Error when Windows 2000 tries to boot. Help!!

[Norbert Jillich]

I purchased a Proliant 800. I bought it to play around with and to learn about raid controllers. I am a novice at this so bare with me. It was running windows 2000 server. I was using the smartstart software that came with it and made some changes. I configured it back to raid 5 I believe. Now when I try to reinstall windows 2000 it seems to work ok, except when it tries to boot from the hard drives I get this error. [A disk read error occurred.] Press control+alt+del to restart. No other floppies or cd's are in the computer. All drive have been formatted for ntfs format.

[Sritharan]

Hi,

What raid controller are you using ??
After configured the Raid 5,did you initialize the logical drive or the disks?

Thanks & Regards
Sri

[Norbert Jillich]

I am using a Compaq Smart-2/P array controller. No I didn't initialize the drives. Not sure how to do it or at what time during the load procedure.
Do I initialize the drives using SmartStart or is there another way?

I really appreciate your help. I have so much to learn.

[Danny_43]

You configured to RAID 5? How many disk drives do you have? Doesn't 5 require at least 3 to keep track of where the data is located?

[Danny_43]

You configured to RAID 5? How many disk drives do you have? Doesn't 5 require at least 3 to keep track of where the data is located?

[Martin Breidenbach]

I don't know what causes this problem.

Since you are reinstalling anyway this is what I would do:

1. download and install latest ROMPaq for Proliant 800
2. download and install latest Option ROMPaq for the Smart Array controller

3. Clear CMOS (there's a dip switch on the motherboard; usually its switch #6)

4. Run System Erase Utility (sets everything back to factory default - will erase ALL data)

5. Do a complete fresh reinstall

6. Install OS driver updates

[Leon Rosier]

Hi,

Also check the boot controller (F10) this should be set to the smartarray controller

Leon

[Sritharan]

Hi,

I agree with Martin its better for you to start from the scratch so you can determine from where have a problem.

You can initialize the the drive at the raid controller software level.


Thanks & Regards
Sri

[Richard Godown]

Norbert,
You need the latest version of the smart-2p firmware (4.50 I believe). Many of the earlier version only support a 4gig boot volume size. You can load the software (such as windows 2000/2003) but on the restart the smart-2p bios does not know how to handle larger that 4gig. Go to http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/storage/us/download/14981.html
extract it and produce disk 1. Using smart start do the rompaq upgrade utility
I just had the smae problem with windows 2003.

Dick