Re: Windows 2003 Server hangs at splash screen / acpitabl.dat afte

We resolved the issue. turns out that the HP-supplied driver for the embedded
RAID controller ws not compatible with MS Win2k3 SP2 when detecting and
handling a disk error. When I installed a parallel win2k3 on the system
using the most recent SATA RAID driver, the system came up and reported the
hitherto unknown disk error (bad blocks). After I replaced the original
driver with the updated driver in the original Win2k3 installation, the
server booted into the original installation and I confirmed the disk errors
in the event viewer. I found a thread elswhere that reported a problem with
the RTM-level HP Embedded SATA RAID driver. So, when I noted that the current
RAID driver at HP was a later date than the one we had originally installed,
i concluded it was worth a try. Side note: The mirror-drive was defective
to the point where we could not write to the partition in console recovery.
Ultimately, the mirror-drive had to be reformatted and resynch'ed.

"Mathieu CHATEAU" wrote:

Would be better to go back to a stable state, and test further impact of SP2
on your system with a test system

--
Cordialement,
Mathieu CHATEAU
http://lordoftheping.blogspot.com


"GrantEllsworth" <GrantEllsworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:60245D07-E07E-4988-B9A1-7FB9DEE10E37@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I've got a backup, but I would need to install the opsys and the backup
program in order to restore the original opsys, wouldn't I?

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

Sorry, I should have placed my thoughts in a different order. Here
they are again:

1. By far the best method to restore your server is to
perform a restoration from a tested backup.
2. If you failed to make a backup prior to ther upgrade, you're
stuck.
3. To create moderately useable backup, use ntbackup.exe.
4. To create a more useable backup, use an imaging product.
5. Alternatively, if your disks are mirrored, split the mirror prior
to the upgrade in order to retain your existing installation on
one of the disks.
6. If you believe that a restoration of update will solve your
problem, give it a try but make sure to back up the
original version first. If you cannot do this under the Recovery
Console, do it under a Bart PE boot.
7. When I did my most recent service pack installation, I did
not burn my wings. Instead I followed the stern warnings
I had received from my local user group about creating
and testing a full backup first. This was for a humble one-server
business with just 12 staff.


"GrantEllsworth" <GrantEllsworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message
news:E7902FCC-D3D2-42D8-B436-93C2A2DB44B7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Your answer is a bit confusing. On the one hand you're telling me
"Sorry
that installing our updates hang your server so severely that you will
need
to rebuild and restore"; then you write something about backups and
using
a
drive imaging tool like Ghost, etc., and then to use a separate system
to
test an upgrade - was that for future reference? This is scarcely
practical
for a one-server small business.

What constitutes an upgrade that would trigger such a complex
procedure?
MS
advises us to install updates they recommend.

Mr. Pegasus, your wings are getting burnt!

I need a better solution.

Does anybody in the august elite community of MS Tech experts have any
comments about a solution that involves restoring
%sysdir\system32\drivers\update.sys" from the recovery console?

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:


"GrantEllsworth" <GrantEllsworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message
news:50F07909-B59A-45B2-99B3-5874AA90CB83@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After installing win2k3 sp2 on win2k3 server which had no prior sp1,
update
to dot.net framework 3.0 hung and I had to power down/restart
server.
In
normal boot, it hangs at spash screen; in safe mode, it hangs at
acpitabl.dat. What can I do to fix without having to rebuild the
server?

We are running win2k3 on a HP Proliant ML150 G2 with win2k3 mirrored
80G
SATA drives.


Your best bet is probably to restore the server from
your most recent backup. If you do not have one then
you may have to rebuild it. It would be a painful reminder
to adopt this procedure for significant upgrades:

1. Back up the server.
2. Restore it to a different disk.
3. Test it.
4. If successful, proceed with the upgrade.

Other than the native ntbackup tool (which makes restoration
to a new disk difficult) there are several third party tools
such as Acronis or Ghost. In your case you could even do
this:
1. Remove the primary disk from your mirror set.
2. Boot the machine with a floppy disk, using the
second half of the mirror.
3. If successful, upgrade the first half of the mirror.
4. If the upgrade is successful, rebuild the mirror.
5. If the upgrade fails, boot the machine as per Step 2
above, then rebuild the mirror from the second half.








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