Hard time installing OS

KCarpenter12

KCarpenter12

n00b
Joined
Nov 9, 2017
Messages
51
Hello,

I am trying to install an OS (CentOS) on a server I picked up on CL... currently there is 2 HDD setup RAID 1.

When I boot with no USB stick or CD in, it tells me there is no OS on the disk.... when I boot with a bootable CD, it flashed something about ISOLINUX and just goes to a blank screen and hangs.... when I boot with a USB stick, it just stays at the "Boot from CD: " screen...

I have burned multiple CD's and wrote the USB stick multiple times with different programs...

I'm not sure what's going on here but I can't get an OS on this system....

My boot sequence is right...

I have even tried a couple other Linux distro's... same thing...

Any ideas?
 
You should specify which type of server you picked up. For example if it's a RISC or older 32-bit CPU based server a regular X86-64 image won't work.

Also, is the RAID configured in hardware (during initial bootup before installing the OS)? In most raid controllers you have to specify a named array as bootable. Fail to do that and it won't boot.
 
It is a 32 bit processor and I'm trying to install a 32 bit OS..

It's hardware RAID.

I've never dealt with RAID before so I'm not sure if that's the problem or not...
 
KCarpenter12 said:
It is a 32 bit processor and I'm trying to install a 32 bit OS..

It's hardware RAID.

I've never dealt with RAID before so I'm not sure if that's the problem or not...
Click to expand...

If it's hardware raid it's completely invisible to the OS and the installer. It's just like any regular drive. One nasty option is that your hardware is faulty if you can't get anything to boot using it.

I guess you have successfully booted into the raid controller and configured the drives to a bootable raid1 array?
 
The person that I purchased it
From said he configured it and it was ready to go... I'll check when I get home...
Maybe I'll try to just disable RAID
 
You might try a Live CD, see if it will boot. This way you can test the hardware.

First link I found putting your issue into Google says to disable the Serial Port.
 
KCarpenter12 said:
The person that I purchased it
From said he configured it and it was ready to go... I'll check when I get home...
Maybe I'll try to just disable RAID
Click to expand...

I wouldn't trust the person who sold it. Boot to the raid bios and reconfigure the array. Only way you can be sure.

It should boot just fine using the live cd/dvd though, even without hard drives.
 
Ultima99 said:
Does it work if you bust up the RAID and try just one HDD?
Click to expand...
That was going to be my suggestion, to eliminate issues with the RAID controller or any of these OSes trying to detect it.

Also, make sure the memory is properly detected, cables are seated properly, etc.
 
You are getting past the raid screen so that's fine. It looks like the bootloader is crashing when it tries to boot into the installer.

Have you tried Ubuntu variant which is different than CentOS? Are you using the most recent versions of CentOS? If you are using 7, have you tried 6?

Also, try resetting the BIOS to defaults then try to boot again.

Finally, try using a USB DVD drive. I would actually start with this.
 
I am going back and forth between CentOS, Ubuntu and now Knoppix Live.....Also trying with CD and USB
 
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