Problems installing 2003 from PE

[gcarmichael]

Hello all. I've been trying to get 2003 installed from PE for the last few days and keep running into the same problem. I was hoping someone here might have any ideas.

I am trying to install 2003 on an HP Proliant DL360 G3 server. I have created a customized version of PE from my 2003 CD. I have included the i386 directory from the 2003 CD on the PE CD.

I boot into PE just fine, run diskpart to create my primary partition and assign the letter C to the drive. I exit diskpart and format the C drive NTFS. I then change to the 2003 i386 directory and run the following:

winnt32 /syspart:c: /tempdrive:c:

I fill in the appropriate information, it copies files to the hard drive, and it exits back to PE. I type exit to let the computer reboot. It NEVER boots into the 2003 setup, it just sits there. I don't get an "Invalid system disk" error or anything. I can boot back into PE and see the files on the hard drive, it just won't boot.

Everything is set at default and I'm running everything manually until I can get past this roadblock. I hope I've included enough information. Anyone have any ideas?

Gary

[likuidkewl]

Are you sure that your diskpart script is running? try running it with @ECHO on and don't exit the script. If it is running have you included the "clean" command in your diskpart script? I remembe correctly CLEAN is what writes the disk to all Zero's and then rewrites a new MBR. Also maybe post the diskpart script for us to look at? HTH

[gcarmichael]

likuidkewl,

Thanks for the quick response. I'm not running it in a script right now, just manually. Here are the commands I'm running:

sel disk 0

clean

create part prim size=8000

sel vol 1

assign letter=c

I can verify the C drive is formatted correctly, and can verify there are files on it.

The weird thing is I'm not getting a $LDR$ in the root, nor a BOOTSECT.DAT in $win_nt$.~bt. So I try this:

winnt32 /syspart:c:

This will give me the $LDR$ and BOOTSECT.DAT, but it still doesn't boot.

Gary

EDIT - One other thing I just found out. Running the install this way in Virtual PC works, so maybe it's something to do with the HP array??? 2003 has drivers for the array card I'm using, so shouldn't it work from PE or do I need to specify drivers in there someplace??

[likuidkewl]

I don't see you making the partition active so try that to see if it fixes it:

sel par 1 
act

[mmarable]

What card are you using in the 360? When setting up an unattended 2003 install I had to add in the drivers for the 5300+ array controllers, otherwise it wouldn't boot.

The driver included in Win2003 didn't work with the internal array controller on the 380s I was building. Text mode setup would run, and the files would copy over, but when it rebooted to switch to GUI mode setup, it wouldn't boot. In fact, many times it would blue screen on me.

[rismoney]

Everything works fine on the 380's with mass storage.

You need to get a hold of the Smart Start Scripting Toolkit for the appropriate PE mass storage drivers. There is even a CMD file in there that injects them properly.

My biggest issue was the onboard nics which are repackaged Broadcoms. I used the driver from Broadcom directly from Broadcom vs HP, and I was good to go.

HP I think had busted INF's.

Out of curiousity, why don't you use RIS to install the OS unattended, and use PE to configure the "pre-setup". It runs really well. I've built some good scripts to automate the hotfix, HP SmartStart, utils, etc. Its really clean now and simplifies future fixes, growth.

I am now trying to script the Array Configuration to autocreate OS mirrors.

I am trying to put together a bare-metal build, without ghostlike images.

I'd be happy to share info

[mmarable]

rismoney,

I'd be interested in the info you have. I'm starting to work on a similar setup. We have a server that's going to be shipped overseas and I have to build a disk that the staff out there can just drop it in, boot the box and go have lunch. I need to configure the array, partition the drives, install Win2003, install some apps, and then do some simple copy jobs to populate some file shares for them.

I've spent the weekend doing some "crash course" learning of WinPE and I'm getting closer.

Thanks

[ChrisBaksa]

I am now trying to script the Array Configuration to autocreate OS mirrors.

