Problem with Norton Ghost 9.0 Patch

[francais]

Need some help on this one. I recently installed the Norton Ghost 9.0 patch that Norton provided via LiveUpdate. On one of my systems (WinXPHome SP2), the PQV2iSvc.exe that controls Ghost backups just keeps running after successful completion of a drive backup. The service eats up about 75percent of 1GB RAM with peak memory usage running a 25,000K+ at 7 threads.All attempts to stop the service via Task Manager are fruitless, the service just won't stop.Also tried stopping it with WinPatrol and Endit All resulting in a big no go...the stubborn POS just won't let itself be stopped without rebooting the system, a genuine pain in the neck!Didn't have this problem before applying the patch. Unfortunately the patch is not uninstallable and the option of returning to Ghost 9.0 unpatched by reinstalling it results in forever getting the update notification in LiveUpdate.Went to Symantec Tech Support on this issue (a feat in itself to get any feedback) and as expected the proposed solutions bordered on the non-sensical providing me with alternatives to disable all other running software and startup programs while not omitting the obvious to clean one's temp files and search for viruses and malware...gee seems that Symantec techies believe that all of us just crawled out of a cave and jumped on the internet!Oh yes, I also checked the Symantec FAQ, suspecting that someone else also encountered this problem. Wisdom there is that the service will keep running when one checks the option to verify the disk image after a backup. Yes, you guessed it, I have that option disabled!Anyway, would greatly appreciate any assistance from anyone who has constructive insight in the mysterious malfunctions of Norton Ghost 9.0 or from anyone who is suffering from similar problems.Thanks in advance!

[henderrob]

Unfortunately I, too, have the same problem. My only solution is a restart after the imaging is complete. I've tried just logging off, but only a restart of WinXP Home turns off that pesky resource sinkhole. I check periodically with Symantec for a solution and figure that it will come out as an update in the future. Oh, well...

[francais]

Henderrob thanks for your input! I actually thought I was alone out there facing this Ghost problem!Here's what Symantec Tech Support told me:"Thank you for contacting Symantec Online Technical Support. From your message, I understand that after performing the backup job, Norton Ghost Service, Pqv2iSvc.exe, appears to be using more CPU resources and the product does not respond. Patrice, please note that this issue is not common. However, this issue can occur, if the some of the background applications or processes try to interfere with the Norton Ghost background process. As a work around, I suggest that you disable unnecessary applications and processes from loading on Windows Startup. I also suggest that you delete the Windows temporary files and check the hard drive for errors. After this, check if the issue persists when the next backup job initiates on your system.However, if the issue persists, then as a work around, when the next schedule backup job occurs, after the completion of the backup job, I suggest that you restart your computer to bring the System to stable condition."Note the second paragraph: "...this issue is not common." and the proposed work around...sure, rebooting usually does the trick!What's strange though is that I didn't have this problem before the update patch. So I chose another work around. I simply uninstalled the patched Ghost and reinstalled without the patch, which by the way must be a "mystery" patch since I can't find any explanation of what the patch is supposed to do.There is of course a third work around...simply to dump Ghost 9 and go with another product.Anyway thanks for letting me know that I am not alone!Take good care!

[volunteer]

As a work around, I suggest that you disable unnecessary applications and processes from loading on Windows Startup. I also suggest that you delete the Windows temporary files and check the hard drive for errors. After this, check if the issue persists when the next backup job initiates on your system.

Sorry to hear about your problem after updating. The first thing I did after installing Ghost 9 was to not let update access the net. So far no problems doing two backups.Don't you love spending good money and have Tech support tell you something like that.

