Re: HELP!!! MY SERVER IS HOSED!!!

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

OK just a few comments for future references. i you sign up as a MS Partner
Program (free) you can reveive FREE Business Critical Support from MS. Only
qualification is that it be a Business Critical Application issue or a
production server down causing a work stoppage. You may want to check into
this. I've used their support many times.
Second of all sounds like your issues stem from the DELL updates which
probably was an RAID Controller upgrade. I've had issues before with DELL PE
servers where the RAID controller is firmware is upgraded but the BIOS and
ESM firmware weren't causing a conflict. I would call DELL support or go to
their support page and upgrade the BIOS and ESM to the latest firmware
versions. Good luck.


"Ringo" <RingoEnglewood@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:5029618f-839b-4a39-b3c7-66e90528a2ed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Jul 27, 11:12 pm, "SteveB" <newsgr...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Yes customer support services.

"Ringo" <RingoEnglew...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:85d4925b-c10b-42e9-ba80-5615af480b62@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Jul 27, 10:29 pm, "SteveB" <newsgr...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:





If this is a production server and your business is down you might
consider
a call to CSS if time is of the essence. Hopefully SG's good suggestions
will help to get it running.

"Ringo" <RingoEnglew...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:1944ee86-8a52-4e9d-8b93-f1ae3de33c34@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Jul 27, 8:57 pm, "SuperGumby [SBS MVP]" <n...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

1st thing I'd do is power down the system (DO NOT restart, actually
power
OFF) and leave it for a minute or so.

Sounds like you can get into BIOS, on power up try resetting the BIOS
to
defaults.

Cursor but no further is _possibly_ video driver. Try booting in VGA
mode.

Another worth a go is DSRM (Directory Services Restore Mode). We do
not
plan
on restoring anything but DSRM will allow the server to start without
loading AD (and some other stuff) and possibly detect hardware
changes.

"Ringo" <RingoEnglew...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:cd872f43-4343-45d4-a636-9a1ef445e257@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ok,

I ran Dell PowerEdge Updates on my SBS R2 premium server...and now I
cannot get Windows to load at all. After the server's bios sceen
boots, it just shows me a blinking cursor...no Windows is loading
screen, no F1 F2 prompt, nothing at all except a blinking cursor.

I ran chkdsk /p /r three times till no more errors were reported/
corrected. I ran fixboot, also ran fixmbr....and still when I boot I
get a blinking cursor at the bios screens finishes.

Dell RAID utility reports all drives are online...so I know its not
a
hardware error. Looks like I am headed for a full reinstallation.

OS exists on a two 40 gig hard drives (MIRRORED ARRAY - Drive C)

All data (Exchange, My Docs, Company Data, Sharepoint, ClientApps,
etc) exists on a seperate three 150 gig RAID 5 array (Drives D: and
E).

Can I just reintall SBS on the C: drive, mount the exchange store
and
data from the RAID 5 array, and be done with it? What would you all
recommend for the best way to recovery?

Also, if anyone has any other ideas of how to fix the server without
reinstallation, please let me know asap. HELP!!!!

Ringo- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Ok, will try resetting the BIOS. I would try Directory Services
Restore Mode, but I cant get to the Window Server 2003 boot screen.

Question, what if I run an automated system recovery? Will that help
restore the server, and perhaps circumvent having to reinstall all the
SBS disc and start from scratch?

ringo- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Whats CSS? I am waiting on the phone with Microsoft now....is that
what you mean?

Ringo- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks.

Over an hour and still on hold waiting on hold for a Microsoft rep.
$550 not well spent so far for critical support. Blah!!!

I just found this thread...

http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.win2000.setup/browse_thread/thread/857b37fbe418bdbe/2d7bb0bd94055c20?hl=en&lnk=st&q=windows+2003+blinking+cursor+no+boot#2d7bb0bd94055c20

Given I am running the OS on a mirrored RAID array, i think this might
be my issue. Is there any way to create a USB Key Drive as Windows
2003 start up disk? I am hoping this will solve my problem. Any
ideas?

Ringo


.

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