Windows Server on SC1425 Power Edge

[clark544]

Good Morning All,

I'm trying to load Windows 2008 Server on an SC1425. I've tried using the boot disk that dell provides (They don't support 2008), and selecting 2003. I've tried just loading the disc straight without using the open management. I know it is possible, because I've read about people using 2008 on their SC1425's on the net.

When I try to load either x86 or x64 versions they both hang.

I get the screen that says, "Install Windows"... Then I get the screen that says, enter serial number. I say I'll enter it later, and then I get the screen that says select type to install and check that you are going to use this type. I do that and when I click next it just hangs there.

Could this be a driver issue? I'm going to load all the dell x64 drivers onto a slipstream disk. Will this fix it maybe?

Also, my other thought it try loading it from the hard drive. Would this do any good?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[DigeratiPrime]

You might want to check some of the logs created during setup to see if there are device errors

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927521

It sounds like its hanging in the PE phase. You can open a CMD prompt using the Shift+F10 shortcut and open the logs with notepad, or mount the disks with a working operating system.

[cluberti]

Dell recommends using the "System build and update disc" for installing Server 2008 on that Poweredge. Note I've had a few non-Dell servers hang at that point, and it's almost ALWAYS the driver for the SCSI or RAID on the server that's failing. If you can use WAIK and DISM to inject the correct drivers for your disk controller or RAID controller, you'll probably have better luck. Also, hanging there could be a sign of bad install media as well, as that's where WinPE bootstraps the install loader and starts dumping the image onto disk, so consider downloading new media as well from Microsoft.

[clark544]

Dell recommends using the "System build and update disc" for installing Server 2008 on that Poweredge. Note I've had a few non-Dell servers hang at that point, and it's almost ALWAYS the driver for the SCSI or RAID on the server that's failing. If you can use WAIK and DISM to inject the correct drivers for your disk controller or RAID controller, you'll probably have better luck. Also, hanging there could be a sign of bad install media as well, as that's where WinPE bootstraps the install loader and starts dumping the image onto disk, so consider downloading new media as well from Microsoft.

Their disc doesn't work for my particular model. It works for the 1435, however.

I just installed windows xp and then installed inside of that. That seemed to work fine.

On the next system I'll try different install media, as when I tried to open up the disc in windows xp on my workstation it wouldn't open.

Thanks for the ideas!

[jfulford]

Clark544,

I finally got my SC1425s to work with 2K8 by using the non-raid Cerc2S drivers, 32bit, from Dell(2003). I used a usb floppy and added the driver during the installation process.

I believe I got another to work with the driver on a USB key, but I tried so many things that they all started blending together. After I had one up, I ghosted it and deployed it to my others. Use the 32bit driver Even if you're doing 64bit.

jeff

[clark544]

Clark544,

I finally got my SC1425s to work with 2K8 by using the non-raid Cerc2S drivers, 32bit, from Dell(2003). I used a usb floppy and added the driver during the installation process.

I believe I got another to work with the driver on a USB key, but I tried so many things that they all started blending together. After I had one up, I ghosted it and deployed it to my others. Use the 32bit driver Even if you're doing 64bit.

jeff

Did you ever get RAID working on these machines?

[arando13]

Did you ever get RAID working on these machines?

I found a document on the dell website that states that the CERC 2S is only supported for 2k8 server in ATA mode. It doesn't support RAID.

Windows 2008 Server and CERC SATA 2S Controller

So, you have to use SW RAID through the OS apparently

Edited September 12, 2009 by arando13