Wierd System Disk error help needed

agrikk

agrikk

Gawd
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
933
First off, I wasn't sure where to put this, so if a mod could help out, I'd appreciate it.

The problem is that I have an ASUS a7v266-E motherboard and a Compaq 5304-128 SCSI RAID Controller with 6 SCSI drives on it that I've installed Windows 2003 Server on.

The problem is that, when I boot the machine after a nice clean install, the machine cannot find the boot disk. No blue screen, just a POST Message saying "PLEASE INSERT SYSTEM DISK".

If I leave the Windows 2003 CD in the drive, it will prompt me if I want to boot from CD. If I do nothing, it goes smoothly into Win2k3, no problem.

As soon as I take the CD out of the tray, the system disk error comes back and the machine cannot boot.

Help?
 
With a fresh install and nothing to lose. Start up with the CD and gointo repair then console. Then type FIXBOOT then FIXMBR. I was told this isn't always a good idea cause it can screw up file systems but if its a fresh install why not.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314058

FIXBOOT

fixboot drive name:
Use this command to write the new Windows boot sector code on the system partition. In the command syntax, drive name is the drive letter where the boot sector will be written. This command fixes damage in the Windows boot sector. This command overrides the default setting, which writes to the system boot partition. The fixboot command is supported only on x86-based computers.
FIXMBR

fixmbr device name
Use this command to repair the MBR of the boot partition. In the command syntax, device name is an optional device name that specifies the device that requires a new MBR. Use this command if a virus has damaged the MBR and Windows cannot start.

Warning This command can damage your partition tables if a virus is present or if a hardware problem exists. If you use this command, you may create inaccessible partitions. We recommend that you run antivirus software before you use this command.

You can obtain the device name from the output of the map command. If you do not specify a device name, the MBR of the boot device is repaired, for example:

fixmbr \device\harddisk2
If the fixmbr command detects an invalid or non-standard partition table signature, fixmbr command prompts you for permission before rewriting the MBR. The fixmbr command is supported only on x86-based computers.
 
I'll try it, but I don't think that's it, because it's a fresh install and the error I'm getting is a POST error saying no system disk found. This happens before windows even tries to boot.

I'm thinking it's more of a BIOS issue or something, but I've tweaked all of my settings and I can't seem to find a solution...
 
Sounds to me like the BIOS isn't finding the controller at startup. Make sure your boot order is setup properly.
 
S1nF1xx said:
Sounds to me like the BIOS isn't finding the controller at startup. Make sure your boot order is setup properly.
Click to expand...
Agreed, make sure bios is set to boot from SCSI. That should be an option in bios for that board.
 
It's set to boot off of SCSI drives, and it's a new hardware combo. I pulled this board from another rig, so I was doing a fresh install of 2k3.

I know this board works with 2k3, I know this controller card works with 2k3 and I know that this setup boots to windows if there's a win2k3 CD in the drive as you turn on the rig.
 
Have you double checked the jumpers and terminatin packs of the drives.
 
insert system disk means the driver floppy you are supposed to make ahead of time on another machine for the SCSI drives which are considered by mobo as RAID. Once you get past bootup - windows takes over. The Compaq RAID controller needs its own proprietary drivers, not generic. The controller must show in Dev Man as cofigured correctly and running with Compaq driver


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but then. what do I know
 
Sid said:
Have you double checked the jumpers and terminatin packs of the drives.
Click to expand...

Yes. All the drives show up on the integrated Array Configuration Utility as connected and working fine.


cisco guy said:
insert system disk means the driver floppy you are supposed to make ahead of time on another machine for the SCSI drives which are considered by mobo as RAID. Once you get past bootup - windows takes over. The Compaq RAID controller needs its own proprietary drivers, not generic. The controller must show in Dev Man as cofigured correctly and running with Compaq driver
Click to expand...


That's correct, however Windows 2k3 has native drivers for this array controller and the controller shows up in the control panel as being configured and running correctly. It just needs to have the windows CD in the tray in order to boot from the SCSI array correctly. Like, wtf, right? :)
 
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