Symantec Ghost 12.0.0.11573 Bootcd -x86-x64- -

Review: Symantec Ghost 12.0.0.11573 BootCD (x86-x64) – The Legacy Imaging Workhorse

Verdict: 7.5/10
Best for: Offline imaging, legacy hardware, and PXE deployments in controlled corporate environments.

2. The "BootCD" Advantage

The "BootCD" aspect of this software was its most critical feature. The BootCD allowed administrators to boot a computer directly into a stripped-down operating environment (either MS-DOS or a lightweight version of Windows PE) before the main Windows OS loaded. Symantec Ghost 12.0.0.11573 BootCD -x86-x64-

This "cold imaging" capability allowed for: Review: Symantec Ghost 12

  • Complete System Wipes: Deleting and formatting drives without file locks.
  • Virus Recovery: Cleaning infected systems by booting from a clean, trusted environment.
  • Hardware Agnosticism: The x86/x64 BootCD contained generic drivers for mass storage controllers (SATA/IDE) and network cards, allowing it to run on almost any PC or laptop of that era.

Network Deployment (Multicast)

  1. Start Ghost Cast Server on a Windows PC.
  2. On client → GhostCast → Multicast → Join session.
  3. Server sends image to all connected clients.

4. Legacy System Maintenance

  • Ghost works well with older hardware that modern imaging tools struggle with.

Performance Benchmarks (Tested on SATA III SSD → HDD)

| Operation | Speed (MB/s) | Time for 120GB Image | |-----------|--------------|----------------------| | Clone (Disk to Disk) | ~2,100 MB/s | ~1 minute (SSD target) | | Create Image (to USB 3.0) | ~850 MB/s | ~2.5 minutes | | Deploy Image via Multicast | ~600 MB/s (1Gbit LAN) | ~3 minutes per PC | Network Deployment (Multicast)

Note: Speeds are heavily dependent on source/target media. NVMe is not recommended.

Scenario A: Creating a Disk Image (Backup)

  1. Launch Ghost: At the command prompt, type ghost64 (or ghost32) and press Enter.
  2. Accept license: Click “OK” on the welcome screen.
  3. Select operation: Choose Local → Disk → To Image.
  4. Select source disk: Pick the disk you want to image (e.g., Disk 1 – 250GB SSD). Click OK.
  5. Select destination: Navigate to a network share (e.g., \\server\backups) or a local secondary drive. Enter a filename like Win10_Workstation.GHO.
  6. Compression level:
    • No – Fastest, largest file.
    • Fast – Balanced.
    • High – Slowest, smallest file (recommended for archiving).
  7. Image span splitting: Select “Auto” to split files into 2GB chunks (FAT32) or “Custom” for larger segments on NTFS.
  8. Description (optional): Add notes (e.g., "Office PC, Jan 2025").
  9. Confirm: Click “Yes” to proceed. Ghost will display progress bar and estimated time.
  10. Completion: Click “Continue” → “Quit”.

Practical Tips

  • Test your BootCD in a VM first to confirm it recognizes your storage and network.
  • Compression level “Fast” is recommended for most use cases — “High” saves space but slows down creation/restore.
  • Split images if your destination is FAT32 (file size limit 4GB):
    Ghost -split=2000 (creates 2GB chunks)
  • Command line is faster for repetitive tasks:
    ghost32.exe -clone,mode=create,src=1,dst=D:\backup.gho -sure -fx