You may have a bad installation ISO.   You may need to do the following:

◦Download image again

◦Verify hash after download

◦Use a download utility to ensure integrity of file

◦Burn image again

◦Burn image at a slower rate

◦Burn image using different software

◦Burn image using different drive/PC

The hardware is working, since you were able to install Ubuntu successfully.  It sounds like the installation media is having issues.

Regards,

Gentlemen an update:

New copy of windows 2008 R2: does not work, hangs on "starting windows" screen.

WinPE 3.0: hangs on "starting windows" screen

Dell deployment utillity, selected win srv 2008 r2: hangs on "starting windows" screen

Dell deployment utility (old), selected win srv 2003 enterprise (in x86) ==> Works but I am unable to update to a 64 bit system.

Anyone any idea's on how to solve this rather bizzare problem? Burn a custom WinPe with Dell perc 5i drivers loaded? Use the server as a paperweight?

Kind regards

Geoff,

I tried the following:

New copy of windows 2008 R2: no luck (hangs at starting windows)

Windows PE3: no luck (hangs at starting windows)

Windows server 2012: no luck (hangs at starting windows)

Windows server 2012 hyper-v (the free version): no luck (hangs at starting windows)

Windows 2003 x86: works perfectly (With dell deployment tools)

Windows 2003 x64: works perfectly (With dell deployment tools)

Upgrade from working 2003 x64 to a Win 2008 R2 x64: no luck (install works fine, hangs at starting windows)

Considering the fact that I NEED hyper-v I am running out of options. Only thing that I have left would be to trow the darn thing out of the windows if it weren't so heavy ;-)

Please help.

Kind regards

Morris

Morris, try this, go into the idrac configuration at bootup (Cntrl -E) and choose Virtual Media Configuration, then detach Virtual Media and disable Virtual Flash.
That should do it for you.

Morris,

Which deployment tool are you using to attempt to install the OS?  You had mentioned it was an older one.

Regards,

ISM was discontinued years ago and supports only Server 2003.

Various minimum versions of SMTD/SBUU are required for 2008/R2/2012, the latest of which supports them all:

Also, you should make sure your system firmware is up to date before attempting the install, as there can be incompatibilities with later drivers.

If you use SBUU (Geoff's link) then you will also need the Driver Pack utility.  Use SMTD then everything you need will be on that DVD.

Rey,

I might have been mistaken. The remote acces that is present is only of the BMC and no DRAC or I Drac is present. The problem thus should not be linked to this.

(I can press Ctrl-E but that gives me an interface who just configures the BMC ip-settings and not much more)

Kind regards

Morris

Try using the Systems Build and Update utility DVD ISO: http://downloads.dell.com/sysman/cdu_1.6_core_173_A01.iso

Regards,

Geoff,

I am using the Dell Open Manage: OM 5.2.0 ISM A00

Is there a newer one available?

Kind regards

Morris

I tried the OM_SMTD_730_A00.

The disk works but i have the same problem when the systems tries to boot for the first time; read it still hangs on the starting windows screen

Flash,

First and fore all: Thanks for your intrest in this case (goes to the dell people to btw)

Bios: 2.7.0

Perc 5i FW: 5.2.2-0072

BaseBoard: 2.50

Backplane (?): 1.05

Kind regards

Morris

Will it go to the advanced boot options by hitting F8?

There is no F8 options (tried striking the key multiple times)

After trieing it Geoff's way with the:

cdu_1.6_core_173_A01.iso

and then the:

CDUW_DVD_7.0.0-27_A00

it still has the same problem. It hangs on starting windows (I even think the OS is installed but it just can't start up)

Same result as with:

OM_SMTD_730_A00

Any idea's?