How-to: restore W2K on DL380 G3 to DL380 G5

[Jonathan_K]

Just wanted to share this as some of you might find it useful.

It IS possible to make an online full backup to tape of a working Windows 2000 Server installation on a DL380 G3 and restore it to a DL380 G5. Just a few relatively simple steps are required to get the G5 to boot properly afterwards:

- Install Windows 2000 Server on the G5 using the Smart Start 7.70 cd
- Using Regedit, export the whole HKLM_SYSTEM branch to desktop
- Perform a restore of the C: drive from tape using ntbackup with the option 'Replace the file on disk only if the file on disk is older' switched on and an exclusion for one file: C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\HAL.DLL
- Restore System State
- Double-click the registry export on the desktop to merge with the existing (ignore the warning)
- Reboot
- Insert Smart Start 7.70 cd and point to this location every time Windows starts asking for device drivers for the 20 or so 'new' devices
- Install the ATI video drivers manually using the installation package from the HP website
- In Device Management, confirm all devices have been installed properly
- Reboot

If you omit the hal.dll, the registry and the ntbackup option bits, you will end up with an 'inaccessible boot device' message. Replacing hal.dll with the one found on the W2K install cd won't work because the recovery console will not be able to access any disks without a storage controller driver and since the G5 doesn't come with a floppy drive, you've got a catch 22 on your hands.

I suppose this procedure will work with Windows Server 2003 as well.

Enjoy!

[Oleg Koroz]

Thanks Jonathan
.. that could be useful, sound like it could be adventure for someone, however, you could try this or other options
ProLiant Essentials Server Migration Pack - Physical to ProLiant Edition
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantessentials/valuepack/migrate/index.html

[Bengt Sjoberg]

Thanks Jonathan..
I thought this could work for a transfer from a DL360 to a DL380 G3.
In short words it did not. It hung after the reboot.
I then looked at the answer pointing to the Physical to Proliant. It seemed to solve my needs until I discovered it only handled G4 and G5 as target servers. Note however that there is a trial license handling two servers available for free. Might be worth trying!!