Poweredge 1800 server will not boot after improper shutdown

On a cold boot, do you still see no video?  Is the status/LCD light amber or blue?

It probably will ... eventually ... but you will likely see a message about a service not being able to start.  I would first see what service that is, then act accordingly ... a chkdsk /r will probably be in order along with any other service-related fixes.

Update:  for whatever reason (has never done this on ANY previous system boots) the monitor apparently went to sleep without indicating as such by way of the power indicator being yellow.  Found this out by turning monitor off and then back on.  The situation now is that it seems to be taking a lot longer than usual to get through the "Applying computer settings...." phase of the Windows Sever 2003 boot process.  Still open to suggestions as I wait to see if it will ever give me a login prompt.

Theflash1932, thanks for your time in replying.  I will monitor the situation and add updates as necessary.  Would be grateful if you would continue monitoring this thread if you are able to do so in case I never get a login prompt or some other issue arises.  Again, thanks in advance for your time.

Gary

You bet :)

Update:  Finally got a login prompt, logged in, was prompted for and entered a reason for the unexpected shutdown.  Now back at another "Apply computer settings...." status awaiting the desktop to come up.

Yeah :)

Obviously, you cannot wait for it forever - at some point you have to take the risk of shutting it down while it may be in the middle of something ... the longer you wait, the better.

When you decide that enough is enough, I would boot back up, and at the end of the POST sequence (usually the press CTRL-E within 5 seconds message), then start tapping F8 once or twice per second until the Windows boot menu comes up (if you see the Windows logo, it is too late).  Choose Last Known Good.  If that doesn't work, then try Safe Mode with Networking the next time.

Update:  The "Applying computer settings..." status has now disappeared.  At this time there is only the wallpaper and mouse pointer on screen.... I see an activity hourglass flicker on and off for just a micro-second every once in a while.  Will continue to wait as this seems to be progress although very slow.

Gary

Still awaiting a desktop to come up after approx. 40 mins.  Am I being impatient?  Or just stand by and be more patient?

Desktop finally came up.  System seems sluggish.  Checked system event log.  It reports that a system service is hung up.  The service is the agent service for the UPS (Which by the way we are also having problems with and in the process of replacing).  The service reports being in a starting state.  Attempts to disable the service, as suggested by the event log entry error message, via the System management MMC snap-in appear to hang.  Also having problems accessing shares on the server.  To this end, the System event log has an entry to this effect:

"The master browser has received a server announcement from the computer that believes that it is the master browser for the domain on transport NetBT_Tcpip_{A07C67D2-64E.  The master browser is stopping or an election is being forced."

Please advise on any of the above issues that you can.  Thanks in advance.

Gary

What about disabling the the service mentioned in the event log?  Any suggestions on how to force stop it and/or disable it?   I have also noticed there are other services that appear to be hung in a stopping or starting state as well.  

Afraid I'm no help (without Google) on the message you posted:

www.eventid.net/display.asp

If the system itself is acting sluggish, check the hardware logs (in OMSA if you have it installed - is the LCD panel amber or blue?), and consider running a CHKDSK /R.

OMSA shows nothing of interest in hardware logs.  We have no LCD but front panel is showing all blue LED's, no amber.  Again, there are several system services that seem to be hung in a stopping or starting state.  Do you think that now that the system is back up, doing a formal proper shutdown/startup or restart might rectify these issues?  Let me know what you think.  I will be checking back in a bit after I return from picking up the new server UPS.

Gary

Doing a restart now might be "better" than before as it was apparently able to iron out some of the wrinkles, but I would still suggest a chkdsk /r before doing too much else.