ML110 G3 - load RAID driver without floppy

[Stephen Gultig]

I am trying to load the Windows Server SBS 2003 driver for Adaptec embedded RAID but the server is shipped without a FDD.

I can get as far as recognising the the driver after F6 by using a USB flash drive, but when Windows 2003 loads it aks for the driver disk to be placed in Drive A: The USB flash drive is installed to Drive D:

Is there a way to force the USB to be recognised by windows as drive A: ?

[BR894765]

Use of USB devices during OS installation
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/platforms/usb-support.html

[Stephen Gultig]

Thanks, very interesting link. I see that it specifically says that the table does not include the PL 100 series although what it describes is exactly the same problem. It also refers to what appears to be an MS Windows problem...

QUOTE:
"The newly supported USB drive key cannot be used even when formatted as a floppy to provide a driver update during a Microsoft Windows installation for 2000 or 2003. The device can be used once the operating system has loaded and loads the necessary USB driver. The system ROM will support the device prior to OS load"
UNQUOTE:

I have since tried a SONY USB Stiffy drive that is recognised as drive A: after the F6 prompt but not after the OS has restarted.

Still not cured. Will post the solution when I find it.....

[Benoit Sarton]

I have tried do this raid install with an iomega usb floppy drive, which was initially recognised as a:, but after windows starts formatting the partition, I'm requested to insert the floppy for the second time, and then the usb floppy drive is not read any more.

The techs at HP France say the problem is known, and suggest using a HP USB floppy drive (which is unavailable ...).

Any comment on using this HP USB floppy drive will be appreciated

[Stephen Gultig]

Solution still not found. I would like to add the Adaptec RAID driver files to the Windows 2003 "Disk 1" and try that but I am not sure how to copy the CD, add files (where to add them, I think SETUP/i386?) and still be able to boot from the CD.

Any suggestions on that?

[Benoit Sarton]

Maybe this :
http://www.nliteos.com/download.html

[Stephen Gultig]

That is a very useful application! But, it only added the driver to the installation files and did not help to get them back onto a BOOTABLE CD. I have used "ISO Buster" to copy the boot image to a floppy and Nero to get the boot image back onto the CD but nothing worked.

Going to enjoy Christmas Eve now, will try booting that image from NETWORK next...

[Peter Hanssen]

Only USB 2.0 floppy drives are supported

HP Option part for floppy drive kits
379257-B21

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/17581.html

TxtSetup Support for USB Floppy/Mass Storage Devices
version 1.4.2195.0

[Stephen Gultig]

In the end I have installed SBS 2003 without HP/Adaptec's embedded RAID and just used the disk management of Windows to create mirrored dynamic disks (RAID 1).

Didn't have the time to waste trying to sort it out and was not going to wait for HP to re-open after New Year and then invest in an HP USB2 drive as well.

If anyone has comment on using Windows disk management as an alternative (good or bad comment)I would appreciate your feedback. Perhaps, if the experience is not good I will consider trying the embedded RAID again in the future...

[Benoit Sarton]

Windows raid by disk management works fine ; but the question is performance. When you get an integrated raid management at a lower lever, you might assume better performance, no ?. I've ordered the HP usb floppy.