I'll try and keep this short. We just got in a new DL360G7 with 8x 500GB SATA disks. We are going to use this as a NAS so we are going for max storage possible in the end. I configured the Smart Array Controller so that there is a single Logical Drive configured using RAID 5. For an OS we are using Server 2008 R2 64 bit Standard Edition. I know about the 2TB partition limitation with MBR Disks so I want to use a GPT Disk to get around this. The goal is to be able to install the OS on a 60GB or so partition on the GPT disk with the remaining space avaialble as a Data Partition in the 3TB range as far as size. This is my first time working with a GPT disk when it comes to the boot volume.
I have used diskpart to convert the MRB disk to GPT. Then when I go to install windows it converts it back to MRB. I went back in converted back to GPT and manually created my partitions. Go back to windows to install and it tells me that I cannot install windows to a GPT disk. From searches I have done I have concluded that I cannot initiate the install from a BOIS type boot process that it needs to be EFI. Many of the steps I have read about talk about an EFI shell but I can't find any option like that. How do I access a EFI shell to initiate the installation? Is it even available on this server or am I going to be stuck with taking 2 drives out of my Logigal Drive to mirror them for an OS Volume using MBR and if I happen to still be over 2TB I can use GPT on the remaining 6 drives in RAID 5.
Thanks
I have used diskpart to convert the MRB disk to GPT. Then when I go to install windows it converts it back to MRB. I went back in converted back to GPT and manually created my partitions. Go back to windows to install and it tells me that I cannot install windows to a GPT disk. From searches I have done I have concluded that I cannot initiate the install from a BOIS type boot process that it needs to be EFI. Many of the steps I have read about talk about an EFI shell but I can't find any option like that. How do I access a EFI shell to initiate the installation? Is it even available on this server or am I going to be stuck with taking 2 drives out of my Logigal Drive to mirror them for an OS Volume using MBR and if I happen to still be over 2TB I can use GPT on the remaining 6 drives in RAID 5.
Thanks