[henderrob]

I installed and updated even before backing up. So it's never worked properly for me. But it stills does the imaging I want and I suffer the reboots.Unfortunately. I found Bootit NG to difficult to master. I know that others recommend it highly (eg. Fred Langa Newsletters)

[francais]

volunteer and Henderrob thanks for input!Volunteer, I really am quite disappointed with Symantec's proposed tech solutions for a paid up product. But the way their tech site works, I'll resubmit my problem in a few weeks or so...maybe I'll land on an "authorized" Symantec techrep who has a better ideas. Unfortunately I have to use LiveUpdate because I also have NIS2005 installed and it's the only way to receive updates for those products.I've given some thought at dumping Ghost but it is a pretty good backup tool, works fast and has thus far been reliable in restoration when I needed it. I've tried alternatives before, Acronis for instance and didn't like it because made a pretty big mess of my systems and absolutely refused to recognize the USB external HD I use to backup my stuff.Unfortunately like Henderrob I'm all thumbs when using BootIt NG, although with all the other stuff it does besides backups it seems a real deal...eh, eh...free!Actually I wish someone would beef up Simple Backup (Veritas/Sonic) so that it could access USB storage devices.Oh well, so goes it.Would appreciate your keeping me posted if you by chance discover anything new on this problem.Again, thanks for time and concern.Take good care! Agr

[muckshifter]

Hmmm, interesting.I don't have an answer for you as I don't use Ghost; however I do use PowerQuest Drive Image 7.03 ... as we are aware now owned by Symantec.It also uses the service Pqv2iSvc.exe and I was intrigued to find it "running" on my system. When things work you really don’t check. After doing an quick back-up (well as quick as it can be LoL) found it causes no problems. I was also able to "end task" in Task Manager without incurring any problems.So I went to “Services†and could only find V2iProtector which was “running†and was set to Automatic, I set it to “manual†and was pleased to see Pqv2iSvc.exe no longer in Task Manager. I don’t often mess around in Task Manager unless I have or suspect a problem.I had no problem in running another back-up, and really wasn’t expecting any problem. Pqv2iSvc.exe duly behaved itself.The only other Symantec product I use is Norton 2004 AV, another story but eventually "fixed" it myself.Sorry this is not much help but may help other readers.Mucks

[francais]

Hi Muckshifter, thanks for the input. You have it right, Symantec bought PowerQuest Drive Image and refielded with Symantec styled mods as Ghost 9.0 hince the .v2i image file tags and the Pqv2iSvc.exe from Drive Image now called Norton Ghost Agent!Anyway, I never had a problem with it until I updated the original program with the patch Symantec sent out via LiveUpdate. I'll certainly try switching the service to manual, perhaps that will help.Meantime I did find a partial solution that beats rebooting the system after a backup.As I mentionned in my initial post, Pqv2iSvc.exe just keeps consuming enormous amounts of system resources even after the backup is completed and the process is unstoppable via Task Manager or any other process stopper/killer I have, including WinPatrol, Wintask5Pro, and EndIt All. Killing the process just blanks it out for a few seonds and it just pops up again and keeps consuming resources like there is no tomorrow! Anyway I happened upon a really great process explorer tool from Sysinternals freeware. Process Explorer provides you with all sorts of super info on all running processes and even lets you Google any process directly from the prog. The prog is actually a Task Manager on steriods and it works great.Besides giving you the option to kill or killtree a process it also provides the option to suspend a process.Well, I tried killing Pqv2iSvc.exe with Process Explorer and as I expected it wouldn't die, it just kept resurrecting itself - jesus! So I opted to suspend it and lo and behold it actually obyed and stopped running. No need to reboot.For Henderrob or anyone else who might be encountering the problem with Ghost 9 as well as for anyone who might be looking for the cadillac of process manager here's the link to Sysinternals: Process ExplorerDownload link is at the bottom of the page - app is freeware and nasties free too - well worth a try if you're interested in all the gory details of your running processes!Again, thanks all for your input.Happy computing!

Edited February 3, 2005 by francais

[francais]

Thanks for your suggestion to change the Pqv2iSvc.exe service from automatic to manual. That seems to have done the trick; at least it doesn't continue running forever and eating up resouces like there is no tomorrow after completing a backup.There is a small inconvience with it on manual with Norton Ghost 9 in that I have to start Ghost up twice before it runs correctly but that's much better than having to reboot after each backup.Thanks a lot!Take good care.

[greengeek]

Some interesting stuff there at Sysinternals, thankyou for the link.

[francais]

Some interesting stuff there at Sysinternals, thankyou for the link.

