I recently got a BSD with the error INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE and trying to work around this issue to grab all the documents for the endusers. I tried to do a parallel install on the same partition, but it freezes up on the "Setting up Windows" screen. I did install the SA532 SCSI drivers by pressing F6 when windows setup loads.
I've also tried to load Raid0+1 with 2 Hard Drives to load a new OS on to it by using the SmartStart, but it kept on defaulting to the Raid5 partitions. Is there a way to use 2nd Raid to install the new OS? or Can I simply use the smartstart CD to load the new OS on top the original OS without losing all the old data?
1. Remove the RAID 5 drives 2. Insert your other two drives, create a RAID 1 logical drive 3. Install OS 4. add RAID 5 drives 5. Smart Array controller should detect an additional logical drive and you may be able to access the data.
I haven't tried that procedure but I believe it should work.
BTW other tools that can be used to access crashed NT/W2K systems are ERD Commander (commercial tool, www.winternals.com) and PEBuilder (freeware, nu2.nu/pebuilder). I've created a recovery cd using pebuilder which can boot W2003 from cd, access drives connected to a Smart Array or NetRAID controller and load network drivers (tested with Proliant DL580 and NetServer LH3).
I'm loading a Raid1+0 on a ML350 G3 as we speak. I'm thinking of the same idea as you mention, just on a different server. Will let you knwo if it works. Thanks again.
