Re: Windows 2003 Support on Dell Poweredge 2300 Server

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

From: Susie (Susie_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 10/13/04 

Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2004 02:17:04 -0700

Thanx for your prompt response

I've found several posts on the Dell web site, which state that an
Expandable PERC II Raid Controller isn't officially supported by Microsoft or
Dell running under Windows 2003. However it should run OK based on reports
from the Dell community, if the boot partition is less than 8 GB and Windows
2000 PERC drivers are used. I'm just trying to clarify the position as to
whether or not the controller is officially supported by Microsoft as we
want to use this machine as a fairly high profile frontend Exchange Server.
We did originally have a problem trying to install Windows 2003 on to the
machine, in that the setup routine could not find / recognise the boot
partition during it's first automatic reboot of the system. This problem was
rectified when we reduced the capacity to less than 8 GB

"Ryan Sokolowski [Microsoft]" wrote:

> What would not be supported? W2K3 on a 2300? W2K3 on a mirrored boot
> partition? I'm confused...
>
> When I go to Dell's site, I see plenty of software downloads available for
> PowerEdge 2300s running Windows Server 2003 - there are even drivers for the
> PERC II RAID Controllers...what would be the problem?
>
> --
> Ryan Sokolowski
> MCSE, CCNA, CCDA, BCFP
> Microsoft Enterprise Engineering Center
>
> "A troubleshooter's best tool is the Event Viewer and understanding the
> events and messages contained therein."
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
> "Susie" <Susie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:009E62B1-DDCE-4EE9-A662-2674B21C25E3@microsoft.com...
> > I am running Windows 2003 on to a Poweredge 2300 running an expandable
> PERC
> > II controller. All up todate BIOS and Firmware levels have been applied,
> and
> > the boot drive has been configured as an 8 gb partition. The system was
> > running fine, but it recently developed what first appeared to be a
> physical
> > hardware fault on the mirrored boot partition, Windows 2003 initially
> > reported that the file system structure on the disk had become corrupt,
> > followed by subsequent chkdsk errors reporting corrupt files, invalid
> check
> > sum errors etc.
> > A low level Dell Management consistancy check of the RAID configuration,
> > showed there to be no actual physical damage.
> > Would it be possible that the fault could be caused by us trying to run
> > Windows 2003 on the machine?
> > I understand from articles read that this is not a supported configuration
> > by either Dell or Microsoft
> > Thanx
> >
>
>
>

Relevant Pages