I am trying to put together a bare-metal build, without ghostlike images.

I'd be happy to share info

rismoney,

I'd love to see what you have done. My build is fully automated and imaged based.... Except for the Raid Controller. I'm working on Flashing the Components under PE.. But right now it will not work because of the flash tools and the their hard coded "temp" locations.

Now that I got PE to PXE boot... I'm doing a front end that is web based and SQL backed. Build and rebuild at the touch of a button!

Chris

[rismoney]

Alright, I have made more headway.

Had issues with the nic and PE, but solved that by going directly to Broadcom and not using HP drivers.

Here's the methodology

I boot the system in Win PE - I decided to use PROGMAN.EXE as the shell (from pre SP2 so my desksupport can "just click" They have the following 3 cmd files that launch cpqacuxe -i inifile.ini

clear array, mirror OS, and view config in 1 window.

3 Batch files-

This is the mirror.ini

Action= ReConfigure

Method= Custom

; Controller Specifications

; Controller HP Smart Array 5i

Controller= Slot 0

ClearConfigurationWithDataLoss=Yes

ReadCache= 100

WriteCache= 0

RebuildPriority= Low

ExpandPriority= Low

SurfaceScanDelay= 15

; Array Specifications

Array= A

; Array Drive Type is Parallel SCSI

; 2:0 (18.2 GB),2:1 (18.2 GB)

Drive= 2:0,2:1

OnlineSpare= No

; Logical Drive Specifications

LogicalDrive= 1

RAID= 1

Size= Max

Sectors= 32

StripeSize= 128

ArrayAccelerator= Enabled

----

This is the clear INI

Action= ReConfigure

Method= Custom

; Controller Specifications

; Controller HP Smart Array 5i

Controller= Slot 0

ClearConfigurationWithDataLoss=Yes

ReadCache= 100

WriteCache= 0

RebuildPriority= Low

ExpandPriority= Low

SurfaceScanDelay= 15

----

RIS by default tries to use the whole partition unless you "prep it" so I put in a feature to prep it.

I kick off disksize.cmd

:

set /P %answer=Enter The Disk Size

paramcreate %1

diskpart /s params.txt

It launches paramcreate:

del params.txt

echo select disk 0>>params.txt

echo clean>>params.txt

echo convert dynamic>>params.txt

echo create volume simple size %answer%>>params.txt

echo assign letter=c>>params.txt

---

The desktop support user is able to enter the C: Drive Size.

I reboot the system into PXE with RebootPXE

That's about it for PE

Then for RIS OS:

I modified a ton of OSC files, to streamline them using

<META ACTION=AUTOENTER>

I got rid of the Custom/Recover in Group Policy.

After selecting the image, I go to a custom OSC:

which contains this OU "selector" because my desksupport never move into correct OU

<input NAME="MACHINENAME" VALUE=%MACHINENAME% maxlength=20><br>

<br><BR>

<BOLD>    &nbspLocation</BOLD>:      <SELECT NAME="MACHINEOU" VALUE=%MACHINEOU%>

<OPTION VALUE="domain.com/xxxOffice/SiteA/Servers">xxx OFFICE SITE A

<OPTION VALUE="domain.com/IxxxOffice/SiteB/Servers">xx OFFICE SITE B

<OPTION VALUE="domain.com/IxxxTest/SiteA/Servers">xx TEST SITE A

<OPTION VALUE="domain.com/xxxTest/SiteB/Servers">IxxTest SITE B

<OPTION VALUE="domain/Centrally Managed App Servers">xxOFFICE Centrally Managed App

My RIS Kickoff script (The first Post RIS Boot)

@echo off

echo FUTURE Installing Service Pack 1

rem start "" /wait "c:\files\SP1\update.exe -u -z -q"

rem echo -completed

rem shutdown -r -t 5 -f -c "The system is restarting"

echo No Service Packs are currently available for Windows 2003.