No problem, my pleasure.There sure is a lot of neat stuff there. I especially like the Process Explorer works like a charm on my systems and provides me with more info than any other comparable app I've used before.Having some hiccups though running TCP View on my WinXP system, but tinkering with it should do the trick.

[henderrob]

I have just run Ghost 9 from within NortonSystemworks using the 'back up drives'. It created a one time image and when it finished the use of resources returned to 0% without Pqv2iSvc.exe showing in task manager. I will probably just do this manually whenever I can. This is the first time I ran it from Systemworks and not from running the Ghost application without setting a schedule.

[francais]

I have just run Ghost 9 from within NortonSystemworks using the 'back up drives'. It created a one time image and when it finished the use of resources returned to 0% without Pqv2iSvc.exe showing in task manager.  I will probably just do this manually whenever I can.  This is the first time I ran it from Systemworks and not from running the Ghost application without setting a schedule.

Wow! That's really great news. Just checked my NSW to see if the new Ghost 9 was even in there and sure enough it is. You see I still have NSW2004 so I purchased Ghost 9 as a separate package/installation. I didn't have any idea it would integrate with the older version of NSW.I'll give it a try your way later this evening (I'm in Europe GMT+1) to see if it works for me also.Can you tell me if you have the Ghost 9 tray icon running or not and do to what do you have the start type for Pqv2iSVC (Norton Ghost Agent) set in the Services, manual or automatic?Thanks for the super info, I'll keep you posted on results.T'll then

[francais]

Hi again Rob, thanks again for the tip on running Ghost 9, it works very well on my main PC. Tried it on my laptop but ran into some significant problems related to some of the IDS software I had installed on it. Trying to untaggle that mess as I write this, doesn't look too good at this point but working on it; one of the hazards of running multiple IDS software on a system!Just checked out your website, really neat, very nice work! And your weblog is very inspiring also; will definetly revisit, thanks!Take best of care!

[henderrob]

Thanks for your feedback! No Ghost icon in the systray.

[JerryM]

I had considered using Ghost to back up my computer to an USB external hard drive. Now I am not so sure I want to tackle it. What a bummer.Jerry

Edited February 7, 2005 by JerryM

[henderrob]

I've read of problems with Ghost restoring for USB drives so I back up to my second harddrive and divid the images into 4.2 GB images and copy them to DVD+RW. As with any backup system, I hope I never have to use it.

[francais]

I had considered using Ghost to back up my computer to an USB external hard drive. Now I am not so sure I want to tackle it. What a bummer.Jerry

Hi JerryMTo clear things up about Ghost 9.I certainly did not intend to sway any prospective users/buyers away from Ghost 9.I only posted an issue I was having with the program. Symantec told me that the issuewas NOT a common one and so it seems. As a matter of fact, with henderrob's kind help, I have found a suitable workaround by simply running Ghost from within Norton System Works.As a long time Ghost user I wholeheartedly recommend Ghost, particularly Ghost 9 as a backup tool. Keeping in mind that Ghost 9 is essentially a Symantec work over of former Power Quest's Drive Image, in its own rights and awesome backup program, which Symantec bought in December 2003. The features I like most about G9 are its speed and its reliability in backing up and in restoring. Its backup options are quite impressive also. Its Backup Image Browser works very reliably and quickly, at least for me, allowing one to view and/or to restore any backed up folder or file at will. Understanding also that G9 is a program intended to perform full backups of an entire drive and not of selective folders or files within a drive, I personally find G9 a reliable product that fits my needs to a tee.As a backup freak who has disabled WinXP's System Restore because it is essential not very useful to me, I frequently use G9 on both my home/office systems to backup to an external USB HD and have never encountered any problem whatsoever with G9 not recognizing my external HDs. Unfortunately I can't say that about the major competitor product, Acronis True Image.Certainly, G9 has its drawbacks also. The requirement to have MS .NET installed to run G9 is one, although it appears that MS .NET will soon become a must for a lot of apps as Mr. Bill Gates is seemingly very serious about OS interoperability as he well should be. Another drawback of G9 is use the installation/recovery CD to restore a drive from a .v2i image stored on an external drive. These are, at least to me, minor inconveniences. Another annoyance is the inability to disable the tray icon without tinkering with Msconfig or a similar startup blocker app. I find this odd because even NIS has the option of disabling its tray icon...Anyway, I highly recommend G9 to anyone who wants a fast and reliable drive backup program. Having tried quite a few others, I still prefer G9 with its minor inconveniences.For anyone contemplating G9 I would suggest trying it first. Unfortunately Symantec doesn't offer trial downloads, so perhaps a friend or acquaintance who already has it might be helpful. If you decide to buy the product, I recommend the boxed version as opposed to the download version, which requires you to burn the downloaded .iso file to a CD/DVD.Should you have any more questions regarding G9 please feel free to post or PM me.Best of care!

