Switching Server Hardware

[Patrick Rouse]

I'd like to move a Windows 2000-SP3 installation from a ProLiant ML530(G2) to a ProLiant ML370(G1), but have failed so far because they have different Array Controllers. The ML530 has a SA532 & the ML370 has a SA431.

When I remove the drives from the ML530 & put them in the ML370 the SA431 detects the 2 logical drives that were setup on the ML530, but when Win2K Boots I get an "inaccessible boot device" error.

I know I can do a clean install, restore from backup, then add the SA431 Drive before rebooting, but I hate doing this.

[Douglas Young]

I see what's happening here, but not sure how to get around it. The Array Controller is reading the Array Configuration RIS Table and so the Array is coming up, but when Windows boots the drivers it is using can't interface with the AC to allow it to attach to the drives.

Have youy tried bringing the system up on the ML530 and "updating" the drivers to those for the SA431??? Not sure what would happen here but I think Win2000 might not load them until you did a reboot, in which case you could then swap the drives to the ML370 and bring it up there.

Just a thought FWIW....

[Patrick Rouse]

I tried loading the standard Compaq SA Drivers from Add/Remove hardware, which did not work. I did not change the SA532 Drivers, because if it didn't work I'd end up with an unbootable system on both machines.

I also tried booting the ML570 with the Windows 2000 Server-SP3 Installation CD, select repair, but got same result.

I also tried to go the Install route w/ booting from the Windows 2000 Server-SP3 Installation CD, but it didn't recognize the SA Controller.

I'm basicly planning the manual route of erasing the system volume (RAID1), reinstall Win2K Server-SP3, restore from backup, then before rebooting add the correct SA431 Driver.

Unless someone adds some steps that I haven't thought of. Compaq Tech Support suggested putting the SA431 in the ML530G2, to load the drivers, but the PCI Slots are incompatible.

[Douglas Young]

Hi Pat,

You said..."I also tried to go the Install route w/ booting from the Windows 2000 Server-SP3 Installation CD, but it didn't recognize the SA Controller."

Did you use the Win2000 Driver Disk for the Smart Array-2 Controllers??? What you need to do is download that from the support site http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/locate/20_1122.html and put it onto floppy. Then when you boot up with the CD press F6 at the beginning of the install. It should then ask you further on for 3rd party drivers. Insert the floppy and enter "S" to load it up. This will allow Win2000 Install to work with the AC. You should then be able to do an install while "preserving your configuration".

Doug

[Patrick Rouse]

I guess another option I have is to make a RIS image of the system partition of this server, then apply this image to the destination server.