windows 2000 server won't boot up

[maxim2k]

Hi,

I've a Windows 2000 Server (SP4 with Update Rollup 1 and all the latest
updates): it's an old Dell PowerEdge 1550 with a Adaptect AIC-7899 SCSI
controller and two SCSI disks, they are in mirror mode, i.e. Windows
2000 software RAID.

This morning I've applied the latest security updates (IIRC just an IE6
update) and deinstalled some old applications, then rebooted the server.

The server never came back: the Windows blue loading progress bar
completes, but the login window never comes up!

I've tried to reboot it several times, no luck.
I cannot get it to boot in Safe Mode either.

What could be the cause of problem? How can I identify and fix it?

Is it a good idea to boot the server with the Windows 2000 Server CD and
try to have it automatically repair the installation?

What about the software RAID? Is that going to cause any problem?

Thanks.

 

[Steve Parry]

Hi,

I've a Windows 2000 Server (SP4 with Update Rollup 1 and all the latest
updates): it's an old Dell PowerEdge 1550 with a Adaptect AIC-7899 SCSI
controller and two SCSI disks, they are in mirror mode, i.e. Windows
2000 software RAID.

This morning I've applied the latest security updates (IIRC just an IE6
update) and deinstalled some old applications, then rebooted the server.

The server never came back: the Windows blue loading progress bar
completes, but the login window never comes up!

I've tried to reboot it several times, no luck.
I cannot get it to boot in Safe Mode either.

What could be the cause of problem? How can I identify and fix it?

Is it a good idea to boot the server with the Windows 2000 Server CD and
try to have it automatically repair the installation?

What about the software RAID? Is that going to cause any problem?

Thanks.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-UK;Q256194

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=836417

HTH?

 

[maxim2k]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-UK;Q256194

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=836417

Unfortunately the login screen is now even presented to me, so it looks
like the above articles won't help ...

Any other idea?

Thanks.

 

[Steve Parry]

Unfortunately the login screen is now even presented to me, so it looks
like the above articles won't help ...

Any other idea?

Thanks.

Have you tried rebooting and going into Safe Mode?

 

[Steve Parry]

Unfortunately the login screen is now even presented to me, so it looks
like the above articles won't help ...

Any other idea?

Thanks.

Have you left it for a while to see if it comes up eventually (or even
disconnect the network cable for a short time to see if it comes up)

 

[maxim2k]

Have you tried rebooting and going into Safe Mode?

Yes, as per my orginal message, it gets stuck too.

Thanks.

 

[maxim2k]

Have you left it for a while to see if it comes up eventually (or even
disconnect the network cable for a short time to see if it comes up)

Yes, I've waited for half an hour or so, and it didn't come up, also no
disk activity according to the leds when it gets stuck.

Why should I disconnect the network cable?

Thanks.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi,

I've a Windows 2000 Server (SP4 with Update Rollup 1 and all the latest
updates): it's an old Dell PowerEdge 1550 with a Adaptect AIC-7899 SCSI
controller and two SCSI disks, they are in mirror mode, i.e. Windows
2000 software RAID.

This morning I've applied the latest security updates (IIRC just an IE6
update) and deinstalled some old applications, then rebooted the server.

The server never came back: the Windows blue loading progress bar
completes, but the login window never comes up!

I've tried to reboot it several times, no luck.
I cannot get it to boot in Safe Mode either.

What could be the cause of problem? How can I identify and fix it?

Is it a good idea to boot the server with the Windows 2000 Server CD and
try to have it automatically repair the installation?

What about the software RAID? Is that going to cause any problem?

Thanks.

In such cases I have had an excellent success rate when
copying the most recent System registry file from the
Repair folder back to where it belongs (after saving
the original under a different name). This assumes, of
course, that the Repair directory is up-to-date.

 

[Steve Parry]

Yes, I've waited for half an hour or so, and it didn't come up, also no
disk activity according to the leds when it gets stuck.

Why should I disconnect the network cable?

Thanks.

Just that sometimes they sit there in a loop looking for DNS or external
links pulling the cable can stop this as it recognises the connections not
there

 

[maxim2k]

In such cases I have had an excellent success rate when
copying the most recent System registry file from the
Repair folder back to where it belongs (after saving
the original under a different name).

That sounds worth a try, how do I do it?

Thanks.

 

[maxim2k]

Just that sometimes they sit there in a loop looking for DNS or external
links pulling the cable can stop this as it recognises the connections not
there

Since I cannot even boot it in Safe Mode, that shouldn't bring up
network interfaces at all, I think the problem may lay somewhere else.

Thanks.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

That sounds worth a try, how do I do it?

Thanks.

You first check the age of your registry files in the
%SystemRoot%\Repair folder. If they are recent,
boot the machine with a Bart PE boot CD
(http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/#download),
move the existing System and Software files
sideways, then replace them with their equivalents
from the Repair folder.

 

[Dave Patrick]

Actually should have been;

%SystemRoot%\Repair\Regback

%SystemRoot%\Repair
would always contain the as-installed copies of the registry hive files.



--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| You first check the age of your registry files in the
| %SystemRoot%\Repair folder. If they are recent,
| boot the machine with a Bart PE boot CD
| (http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/#download),
| move the existing System and Software files
| sideways, then replace them with their equivalents
| from the Repair folder.
|
|

 

[Steve Parry]

Since I cannot even boot it in Safe Mode, that shouldn't bring up
network interfaces at all, I think the problem may lay somewhere else.

Thanks.

Why? You said the loading bar completes, jsut the login does'nt come up, so
the machine may well be busy trying to access something it cannot find and
get stuck in a loop?