LC2000 POST Error

[Ron Burgess]

At the end of the POST I am getting an Intel UNDI, PXE-2.0 (build 067), message of "PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable" and on the next line "Operating System not found". During the start up, Symbios is seeing all 6 hard drives in the hot-swap cage. The ATAPI CD-ROM is seen earlier in startup but neither it or the HD are accessed for an OS. The swithch 5 has been activated and reset, and the Security, Boot and Operating setting on Startup have been checked and reset. In each case the results are the same with the boot going directly to the Intel UNDI, PXE-2.0 which is last in the boot listing.

[Peter Luijkx]

Same problem for me... Please keep me posted if a solution is found. I am pretty sure it is a setting in (sym)bios (F2 or CTRL-C). Might even be a setting in Netraid configuration?

[Sean T. Craig]

Hi Ron,

The first thing we need to realize is that the PXE message has nothing to do with your issue. It is a normal function of the server to attempt to search for a PXE server if it gets to that point in the boot order. The problem you're facing here is that your controller is not detecting a boot sector to boot to.

Now for the troubleshooting. First, make sure you don't have a RAID controller in there. It's not uncommon for people to install RAID controllers when they have 6 disks.

If the drives are connected to the embedded Symbios SCSI controller (and was configured that way to begin with), check for an active partition. Get yourself a bootable DOS or Win98 EBD (emergency boot disk), if you don't have one, you can download an image from bootdisk.com.

Boot to the disk and run FDISK. See if there is a partition defined on the first disk and see if it is active.

Another thing you can try is checking which disk is set as the first disk. Go into the BIOS under Boot Settings-->Hard Drive Priority. Try to set it to whichever disk has the active partition found in the previous step.

Just to be clear, the first thing you need to do is make sure the drives don't belong on a RAID controller. If they've been moved off the RAID controller and onto the Symbios controller, it can destroy the data.

Let us know how that works,

Sean T. Craig Sr. C.E.T., M.C.P.

P.S. Please encourage participation in the forums by assigning points rating the value of your responses.

[Sean T. Craig]

BTW,

HP still offers free phone support for this model of Netserver. If you call 1-800-474-6836 and say "Netserver" at the prompt, one of the friendly and knowledgeable support staff can walk you through the process.

Good luck,

Sean T. Craig Sr. C.E.T., M.C.P.