I honestly have no idea what was wrong with it, and what changed.
I tried installing Windows Server 2008 64-bit approximately 3 to 4 times (don't remember exactly), then abandoned the whole idea for a while and installed Ubuntu.
Then, tried 2 times again, using the same DVD. Same effect: no good.
Also, tried Vista 64-bit. No good, same error.
After that, I installed Fedora 9.
Then, we decided that we actually needed Win 2008, so I gave it another try with a strong intention to give up if it doesn't work.
But it did!..
First, I used the Dell CD which "prepared" the machine for Win 2008. Then it prompted for the Win 2008 DVD (happy to oblige; here it goes - the same DVD I used oh-so-many times before). No error.
The server has been working perfectly for a few weeks now.
So,
- same machine;
- same DVD with Windows Server 2008;
- I did NOT install any additional software updates from Dell support center because I did not have the Windows Server 2008 to install them on.
Maybe, Fedora did something with BIOS or whatever, which solved the problem?
I have no clue. I am not an admin, I'm a software developer who only knows how to push buttons. ;-)
Sorry I cannot post a solution.
If you have a similar problem, try installing Fedora and see what happens...
Oh, yeah, one more thing:
while working on Fedora 9, I also enabled virtualization in BIOS. Not sure how (and, "if") this could have affected the "no CD" issue, but that's the only change I made.
Would be totally cool if you posted your resolution...running into the same exact problem..happened once before and I fixed however, for the life of me can't remember what I did to resolve the issue...
OK...This problem is solved...Thanks for responding because it actually triggered my memory on how I'd resolved it the last time around... by booting with the DELL cd then when it prompted for the windows server cd/dvd, inserted and then the install took off... BUT... to solve the issue completely without having to do all of that, ensure that the BIOS is current.. On my 2950 the BIOS was at 1.5.1. I've just flashed to 2.3.4. All's good...found the drives and is prompting to select install partition...
My solution was a bit different to yours. My problem was two-fold:
1. The installation media was Microsoft Action Pack which the Dell Systems Management Tools installer wouldn't recognise, therefore I had to perform a clean install.
2. During the initial install (32-bit) a driver is required for the DVD. R181056, being 64-bit, doesn't work but the 32-bit version - R174387 - does giving access to SATA DVDs and HDDs. (Afterwards I redid the install to recreate and document the process and confirmed that a PATA DVD works with no additional drivers.)
That is until the (64-bit) installation completes - on first boot there is no DVD (not even in an error state in devmgmt), nor SATA HDDS and the SATA-based PERC 6/i shows a yellow exclamation bang.
R181056 doesn't contain an installer ("More Download Options" does, although I didn't know this at the time) so installing involved "Add Legacy Hardware" in devmgmt and specifying the location of the extracted driver. Once installed reboot and look in devmgmt. Choose "update driver" for the Broadcom HT1000, reboot.
Finally, in devmgmt I had two HT1000s - one working correctly and one still in an error state (I think a hantom device). I uninstalled it rebooted and all was good.
hth
John
Message Edited by DangerousDriver on 10-17-2008 10:37 AM
Message Edited by DangerousDriver on 10-24-2008 07:27 AM
I have had this problem on several T605's. When I get it to work, I do the same thing on another T605 and it wont work.
I have found a way to get it to work EVERYTIME. I boot off of a USB external DVD. It's a little slower but you dont have to worry about the CD ROM drivers.
The answer (without using an external drive): Broadcom HT chipset driver for SATA controller where optical drive is attached - just as you would a controller driver for hard drives..
thomas_smaistrla
195 Posts
0
October 6th, 2008 14:00
DangerousDriver
14 Posts
0
October 14th, 2008 10:00
Did you get this sorted? Is the single installation DVD both 32 & 64 bit? If so, I had and resolved the same problem.
John
DmitriyG
2 Posts
0
October 16th, 2008 20:00
I honestly have no idea what was wrong with it, and what changed.
I tried installing Windows Server 2008 64-bit approximately 3 to 4 times (don't remember exactly), then abandoned the whole idea for a while and installed Ubuntu.
Then, tried 2 times again, using the same DVD. Same effect: no good.
Also, tried Vista 64-bit. No good, same error.
After that, I installed Fedora 9.
Then, we decided that we actually needed Win 2008, so I gave it another try with a strong intention to give up if it doesn't work.
But it did!..
First, I used the Dell CD which "prepared" the machine for Win 2008. Then it prompted for the Win 2008 DVD (happy to oblige; here it goes - the same DVD I used oh-so-many times before). No error.
The server has been working perfectly for a few weeks now.
So,
- same machine;
- same DVD with Windows Server 2008;
- I did NOT install any additional software updates from Dell support center because I did not have the Windows Server 2008 to install them on.
Maybe, Fedora did something with BIOS or whatever, which solved the problem?
I have no clue. I am not an admin, I'm a software developer who only knows how to push buttons. ;-)
Sorry I cannot post a solution.
If you have a similar problem, try installing Fedora and see what happens...
Oh, yeah, one more thing:
while working on Fedora 9, I also enabled virtualization in BIOS. Not sure how (and, "if") this could have affected the "no CD" issue, but that's the only change I made.HDSupportRules
3 Posts
0
October 16th, 2008 20:00
HDSupportRules
3 Posts
0
October 16th, 2008 21:00
DangerousDriver
14 Posts
0
October 17th, 2008 14:00
My solution was a bit different to yours. My problem was two-fold:
1. The installation media was Microsoft Action Pack which the Dell Systems Management Tools installer wouldn't recognise, therefore I had to perform a clean install.
2. During the initial install (32-bit) a driver is required for the DVD. R181056, being 64-bit, doesn't work but the 32-bit version - R174387 - does giving access to SATA DVDs and HDDs. (Afterwards I redid the install to recreate and document the process and confirmed that a PATA DVD works with no additional drivers.)
That is until the (64-bit) installation completes - on first boot there is no DVD (not even in an error state in devmgmt), nor SATA HDDS and the SATA-based PERC 6/i shows a yellow exclamation bang.
R181056 doesn't contain an installer ("More Download Options" does, although I didn't know this at the time) so installing involved "Add Legacy Hardware" in devmgmt and specifying the location of the extracted driver. Once installed reboot and look in devmgmt. Choose "update driver" for the Broadcom HT1000, reboot.
Finally, in devmgmt I had two HT1000s - one working correctly and one still in an error state (I think a hantom device). I uninstalled it rebooted and all was good.
hth
John
danmeland
2 Posts
0
March 23rd, 2009 18:00
Hi, We are hitting the same problem.
BIOS 3.0.2, the CD/DVD drive doesnt seem to load.
OpenManager cant find the DVD drive, and the DVD cant find it's self after the inital windows server 2008 start up.
Aside from having to load a version of linex first, what can we do.
This is getting bad.
THanks
bkspears
1 Message
0
June 15th, 2011 21:00
I have had this problem on several T605's. When I get it to work, I do the same thing on another T605 and it wont work.
I have found a way to get it to work EVERYTIME. I boot off of a USB external DVD. It's a little slower but you dont have to worry about the CD ROM drivers.
Brian
theflash1932
9 Legend
•
16.3K Posts
0
June 16th, 2011 09:00
The answer (without using an external drive): Broadcom HT chipset driver for SATA controller where optical drive is attached - just as you would a controller driver for hard drives..
gsanders32
1 Message
0
June 17th, 2013 08:00
This answer works. Thank You theflash1932