Ghost 15 fails to install or run correctly on an XP SP3 Dell Laptop

Ghost 15 installs and works perfectly on my Lenovo TS20 ThinkPad Notebook running system 7, but fails to install or work properly on my Dell Latitude E6500 Laptop running XP SP3.

 

I have a a 1TB USB Western Digital Passport drive partitioned into two equal partitions: Partition 1 is named Dell Backups (E:). Partition 2 is named Lenovo Backups (F:).

 

First, I installed Ghost on the Lenovo. I ran the default recommended set of backups that the installer program suggested (both checkboxes were, by default, checked: “Back up my computer” and “Back up my documents”. Results: Both types of backups were successfully created in a “Norton Backups” folder on the Lenovo Backups partition.

 

Next, I installed Ghost on the Dell. At the end of the installation, I got an error dialog from Ghost Installer: “ERROR: Failed to have success running InstalVSProvider function in MSIInstallVSSProvider Function.” I clicked “OK” and was presented with the same default recommended set of backups that the installer program suggested (both checkboxes were, by default, checked: “Back up my computer” and “Back up my documents”.

 

Results: After about a half hour of backup activity, this error message appeared: “Error EC8F1C50: Cannot create file backup for job: My Documents Backup. Error E7B70005: Snapshot error Error EBAB03F1: OS error 2147754776.. (UMI:V-281-3215-7248).” Only one type of backup was successfully created (a “Computer” backup) in a “Norton Backups” folder on the Dell Backups partition. No “My Documents” backup was created.

 

So, I selected “Run or Manage Backups” and tried again: I selected “My Documents Backup” and clicked “Run Now:” But, the “My Documents Backup failed again, with “Snapshot error %1. Error EBAB03F1: OS error 2147754776. (UNI:V-0-1975-5.”

 

Now, every time I start up my Dell, a Ghost dialog appears in the lower right corner of my screen, asking me if I want to run a Scheduled “My Documents backup” that was missed. If I answer YES, Ghost tries to create the “My Documents” backup, and always fails with “Cannot create the file backup for job: My Documents Backup. Snapshot error %1. Error e7b running job: My Documents Backup.”

 

Also, every time I start Norton Ghost, I get “At Risk” as a backup status, and Ghost says under “status details” that “No recovery points exist for “[Empty} (F:\)”. This is bizarre, because I have no drive by that name on my computer. The only F drive on my PC is the abovementioned Western Digital Passport drive, one of whose partitions is actually named “Lenovo Backups (F:)” So where is Ghost getting the idea that my F drive is named “[Empty} (F:\)”???

 

Overall, I'd have to advise anyone using XP, NOT to purchase Ghost 15.

Ghost 15 installs and works perfectly on my Lenovo TS20 ThinkPad Notebook running system 7, but fails to install or work properly on my Dell Latitude E6500 Laptop running XP SP3.

 

I have a a 1TB USB Western Digital Passport drive partitioned into two equal partitions: Partition 1 is named Dell Backups (E:). Partition 2 is named Lenovo Backups (F:).

 

First, I installed Ghost on the Lenovo. I ran the default recommended set of backups that the installer program suggested (both checkboxes were, by default, checked: “Back up my computer” and “Back up my documents”. Results: Both types of backups were successfully created in a “Norton Backups” folder on the Lenovo Backups partition.

 

Next, I installed Ghost on the Dell. At the end of the installation, I got an error dialog from Ghost Installer: “ERROR: Failed to have success running InstalVSProvider function in MSIInstallVSSProvider Function.” I clicked “OK” and was presented with the same default recommended set of backups that the installer program suggested (both checkboxes were, by default, checked: “Back up my computer” and “Back up my documents”.

 

Results: After about a half hour of backup activity, this error message appeared: “Error EC8F1C50: Cannot create file backup for job: My Documents Backup. Error E7B70005: Snapshot error Error EBAB03F1: OS error 2147754776.. (UMI:V-281-3215-7248).” Only one type of backup was successfully created (a “Computer” backup) in a “Norton Backups” folder on the Dell Backups partition. No “My Documents” backup was created.

