Choose your operating system screen not active 2

[Eggyh]

I have recently installed Windows Server 2003 R2 on 2 HP Proliant servers. During startup I’m not shown the ‘Choose your operating system’ screen so I’m not given the opportunity to press F8 in order to go into Safe Mode or Directory Services Restore Mode etc.

Does anyone know why this is and how I’m supposed to access these modes otherwise?

 

[tfg13]

Press 'F8' before you get to the splash screen (the screen that says "Microsoft Server 2003" with the little bar that moves).

 

[itsp1965]

You prob have it setup your System Startup option to display the OS list for 0 seconds. Right click on my computer->Properties->Advanced->Startup/Recovery and change the System Startup option to display your list of OSses for 5 secs (or whatever you prefer)
Hope this helps

 

[Eggyh]

I've tried hitting F8 before the splash screen but it goes straight past it into windows startup.

 

[Eggyh]

My System Startup options are as follows:

Default operating system:

"Windows Server 2003, Standard" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect

Time to display operating systems: 30 secs (Checked)

Time to display recovery options when needed: 30 secs (Unchecked)

(I've tried checking the 'Time to display recovery options when needed' check box but it didn't seem to make any difference)

The Boot.ini is as follows:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)partition(1)\Windows
[operating systems]
default=multi(0)disk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Windows Server 2003, Standard" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect

 

[58sniper]

You don't see the boot menu because there is only one option in the boot.ini file. If you had more than one option (such as the recovery console), you'd see the menu for 30 seconds.

As for why it doesn't present the Safe Mode menu options when you hit F8 before the splash screen, I couldn't say.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[Eggyh]

How would i go about adding say the recovery console option to the list of operating systems? Perhaps while it's in the 30 second window I could hit F8 and get the recovery options up???

 

[58sniper]

[google]install recovery console server 2003[/google]

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[Eggyh]

Success!!! Now there're two operating systems I'm given all the time in the world to press F8 and choose a recovery option. Thanks for your help.