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Thread ID: 36180	2003-08-02 06:36:00	Problems with Norton Ghost Skipfile. It just won't work!!	Billy T (70)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
164659	2003-08-02 06:36:00	Hi Team I have been trying to implement the extended file-skipping facility in Ghost 2001 so that I can remove the Windows swapfile and any temp files from the image, but I keep getting "Error 18190 No such file or directory when opening skipfile". Ghost is started from a DOS boot disk and my autoexec batch file contents are: @echo off MOUSE.COM CD GHOST echo Loading... ghostpe.exe -skip=@skipfile Up until now I had been using the command: ghostpe.exe -skip=*\*.gho to exclude any previously recorded image files but the size of the images have been slowly increasing so I thought I would take the next step and implement a skipfile so that I could eliminate a few more. The contents of Skipfile.txt are: *\*.swp *\*.gho *\*.tmp Note that in the context above, *\*.tmp means all tmp files in all directories, including nested. I believe that this is not a normal DOS command and is derived from Unix but I could be wrong on that. Symantec's knowledge base for Error 18190 simply tells me that the skipfile is improperly written and refers me to a page that simply duplicates the data in the manual (for those that did not RTFM I guess). That page shows exactly the syntax I am using. X-( Ghost appears to be accessing the skipfile OK but refuses to execute the commands. The only omission I can see is the absence of a drive letter, but the manual examples do not require a drive letter, and anyway, the file is not executed until ghostpe.exe is running and the target drive has been selected. Are there any ghost users out there who are successfully using separate skipfiles and if so, can you shed any light on my problem please? Cheers Billy 8-{) [b][pre]There's no emoticon for "Man Praying" but believe me, I'm going spare here, it is such a tiny file and the commands are supposedly soooo simple. :( And yes, this does appear to be an agnogenic problem!!!	Billy T (70)
164660	2003-08-03 01:13:00	Bump :D	Billy T (70)
164661	2003-08-03 05:37:00	Why not put the swap partition on another hard drive delete the Temp files before, and then make the image? if { else Drive Image 7; } ;) ?	PoWa (203)
164662	2003-08-04 00:27:00	Yeah, I could do those things PoWa, and before recording C: images I always run the delete options in IE to get rid of all temporary internet files, content stored off-line, followed by Billy's patent DOS Boot disk file to eliminate the temporary Internet files tye IE misses plus cookies and Index.dat files, but I'm unhappy that I cannot ghost images with my chosen exclusions. I consider that it is not too much to ask that Ghost skip the swapfile, temp files and its own image files, and I am frustrated that I cannot see what is wrong with the command syntax. It is probably one of those situations where the manual assumes that you will add other instructions to the batch file and just gives you the short-form description. I'll keep bumping this post up the list during the week and see if I can catch a Ghosting expert unawares! It is a fairly specialised aspect of the software so I don't expect an answer any time soon. Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
164663	2003-08-04 01:39:00	How about contacting Symantec Support and asking them? After all, we are supposed to be entitled to help and support after paying for their products.	Fire-and-Ice (3910)
164664	2003-08-04 01:51:00	What about adding the skipfile extension to the autoexec.bat i.e @echo off MOUSE.COM CD GHOST echo Loading... ghostpe.exe -skip=@skipfile.txt <----- add the .txt	CYaBro (73)
164665	2003-08-04 01:57:00	Next on my list F & I, but I find them less than helpful as a rule. I usually seem to get automated responses that simply regurgitate their database advice with cute customisation to make you think you are corresponding with a real person. I mean, what kind of advice is it that just reprints the pages of the manual supplied with the software? To tell you the truth, PF1 contributors are usually better informed and more knowlegeable. They also reply faster! Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
164666	2003-08-04 02:18:00	> What about adding the skipfile extension to the > autoexec . bat > > i . e > ghostpe . exe -skip=@skipfile . txt <----- add the . txt Hmmm . . . . . . . . . . . Might be worth a try, though skipfile . txt seems to be being opened as it is referred to in the error message . The manual says: To specify multiple skip entries they must be included in a text file indicated using -skip=@skipfile . The format of the skip text file 'skipfile' matches the format used with the CRC32 vexcept option . " The latter is in itself confusing as the syntax for vexcept requires the commands to be in uppercase while skipfile uses lower case! However, I have since found one instance in the manual where skipfile is followed by . txt and although Ghost does respond ok to some unorthodox-looking DOS instructions and the error message is not particularly illumunating on this point, it could very well be that it really does want the . txt added . It has to be something that stupidly simple . Watch this space Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
164667	2003-08-13 00:18:00	Expletives Deleted X-( Took me a while to find time to get back to this, but adding the .txt made no difference. The problem definitely lies in the syntax for the skipfile contents: >The contents of Skipfile.txt are: >*\*.swp >*\*.gho >*\*.tmp >Note that in the context above, *\*.tmp means all tmp files in all >directories, including nested. I believe that this is not a normal DOS >command and is derived from Unix but I could be wrong on that. I'm buggered if I can see what is wrong, and as per my previous post the Symantec knowledgebase simply refers me to the same information as is printed in the manual. The silly thing is that the directory\file syntax works ok for the single file exclusion: -skip=*\*.gho Might have to send them a missive :( I'll give the PF1 team another day or two though, there has to be a Ghost user out there somewhere who uses skipfiles and wildcards. :) Cheers Billy 8-{) [pre][b]Maybe I should add a link to this thread as well, then they might get a better feel for user frustrations!	Billy T (70)
164668	2003-08-13 01:31:00	Hehe. Calm down Billy T :) I just had a quick go with Ghost and a skipfile and had the same error as you! :( UNTIL!!!! I added the .txt to the end and made the skip CAPS i.e. ghostpe.exe -SKIP=@skipfile.txt and made sure that the skipfile.txt is in the ghost directory on the bootdisk.	CYaBro (73)
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