 

So, I selected “Run or Manage Backups” and tried again: I selected “My Documents Backup” and clicked “Run Now:” But, the “My Documents Backup failed again, with “Snapshot error %1. Error EBAB03F1: OS error 2147754776. (UNI:V-0-1975-5.”

 

Now, every time I start up my Dell, a Ghost dialog appears in the lower right corner of my screen, asking me if I want to run a Scheduled “My Documents backup” that was missed. If I answer YES, Ghost tries to create the “My Documents” backup, and always fails with “Cannot create the file backup for job: My Documents Backup. Snapshot error %1. Error e7b running job: My Documents Backup.”

 

Also, every time I start Norton Ghost, I get “At Risk” as a backup status, and Ghost says under “status details” that “No recovery points exist for “[Empty} (F:\)”. This is bizarre, because I have no drive by that name on my computer. The only F drive on my PC is the abovementioned Western Digital Passport drive, one of whose partitions is actually named “Lenovo Backups (F:)” So where is Ghost getting the idea that my F drive is named “[Empty} (F:\)”???

 

Overall, I'd have to advise anyone using XP, NOT to purchase Ghost 15.

Thanks for the thoughtful suggestions. it's encouraging to hear that the program is very reliable under XP for other users, but not so encouraging when it doesn't work as expected on MY XP system.

 

When I first acquired Ghost 15, i only installed it on my XP computer. I always wanted both kinds of backups....one, that preserved the entire HD including programs, and another, that just preserved my documents.  The intent would be to run the documents backup routinely, via schedule, but only run the Drive backup occasionally, manually,  for example after installing a new program.  I even asked a Norton support tech if it could do both backups, and he said it was perfectly possible.

 

Howewver, I have never able to get it to perform both kinds of backups on my XP machine.  If I do a Drive C backup, it refuses to do a files/folders backup. 

 

So initially, I accepted the fact that the program would not work as expected. But a couple of months later, I installed it on my Lenovo Win 7 laptop, and as described earlier, the installer created Both kinds of backups with no problems.  This was a pleasant surprise, so I fully uninstalled Norton Ghost from the Dell laptop, specifying that it NOT keep any of the old Ghost settings, and tried a complete reinstallation. But when I re-ran the Ghost installer again, but got the errors described in my original post.

 

As mentioned at the end of my orignal post, upon reinstalling, despite having chosen NOT to keep any old Ghost settings, the new Ghost  appears to be  'remembering' that one of my backup drive partitions used to be named "[Empty] (F:\)" - despite the fact that my F: partition does not have that name anymore.  I'm thinking this might be part of what is triggering the "Snapshot error" message and causing the documents backup to fail.   However, there's no clue to how to make Ghost stop remembering that old drive name.  How do I resolve THAT problem? 

 

If it installs under Windows 7, and flawlessly creates BOTH kinds of backups by default just like I expected it to,  why can't it do the same under Windows XP?  I didn't ask for all these hassles when I bought Ghost 15; they came with the product.  So, from my perspective, the program has some issues, and if you run into trouble, its error messages can be anything but user-friendly. 

JustSomeGuy,

 

Can you post a screenshot of your Disk Management? Both computers. Just curious about your setup.

 

http://community.norton.com/t5/Forum-Feedback/Forum-Tip-How-to-post-screenshots-in-the-forum/td-p/254415

Here's Disk Management when the backup Passport drive is attached to the Dell.

I'll have to post the Lenovo's disk management separately - I don't have it on hand at this moment.

However, this shows the same values for the Passport partitions, regardless of which computer it's attached to.

Ghost works fine on XP, I use it every day.

But like any program it depends on Windows working correctly and it looks like your system has a problem with volume shadow copy, you can see that from the error when you initially installed Ghost.

Most likely it is a corrupted COM+ catalog.

 

Open Control Panel > Administative Tools > Component Services.

