inaccessible boot device on Windows 2000 Advanced Server

[canuck2]

On windows 2000 advanced server I have tried to transfer a ghost image from one computer to another. I get the inaccessible boot device blue scene.

The kicker is 6 months ago I did the same to another pair (exact duplicates) of the computers in question now with the same results due to differing hard drives. At that time if memory serves me correct that on searching the web I found a tip that corrected it, on bootup I was able to hit "f3"?? or another abnormal key during startup and then a series of simple steps that reset the configuration and it found the hard drive and everything worked well.

Unfortunately I did not log this in properly and have spent many hours trying to fix and relocate.

Does anyone have any ideas? Either on this previous fix or how to correct this present problem in another fashion.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sammyslinger]

Does Windows 2000 exist on the servers hard drive? If so, just reinstall Windows 2000 server in a DIFFERENT partition. Then you'll be able to access your other windows partition and fix it. Just a thought.

I had the same problem, when I booted up it told me some file was corrupt and the server would not boot up. I reinstalled Windows on a DIFFERENT partition, fixed the corrupt file, changed my BOOT.INI file to boot to the original partition and WAMMM, there it went.

let me know

 

[canuck2]

Thanks for the input although not applicable in this situation.

I tried to restore the image onto the main partition. The second partition had the image. The new server does not have a floppy for reinstall so I tried to bypass it as I did the first time (mentioned in first posting) by just using a ghost image of the working configured server.

 

[Tom70]

Typically, it will be one of the function keys(F1-F12). Try each during boot to get in to BIOS setup.(Or goto support website for the computer manufacturer to find out which key). Then in BIOS setup veify your hard drive is correctly recognized.(if it is 10 gig the number for the device should be the same(gfv10234 or similar)) Or set to autodetect if supported. Though, if you mean a blue screen that windows generates, then the hard drive is working and a windows driver is likely to blame. In which case I would think some part of the computer(s) are different. Also, Verify that the boot order in BIOS setup isn't set to boot only to LAN or something and that the hard drive is included and preferably first in the boot order.

 

[GiaBetiu]

Well.... in Windows 2000 the harddisks used will have a signature on them. The software used for making image usually is not copying the disk signature ( I know that should be a parameter in Norton Ghost for this).
In Windows 2000 Server this is a protection mechanism too.

SO, you will not be able to clone a WIn2k Srv without to save and write then back the disk signature.
Another possibility to save it (disk signature) is: use "dmpcfg" from Windows 2000 Resource Kit. That tool will tell you the disk signature ansd also it is able to write a signature that you want.

Gia Betiu
giabetiu@chello.nl
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, MCSE Win2K

 

[canuck2]

Thanks everybody for your input.

I will try the dmpcfg on the next server. After a few days of messing around I finally just created a bootable win2000 cdrom as the new server has no floppy and started from scratch.

Happy trails.