[JerryM]

francais,Thank you for a very informative post.I have been considering backing up my new computer periodically. I never had any trouble with my old machine that I bought in 1999. But as I have looked into what I would need as an external hard drive, and read the problems folks seem to have with any of the BU programs, I am about to decide that my level of competence is not up to the problems that I might encounter. I dread to think that I would have to reformat my machine. I am still comtemplating the issue.Jerry

[Ed_P]

JerryM, I backup my hd using Drive Image to a 2ndary removable hd. It's a very straight forward process for me. And I have restored my hd on occasion and it's straight forward also. I boot from a Drive Image Rescue floppy, 2 actually, and run the Restore function.Unfortunately Drive Image was owned by PowerQuest which was bought by Symantec and was merged into Ghost.Though I have not used Ghost I don't like hearing that it requires booting from the Recovery CD to do a restore but if it's as simple as the Drive Image floppy process it should be straight forward also. However, not all new pcs come with XP CDs. Some come with CDs that only restore the hd to it's factory state so if you choose this approach make sure you have a bootable XP CD.When it's time to upgrade I will try BootIt NG before looking at Ghost.

[francais]

Hi again JerryM, EdP,Again, to clear things up a bit. First, EdP, I did not mean that you had to use the XP CD to restore from a Ghost image. One only needs to bootup with the Norton Ghost installation CD.Actually the Ghost 9 backup/restore process is as far as I can see nearly identical to the one you use with Drive Image (used to own that too, long time back.) Only difference I can tell is that Symantec changed the UI and "integrated" the app with other programs, e.g. Norton System Works, if you happen to have those installed. Heck the backup .v2i are the same as most of the service modules, e.g. PQV2iSvc.exe. In reference to BootIt NG, I've tried it and although it is highly recommended by none other than Fred Langa, I personally find the app is not very "user friendly" in that the interface boggles me. Also it does a lot more than just backups, which I am leary of.To JerryM, in reference to your pending decision to buy an external HD, I would most definetly recommend one, makes backing up your system a really simple and you can also use the additional space on the external drive for other stuff if you wish. While you mention that you haven't had any problems with your old system, you are luckier than I and I've learned through much grief that a system external backup is a real time saver should your system ever decide to go bonkers on you. I personally have two external HD's, one for each of my home/office systems. They are European manufactured Trekstor USB 2.0 160GB drives that come with their own power supply and have the an on/off button allowing one to turn the drive off when it isn't needed.They come preformatted NTFS, but are fully formattable to FAT32 if you wish. I haven't had any problems whatsoever accessing them and the read/write speed differences between them and my system HD is so negligible I barely notice it. I use the drives daily and keep them running as long as my system is up. Usually 18 to 20 hours a day. I initially feared I might have heat problems with those drives but I've been running them for nearly two years now without a single heat realated problem.I use them daily to backup my entire system(s) with Norton Ghost as well as with another directory/folder/file backup application called CopyRite XP created by David Kendrick. CopyRite XP is a super little freeware program, based on MS Robocopy, that copies any directories/folders/files you wish to any where you select. There is no compression involved, just straight forward copying allowing you to access the back ups as they are. One of the great features of CopyRite XP is that it allows you to match the destination folder to the source folder and to use a restartable mode, which permits you to launch backed up programs from the backup location. Also real nifty is the feature to create batch or command files of your favorite backup routines.A real gem! I also use the external HD's to run some of my apps, including my web browser and my mail client programs. Keeping their caches on my external HD protects my system even more. Afraid I've made a short story a bit too long again, I really do recommend you're investing in an external HD. Do some comparisons on the net before you buy though and remember, if you run into any problems or need any help, check back here!Take best of care! Edited February 9, 2005 by francais

