Any Way To Add Device Driver Without Booting Windows 2000?

[CHANGE USERNAME TO westes]

I'm trying to move a Windows 2000 server install from a Compaq Proliant
6400R to a DL580. Of course, as usual, it won't work because yet again the
disk controller has changed and the old boot won't load the new disk
controller's driver. Is there any way for me to patch the boot device
and add in the device driver list the new disk controller?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I'm trying to move a Windows 2000 server install from a Compaq Proliant
6400R to a DL580. Of course, as usual, it won't work because yet again the
disk controller has changed and the old boot won't load the new disk
controller's driver. Is there any way for me to patch the boot device
and add in the device driver list the new disk controller?

While on the old system, replace the system-specific driver
for the master IDE controller with the generic Microsoft driver.

 

[CHANGE USERNAME TO westes]

"Generic Microsoft driver"??? What is this?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

What driver does your machine use for the Master IDE Controller?
Please be specific.

 

[CHANGE USERNAME TO westes]

The new machine is a Compaq DL580, and it uses a Compaq proprietary SCSI
adapter (the kind that requires you to hit F6 to load a custom driver when
installing a new Windows 2000 installation).

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You're on the wrong track. The Master IDE Controller driver
is a piece of software that is examined, loaded or replaced by
following this path:

Start / Settings / Control Panel / System / Hardware / Device Manager /
IDE Controllers / Master IDE Controller / Driver.

When you click "Update Driver" then you get the opportunity to
replace your current driver with the generic Microsoft driver.

 

[CHANGE USERNAME TO westes]

Why would I ever want to replace a master IDE Controller with a SCSI
controller driver?

Most servers and workstations these days include two separate controllers:
IDE and SCSI. Each is independent of the other. IDE is typically
attached on a server or high end workstation to just the CD drive, not a
hard drive.

ALL of our servers and workstations boot from SCSI devices, attached to the
onboard SCSI adapter.

Would it be sufficient to just add the new SCSI controller as a new device
in Device Manager, and then hope it gets picked up when the drive is
inserted into the new hardware?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You did not mention the SCSI issue in your original post (to which I
replied) - it came up only later on.

If your new machine uses a SCSI drive then you must load its
driver while the disk is installed in the old machine. Note that things
are getting a little hairy here - you're not only changing the motherboard
but you're also changing your storage system. If this was my server
then I would rebuild it in order to have it as robust as possible.