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February 8th, 2024 19:48

PowerEdge R530 server not starting properly.

Good day everyone,

I need some help. Our PowerEdge R530 with RAID 5 seems to have crashed. We experienced frequent power outages on Sunday, and from our logs, it appears that the server rebooted several times. After troubleshooting, we found that the drives are online, and hardware diagnosis confirms this. However, the automatic Windows repair and refresh options failed. Even when I used the command prompt and ran "diskpart" to list disks, no disks were shown. I have attached some images.

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2.3K Posts

February 9th, 2024 07:49

Hello, at first I recommend power flea drain. after power outages please try to

Power drain the server:

  • 1. Power the server down.
  • 2. Disconnect the server from all power cables and network cables.
  • 3. Wait for 1 minute
  • 4. Hold down the power button continuously for at least 15 seconds.
  • 5. Insert power cables and network cables back into the system.

It’s possible that the RAID array encountered issues during these power outages. Then please check the RAID controller settings in the BIOS or the LifeCycle Controller. Ensure the virtual disk is present and healthy. 

 

  1. Press the F2 key during POST to launch the System Setup Menu.
    Alternatively, press the F10 key during POST and then select System Setup, then Hardware Settings from the LifeCycle Controller menu.
  2. Click Device Settings on the System Setup screen.
  3. Select the RAID controller to be configured on the Device Settings screen.

Verify or Change the RAID Configuration

  1. Click Virtual Disk Management on the Main Menu.
  2. Verify the virtual disk summary such as name, size, and status. To verify or change each virtual disk configuration, click any virtual disk.
  3. Verify each item. The name can be changed on this screen. To verify or change configuration details, click Advanced.
  4. Some of the items can be changed on this screen. Click Apply Changes after changing items.

don't forget, do not create a new RAID array on old drives! That will destroy the newly-created RAID and all your previous data.

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6 Posts

February 9th, 2024 13:17

Thank you for the reply. We attempted the steps you suggested, but it did not resolve the issue. The virtual disk appears normal, and everything seems to be online and live. However, the Windows OS is not starting as expected. It prompts to "Choose the language," but when I attempt troubleshooting options like "Refresh your PC," it displays an error message: "The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again."

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2.3K Posts

February 9th, 2024 14:04

sorry to hear that, okay I found some steps from a few articles in here The drive where windows is installed is locked. unlock the drive and try again (windows server 2012 R2) - Microsoft Q&A 

Fix: The Drive Where Windows Is Installed Is Locked (6 Ways) - MiniTool

It seems most likely OS side issue:

 The error message “The drive where Windows is installed is locked” usually appears when you’re trying to refresh your PC, and it can be caused by several factors such as damaged MBR (Master Boot Record), corrupted Windows system files, damaged BCD (Boot Configuration Data), disk errors, or a cleared TPM.

Here are some methods you can try to unlock the drive:

  • Rebuild MBR: The MBR is a special type of boot sector at the very beginning of partitioned computer mass storage devices. If it’s damaged or corrupted, you might receive the error message. You can try rebuilding MBR to see if the error can be fixed.

  • Use Command Prompt: You can try running some commands in the Command Prompt to unlock the drive. Here are the steps:

    • Insert the Windows installation media into your computer and boot from it.
    • Select your language preferences and click Next.
    • After selecting language, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt.
    • Then, enter the following commands:
      bootrec /RebuildBcd
      bootrec /fixMbr
      bootrec /fixboot
      
    • Press Enter after each command.
  • Disk Check: You can perform a disk check using the chkdsk command in Command Prompt. Replace Z: with the drive letter where Windows is installed:

    chkdsk Z: /f /x /r
    

    Press Enter and wait until the disk check completes.

Remember to back up your data before performing these operations to prevent data loss.

 

Hope that helps!

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6 Posts

February 9th, 2024 16:43

I have tried the commands, and these are the results:

X:\Sources>bootrec /RebuildBcd 
Scanning all disks for Windows installations. 
Please wait, since this may take a while...

Successfully scanned Windows installations. Total identified Windows installations: 0 
The operation completed successfully.

X: Sources>bootrec /FixMbr 
The system cannot find the path specified.

X:\Sources>bootrec /Fixboot 
The system cannot find the path specified.

X:\Sources>chkdsk C: /f /x /r
Cannot open volume for direct access.

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8.7K Posts

February 9th, 2024 16:57

Ict_guys.trini,
 
As we normally don't support OS issues, I would suggest at this point you call in, as it may take directly working with the system to resolve. 
 
 

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6 Posts

February 9th, 2024 18:17

@DELL-Chris H​ What number should I call?

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8.7K Posts

February 9th, 2024 19:15

Depending on your area/country you would need to call in to your regional support and then let them know you need OS support services, they should route you accordingly. . 

 

 

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6 Posts

February 9th, 2024 19:29

@DELL-Chris H​ Thank you for the information. I'll will take that route. 

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