One of the features of Ghost Solution Suite 3 is that the console installation automatically configures a PXE (Preboot Execution Environment) server. This allows machines to boot into automation without physical boot media, just a network connection. This is primarily used by the console for console based jobs and tasks, as the basic implementation only runs the automation agent. Users of Ghost Solution Suite 2.x should note that a third-party PXE solution, 3COM Boot Servies, was included with that version.
In Ghost Solution Suite 2.x, boot images for 3COM Boot Services PXE could deliver both a console client boot (for console-based tasks), or simply a basic Ghost boot disk that launched the Ghost executable. This latter setup was a very popular one and is used by many imaging administrators. Configuring the PXE server in Ghost Solution Suite 3 to deliver a basic boot image is possible, though it takes a few additional steps. This document will show how to do this.
Prerequisites: The Ghost Solution Suite 3 console must be installed, and WinPE must be imported. For information on this, please refer to this article.
1. Open the Ghost Console. Then click on Tools > PXE Configuration.
2. The PXE Configuration Utility will launch. Click New.
3. A windows called New Shared Menu Option will launch. Give it a name, and then select the options as seen in the image below (WinPE, x64 only, Boot Disk Creator).Then click OK.
Note: This article assumes the use of a 64bit boot environment.
4. When the Boot Wizard launches, it will show Step 1 of 12: Configuration Name. Click Next.
5. Click Next on Step 2 of 12: Windows PE Hardware Device Drivers.
6. Click Next on Step 3 of 12: TCP/IP Protocol Settings.
7. On Step 4 of 12: Ghost Solution Suite Server Communication, set Automation Agent Location to Local. Then click Next.
8. Click Next on Step 5 of 12: Network Connection.
9. On Step 6 of 12: Network Drive Mappings, uncheck "Create an entry in the LMHOSTS file...". Then click Next.
Note: If you use mapped drives for imaging, you may define drive mappings here. More on this process here.
10. Click Next on Step 7 of 12: Optional Components.
11. Click Next on Step 8 of 12: Configuration Summary. This will launch the Boot Disk Creator.
12. On Step 9 of 12: Edit Configuration, right-click on the name of the configuration (Ghostcast PXE in the image below) and click Add > File.
13. In the Open window, browse to Program Files (x86)\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\Ghost. Select Ghost64.exe and click Open. Ghost64.exe will appear in the tree view under your configuration.
14. Click on startup.bat. In the right pane, the text of this file will be editable. Under :UserActions on a new line, type x:\Ghost64.exe as shown in the image below. Then click on the save button (floppy disk icon) above Configurations. Click Next.
15. On Step 10 of 12: Boot Disk Media Type, click Next.
16. Step 11 of 12: Creating Boot Image will show the progress on the creation of the boot image. This process will take several minutes.
17. After the boot image creation finishes, it will launch Step 12 of 12: Boot Disk Creation COmplete. Click Finish.
18. Click OK on the New Shared Menu Option window.
19. Click Save on the PXE Configuration Utility.
Now you have a PXE boot image that will launch the Ghost executable. This can be used in place of a boot disk for image creation and image deployment for the Ghostcasting mthod.