Windows 2000 installation on Proliant 6400R with SmartArray 3200

[Siegel_2]

Hi everyone,

i´m trying now several days to install Windows 2000 Server on an Proliant 6400R.
I´ve bought the SmartStart CD v5.5, ran System Erase Utility and rebooted the server.
Then i did everything the assistant said.

The server has an SmartArray 3200 Controller with two Raid1.

The failure is the following:
After finding out that i have to press F5 when the installation asks for F6 to choose the Compaq HAL (Compaq Pro System or 100% Compatible), everything seems to work fine.
Until reboot.
When the server reboots after formatting an copying the files, the Windows boot screen appears, runs the the blue bar runs until the middle of the screen, and then a bluescreen wiht STOP 0x7B appears.

The joke is: When i connect the disks to the onboard SCSI Controller, i get the same effect.
And i have also tried a different Windows CD ....


A havo no answer anymore - but probably someone else .. ??

PLEASE HELP !!

Thanks, Mai

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

you shouldn't need a seperate HAL. It's not a SystemPro you have! (that was Compaq's first server, pre-Proliant). You should not have to add any extra drivers during the Windows installation. W2K has drivers for the Array controller already. If you use the Assisted Installation from SmartStart, there should be hardly any user interaction required after it tells you to insert the OS CD.
Manual SmartStart installation does not need extra drivers, either.

Let us know how you get on.

Regards,
Stephen

[Siegel_2]

If i do not choose the "Compaq System Pro HAL", then i receive immediatly after the first colored boot screen ("Windows 2000 starting" with blue bar...) a STOP Error "IRQ Less or Equal" (I think this was STOP 0xA)

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

when you boot to SmartStart, run System Configuration Utility. Then under System Configuration -> Hardware Configuration -> View or Edit Details, make sure the Operating system is set correctly. Select Windows NT, and in the Sub-Menu, select Windows 2000.

If that doesn't help, then try running a System Erase and then re-install from scratch using the Assisted SmartStart method.

Good luck,
Stephen

[Siegel_2]

Now i have tested Stephens suggestion:

I ran the System Erase Utilitya ran throug the SmartStart Wizard (In automatic install mode with server profile disk).

When he had copied the windows cd to disk and wanted to restart, i did what he said and DID NOT INTERRUPT WINDOWS INSTALLATION.
I DID NOT PUSH ONE KEY.

The result was:
When the server is rebooting after the file copy, it does not hang and it does not get a bluescreen.
BUT:
The moving blue bar moves all the time, but n the blue progress bar, I GET NOT ONE SINGLE BIT.

I gave him 30 minutes time, but after this half an our, there was still no peace of the blue progress bar and the moving blue bar was still moving.



Any ideas ?

[John Marinov]

From SmartStart, run the system setup again, and make sure that the boot order is set as floppy, CD and then SmartArray controller (not the onboard SCSI device or the ethernet adapter). 0x7b means inaccessible boot device. That means that your boot.ini does not describe the correct location for the boot partition.

The compaq array controller driver for the 3200 series array controllers should be in Win2k, and you should not need to add it during installation. That's the F8 bit during install.

Check that you have the latest firmware for the mainboard and the array controller. You might find you need to update the disk bios also.

I have at least 3 proliant 6400R servers, and have not had a problem of this type.

[Siegel_2]

I checked the boot order and it is in the right manner:

1. diskette
2. cd-rom
3. smart array controller

[John Marinov]

Inaccessible boot device means that the file boot.ini doesn't describe where to find the operating system.

Use fdisk to check where things installed (off a diskette). That is, find out where your boot partition is.

Check here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;99743

[Siegel_2]

Thanks for your suggestion, but if the boot.ini would not fit, i would not even come to the colored boot screen with the blue bar.

[Claas Kruhoefer]

Hi,

it seems a bit too easy, but please try to apply a new Firmware to the CD-ROM drive. I had this issue several time with a TEAC CD-ROM an Firmware 9.0B, After Updating to 9.0C this error never occurs again.

Maybe this helps in your case.