can't get W2KAS to load

[Ayman Altounji]

Hi,

Trying to install Win2000 Adv Svr on a PL4500R with an EISA Smart SCSI Array Controller, which is W2K "compatible" (I am 99% sure it's a SAC, not S2AC/E; will verify), 2P/5-133, 256MG RAM. Four physical drives, three logical drives: RAID1 (2x4.3GB), RAID0 (1x9.1GB), RAID0 (1x9.1GB).

SmartStart (5.10) goes through, and I specified 3GB boot partition. Win2000 files seem to copy just fine. When it reboots to do final W2K setup, I get system stop with "0x7B Inaccessible boot device (0xF402B848, 0xC0000034, 0x0, 0x0)."

MSKB Q257813 says this is a problem with sysprep, which I'm not calling directly (maybe Smart Start does?), so I don't have control over it.

Q225125 says it may need an OEM driver, but the array controller is supported under W2K, so it should be ok.

Q241827 says it could be a problem with unattend.txt, but, again, I don't control that, SmartStart does.

Any suggestions? I am considering trying
-- not using SmartStart (but would prefer using it)
-- removing the array controller (but would prefer to keep RAID1 on boot drive).

Does SmartStart use sysprep, and is there a way to alter how it calls it? Can I stop the process to edit unattend.txt?

-- Mary

[Ayman Altounji]

Hi Mary,
Are you still having issues loading W2KAS on your 4500R? I have 8 4500R's running AS server here and all I did was run Smart Start 5.0 and updated all the RomPaq's then down loaded all the new versions and applied them, I have A SMART 2/I controller in all the machines and there running fin on RAID levels 0-5.

Make sure you set the maximum partition size in the array controller configuration to 4GB not 8GB, As I found that this caused a problem similar to yours.

Once you have 2K loaded SP2 it sap and then down load/install the latest SD or what ever its called these days. and bingo you have a fully functioning W2K AS server.

Hope this helps.

[Ayman Altounji]

Yes, still having the same problem. I can't even get it to run without any array controller (just the integrated SCSI controller).

Allowing for the the system partition on the 4.1GB drive, Windows has 4080MB available for the main partition. Is the 4GB limit 4 x 1024MB (in which case I'm ok with 4080), olr is the limit 4 x 1000 MB (in which case I should have been ok with 3GB partition, which I tried before I posted)?

Is there any way to verify the system configuration? I'm wondering if I have a bent SCSI pin somewhere......

-- Mary

[Sunil Jerath]

Hello,
Please run Server diags by downloading SP19686 from our website. This will let you know if you have any malfunctioning Hardware.

Regards,