How to Perform a Server Hardware Diagnostic - Problem with booting system up

idata · ‎12-20-2011

Hi,

I was wondering if it would be possible to do a Hardware Diagnostics on the system. Here is the situation:

I have a Nobilis Machine with an Intel S5000 PSL Motherboard. I am running Raid 5, Windows Server 2003 R with Service Pack 2. Here is what happened.

The DC on the network became corrupted, so I had to reload AD.

The above mention server had to be demoted to the workgroup, so I did this and went to reboot, so then I could add the file server back to the domain. After the initial load up of POST here is what happened:

1.) NO Bootable Disk -2.) RAID controller reports Online - Raid 5 - Responding - Functional - Talked with tech. support guys and they truly felt it was something within windows. 3.) Downloaded the RAID controller drivers and booted off of them into the Windows Recovery console. Did a fixboot4.) Restarted the computer. 5.) Went into the Embedded RAID II Configuration Utility - No Logical Disk Drives are currenlty Configured. 6.) Boot into Windows again from the Windows Recovery 7.) Able to access all files on the c: drive. 8.) This doesn't make sense to me if I don't show any logical disks defined in my RAID controller. I am in the Intel Raid Web Console 2 and there are no errors. It sees the physical drives all six of them. It sees the logical drive. When I go to the configure tab and select bios and get to the boot options the RAID is not there to select. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am working with Nobilis Technical Support and I am working with Microsoft as well since the issue occurred when I demoted the server to workgroup. Please - any help, guidance, suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much! Holly

idata · ‎12-20-2011

I just got done running the Platform Confidence Test - Comprehense Test and No Errors were found.

DSilv11 · ‎12-21-2011

The "No Bootable Disk" sound like your boot order may be incorrct so that the AID is not being seen.

Check you boot order in BIOS set-up -- Note adding or removing a USB drive may change the boot order,

idata · ‎12-21-2011

Hi, there.

Thank you so much for the reply. In the Embedded RAID II Configuration Tool, it doesn't see any logical drives, so when I go to modify the boot menu, there is no RAID controller to choose from.

Also, when I booted off of the Intel DOS disk it sees the RAID Controller and it sees the logical drive, so with the basic of all drivers it sees the controller.

I understand what you mean that it could easily be a driver causing the issue.

How can I determine which driver and where it is loading from on the system for the RAID Controller. Before windows, something is being loaded to prevent the RAID Controller from even being seen in the BIOS Embedded RAID II Configuration Tool. It's like I need to repair the driver it uses during the system BIOS startup.

I don't know how to do that and I am extremely concerned about doing the wrong thing and destroying the data on the drives.

Thank you for getting back to me and please let me know your thoughts. You username "Silvercreek" is a ski hill area near where I live. :-)

Thank you for your help. Holly

idata · ‎12-21-2011

I'm almost wondering since I applied the "newest" driver for the RAID controller to start up the windows recovery console the Bios can't see it. I probably should have used the one that came from the server when they purchased it; rather than the newest driver to startup the windows recovery console. Last night, when I booted off the DOS disk it sees the RAID controller and it sees the Logical drive. It is in BIOS that it is not seeing the RAID Controller. So, Here is what I am thinking.... Option 1 1.) Update date BIOS Driver2.) Get to the point that I can see the RAID Controller in BIOS again (I believe this is all an Intel Issue). 3.) I believe a driver was updated before the other server even went down through Windows and this driver is causing issues with the bootup options. I just happen to be the lucky person who restarted the server and got the NO Boot Disk available error. 4.) If you and I can get the RAID Controller to show in BIOS again, I believe I can work with Microsoft to restore the files needed to boot from Microsoft again. Option 2. Basically, the same as above, but roll back the driver to the one that came with the machine off of the Intel disk for the RAID Controller. 1.) Boot off of the original disk into windows and attempt to replace the newest RAID Controller driver in Windows. - I can boot up, rename the current driver file, exit out of windows, restart again, install the orinigal driver that came with the system. Steps 2-4 the same as above. Any ideas if I am on the right path? Which option would be best for the machine - update the Bios driver or Roll back the RAID Controller Driver? Thanks again for your help. Holly

Edward_Z_Intel · ‎12-22-2011

Is your board SAS or SATA SKU? What's the driver version you were using before this issue?

idata · ‎12-22-2011

Hi, Edward.

The motherboard is for Sata. Intel S5000 PSL. The driver was the original driver that came with the machine; nothing was updated. Today, I worked with the hardware vendor. We updated the BIOS and the Firmware.

After that still no logical drive. I sent pictures of the BIOS screens to the hardware vendor. He went through all of the BIOS Screens and confirmed everything was correct.

This server has been down for a couple of days now, so the company made a business decision to start over from scratch and reload everything.

Tonight, I reconfigured the raid using the instructions for the Embedded Raid II controller. I now can see the logical drive. I booted up with the windows 2003 server disk, windows went through and installed and then after it downloaded the files it rebooted the server and then instead of windows loading and finish to install, it wants to do a fresh install. I don't get the option to boot from cd after it loads.

In the BIOS I have it set to look for the cd drive first, the raid second. There is still a configuration issue with the hardware. I have no idea what to attempt from here, so any suggestions would be appreciated because as of right now, I can't even reload the operating system and restore from backup.

Thanks so much for the reply. Holly

idata · ‎12-22-2011

Here is the update package we loaded today for the Bios and Firmware - http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19672&lang=eng&OSVersion=&DownloadType=Firmware http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19672&lang=eng&OSVersion=&DownloadType=Firmware

Edward_Z_Intel · ‎12-22-2011

After first reboot the server should boot from the RAID instead of CD right?

I suppose you load the http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=18265 latest ESRT2 driver from a USB floppy during installation right? Can you provide more details about your RAID configuration? (drive model, RAID level, VD size, etc.)

idata · ‎12-22-2011

Hi, Edward.

Yes, it should, but it doesn't see the RAID configuration as bootable. Even though in the BIOS the RAID configuration is set as the bootable hard drive.

Yes, I downloaded the latest driver and used it as a driver F6 option in the Windows 2003 Server setup.

I'm not onsite now, so I am going through my notes. It is a RAID 5 configuration. The size is 1903532MB. I believe if I am remembering right the size of each drive is 475883 MB. With all 6 drives configured it has 2.2 TB of data storage.

I don't think I wrote down the part # for the drive. The server is a Nobilis server and their serial # is 925738. I'm not sure if you can pull up the configuration from the original order through them. Another consultant purchased the server through Nobilis and installed it. I can send an e-mail to Gary requesting he send me the original configuration of the machine, but he won't be in until 8a.m. tomorrow PST.

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks, again. Holly

Edward_Z_Intel · ‎12-22-2011

Are you sure the VD size (not partition size) is 1903532MB? I'm asking because with a six-drive RAID 5 you should get 2379415MB if you use all capacity. And ESRT2 can't boot from a VD larger than 2TB.

idata · ‎12-22-2011

Sorry - The larger size is showing up the Virtual Drive and then in Windows I adjusted it to 1.5TB.

OK - I I need to repartician the Virtual Drive to to be less than 2TB. I didn't do that. It is still at the 2.2TB, so I need to do that in order to get it to boot.

OK - I will repartician and let you know. I need to go to bed, so it won't be until tomorrow. Any other suggestions?

idata · ‎12-22-2011

Do you think after I reload windows, reload the backup the system will be stable based off of all the craziness that has happened with not showing the Virtual Drives?

It's like the Virtual Drive became corrupt.