PowerEdge 2650 and Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2

Question

I have a used Poweredge 2650 and would like to install Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2.

Is it possible to do so, and if so how???

I have tried OpenManage 5.2, but this does not seem to support SBS 2003.

My searches of the DEll site and internet have yielded me nothing.

Thanks

2650-newbie · Answer

Thank you for your reply.

I have a few followup questions based on your response:

Method 1: SBUU 5.5 does not specifically say it is compliant with Windows Small Business Server 2003 (only Windows Server 2003) - I have tried using version 5.2 but it just kept ejecting my CD when asking for 2003 disk. Will 5.5 accept my disk. My software box says "Win SBS Std 2003 R2 English 1 pk DSP OEI CD 1-2CPU 5CLT w/WinSvrSP2" this seems like it meets your criteria.

Method 2: Would the missing RAID drivers cause the error "NTLDR is missing" when booting from the 2003 CD?

theflash1932 · Answer

You can install one of two ways:

1. Use the OpenManage installation utility, SBUU. Your 2003 media MUST have SP2 on it to be able to use this utility (and may need to be R2). If it doesn't, you can use nLiteOS.com to integrate the Service Pack. SBUU 5.5 is the latest utility that supports 2003 on a 2650:

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/2684/DriverDetails/Product/poweredge-xeo2650?driverId=H56T7&osCode=WNET&fileId=2731106269

2. Directly from the OS CD. This method will require you to load the RAID drivers via floppy disk at the F6 prompt during Windows Setup, or use nLiteOS.com to integrate the drivers into your installation media. The PERC does not support non-RAID, so you will need to configure RAID in CTRL-A prior to booting to the installation CD.

RAID Driver:
http://ftp.dell.com/scsi-raid/perc-cerc-w2k3-6.46.2.32-A05.exe

2650-newbie · Answer

OK...thanks very much for your help...I am downloading SBUU 5.5 now and I will confirm the CD is good.

2650-newbie · Answer

I should also add that my Win SBS 2003 disks are not originals...the originals were copied to hard drive and then I have burned new copies. I am not 100% sure they are bootable

theflash1932 · Answer

The SBUU 5.5 readme says 2003 SBS R2 SP2 ... should work fine. I seem to remember some version requiring SBS installs to use "2003" ... IF it is not an option (see below).

No, RAID drivers will not cause an NTLDR missing message ... you will usually get to the point where you select/create your partition to install to when it tells you that no hard drives can be found. NTLDR missing will not be from the Windows media - it is a message from the installed OS ... if you are getting this message when booting to your 2003 CD, that means that the system is not booting from the CD at all. If the CD is corrupt and cannot be booted, that may also be the reason it will not work with SBUU/SMTD. I would test it to see if you can boot to it on another machine.

theflash1932 · Answer

Ha ha ... good timing :)  I would make sure you have bootable media before proceeding, as nothing will work until then :)

PowerEdge OS Forum

PowerEdge 2650 and Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2

Was this post helpful?