Booting problems

[Hemanth_1]

Hi,

I am using a COMPAQ ML350 G2 server loaded with WINDOWS NT4.0 Server,
with compaq smart 532 array controller installed on RAID level 5
I had a third party software CD (NERO-CD writing s/w) on the CD-ROM,
All of a sudden my server got hanged and i reset the server by switching off the power
and turning it on again, after that my server started giving a error message which is as follows
"Attempting to boot from C: drive"...
Please try to resolve my problem since i have so much of data.

My e-mail ID: hemee2001@yahoo.com

thank you.
regards

[Prashant (I am Back)]

Hi,

1) Have you tried to install Nero Image drive also or only the CD Writing software on same.

2) Second try to clear the NV RAM using the system configuration switch the process is you need to remove power from server. Make it on then power on server. Wait for a while then make it off then power on the server.

3) Use the smartstart cd check for the status of the array.
OR Use Win 2K bootable cd then provide controller driver then check for status of the HDD.

Check from any of the following options.

Regards,
Prashant S.

[Brian_Murdoch]

Hello,

This could be a corrupt Master Boot Record (MBR) on the NT4 disk. On older Proliants, with the F10 partition, the cursor would sit flashing at the top left of a blank screen when the MBR was corrupt (Only with NT4).

On new generation servers, G2, G3) with a Rom Based Setup Utility (RBSU) the system goes round in a loop reporting "Attempting to boot from C: drive" as in this case.
Microsoft fixed this issue in the Windows 2000 boot code.

You can build a fault tolerant bootable floppy disk to bypass the MBR on the hard disk and get the system up and running from floppy if this is indeed the problem.

Get to another NT4 system (With same Service Pack Rev) or a Windows 2000 system (laptop, desktop etc.) and insert a floppy disk. Format the floppy with FAT and copy NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM and BOOT.INI to this floppy. (You might have to change the folder views to see these top-level files).

Edit the boot.ini file on the floppy and make sure the "default=" and other values match the location of your NT4 installation. By default on an ML350G2 (with no F10 partition) it will be partition(1)\WINNT
If you are running Small Business Server, this will be \WINNT.SBS -so beware.

Once the BOOT.INI entries are correct for the faulty system, take the floppy disk to the ML350G2 and boot from it. It everything comes up OK then you know it's simply a MBR problem. This can be resolved permanently with a Microsoft utility called BCUPDATE.EXE.

It's not on their support site any longer but it is available for download from the following link (near the bottom).

http://www.autourdupc.com/Logiciel/NT4/DrvToolsNT.htm


I have e-mailed further details to the problem originator to help clarify the issue.

I hope this helps,

Brian

[conor roantree]

Hello, power up the Server, afterthe array controller iniatialises press the f9 key. Look in here for the boot controller orderand make sure your array controller is first in the list.

[Brian_Murdoch]

Hi,

It was fixed with the bootable floppy disk.
The user contacted me by e-mail to inform me that it was MBR corruption as in my earlier reply.

I have asked him to update the forum but he hasn't done so yet.

Regards,

Brian