 

Expand the entries on the lft to match this:

 

components.JPG

 

I assume you will be missing either Symantec SymSnap and\or Microsoft shadow copy?

Do you also get windows errors whle clicking some of the objects?

 

Dave

Thanks, Dave;

 

MS SOftware Shadow Copy Provider is present.

Opening all six items produced no windows error messages.

 

But, You're right; there's no Symantec SymSnap. 

 

However, in Computer Management\Services, SymSnapService is "started" and "automatic".

 

What now?

 

 

Thats strange, I seen this on 2 systems and I remember everything giving errors while clicking around in there.

 

Maybe Volume Shadow Copy is working for you, although the symtoms you gave sure seems like it isn't.

Please try this,

Run the microsoft backup tool located under Programs >accessories > system tools

Pick the option "let me choose what to backup" then select a small folder with a handful of files to backup and make a temp folder for the destination, You can delete it later.

 

When you run the backup the progress box will appear and it says on it "preparing to backup using shadow copy"

When the backup is done, click the "Report Button".

 

If shadow copy is working the top part looks like this:

Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: File
Media name: "Backup.bkf created 2/27/2013 at 7:52 PM"

Backup (via shadow copy) of "C: WIN_XP"

 

If volume shadow copy is not working that last line will tell you.

 

If Volume shadow copy is not working then the Symantec SymSnap provider will also not be able to work.

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

I followed your instructions: the backup was created but there's no Shadow Copy line in the report:

 

Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: File
Media name: "Windows Tools created this Backup.bkf created 3/1/2013 at 8:08 PM"

 

I checked Services and saw that Shadow Copy was NOT enabled.

It could not be enabled; then I realized I wasn't logged in with Admin privileges so I changed my privileges to be an admin and tried again, and was able to start the service. Then I ran the backup again and got this:

 

Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: File
Media name: "Windows Tools created this Backup.bkf created 3/1/2013 at 8:33 PM"


Error returned while creating the volume shadow copy:80042301
Reverting to non-shadow copy backup mode.
Backup of "C: OS"
Backup set #2 on media #1
Backup description: "Set created 3/1/2013 at 8:33 PM"
Media name: "Windows Tools created this Backup.bkf created 3/1/2013 at 8:24 PM"

Backup Type: Normal

Backup started on 3/1/2013 at 8:34 PM.
Backup completed on 3/1/2013 at 8:34 PM.
Directories: 5
Files: 14
Bytes: 1,925,249
Time:  2 seconds

 

...now what?  Thanks a bunch for helping me diagnose this!!!

 

Kind Regards,

JustSomeGuy

If you choose to do this you must first boot to the recovery disk and make an image of your windows partition.

The one you made before was made without volume shadow copy and I'm not sure how much it can be trusted, making another image from the recovery disk will be more dependable.

 

Here is the article from MS about how to rebuild the COM+ catalog, but it's not quite complete and will not work without taking a couple extra steps.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315296

 

You will need to change your view settings to "show all files" and "unhide system files and folders".

 

Uninstall Ghost 15 from the control panel

 

Open the file Sysoc.inf in notepad.

Find this line and remove the word "hide".

com=comsetup.dll,OcEntry,comnt5.inf, hide, 7

Just remove the word hide and leave the 2 commas in a row and resave the file.

That will allow COM+ to appear in the "windows components" section of add and remove programs.

 

Stop the COM+ Event System service and set the Startup type to Manual or Disabled

Rename the %WinDir%\System32\Clbcatq.dll file to %WinDir%\System32\~Clbcatq.dll. Make sure that you include the tilde (~) at the start of the file name.

 

Boot to safe mode and open regedit and delete this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\COM3

 

Navigate to C:\Windows and delete the folder "Registration" (Don't worry it has nothing to do with windows registration).

Empty the recyclebin to make sure it is gone.

 

Boot to normal windows and make sure Clbcatq.dll is still renamed and has not reappeared.

If it has, move it out of the system32 folder.

