No boot device available 1

[ceil32]

I have a Dell Poweredge SC40 with Windows 2003.

When it boots I get the error 'No boot device available

In the Bios the following drives are listed:

Diskette drive, drive 0-sata-0, drive 1 sata-1, drive 2, PATA-0, drive 3, pata-1

There are two physical drives in Windows, how can I check from the Bios which RAID is configured

All cables are secure etc.

As the server is so old I can get a 500gb replacement drive which is the same physical size as the failed drive

How should I proceed?

Thanks

 

[goombawaho]

When it boots I get the error 'No boot device available

Assuming the server does ACTUALLY boot up now.
How do you know you have RAID set up? Are you just assuming?

The RAID controller (if one is installed on the system) should have a "press Fx button to enter setup utility" upon system bootup. Or if it's integrated, it COULD be in the BIOS somewhere. You'll need to consult the server/mobo manual to know where.

If not part of the BIOS and you press the right F button, it should show you the hard drives that it can see and any RAID setting that has been set up.

Then, you'll need to test each SATA hard drive by unplugging the other drives and booting up to a CD or floppy with the manufacturer's diagnostic utility on it to see if the drives are ok. Test each one with the others disconnected.

Only then you'll know the situation. You may have two drives gone bad and then you're out of luck even if you have RAID1. Scope it out.

 

[goombawaho]

I actually meant to say "Assuming the server does ACTUALLY NOT boot up now. When you get "No boot device available" you're not booting at all.

Somebody gave me a star - is there an update from the OP as to what has happened?

 

[ceil32]

I understood that!

I gave your post a star, I'm not in the same country as the server right now so have asked colleaugues to check the information you gave.7

Thanks

 

[ceil32]

Here are the server specs are per support.dell.com via the Service Tag

POWEREDGE SC420 - SATA - CELERON 326, 2.
1512MB SINGLE RANK 533MHZ ECC MEMORY, (2X
1NO FLOPPY DRIVE
180GB SATA (7,200RPM) 1IN HARD DRIVE, 1ST
148X CD-ROM DRIVE
1DISPLAY : NOT INCLUDED
1NO MOUSE
1NO KEYBOARD REQUIRED
1NO OPERATING SYSTEM.(N)
1OPENMANAGE SERVER SOFTWARE
1NO WARRANTY UPGRADE
1BASE WARRANTY(NA)
11Y NBD (NEXT BUSINESS DAY)(NA)
1C1 SATA, 1 HARD DRIVE

 

[goombawaho]

Looks like it would be a CERC SATA 2S

and so this would be the guide that tells you about it.
support.dell.com/support/edocs/storage/RAID/CERCbest.pdf

and it says:
"BIOS RAID Configuration Utility
The Adaptec BIOS RAID Configuration Utility is an embedded BIOS utility that includes the
following:
• CERC Array Configuration Utility – Used to create, configure, and manage arrays. Also
used to initialize logical drives and rescan hard drives.
• SATASelect – Used to change device and controller settings.
• Disk Utilities – Used to format or verify media."

You access the config by CNTRL A during bootup.

I'd get in there first and see what the controller reports about the status of the array and whether it ever WAS a RAID 1. But you still need to test those hard drives.

 

[ceil32]

Thanks for that, have asked the user on site to check CTRL+A and report back, will post as soon as I get it

Cheers

 

[ceil32]

There is only one hard drive, when the user presses CTRL+A nothing happens except 'SATA Primary hard disk drive 0 failure Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility'

Hard Drive Diagnostics

Drive 0: WDC ROM MODEL-UNICORN-- - Error attempting diagnostics

Drive 1: No device

Drive 2: LITE-ON CD-ROM LTN-489S – Diagnostics not supported

Drive 3: No device


-------

SATA Operation – SATA Operation is set to RAID Autodetect/ATA
RAID AUTODETECT/ATA – RAID if signed drives, otherwise ATA
RAID OFF – No RAID supported
RAID ON – SATA is configured for RAID on every boot

----------

 

[ceil32]

Can anyone tell me whether there will be an issue installing Windows Server 2003 on this server?

 

[goombawaho]

You need a good hard drive first!!! Am I to assume you're just giving up on the existing hard drives/windows installation?

If it had Server 2003 on it before, why would it be a problem? Strongly suggest that you get two hard drives and set up RAID 1 before you load the OS.

 

[ceil32]

I have a blank new replacement drive ready to go will get a second one for RAID1 later on today.

The original OS was Windows 2000 Server - any reason based on the specs above it wouldn't take Windows 2003?

I haven't given up on original hard drive but I think it's goosed! Any suggestions based on my previous post??

 

[goombawaho]

Your original post said 2003!! With 1.5GB of RAM, that's pretty weak. It would best to get that up to 3GB if you can. It won't be a rocket ship with 2003 installed no matter what with the age of the machine. At this point in time, it would be best to replace the machine vs. spending any money on this one. Anything could die next (motherboard, power supply)

Be aware that you can't EASILY load Windows and then move to RAID 1. It should be set up before you load the OS.

For the original hard drive(s). Put them in another PC (doesn't matter as long as it has the right interface) and run the diagnostic test on them again. Then see if you can see any files with it as a slave. Try to run a CHKDSK /F on it and then look again. Then load the trial of GetDataBack for NTFS and see if you can see any files on the drive. If you can, then there is hope of recovery.

 

[BadBigBen]

I agree with Goom there, that it would be more prudent to go ahead and purchase an newer machine, then to upgrade an old beast with a weak heart (Celeron), especially if that machine is being used for a business.
For learning the ropes and teaching purposes, it probably would still would last a year or two, but probably not either considering that UEFI and newer stuff is already in the mainstream.

so take into consideration that memory upgrading could cost you an arm and a leg with older tech (probably DDR-400 ECC if I read the posts correctly). And that even a low cost Server these days, would run circles around that old Poweredge.




Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
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