NT wont boot up. Need to save SQL server data. Please HELP!

[vkode78]

Here is the system Info:

Compaq AP550 , old workstation with NT

Has compaq 9.1 GB SCSI hard drive with NT on it
Maxtor 120 GB with Data and SQL server

What I DID ( stupid MEE!!) : I was trying to trouble shoot the DLT 40/80 GB

tape machine that was attached to this workstation. I went into services and

changed the mode for the 9.1 GB SCSI hard disk driver from BOOT to SYSTEM.

And when I restarted, Got the Blue screen of death. saying Boot disk

inaccesible. After couple of more times, now I just get the cursor blinking.

In BIOS the 9.1GB SCSI disk shows up and I was able to see it and test it.

Same thing with Compaq Diagnostics. It can see it and everything is okay.

THe only problem is that When NT boots, this SCSI disk driver should load,

but since I changed it from BOOT to SYSTEM, its not loading. and no boot is

happeninng.

Here is what I want: I could care less about NT and this box because we

bought a new server Dell 2650 and are planning to move everything there.

HOwever because of the scrrew up with the tape machine, we dont have a

current copy of the Databases on the other Maxtor 120GB drive.

1) Is there a way to fix NT to boot up again, and make everything work

magically? This would be the best solution, but I am willing to let go of

this option if I can have my databases backed up in any other way.

2) My main concern is to make sure the data on the other drive is Safe. Can I

put that as a slave in another machine running say 2003 with SQL server on

it. Can the SQL server back up the data from the slave drive?

3) I have an extra hard drive that I want to have the SQL server back up the

databases onto the new hard drive.

Please help. I would really really appreciate your help.

Thank you.

Kode

 

[dk87]

1. Go to

http://www.sysinternals.com

and look for a utility called NTFSDOS. It can access some SCSI drives. Create a dos boot disketee, boot from it, run NTFSDOS. Worth a shot.
2. You can re-install NT in a different directory, boot, and grab the data.
3. You can install the SCSI drive into a different machine that already has an OS installed (with proper drivers) and access the data.

 

[dk87]

Forgot to mention. There may be a SCSI driver for DOS available if NTFSDOS cannot read it native.

 

[vkode78]

I was able to repair the installation using old Win NT CD. Now the funny part is it, NT boots when I just have SCSI drive. When I have the IDE drive and SCSI together, it somehow looks to the IDE drive for OS. I know this has to do with Drive letter assignments etc. Any ideas on how to fix this?

Also, my SQL databases are on D drive. Iwill copy that drive to a new drive so that data will be safe. But my real question is -

Can I use that data with a new SQL server to build my databases back?

Thanks so much guys

 

[dk87]

1. Check the bios to make sure the boot order is set properly.
2. When you boot, do you see multiple selections for Windows NT? Of so, you want to edit a hidden file in the root of C called boot.ini, which has booting settings. You will see both instances of the operating system in the [Operating Systems] section. Change the line in the [boot loader] section that says "default=" to match the path to the os you want to boot (such as default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT"
3. As far as you SQL data is concerned, I would install SQL server, add a database, point the data file to your data files on your D drive. Make a copy of your data files before doing this, in case something goes wrong. In fact, make 2. Keep on on the disk so you can use it if you need to, and another in case the drive is inaccessable later.

 

[DebiJo]

If you can get a backup of your databases through SQL, just restore the backups on your new SQL box. If you can't get a SQL Backup of them, copy the mdf & ldf files to your new SQL server. Try an Attach DB. That might work. You might loose your users though. So, be prepared to add them back. If you have more detailed SQL questions, I would advise you to post to the SQL admin board on tek tips.

Good luck,
Debi

 

[outonalimb]

Create a NT4 boot disk.

Format a floppy disk on any NT4 machine then copy ntldr, ntdetect and boot.ini (from C: drive) onto it. You could copy boot.ini from a similar working machine (same disk setup) if required to get things working again.

By default, all floppy disks formatted on NT4 are bootable. The extra files are required to load the operating system.

My bootable floppy has been really useful on many an occasion. Of course, it can't fix all problems.