 

open a command prompt and type or paste in these 2 lines:

C:\WINDOWS> regsvr32 ole32.dll

C:\WINDOWS> regsvr32 oleaut32.dll

 

Open control panel > add and remove programs

On the left side click "add remove Windows Components"

You will now see COM+ listed, if it is not already checked then check it off.

Make no other changes, even if it was already checked just click the "next" button and you should see something being installed.

 

When it is done reboot the system and make sure the 2 COM+ services are started.

COM+ Event System should be set "automatic"

COM+ System Application can be "manual" but should be started.

 

Run the windows backup test again and make sure it's now using volume shadow copy before reinstalling Ghost.

I have done this a few times and for some reason It didn't always work the first time and I had to so it again.

I'm pretty sure it had something to due with the file "Clbcatq.dll" reappearing after the reboot from safe mode.

 

What I typed here looks a lot more complicated then it actually is.

Best of luck,

Dave

 

Note to everyone else, this is for Windows XP and Server 2003 only, this will not work for Vista, 7 or 8.

Dave,

Thanks for your fix suggestion; I ran thru your suggested routine three times...always end up with no shadow copy...the results of a backup always produce this in the Report:

 

Error returned while creating the volume shadow copy:80042301
Reverting to non-shadow copy backup mode.

 

Googling that error msg, it turns out there are a lot of posts on this message, but most are 6-7 years old, which raises other issues, such as the fact that on one site, Microsoft says to reinstall MS04-012, and when I do, Windows says it's been superseded by SP3....so I even reinstalled SP3...again, to no avail. I also ran a system troubleshooter (I forget the command name) and had it check all my installed Windows files to make sure they were all correct and 'same version' as originals....that program ran for about 45 minutes, then closed with no results or dialogs, so I don't know what if anything it found.

 

Somewhere in my online readings I found a recommendation to run "regsvr32 ole32.dll".  I did that, but did not help.

 

I've decided to give up on this effort after wasting a total of  24 full hours over a period of several weeks, in fruitless 'troubleshooting'. I'll just accept the fact that Windows has some kind of broken functionality that prevents Ghost from operating fully as expected, at least on my computer.

 

It's amazing how much time you can waste trying to make Microsoft's technologies work. The people who programmed Ghost must feel the same way.

Since I posted those instructions, I have done it sucessfully again about 5 times.

 

I remembered I had an XP image for virtualpc that had a damaged com+ catalog and this exact same problem.

I fwould fix it and then restore the "bad" image and fix it again.  What I was trying to do was figure out why the heck it never worked for me the first time.

I did mention that and it kept bothering me so I tried it again.  Five times I did it and although I was sucessful each time I still have not been able to do it the first time and I still can't figure out why.

 

I'm glad you figured out my mistake.

C:\WINDOWS> regsvr32 ole32.dll

C:\WINDOWS> regsvr32 oleaut32.dll

 

That doesn't work if you paste it in, the C:\Windows part is copied from the command prompt, the correct commands are simply

regsvr32 ole32.dll

regsvr32 oleaut32.dll

 

Using the exact same image, my best was going through the fix twice.  a couple times it took 3 times and on one attempt I could not fix it at all until I ran another fix to reset VSS.

I have no idea why doing the same thing can be so inconsistant?

 

Here is the fix,  it does not work on a corrupted com+ catalog, (it can't be run first).

But it was the only thing that fixed one attempt of mine.

 

This is a batch file, you need to copy it into notpad and save it with a .bat extention.

 