[JerryM]

francais,Thanks, and not too long at all. I am probably going to get an external HD of some kind. I like the small USB port drives that require no power of their own, but just plug into the port. They are more expensive for the space, and there may be disadvantages that I do not know about. I recall that not too long ago Best Buy had a sale on an internal HD that would be more than adequate for my needs and the price was 49 and change. I have learned that there is a box that an internal HD goes into that has all the connections and you end up with an external HD that can be plugged into the USP 2 ports. I suspect that is the way yours is set up.Office Max has an external HD that is Western Digital 120 GB USB and is on sale for 69.99 until Sat. I thought that might be a good choice, but now am not sure.Through the years I have learned not to rush in when there is no hurry, and get something that is not what I really wanted or needed. So I am feeling my way through this.Thanks for the help all.Jerry

[henderrob]

I bought a Seagate 200GB on sale and put it into a ByTecc Smart drive external case. I store all my TV programs, MP3's and pictures. The USB 2.0 standard allows for terrific TV playback. My only problem is an idiotic BIOS that makes me turn of the external drive between BIOS loading and OS loading (XP or SuSE). Minor inconvenience. If my house burns down, all I will have a grab is my external drive for all my music and memories. (Yes these are also backed on CDRs).

[volunteer]

francais, I use Karen's Replicator to back up selected directories, it works fine and is also free. CopyRite XP sounds interesting too, I'll have to check it out.I use an external USB hard drive, too. I was surprized just how fast they are, burning CD backups are easier and faster too. Wish I had done it a long time ago.

[vaughn]

What a relief to find this thread - nothing sours me like a trip through Symantec Land with a misplaced expectation of finding useful information.An update on the 'services solution': I went in to services and found the service named 'Norton Ghost' to be the offender. It was pointing to, no surprise, C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Ghost\Agent\PQV2iSvc.exe. I selected it, stopped the service, and my CPU was released from purgatory. The icon for Ghost in the taskbar then had a red X on it and via the context menu could be 'reconnected'. This restarts the service without hanging up the cpu. I suspect the service needs to be running to have scheduled backups work (the scheduler might start it, but I dobut it since the Ghost app itself doesn't). I haven't checked it out. When I tried to run Ghost without the service running I got a pointless error message then the Ghost main window opened offering a button to reconnect (and restart) the service.My experience with setting the Norton Ghost service to manual is it rarely wants to hold the CPU.I have to admit, I think backing up a running system and coming out of it with an image you can load and run on bare metal is a pretty good trick. Not to forgive Symantec, but when I consider that PQV2iSvc.exe has to run interference with pretty much any process that might be running while the backup is being produced, I can understand why some configurations of background and startup processes trip it up. Keywords: CPU Ghost PQV2iSvc.exe

[striker]

I'm still using the "old" 2002 version Of Ghost on all of my machines without any problems. Just pop in the diskette (and it works in an USB diskette drive too ! ) make the image and there you go. Restoring the image is similar, piece o' cake. Running XP SP2's over here.Are you guys running any 64bit versions? Just curious.

[b2cm]

There is of course a third work around...simply to dump Ghost 9 and go with another product.

How about trying DIXML? It is free, portable.I have Ghost 8 but I prefer cloning/restoring pre-OS, and thus avoid problems mentioned above.

[D.C. Proud]

I just had an online conversation with a Symantec technician about this problem. I asked if following the suggestion to set pvq2isvc.exe (Norton Ghost service) to manual from automatic would interfere with scheduled backups. His response: "No, it does not affect schedule backups, however you make sure the ASP .NET server service is set to automatic." On my machine, it was turned off.All of the posts were very helpful. I'll keep you posted on this issue as things develop.