Last Updated: 13.IX.2007 Current Version is 1.8.5

What is it for:
Image Manager was written for use within Windows PE 2.0. It's purpose is to make imaging (saving or loading) a lot faster comparing to procedure used within dos. This program to work requires Symantec Ghost (ghost32.exe).

Click to view attachment

To run program you just need:
1. Working WinPE 2.0 solution
2. image_manager_<version>.exe
3. image_manager_config.xml file
4. ghost32.exe

Features:
1. Three simple steps to LOAD or SAVE image (skip one if you don't use mapped network drives)
2. Maps network drives (can map more then one drive with single click)
3. Preset settings in .xml file for easier/faster use.
- Option to check on SAVE for special files (to make sure the files are there before making image)
- Option to check on SAVE for sysprep files (to make sure sysprep.inf located in multiple locations is the same size and exists)
- Option to cleanup some directories that you always forget to clean before imaging
- Option to delete some files on LOAD (as in if you want to fix something and you know some .vbs/.exe file will be run on startup)
- Option to preset more then one domain account in .xml file for more convinient use of program
- Option to preset more then one (or just one) network share in .xml file for more convinient use of program
- Many more

Unfortunetly due to how WinPE works the files location has to be special. Program will look for config file on the same drive that "\Sources\BOOT.WIM" is located and will check if this path exists: "\Main\image_manager_config.xml". Don't worry if there are more then one directory like that. Program goes thru all drives looking for those 2 files. If it doesn't find the config file it will start in "Deploy" mode only. You won't be able to save image with it. But you will be able to deploy one. This is one of the features so if you have Build team that creates images you can share the WinPE USB PenDrive image with affiliate without need to give them option to create their own images. XML file is self explaining. Keep it similar to given examples.

Also ghost32.exe location also needs to be special. Program by default will look for it in directory GHOST\ghost32.exe that should be located in the same directory as image_manager_<version>.exe. However if program won't find ghost32.exe it will display FolderGUI (Similar to MyComputer) so you can easly find it. If you will find program will continue. If not tough luck.


Following ghost switches are used during creation of image:
-clone,mode=dump,src=1,dst="' & $ghost_file & '" -sure -fx -z9 -fni -fns -span -auto'
Following ghost switches are used during loading of image:
-clone,mode=restore,src="' & $ghost_file & '",dst=1,sze1=80P -sure -auto -fx'

You can force change of them in .XML file (check config, entries on top). I suggest to not touch it unless you know what you are doing.


Download program and config file (packed in .zip) below
Version 1.8.5 - Image Manager 1.8.5.exe and Click to view attachment

Archive download
Version 1.8.4 - Image Manager 1.8.4.exe and Click to view attachment

Changelog:
Version 1.8.5
- Added posibility to change settings for ghost32 (check newest config file)
Version 1.8.4
- First public release

Have a nice day! Feel free to provide ideas/suggestion and bug reports!

Would be great to see an option in the config xml to change the command lines you have specified.

I was actually thinking about that. I'll see what I can do today and release new version

New version released (1.8.5)
- Added posibility to change settings for ghost32 (check newest config file)

@poppyq - Enjoy

For those that have downloaded 1.8.5 before this message please redownload it. I've overlooked that i have set the config file for XP instead of PE is used in that version. I have reuploaded correct version of 1.8.5 now.

This is a sweet little app you have but is there any way we can have this run from the command prompt? I currently have a BartPE CD that loads network drivers, maps a drive to the share that has the image, loads the image on to the HDD and reboots without any intervention aside from me "pressing any key to boot from cd".

I love the fact that BartPE can map a network drive that requires a username/password without me having to enter it.

Now if I can find something similar in WinPE, I'll be super happy!!

I have kinda forgot about BartPE Maybe my program works in it aswell. Then i would just have to fix the config settings for it. Anyway if someone can test if it works then i can add some changes (as WinPe uses diffrent commands for shutdown etc).

As for command prompt. Well i was thinking about deploy 1 image setting only that you would put in .xml file everything (image name, username, map shares) but there are couple of questions to answer before i could even try to implent this.

1. What about password? For security sake you shouldn't save password in .xml file so maybe this little question for password in Automated mode?
2. I would have to solve how to search for image you point in .xml. Either when you add image name you should be adding relative path to where it could be locatated (cutting out drive letter of course) and my program would go thru each drive it finds (like it does now for config file) and look for that image.


On my to do list as soon as i finish my other project (Post Installer) is to fix the configuration file reading at start of a program. Right now at basically any point of time my program refers for value to .xml file. Its okey but for example you have to keep usb pendrive connected once you choose thing to save/deploy. While if it would read it on begining you could get the pendrive out and use it on other computer asap.

Well, I'm not too worried about the password, as I currently have it saved on my BartPe disc.

The reason I don't worry is because the account "BartPE" only has read/write permissions to the folder with the image. This account has no other rights on anything else. It's not even part of the users group.

Can we implement auto-eject in ghost32 version 11 using xml config ?
Let's say I have 2 ghost DVD disks and wanted to eject disk1 after restoring and then proceed with disk2.
Assume that my DVD drive does not have eject button and the only way to eject dvd is to use a paper clip.

Well the problem is ghost11 doesn't have that switch so the only way is to look for the "message from Ghost32" saying that it needs another DVD. Can you type me exactly how the title of window with ghost32 asking for replacing DVD looks like (maybe screenshot will be better). Then i can see if this can be implemented.

Actually the Image Manager that is here is outdated. The new version also supports Disk Wipe thru GDisk32 and has limited console builtin which allows to use ipconfig / ping and arp to check for network problems.

I just need to edit it a bit and post it ;-)