echo Installing Latest SmartStart (Support Paqs)

start "" /wait "c:\files\PSP\setupc" /use-latest

echo -completed

echo installing missing Survey

echo Installing HP ProLiant Survey Utility for Windows Server 2003 ...

start "" /wait "c:\files\survey\cp003734.exe" /silent

rem add reg key to handle next boot step 2

reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce /v hotfixes /t REG_SZ /d "c:\step2.cmd"

rem add reg key for Remote Desktop

reg import C:\files\enable_term.reg

rem shutdown sys in 5 seconds

shutdown -r -t 60 -f -c "RIS Mandatory restart. Kickoff Complete.cmd completed"

----

I use the Smartstart Support Pack Folder, to install all drivers. This way I can easily upgrade to new versions when I get the cd in the mail without redoing scripts.

Termreg is just

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server]

"fDenyTSConnections"=dword:00000000

I like Remote Desktop Enabled

Step2.cmd

for /f %%g IN ('dir c:\files\*.cmd /b') Do @echo CALL c:\files\%%g>>c:\RISinstalls.cmd

CALL c:\RISinstalls.cmd

rename C:\risinstalls.cmd risinstallsdone.txt

shutdown -r -t 60 -f -c "RIS Mandatory restart. Windows Hotfixes, Support Tools and Resource Kit installed"

I name my cmd files like this

2hotfixes.cmd

3resourcekit.cmd

4supporttools

since they go alphabetical in C:\files

P.S I got this information from bink.nu I think.

@echo off

TITLE Hotfix Installation Script

echo Collecting list of current hotfixes...

echo @echo off>>c:\files\hotfixes\hotfixinst.cmd

echo echo Please wait while current hotfixes are being installed. This may take awhile!!!>>c:\files\hotfixes\hotfixinst.cmd

for /f %%i IN ('dir c:\files\hotfixes\1 /b') Do @echo start "" /wait c:\files\hotfixes\1\%%i /passive /norestart>>c:\files\hotfixes\hotfixinst.cmd

for /f %%i IN ('dir c:\files\hotfixes\2 /b') Do @echo start "" /wait c:\files\hotfixes\2\%%i /q /r:n>>c:\files\hotfixes\hotfixinst.cmd

for /f %%i IN ('dir c:\files\hotfixes\3 /b') Do @echo start "" /wait c:\files\hotfixes\3\%%i -u -n -z>>c:\files\hotfixes\hotfixinst.cmd

for /f %%i IN ('dir c:\files\hotfixes\4 /b') Do @echo start "" /wait c:\files\hotfixes\4\%%i /C:"dahotfix.exe /q /n" /q>>c:\files\hotfixes\hotfixinst.cmd

echo echo - Completed>>c:\files\hotfixes\hotfixinst.cmd

echo - Completed

echo.

CALL c:\files\hotfixes\hotfixinst.cmd

rename C:\files\hotfixes\hotfixinst.cmd hotfixdone.txt

:end

create folders 1,2,3,4, beneath $1\hotfixes\#

type 1 is only used by the new XP rollup package. It's unattended switches are "/passive /norestart" This will allow you to view the install progress and it will be unattended.

type 2 is used by many packages and uses the switches "/q /r:n" This will also allow for you to view it's progress and allow for unattended install.

type 3 is used by many packages as well and uses the switches "-u -n -z" This will allow for all of the same as the above two.

type 4 is used by packages such as MDAC and others and uses the switches "/C:"dahotfix.exe /q /n" /q" Same as the above...

resource kit cmd

@echo off

echo Installing Resource Kit for Windows 2003

start /wait msiexec /i "c:\files\reskit\rktools.msi" /Q

echo - Completed

echo.

@echo off

echo Installing Support Tools for Windows 2003

start /wait msiexec /i "c:\files\reskit\suptools.msi" /Q

echo - Completed

echo.

There's a ton more but I'm pressed for time. I can answer any individual questions.