GhostCast Server Fails with Error 19945 During Image Creation or Capture

Products

• Ghost Solution Suite

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to capture or create a new disk or partition image using GhostCast Server, the process consistently stalls or terminates between 5% and 20% completion with Error 19945.

While image deployment (restoration) tasks may complete successfully, capturing new images fails across both unicast and multicast session types, regardless of whether older or newly created WinPE USB boot drives are used.

Environment

GSS 3.3.13

Component: GhostCast Server (Ghost64.exe / GhostCast executable)

Preboot Environment: WinPE Automation (USB Boot Media)

 

Cause

GhostCast Server Error 19945 represents a communication timeout or session synchronization drop between the Ghost client executing in WinPE and the GhostCast Server host. During heavy inbound data streams (image creation), the client drops TCP/UDP acknowledgments (ACK), causing both endpoints to wait indefinitely on packet arrival until the connection times out.

While software firewalls, antivirus interceptors, or corrupt preboot media frequently trigger this timeout, network infrastructure instability, specifically intermediate switch port packet drops under high-throughput conditions, is a primary root cause when software configurations are validated.

 

• Confirmed Primary Cause: Degradation or buffer exhaustion in the physical network switch, causing severe packet drops during high-speed data uploads from client to server.

• Probable Secondary Causes:

  1. Firewall / Security Filtering: Windows Defender Firewall or EDR/Antivirus inspecting dynamic GhostCast communication ports (TCP/UDP 6666–7000 and 20700–20705).

  2. WinPE NIC Driver Instability: Network adapter driver drops connections during sustained send operations.

  3. Storage Access Issues: Target drive write locks or insufficient host storage permissions.

 

Resolution

Step 1: Verify GhostCast Server Host Storage Availability

1. Verify that the destination path on the GhostCast Server (e.g., C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\Test Image\) has adequate free disk space to store the uncompressed image payload.

2. Confirm that the directory is not set to Read-Only and that local security software does not block write attempts from GhostCast.exe.

Step 2: Configure Firewall & Security Exceptions

Ensure that required network ports are open on the GhostCast Server host:

1. Open the Windows Defender Firewall console:

   • Click Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.

2. On the left navigation pane, select Inbound Rules, then click New Rule... on the right panel.

3. Configure the inbound rule for the following port specifications:

   • Rule Type: Port

   • Protocol & Ports: Select TCP and specify local ports 6666-7000, 20700-20705.

   • Action: Allow the connection.

   • Profile: Select Domain, Private, and Public.

4. Repeat Step 3 for UDP protocol on the same port ranges.

5. Repeat the entire procedure under Outbound Rules.

Note: Temporarily disabling the Windows Defender Firewall service helps isolate whether security rules are blocking data flow.

Step 3: Run Diagnostic Tracing in WinPE

If communication drops persist, generate advanced trace logs from the client in WinPE:

1. Boot the target endpoint into the WinPE preboot environment via USB.

2. Open the Command Prompt inside WinPE and navigate to the Ghost directory:

   cd /d X:\ghost\
   

3. Execute ghost64.exe with diagnostic logging enabled:

   ghost64.exe -afile=X:\ghost_debug.txt
   

4. Reproduce the image creation workflow.

5. Inspect X:\ghost_debug.txt or ghosterror.txt for packet acknowledgment timeout patterns:

[TCP/IP Diagnostic] Client waiting on ACK from Server...
[GhostCast] Timeout waiting on client payload response (IP: 128.###.###.111)

Step 4: Network Hardware Isolation & Diagnostics

Review the following matrix when interpreting network session failures:

Diagnostic Finding	Root Cause	Action Step
Symmetrical timeout (Client and Server both waiting for ACK)	Physical switch packet dropping or port flapping	Replace intermediate network switch or connect via direct crossover patch cable
Multicast fails immediately; Unicast succeeds	IGMP Snooping or switch multicast filtering	Enable IGMP Snooping on switch or switch session mode to Unicast
Stalls immediately at 0%	Port blocking or folder write restriction	Verify inbound/outbound ports 6666–7000 and 20700–20705

1. Disconnect the host and target system from the production network switch.

2. Connect both machines through a known functional switch or direct ethernet connection.

3. Re-run the image creation task to verify resolution.

Step 5: Additional Troubleshooting Considerations

When diagnosing complex deployment issues, check the following system components:

1. Network Interface Settings: Ensure jumbo frames and energy-efficient ethernet (EEE) are disabled on the server NIC properties.

2. WinPE Drivers: Verify that the correct Win11 network driver (matching the WinPE kernel version) is imported into the Boot Disk Creator rather than standard desktop drivers.

3. Ghost Command Line Switches: Test image capture using standard performance switches to bypass potential driver bottlenecks. DOS command:

   ghost64.exe -noide -nongui -ffu
   

Additional Information

Error 512 / 19945 when performing a Hot Imaging task