[SOLVED] Server 2003 - No disk drive detected on Windows install

sevep · 12-30-2008, 12:50 PM

Can anyone help please?

I'm trying to install Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition on a Dell Poweredge 2800 but it's failing to detect any hard drives.

I have 5 SCSI drives installed, all showing online in BIOS, on a Adaptec 39160 SCSI card.

So far I've attempted to install the drivers for the SCSI card and also the PERC 4e/Di drivers on each attempt, when prompted on 'F6'

Windows advised that these drivers are already available on the installation disk, but either way it won't detect any hard drives which all seem to be online?

Once installed I'm aiming to run these as as a RAID 5 array

Is there anything I've missed, as I'm getting the same results when installing Ubuntu for servers too?

Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Steve

Klint · 12-31-2008, 01:12 PM

Do you have the poweredge installation disk? (its in the group of disk that came with the pe)

**bilbus** · 01-03-2009, 04:48 AM

Download the Perc 5i drivers off the dell site. Or use the Dell CD ( i forget if the drivers are slipstreemed)

Press f6 during windows setup (you will see it on screen)

You will need to put it on a floppy, usb floppys will work.

**djaburg** · 01-03-2009, 01:17 PM

Don't you have to create and initialize the array first for RAID 5, BEFORE you do the install?

**bilbus** · 01-03-2009, 01:41 PM

sure, i thought he did that already =)

Are you sure they are on the 39160 SCSI? If so no raid for you. Check the Perc config ... Control R or E during bootup i beleve.

Anyhow if its on the perc card, you need to create the array. Once thats done do the f6 thing, and load the driver, windows will see the disk. Windows does not see the disk because you have no logical drive in the array.

You can not install windows, and then create a raid array. If you are planing on doing software raid 5 .. dont.

Note, you cant boot your OS off of a software raid 5 disk. You can boot off of a raid 1 software array though

sevep · 01-04-2009, 08:19 AM

Hi all,

I had overlooked the controller card setup in BIOS which was set to RAID.

I did'nt realise RAID would work without the array being setup in advance, many thanks for the info on this.

I switched the card to RAID, set up RAID 5, and a logical disk appeared during boot up.

OS now see's the drives and installed succesfully!

Thanks again for the info which was a great help.

Steve.

12-30-2008, 12:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
sevep Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 30 OS: XP Pro	[SOLVED] Server 2003 - No disk drive detected on Windows install Can anyone help please? I'm trying to install Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition on a Dell Poweredge 2800 but it's failing to detect any hard drives. I have 5 SCSI drives installed, all showing online in BIOS, on a Adaptec 39160 SCSI card. So far I've attempted to install the drivers for the SCSI card and also the PERC 4e/Di drivers on each attempt, when prompted on 'F6' Windows advised that these drivers are already available on the installation disk, but either way it won't detect any hard drives which all seem to be online? Once installed I'm aiming to run these as as a RAID 5 array Is there anything I've missed, as I'm getting the same results when installing Ubuntu for servers too? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance, Steve Last edited by sevep; 12-30-2008 at 01:07 PM.

12-31-2008, 01:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
Klint Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: East, Texas Posts: 105 OS: XP, Vista, Server 2003	Re: Server 2003 - No disk drive detected on Windows install Do you have the poweredge installation disk? (its in the group of disk that came with the pe) __________________ -Klint (Bachelor of Science Information Technology - CompTIA A+ (Certified Computer Tech) -CompTIA Network+ (Certified Network Tech) - CompTIA Security+ (Certified Security Engineer) Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer)

01-03-2009, 04:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
bilbus TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 949 OS: OS2 Warp	Re: Server 2003 - No disk drive detected on Windows install Download the Perc 5i drivers off the dell site. Or use the Dell CD ( i forget if the drivers are slipstreemed) Press f6 during windows setup (you will see it on screen) You will need to put it on a floppy, usb floppys will work.

01-03-2009, 01:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
djaburg TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,321 OS: XP SP3/Vista/7 Server 2K/2K3/2K8	Re: Server 2003 - No disk drive detected on Windows install Don't you have to create and initialize the array first for RAID 5, BEFORE you do the install? __________________ Computers make it easier to do a lot of things, but most of the things they make it easier to do don't need to be done. The inherent vice of capitalism is the uneven division of blessings, while the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal division of misery.

01-03-2009, 01:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
bilbus TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 949 OS: OS2 Warp	Re: Server 2003 - No disk drive detected on Windows install sure, i thought he did that already =) Are you sure they are on the 39160 SCSI? If so no raid for you. Check the Perc config ... Control R or E during bootup i beleve. Anyhow if its on the perc card, you need to create the array. Once thats done do the f6 thing, and load the driver, windows will see the disk. Windows does not see the disk because you have no logical drive in the array. You can not install windows, and then create a raid array. If you are planing on doing software raid 5 .. dont. Note, you cant boot your OS off of a software raid 5 disk. You can boot off of a raid 1 software array though

01-04-2009, 08:19 AM	#6 (permalink)
sevep Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 30 OS: XP Pro	Re: Server 2003 - No disk drive detected on Windows install Hi all, I had overlooked the controller card setup in BIOS which was set to RAID. I did'nt realise RAID would work without the array being setup in advance, many thanks for the info on this. I switched the card to RAID, set up RAID 5, and a logical disk appeared during boot up. OS now see's the drives and installed succesfully! Thanks again for the info which was a great help. Steve.