Compaq ML350 - Can't install Windows 2000/2003

[Michael Lydon]

Have an ML350 1Ghz D04/F04 server I'm trying to install Windows 2000 or 2003 on. Both installs hang at the initial blue setup screen when drivers are finished copying and it says "Setup is starting Windows" and the floppy drive light stays lit. I've tried the following to no avail...

1. Updated 431 controller bios and server bios (sp24532) using bios upgrades on HP's site.
2. Disabled USB, LPT and serial ports in the bios
3. Detached tape drive
4. Removed 431 controller and used the Ultra3 controller
5. Reset all system settings using Smartstart 5.5
6. Swapped out memory
7. Removed floppy drive
8. Loaded NT 4.0 and tried an upgrade. Hangs at the black screen saying Please Wait.

Any clues as to what else I could try??

[sandeep_raman]

Hello Michael,

Clear Nvram and see if it helps,incase you have'nt tried yet.

1.RBSU -> Advanced Option -> Erase NvRam

OR

2a.Power down server and set System Configuration Switch 6 to ON position.
2b.Power On the server,configuration is erased.
2c.Power down the server and change the switch position to OFF.

SRH

[Michael Lydon]

Thanks for the reply but it didn't work...still hangs at "Setup is starting Windows". Any other ideas?

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

you could try the System Erase Utility:
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/17918.html

This creates a bootable floppy which totally wipes the system (clears NVRAM, wipes disks). I've seen it be more effective than just using the switch to clear the NVRAM.
Then configure your array and boot from the Windows 2003 CD. Have you any other PCI cards or extra memory installed. Try the bare minimum of RAM and no extra PCI cards (only Server feature board and SA-431) and see if that helps.

Regards,
Stephen

[Michael Lydon]

Yeah, ran that from the 5.5 Smartstart CD...no go. As far as memory/pci boards...I've taken out all memory except for one stick...then swapped that stick with another when it didn't work. No PCI boards are in the server and I've even tried taking out the 431...still no go. I'm about to just give up and use a PC.

[sandeep_raman]

Hello Michael,

Wondering if its a hardware failure,call HP support and get a engineer to replace part,perhaps the system board.

BTW,if you could share the reason to re-deploy the server?

SRH

[Oleg Koroz]

I'm wondering if feature board is not faulty

try to get spare from eBay they run around $15 than only try SYS BRD they run around $20-40.

HP won't send onsite, as it Out of Warranty probably; otherwise no one will spend that much time at ITRC

I guess you done with reseat for Board and tried direct deploy OS on the single Hard Drive