@echo off
REM
REM Batch file for Windows XP, 2003, and Vista that attempts to reset the
REM Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) installation.
REM
REM 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd
REM http://www.2BrightSparks.com/
REM
echo --- This batch file must be run as an Administrator. If you are using Windows
echo --- Vista then run it by right-clicking on the batch file and selecting
echo --- Run as administrator
%SYSTEMDRIVE%
cd %SystemRoot%\System32
echo.
echo --- Ignore any messages saying a service is not started.
echo.
Net stop vss
Net stop swprv
regsvr32 ole32.dll
regsvr32 oleaut32.dll
regsvr32 vss_ps.dll
Vssvc /Register
regsvr32 /i swprv.dll
echo --- eventcls.dll will fail to register on Windows Vista.
regsvr32 /i eventcls.dll
echo --- es.dll will fail to register on Windows Vista.
regsvr32 es.dll
regsvr32 stdprov.dll
echo.
echo --- vssui.dll only exists on Windows 2003. Ignore the error if not using Windows 2003.
regsvr32 vssui.dll
regsvr32 msxml.dll
regsvr32 msxml3.dll
echo.
echo --- msxml4.dll may not be installed and is optional. Ignore the error.
regsvr32 msxml4.dll
echo.
echo ------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo.
echo IMPORTANT: Reboot your computer. After the reboot, open a command prompt
echo and run the following:
echo.
echo vssadmin list writers
echo.
echo Ensure that all your writers are displayed without errors.
echo.
pause

 

Note that you will get 1 or 2 errors when using that on XP, thats normal.

 

Once I can open a command prompt and type:

vssadmin list providers

and I get a reply about Microsoft volume shadow service, I know at that point that if I run the msbackup it's going to work.

 

I agree that it sucks having to spend time getting windows to work sometimes.

But in this case I'm pretty sure that something else "broke" vss.  In my case I'm pretty sure it was the uninstallation of a competitors program that did it.

On another system I'm pretty sure it was the conversion of a couple partitions from FAT32 to NTFS that broke it.

 

I'm sorry it dodn't work for you but try running that batch file for the heck of it.

Dave

I am having a very similar problem with a Dell Inspiron 9400 which is similar to the E6500. My DCOM is also corrupt and has so far resisted all attempts to fix it.

The CLSID that the DCOM error is pointing to is in McAffee antivirus. You don't happen to be running McAffee on yours ???

Well, I followed the routine several times very carefully (as mentioned earlier) but never did get Shadow Copy working on my PC.  I'm going to try the batch file next.  If that doesn't work  I'm wondering if it's worth doing a drive c: back up, reformat, reinstall XP from scratch, reinstall all programs (Ghost first) and see if that fixes anything.  There goes another weekend......

 

In the middle of all this, I learned that Ghost is being discontinued and that I may have to purchase it yet again, in the form of Norton SSR. 

 

And, I also need to decide whether to upgrade my Dell Latitute to System 7, rather than continue with XP...assuming a Dell Latitude E6500 can run decently on System 7.  Decisions, decisions!

 

Another (possibly more satisfying) approach might be to just take the laptop to the range, and use it for target practice......;-)


JustSomeGuy wrote:

If that doesn't work  I'm wondering if it's worth doing a drive c: back up, reformat, reinstall XP from scratch, reinstall all programs (Ghost first) and see if that fixes anything.  There goes another weekend......

 

In the middle of all this, I learned that Ghost is being discontinued and that I may have to purchase it yet again, in the form of Norton SSR. 

 


I would definitely backup, reformat and re-install from scratch because all this fiddling about is a waste of time if at the end of the day it still won't work.


Don't rush into buying SSR 2013 just yet unless you are going for Windows 8 because G15 will still be supported on this forum and it will work on not only XP, but Vista and Win7.

I still run Ghost 12 on XP, Vista and Win 7 without any problems but for my Win 8 system I have to run SSR 2013.

 

Deric

Well, I ran Dave's Batch file.

Then, I ran "vssadmin list writers'.

 

It retured,

"error: 0x0000ffff'

 

that does it.  I agree; I think I'll wipe this PC clean and start over.

 

Thanks for the encouragement and advice re: SSR.

When you do clean the drive and format it you will finish up with no "complicated" partitions.

As BrianK tells me the MBR (or what ever you call it) is automatically included (boot instructions) when you install windows on a clean drive. You can install the O/S into unallocated space and let setup format the volume to NTFS again and I would more or less guarantee success.

All my drives are processed in that way so as to avoid any unforeseen problems, you can then fully commit to Ghost to backup your system. 

Deric