I've been WRITING a batch file on my windows 2000 machine and it worked fine (obviously because of NEWER version of cmd.exe). However, when I threw it on a bootdisk and booted on another system and runthe batch file once I get to the prompt it gives me a variety of errors. As a result I'm left with two questions, 1) Is there anyway to make a bootable cd/floppy with the win2k version of dos (cmd.exe) on it? and/or 2) How can the following code be modified to work with elder versions of DOS:
Code: [Select]
:imageshow
if "%image%"=="" (
echo .
echo /====================================================================
echo ! You have not selected an image yet! Please select an image.
echo \====================================================================
echo .
pause
goto start
)

) else (
echo .
echo /====================================================================
echo ! You have selected the following image:
echo ! %image%
echo \====================================================================
echo .
pause
goto start
http://www.easydesksoftware.com/recovery.htm#NeededWindows 2000 does not have a true MS-DOS command processor, CMD.EXE is not the same as MS-DOS command. There is no way to fit CMD.EXE and enough stuff to actually make it go on a floppy. Is here any way to modify the code to work in DOS?
For example, I have:

Code: [Select]
:ghost
cls
echo .
echo /====================================================================
echo ! Norton Ghost Menu
echo \====================================================================
echo ! 1. Run Ghost Imager
echo ! 2. Verify Current Image
echo ! 3. Verify SID
echo ! 4. Exit to Main
echo \====================================================================
echo .
choice Your choice /c:1234
if errorlevel 4 goto start
if errorlevel 3 goto verifysid
if errorlevel 2 goto imageshow
if errorlevel 1 goto runghost


I want to verify the SID they enter at promt as %1 (c:\ghoster.bat 00-00000-00000)

Code: [Select]
:verifysid
if "%SID%"=="" (
echo .
echo /====================================================================
echo ! You did not set the new SID for the computer being imaged.
echo ! Please re-run this script with the following syntax:
echo ! Usage: menu.bat [COMPUTERSID]
echo ! Desktop Example: menu.bat 04-D0003-0450X
echo ! Laptop Example: menu.bat 04-L0003-0450
echo \====================================================================
echo .
pause
goto start
)

) else (
echo .
echo /====================================================================
echo ! You have set the new computer sid to the following:
echo ! %SID%
echo \====================================================================
echo .
pause
goto ghost


This will not work in DOS, I cannot figure out how to parse/space it correctly.

Also another problem that I cant seem to quite grasp the concept of, when running the ghoster. The following works in Win2k of course, but how to get it working in dos?

Code: [Select]
:runghost
if "%image%"==""(
echo You have not selected an image yet, please do so from the menu.
goto image
)

) else (
p:
ghost /fni -clone,mode=load,src=%image%,dst=1 -sure
ghstwalk /cn=%SID% /SURE


Here's what I tried in dos:
Code: [Select]
if exist %image% goto runghostpass
if not exist %image% goto runghostfail
:runghostpass
ghost /fni -clone,mode=load,src=%image%,dst=1 -sure
:runghostfail
echo image does not exist, pls select a valid image
goto image


Any help is greatly appreciate, thanks in advance!
Wow, I just read over that and I even confused myself haha. Sorry

Ok, here's a clear question:

a) How do I test to see if %1 is NULL (not typed in by user after running c:\ghoster.bat). I am using IF X%1==X goto Failure, this works but seems to be buggy a bit? BETTER solution?

b) More importantly, how do i test %1 to verify that SOMETHING, anything, has been entered

Thanks againThat CONSTRUCT has worked for years for me in all versions of MS-DOS and Windows from MS-DOS 3.1. This construct should work 100% of the time, I'm not aware of anything that will cause it to fail.

IF X%1 == X GOTO NOTHING
... process parameter...
GOTO END
:NOTHING
... missing parameter error ...
:END

Thanks john, it's working GREAT. However for some extra error checking I am still wondering if there is a way to test if he user has inputted something for %1.I guess I don't understand. If the comparison succeeds, there is nothing in the %1 parameter, if it fails, he entered something.

Are you trying to validate what he's entered? If so, that's a totally different problem, all this IF does is tell you that there was a parameter following the batch file name.
Yes, I wasn't wording my question correctly. I was able to apply your solution to my problem and I have it all working now. Thanks!