Repair Install is the most overlooked feature in recovering
and making Windows machines work properly.
Thanks Herb, I've actually rebuilt the machine from scratch twice, and
it is
all OK until AD is installed. I'm scratching my head a bit here, may
remove
again, and uninstall DNS/WINS/DHCP and the NIC teaming utility to see
if
that helps.
Rebuilding the machine is unlikely to help except in the
sense that the Repair install would have fixed the problem.
(It's overkill and almost always unnecessary.)
I wish you had mentioned the 'Teaming Nic' -- likely you
are seeing some bug in that or another (more unusual and
obscure) hardware bug that only shows up in certain
situations, maybe even low memory.
When you say "reboots" what specifically do you mean?
Crashes cold? Blue screens? Literally just reboots with
no warning and no blue screen?
BTW, if you don't have the System Control Panel set to
DISPLAY the blue screen until you see it (no automatic
reboot) and to save a Small or Mini Dump file you should
do that.
The info to track down the problem is usually (frequently?)
in that Blue Screen or more probably in the Dump which is
a bit more comprehensive even if a little bit harder to access.
Another question: If you bring it online (as a DC) does it
boot successfully and how long does it take to reboot?
Have you checked the hard drives (chkdks /R or some better
3rd party equivalent.)
Have you inspected the "Event Logs" after such crashes?
(Even a DC can be booted in 'non-DC' mode, it's called
Directory Services Restore Mode in the F8 Safe Mode
screen.)
BTW (again): If it won't boot after it shuts down as a DC
this might be interesting to see if DS Restore mode or any
of the other Safe Modes will allow it to run.
Your biggest issue is finding the SOURCE of the issue and
that means making DIFFERENTIAL tests until your can
narrow the diagnoses.
--
Herb Martin, MCSE, MVP
Accelerated MCSE
http://www.LearnQuick.Com
[phone number on web site]
"Andrew Story" <andrewDOTstoryATjameswalkerDOTbiz> wrote in message
"Andrew Story" <andrewDOTstoryATjameswalkerDOTbiz> wrote in message
Hi All,
Have a Dell Poweredge 850 which will be a file/print/DC (currently a
DC).
Only issue is that when AD is installed, the server reboots every
2-3
days
at random times. When AD is removed it dosen't reboot and is
stable.
Dell diags etc and technical support have been called, but they
advise
the
servers hardware is fine.
That is NOT a feature of AD, <grin> but seriously you should
never expect this with a DC so something else is likely wrong.
I wish it was a feature, maybe able to 'disable' it then.
When you you say "install...remove", did you try this more than
once?
Have tried it twice now, with the same results both times.
The only event is 6008: the last shutdown was unexpected.
Has anyone seen this before?
What I would do:
DCPromo AND a "REPAIR INSTALL" followed by updating
with latest Service Pack and subsequent hotfices.
My first guess would be a damaged DLL or Service component
that only shows up when AD (and perhaps DNS) is loaded and
running.
Repair Install == Boot from original CDROM and use regular
install but CHOSE same (current) directory where Windows
is installed and ENSURE that you are both PROMPTED and
CONFIRM that you wish to REPAIR.
Repair Install is the most overlooked feature in recovering
and making Windows machines work properly.
Thanks Herb, I've actually rebuilt the machine from scratch twice, and
it is
all OK until AD is installed. I'm scratching my head a bit here, may
remove
again, and uninstall DNS/WINS/DHCP and the NIC teaming utility to see
if
that helps.
--
Herb Martin, MCSE, MVP
Accelerated MCSE
http://www.LearnQuick.Com
[phone number on web site]
