Unable to install Windows Server 2003 x64 on PE2900.

Question

Hi there, Could you, please, help me with the installation of Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard x64 on а PowerEdge 2900. During installation, after the copying of installation files to the hard drive and rebooting, I get this message: 'Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: Windows_root\System32
toskrnl.exe Please re-install a copy of the above file.' When I'm trying to install 32bit version of Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard the installation is goes on after the copying and rebooting, but it hangs when setting up some software concerning RAID Battery. Before the installation I did some firmware updates of BIOS and RAID: Bios Revision 1.5.1 Perc 5/i Integrated 5.1.1-0040 During installation I'm using floppy with Dell drivers for Windows Server 2003 x64 for PERC 5/i Integrated. RAID configured in RAID-5 mode with Write Back, but working in Write through mode. RAID Battery is unplugged because of discharging. Total size of RAID-5 array is 570GB. All updates and drivers was downloaded from: Here When I'm trying to use the 'DELL Installation and Server management CD' for the x64 installation, after copying installation files and rebooting I get the following error: 'FastFat.sys file being corrupt or missing' CDCheck program found no errors on Windows x64 installation CD. Could you, please help me? What I am doing wrong and how can I install the 64bit version of Windows Server? Maybe I'm not completely update firmware of the server? Here is my current hardware configuration: PE2900 XEON 5130 2.0GHZ/4MB 1333FSB 4GB FB 667MHZ MEMORY (4X1GB DUAL RANK DIMM) ADDITIONAL PE2900 XEON 5130 2.0GHZ/4MB 3.5 INCH 1.44MB FLOPPY DRIVE 3x300GB SAS (10, 000RPM) 3.5 INCH HARD DRIVE PERC 5/I INTEGRATED RAID CONTROLLER CARD CD-RW/DVD COMBO DRIVE REDUNDANT POWER SUPPLY (2 HOT PLUG PSU) BROADCOM TCP/IP OFFLOAD ENGINE DRAC5 CONTROLLER C2 - RAID 0 PERC5I CNTLR 1-8 HDD Maybe it would be helpful... Message Edited by inbio on 11-02-2007 12:43 PM

thomas_smaistrla · Answer

Try detatching the DRAC 5 virtual media. Durring POST, Press Ctrl-E for the DRAC and change the option for Virtual Media.

inbio · Answer

Thanks for your answer thomas, After the detaching DRAC and reinstalling Windows by using 'Dell Installation and Management CD' (all virtual drives was deleted before the installation by using this CD) I got the following error: '\$WIN_NT$.~BT
tkrnlmp.exe Could Not Be Loaded Error Code 7' I found some recommendation about this error at the Microsoft site, but they don't work for me, so the error is still present. Before the installation I'm downgrade the BIOS Firmware to the 1.3.7 version (it was the last Urgent upgrade of the BIOS Firmware). Still need HELP... @thomas_smaistrla wrote: Try detatching the DRAC 5 virtual media. Durring POST, Press Ctrl-E for the DRAC and change the option for Virtual Media.

inbio · Answer

Hi there,

After various set of installations I've successfully installs Windows Server 2003, but only by using Dell Installation CD and only on RAID-0 with one hard drive.

Does anybody knows how to reconfigure system from RAID 0 (with one 300GB physical drive) to RAID-5 (with 3x300GB physical drives) without reinstalling Windows?
Maybe someone could explain what was my mistake and how can I correctly install Windows Server on the RAID-5?

Thank you in advance,
Anthony.

Message Edited by inbio on 11-12-2007 07:49 PM

Perumal Raja · Answer

Hi Anthony,     I don't know exact reason for failure in installation with your system configuration. As for as installation concerned, RAID level should not matters. You should able to install the OS in any raid level.   For reconfiguring  RAID level from 0 to 5, you have to install the Server Administrator which is part of Dell Installation CD. Since you have used Dell installation CD for installation, you should be seeing shortcut to install the server administrator in the desktop. In Server administrator screen, you will get the Reconfigure task under System -> Storage -> Virtual Disks from where you can reconfiure the raid level from 0 to 5. You might have to go thro' wizard to complete the task.     Thanks, Raja.

inbio · Answer

Hi Raja, Thanks a lot for your advice. I'll try to reconfigure RAID 0 to RAID5 by your instruction. Best regards, Anthony. Message Edited by inbio on 11-14-2007 04:59 PM

inbio · Answer

Hi Raja,

I think this is a hardware problem, because of after the reconfiguration and futher restarting, scandisk found some corruted system files. After the driver and software update and 2 or 3 rebooting system was failure to boot.
Even after the changing of discharged RAID battary the problem still present.
At the time of waiting of good RAID battary I'm trying to install Windows on the 1 of the 3 hard drives in the "write through" mode. So the system was stable for the 2 month, while I'm not install the new battary. The system automaticaly change write mode to the "write back" and the old problems with the corrupted files occurs again.

I think the problem is in the memory of RAID controller. Is it possible to unplug it and work with the server without RAID controller? And if the controller would be repaired how could I install it to the system without reinstalling Windows?

Thank you in advance.

Best Regards,
Anthony.

Message Edited by inbio on 02-06-2008 08:03 PM

Message Edited by inbio on 02-06-2008 08:04 PM

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Unable to install Windows Server 2003 x64 on PE2900.

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