Resources

Norton Ghost 14 will not open .GHO files

Norton Ghost GHO Files

Click here to run an instant scan for GHO file related problems!

GHO files are backup image files used by Norton Ghost. The Norton Ghost program creates a snapshot, or image, of the hard drive and its contents. You can later use the .gho file to recover the entire hard drive or individual files. There are some limitations with GHO files including maximum file sizes of 2 GB. For drives larger than 2 GB, a series of GHO files will be created with a file naming system of either Filename.gho, Filename001.ghs, Filename002.ghs or Filename.gho, Filename.001, Filename.002 depending on the version of Ghost used. In addition to file size limitations, GHO files can also be encrypted for security reasons.   

However, it’s unlikely that encryption is the issue. In fact, the reason why Ghost 14 will not open your GHO file is because this version of Ghost does not support .gho files! It sounds crazy that Norton Ghost will not open .gho files which are “ghost” files, doesn’t it? It’s true though. The .gho format is no longer supported by Norton Ghost 12.0 and above. This older format was used by Norton Ghost 2003 and earlier versions of the software. Newer versions of Ghost as well as Norton’s Save and Restore 2.0 product use a new format, .v2i files, for creating backup images.

Restoring GHO Files

Don’t worry, you’re not completely out of luck. Even though you have Ghost 14.0, you can still restore your .gho files by downloading a product called Ghost Explorer from the Symantec website. Simply download Ghost Explorer, save it to your desktop and then launch it by double-clicking the GHO_Explorer.exe file. You may be prompted with a warning. If so, click Run.

Once the program is installed, go to the menu bar and click on File followed by Open. Now, browse to your .gho file, highlight it and click on Open. You’ll see the contents of the .gho file displayed in the Ghost Explorer’s main pane. Highlight the files that you want to recover and then go back to the File menu and click on Extract. You’ll be prompted to select a location to restore the files. Select the location and then click on Extract.

Is there a free download of a program to open a .GHO file extension back up that I have on disk of a 6 year old now-defunct hard drive?

How To Open a .GHO file

The file extension .gho belongs to files that are made by Norton Ghost. Ghost is a software program that protects your computer by creating back up disk images of your entire computer, or individual partitions that you can use to restore your computer in the future. Its file and folder backup system also lets users choose specific data to back up, rather than entire drives, so you have more control over the backed up information.

Check your computer for Norton Ghost

Since you have the file on the computer, it makes sense that you already have the program as well. You would have needed to have the program in order to create the file, so you should be able to find the program somewhere on the system. If there have been changes made to the computer and the file is no longer listed, you can try using System Restore to set the computer back to a pervious time when the program was active on the system. This method would try to set the computer back to a time when the program was active, but if other information has been written over the deleted folders, than this isn’t likely to help.

The latest version of Norton Ghost

You will need the Norton software program to open your .gho file, and unfortunately there isn’t a free version. So, you will have to either buy a copy or borrow one from a friend to get access to the file. If you intend to keep using the file, you are probably best buying a version of Norton Ghost. The latest version of Ghost 14.0 retails for $69.99 and you can buy it and download it online at http://www.symantec.com/norton/ghost

Exporting the .gho file

I’m not sure what you mean by defunct, does this mean that your computer is operational but old and on its way out, or does it mean that it is unbootable? If you are not able to find the program on your computer, you could try to save the file to a disk and then open it in another computer that has Ghost installed.

Windows Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

If you are trying to open the .gho file in order to review your settings and set up a new computer, there are other programs that you can use. For example, and assuming that the old system will turn on, you can use the Windows Transfer utility. Open the tool through the Start Menu. Open All Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools, and then choose Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. This utility will guide you through the process of moving your existing information from the old unit to a new one.