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Dell PowerEdge 2850 freezing on Server 2003 install
When I try to install Server 2003, it will just freeze every install attempt at apcups.dll, at 14%, with no DVD drive access at all. I am installing from CDs, so it is a 2 CD install.
Edit: Does the exact same thing with drivers slipstreamed or not, although I'm pretty sure the installer comes with drivers already.
Edit 2: Does same thing burned onto different cds.
Edit 3 : Tried Linux, stated that the drive was read only the first time, the 2nd time it was trying to format it with ext4, and it just wouldn't format
nFive_
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April 17th, 2020 14:00
*ignore this*
DiegoLopez
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April 21st, 2020 01:00
Hello @nFive_,
Hey! Is great to read that you are still using a PowerEdge 2850. And also that you have want to start a project on it.
First of all, you need to identify what HDD you are using. You mentioned a 10k 300gb hdd. However, you should know that not all hard drives are compatible. They must be Enterprise certified HDDs. Otherwise they might not work correctly.
Next, for the OS installation process. First you should make sure the OS Install Mode is Disabled. Because this was a configuration to reduce the amount of used RAM during installation. Second, you need to make sure you have a RAID created, you should be able to create a RAID 0 with one disk. Then make sure to initialize the RAID in the PERC BIOS. (CTRL+R or CTRL+C on boot normally).
And, of course, you will need the RAID drivers. You can look for them in the firmwares & drivers page on Dell website: https://dell.to/2wVcELj
Regards.
nFive_
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April 21st, 2020 14:00
Thanks for the response!
The HDD I'm using is an HP Compaq SCSI U320 300GB 10000RPM Wide drive. Model number is BD300884C2.
You said something about it being Enterprise Certified, and I'm honestly not sure what that means, but the drive initializes properly in the raid array and it seems to be working normally.
I have OS Install Mode disabled, and it was disabled for that install. I also had the drive in a RAID 0 config, and it is initialized.
I've tried slipstreaming the drivers into the CD, and that doesn't really change the result.
Thanks in advance.
DELL-Joey C
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April 21st, 2020 19:00
Hi,
The drive you're using is an enterprise drive, but I don't think the drive is compatible with the drive, although it may seem to work at hardware level, but when OS communicates, it fails. Or though it manage to finish installing OS end of the day, it may fail after a few reboots, due to communication level.
From my experience, you should try external USB CD/DVD drive. Or to replace the optical drive, which may be difficult at this time, and also for this model.
nFive_
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April 23rd, 2020 01:00
I've attempted to use PLOP boot loader on this device, to load a usb, and it usually will do the same thing. Ironically, I had a spare laptop dvd drive that I replaced the old drive with, and I tried Server 2008, on a dvd, with drivers slipped in. It got past the copying, but it got stuck on Expanding windows files at 2%. By the way, a bought brand new blank CDs and DVDs, so they aren't scratched. I ended up trying Server 2003 on CDs, and It got to 17% instead of 14%. The next thing I'm gonna try is probably the Dell OpenManage OS Install helper thingy again.
You may be right about the drive however, so at some point I may buy a Dell 300gb U320 10K drive after this whole covid thing. For now, I'm still going to try, but you may be right.
Also, that little battery in the raid controller is dead, and I don't know if that will stuff like installing an os, but I thought you probably needed to know that, and I'll definitely end up replacing that as well.
Thanks