to load, then in Ghost the Ghost Cast boot options are grayed out.

Help!  Thanks much.
maingateincAsked:
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maingateincAuthor Commented:
The exact model of NIC in the computer is Intel 82567LM-3 Gigabit, if that helps
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bbrunningCommented:
Try this bootdisk:
http://www.netbootdisk.com/index.htm
Although the specific driver is not listed, I've had luck with them before.
If that doesn't work try using Bart's boot disk:
http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/network/
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matrixnzCommented:
Compare the protocol.ini from your download against the standard protocol.ini included with Ghost, sometimes you need to specify particular settings before the drive will work correctly.  This use to be an issue with older network cards and ghost but admit I haven't seen it for a while now.

The other thing to check is download an older driver, with Dell I've found that some newer drivers don't work on a particular model whereas using older drivers or even same network card but different system model can work.  I recall having this problem with GX280, once I loaded the GX270 ndis files ghost would work.  Go figure =)

Hope that helps.

Cheers
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maingateincAuthor Commented:
---
If that doesn't work try using Bart's boot disk:
http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/network/
---
How would I use BartPE in conjuction with booting to Ghost?
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MiamiCoCommented:
I have boot disk made from BartPE and on shared network directory ghost.exe.
So I strart with BartPE, log on to shared folder and run ghost.exe.

For what exactly do you need this boot disk? :-)

I can look in my workplace (now I am at home) and then post my boot disk on internet if you want.
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maingateincAuthor Commented:
---
Try this bootdisk:
http://www.netbootdisk.com/index.htm
Although the specific driver is not listed, I've had luck with them before.
---
Had no luck with this.

MiamiCo:
I just need to boot the computer with network support into Ghost.exe so I can connect to my Ghostcast server session and copy a ghost image of this computer onto one of my servers... Then as we receive more of this model computer I will need to boot to Ghost.exe / Ghostcast session again to pull the image to the new computer
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MiamiCoCommented:
Ok, so I made boot disk for you. Its stored on: http://www.filefactory.com/file/af2bd19/n/NU2boot_rev1_imz

To make from this image a bootable diskette you need download software called Floppy Image: http://www.download.com/Floppy-Image/3000-2242_4-10053170.html (its 14-day Trial) - simple to use

After making bootable floppy you need to set up IP, server name, shared folder etc.

You can make this in two ways:

In windows - you change following files:
A:\etc\PROFILE\GHOST.PRO  - edit in notepad for setting IP address etc.
A:\etc\autoexec.net - change connection to shared drive/server

Or you can set these setting after boot from floppy using displayed menu
Screenshots at: http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/network/screenshot/
( for mapping another drive use command MSNET)


More about this Boot network disk - http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/network/
or post answer :-)
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maingateincAuthor Commented:
Awesome, thanks much - I will try this out today and let you know how it goes!
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maingateincAuthor Commented:
---
Ok, so I made boot disk for you. Its stored on: http://www.filefactory.com/file/af2bd19/n/NU2boot_rev1_imz

To make from this image a bootable diskette you need download software called Floppy Image: http://www.download.com/Floppy-Image/3000-2242_4-10053170.html (its 14-day Trial) - simple to use

After making bootable floppy you need to set up IP, server name, shared folder etc.

You can make this in two ways:

In windows - you change following files:
A:\etc\PROFILE\GHOST.PRO  - edit in notepad for setting IP address etc.
A:\etc\autoexec.net - change connection to shared drive/server

Or you can set these setting after boot from floppy using displayed menu
Screenshots at: http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/network/screenshot/
( for mapping another drive use command MSNET)


More about this Boot network disk - http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/network/
or post answer :-)
---
Doh, I just noticed this looks like it will only work for a floppy disk.  None of our computers have floppy disk drives.  It's burried in my original post but I always make our Ghost boot disks with flash drives.  Do you know of a way I can make that image work from a flash drive that won't have the drive letter A:?
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MiamiCoCommented:
Hmm, immediately ...  you can make bootable CD using this bootable diskette. For bootable USB I must look on it.
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MiamiCoCommented:
Sorry, but I overlooket word "USB" in your post :-(. Have tried make from that floppy bootable USB, but I have failed.

For me the only way seem to be BartPE on USB (to this time I have use only Bootable CD) http://users.telenet.be/Robvdb/BootPEUSB_UK.htm
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maingateincAuthor Commented:
It's all good, I played around with the Norton Ghost Boot wizard some more and modifying the .ini and .dos files and got it to work, thanks for your time!
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MiamiCoCommented:
;-) anyway... for my knowledge I made USB boot disk on which can be added many many applications (antivirus, hdd clone, hdd repair tools, ghost :-), etc.), it supports network connection too.

Just if you want to try , easy step by step: http://users.telenet.be/Robvdb/BootPEUSB_UK.htm
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americanpie3Commented:
I am having a similar problem with the same model machine (Dell OptiPlex 760)
I have downloaded the Network drivers from Dell (Intel 825xx Gigabit Platform LAN Network Device v.10.3.39.250 A01 )
as well as the SATA drivers (Intel Matrix Storage Manager (OS Pre-Install Driver Only) v.8.7.1.1001 A16)
I have created several boot cd's using the Symantec Ghost Boot Wizard-PreOS version (v.11.5.0.2113)

When I create the cd to boot WinPE with the drivers added, the system boots with no apparent errors, mouse and keyboard work, Ghost.exe starts up and I can see the drives in ghost. when I try to connect to a ghostcast session I get the error "Unable to establish contact with session <r>, Check that the GhostCasting Server application is ready to accept clients! (10030)". It looks like it is something with the network card that is not loading properly because my Ghostcast server is working properly for ghosting other machines.

When I create the cd to boot PC-DOS, again with the drivers added and with no apparent errors, the mouse and keyboard stop working once ghost.exe loads up. Obviously I cannot tell if there are other problems (ie: Network or SATA)

I have also tried with the hard drive set to AHCI, ATA and Legacy modes with no success

What changes have you done in Norton Ghost Boot Wizard and the .ini ans .dos files?

any help or suggestions would be appreciated
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MiamiCoCommented:
For cloning sata drives I use switch -FNI  (ghost.exe -FNI ) , there is another switch -NOIDE, try use this if you dont have IDE hdd connected.

But if I connect PATA and SATA and want cone from one to another, I got same problem as you. (even if I use one of  both switches)
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