problem installing windows 2000 on a proliant 800

[Chris Flynn_1]

I have currently been upgrading an old server and am having problems installing windows 2000 server.

I had a proliant 800 6/350e which I upgraded the processors to dual pIII 500Mhz (including changing the VRMs), increased the memory and changed the hard drives from 4 x 9gb to 4 x 18.2 gb.

I upgraded the ROM to version P14 and configured the hardware using smartstart ver 5.40.

The problem I now have is that although the server recognises the hard drives during start up when i try and install windows 2000 using smart start the hard drives can not be accessed to allow for the software to be installed it just shows them as not available.

I have tried to check the switch and jumper settings but their does not seem to be a manual for this server to help me, just the older version 66mhz version and the one similar to the proliant 1600 on the compaq web site.

Can anyone tell me what I have done or doing wrong??

[SAKET_5]

Hi Chris,

A couple of points:
1. Could you try installing the array controller's drivers by pressing "F6" during Windows setup. This ofcourse requires you to boot off the server using the Windows 2000 CD and load the drivers for the controller that way. I know the recommended procedure for system installation is Smart Start assisted OS install.This is just to isolate the problem.So, I guess what we wish to eliminate here is do you get the same result with installing Windows using the W2K CD or does it happen only with SS.

2. What LEDs on the hard drives do you see lit up when you power up the server?

3. Have you tried re-seating the drives?

4. Could you try a firmware upgrade on the drives. This will confirm that the drives are still responsive.

Hope this helps,

P.S. Don't forget to assign points:)

Regards,

2.

[Chris Flynn_1]

there is no array controller installed it is just using the on board scsi drive.

The hard drive lights are green when the server boots up.

I tried using a windows 98 start up disk to allow me to use its fdisk on the drives and I was able to manipulate the drives, creating partitions, formating etc.

[SAKET_5]

Hi Chris,

+ What result do you get when you boot off the Win2k CD and attempt an OS install that way?

Regards,

[Darrenrd]

sound like a SCSI driver issue you may want to dowload the dirver for the SCSI card of HP website and hit F6 to load the driver when booting of the win2000 CD..

hope this helps..
Darren

[Chris Flynn_1]

hi saket,

I have tried installing just from the win 2k cd and still have the same problem.

Regards,
Chris

[Chris Flynn_1]

hi darren,

I will try this tommorrow as I have planned to carry out a service on the server and then retry the installation.

Thanks,
Chris

[SAKET_5]

Hi Chris,

Could you refer to my first post in regard to your query, follow step 1 after replacing the term "array controller" with your "onboard controller"'s drivers. I wasn't sure at that stage if you were using a PCI based controller or an onboard one.

I believe it has to do something with the drivers for the drives controller, as at that stage Windows has not loaded any drivers to communicate to the onboard controller. Let us feed the driver and see if Windows can talk to the controller and hence the drives attached to it.

Let us know how you go with that,

Regards,

[e4services]

-SCSI BIOS identifies the drives.
-Windows install tells you there is no usable disk to install in.

I agree with Darran, it sounds as if the SCSI controller driver is not loading, or the wrong one is loading. SCSI BIOS identifies the drives. Load the lastest version manually as suggested, from a floppy.

[Chris Flynn_1]

Hi all,

Thanks for the information I tried again at the weekend after stripping the server down, cleaing and rebuilt it, this was to ensure all of the compents where reseated properly.

I downloaded the drivers from the compaq web site and installed them using the F6 function but still no success, the problem still persists, I am wondering if I have the correct drivers?