Re-install on a PowerVault 715N

Hello,

I also have a 715N server that I bought on eBay from a very bad seller.  He did not include the CDs with the server and now that I need to re-install the OS I cannot because I don't have them.

I have contacted Dell and they no longer support these system and will not let me buy a replacement CD (this is horrible support!)

It appears without these CDs you are hopeless to re-install the OS. 

I've answered all of my own questions though a little more research and some trial and error.

The "Reinstallation CD" is the same thing as the "Windows 2000 CD" that the support doc referenced in my first post. It contains the OS and all the programs needed to boot the NAS device and transfer the OS image to it.

About the cables... A standard cross-over ethernet cable works as expected. The "null modem cable" however, is not just a standard serial cable. You can search for these online, I got mine from Amazon.com. (Make sure you get a cable with the correct ends, as they come in various female/male and size combinations.)

I've had several people send me personal messages wanting to somehow get a hold of the reinstallation and resource cds. It seems that Dell is no longer ofically supporting these devices, and there isn't anywhere to download/purchase these support cds. So, I take it these cds I have are pretty precious now...

In that case, use the links below to download ISOs I've made and posted for you guys. (warning, they're a big download):

Revised Link:

http://www.jtechwebsystems.com/downloads/iso/PV715N/

These are ISOs for the following discs:

Dell Powervault 715N Systems Resource CD: P/N 5M489 Rev. A00 (October 2001)

Dell Powervault 715N Systems Reinstallation CD: P/N 4J012 Rev. A00 (September 2001)

Let me know if you have any problems with those files. Hope it helps. :-)

Regards,

      Jeremy

p.s. If any one has ISOs of the newer revision (A01..?), I'd be happy to host those in the same place. So, if anyone out there has them online, please let me know.

Message Edited by JerMe on 11-08-2005 03:59 PM

I actually got a really nice Dell tech to give me ISO ftp links today (thanks EricB!).  I don't think you can do it without the CDs though because it is an image of the Windows 2000 install that is pre-loaded with all the necessary hardware drivers to boot up.  I installed Win2K on the hard drive from another P3 system and it would lock up everytime it tried to boot up Windows 2000...likely because the system config was way too different.  With the lack of the keyboard, mouse, video, cdrom and floppy working on this system is nearly impossible.

Thanks for posting those links JerMe...very nice of you!

Thanks for the ISOs JerMe. :)

Do you know what revision of the Dell Reinstallation CD this is?

Message Edited by Apoc2000 on 08-03-2004 11:39 AM

Actually - you will need the correct revision for your system.  The Dell tech originally sent me 1.1 CDs and I got an error when re-installing about the motherboard being incorrect for the install version.  So you will need 1.1 or 1.0 (A00 I presume) depending on when your unit was made.

Let me know if you need 1.1 - I have both sets of ISO's now and will keep them to aid others

Dell Powervault 715N Systems Resource CD: P/N 5M489 Rev. A00 (October 2001)

Dell Powervault 715N Systems Reinstallation CD: P/N 4J012 Rev. A00 (September 2001)

I take it A00 is the first revision, and because they were made in 2001, i take it they're relativly old (and out of date).  But, if you can't find anything else... I guess these ISOs will work. 

Thanks for the kind offer floydboy58, if you could host the ISOs for 1.1 that would be great as I get the :

"System motherboard not compatible...." error message using the A00 version.

I have now managed to get my system reinstalled after a lot of playing around with different CDs. The following should be of help for future reference:

There are indeed two versions of the CDs for the PV715N (1.0 and 1.1 systems).

For 1.0 systems

Resource CD P/N 5M489  --  Reinstallation CD P/N 4J012

For 1.1 systems

Resource CD P/N 6P547  --  Reinstallation CD P/N 6P545

The corresponding resource and reinstallation CDs must be used together, you cannot mix and match.

Hope this helps.

could you help me out and get me a link or iso of the 1.1 files please

Eric