Unable to install NT4 TSE on Smartarray 5i

[Steve Kidd]

Hi,

I've not been able to install NT4 Terminal Server Edition onto a Proliant DL380G3 using its onboard SmartArray 5i controller and a RAID 1 18.2Gb logical drive.

The install fails with the message that the MS-DOS partitioning part of the install has failed to run.

I've specified and installed various versions of the 5i driver without any success. I'm pretty sure that the volume is recognized as it displays the message regarding the limit of 1024 cylinders.

I've also tried the install on a Proliant DL580G2, again with an internal 5i and get exactly the same message hence the subject of 5i rather than a specific server.

Partitioning the volume in DOS beforehand doesn't allow it to work either.

Any ideas ?
thanks for reading,
Steve

[Terri Harris]

1. Are you starting the install with a SmartStart CD? If so, what version (6.x)?

2. If you have another OS available, such as NT Server 4.0, can this be installed successfully?

3. Is this a brand new server? If not, what is the history?

[Steve Kidd]

Hi Terri,

1. Are you starting the install with a SmartStart CD? If so, what version (6.x)?
- I've tried with 5.40 and 6.40 but it would appear that smartstart doesn't like the NT4 disk - this may be because it's terminal server edition rather than normal edition ? I've stuck with the standard 3 floppy disk installation from then on.

2. If you have another OS available, such as NT Server 4.0, can this be installed successfully?
- I haven't got a copy of basic NT 4.0 but I've started a Windows 2000 install and it runs the disk partition part correctly.

3. Is this a brand new server? If not, what is the history?
- Both the DL380G3 and the DL580G2 are brand new. I've tried another seperate brand new DL380G3 with a different RAID setup and received the same message.

thanks,
Steve

[Tiago de Aviz]

Hey Steve,

Try generating disk drivers for the Smart Array 5i, and when you boot the first floppy, press F6 when prompted (just when the blue screen appears).

the 1024 limit message is just a warning. if the boot partition is within the first 1024 cylinders, that's ok. since we'll create it right on start it can be ignored.

From then on you should be able to make the setup manually, without smartstart and all the other stuff.

It may be a problem with writing the Master Boot Record. WIndows 2000 can re-write the boot record for you.

once, i don't remember how, i got a NT 4.0 SP6 boot disk, that allowed me to create larger NTFS partitions. Try searching about something like that.

hope it helps,

good luck!

[Peter Frazer]

Hi Steve,
You may need to hit F9 during post and go into the RBSU and change the OS from 2000/.Net (default) to Windows NT. saving and rebooting to SmartStart (ver 6.1 or higher) should allow you to use the drive. By default, when you boot smart start it will only offer you the choices the BIOS is currently configured for. I am not sure if this will enable SmartStart to allow you to install TSE directly, but it does change some system settings to make them more NT4 friendly (read plug and play support or lack there of). Let us know if this helps.

Pete

[Steve Kidd]

Hi Tiago / Peter,

Thanks for the responses - I've "been there, done that" unfortunately.

As it happens I've now managed to get it installed.
The first part of the trick is to manually specify drivers rather than let it detect the IDE cd-rom and pressing "s" to specify the 5i afterwards.
You have to specify the 5i FIRST and the ide AFTERWARDS. The order of the drivers in the list seems to be the key to installing the OS.

thanks,
Steve