Bear with me folks...this issue started 10 months ago but I patiently waited for one of the updates to fix this problem the "engineers" were going to work on. Yesterday 3/28/2010 I spent 4 1/2 hours online with tech support while they verified that I was correct in describing the problem and YES...it couldn't be fixed with updates OR a new version of Ghost.
Started this journey out with new Dell PC and 500 gig internal HD only (I mention this because some folks on this forum had issue while they had an external HD installed too). Immediately upon opening PC I installed Norton 360...updates of all done. Installed NEW purchase of Ghost 14 (although I had several copies of previous versions of Ghost not being used). Went to set up initial image backup B-4 I did anything to the PC. AACKK...no C drive recognition, only hidden utility partition found. Might I add here that I have used Ghost since first version came out so I have been thru the whole process of development with you.
Read the help files a bit harder...tried a bit harder. Still NO C drive recognized. Spent time running diags on HD. Read alot. Went to tech support and they spent quite a bit of time remotely trying to fix problem. Then it got sent up the ladder...talked me thru and still they could not get the C drive to be recognized. Sent the problem up the ladder with an appointment for the engineers to call me on Memorial Day 2009 early am. I have a 70 mile drive to get to this particular PC. Waited 7 hours for call. No call. Read alot more and tried while waiting. Nothing worked. Drove home and waited for email concerning the case. Next I heard case was closed. Anyway...to make this whole affair shorter I will just say I tested same version on a test PC...with issues similar to above. Tried a variety of methods...DVD backup, external drive hookups, and even went to my new version of PM to hopefully partition the 500gig so IF Ghost was perhaps not working cause it didn't want to play nice with others...I'd have 2 partitions (other than the utility partition). PM wouldn't let me partition anything... Went and bought a new 500 gig external HD and other brand of software. Ghost recognized new external...but still no C drive. Installed other brand of software. It recognized C drive and finally I had an image of my C drive on my new external HD and on DVD. But Ghost didn't do it.
So yesterday I decided to tackle Ghost 14.0 again since I use other versions it on all my other PCs and did the dutiful thing and updated it and hoped for the issue to have been fixed. Since case had been escalated 10 months ago tech support had all the reports from that time that was generated. 4 1/2 hrs later and 2 techs and a manager...they couldn't not remotely get anything to work. They uninstalled and installed V 14.5...still nothing worked. Uninstalled and installed V 15. Nothing worked and they had no options I was told other than to once again get the "engineers" involved. I was and AM willing to work with the engineers...I want this issue resolved. I've invested 20+ years with Nortons with mostly good...but occasionally there are glitches...that can't be blamed on operator error. LOL This is one of them. I have appointment with engineers this week.
I might add that after 4 1/2 hrs of sitting in front of PC while Nortons remotely worked on my PC I was pretty tired and was still looking forward to a long drive home. Ended the session without support making a few things clear to a tired user. First...in process of all the work they uninstalled my Nortons 360 and disabled alot of services. So I was left without a firewall or A/V and my 360 install disk was 70 miles away. Also my other brand of software for backup imaging...was trashed. Now it doesn't recognize anything. :-0 SOOOOOOO I had to once again get into the queue...wait for tech support and explain what they left me without. They was able to download and install my 360 without me driving 70 miles to get my disk. It only took me another 1 1/2. So that is 6 hours spent getting myself almost back to square one and that is a place without Ghost working. Of course now the software that I bought to do backups UNTIL Ghost started working...isn't working and the install disk was 70 miles away.
I was told this issue is a Known issue and is not related to the brand of PC. It affects 1 out of 100. SO the good news is??? I'm not alone???
I suspect there is a solution to the problem. I want it.