16 replies to this topic

[009]

Hi guys,
Last month my file server's motherboard died and I replaced it with a Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H. I installed Win Server 2008 and everything worked. After drivers were installed, I pluged in my HighPoint RocketRAID 2320 RAID card and my fresh install of Win Server 2008 would not boot. If I went into the bios and in the Save & Exit section, selected boot override with my OS hard drive, Windows Server 2008 would finally boot and I would have full access to my RAID.

Even though in the BIOS, in the BIOS Features section, my boot option #1 was my OS hard drive, and boot option #2 was disabled, every time I rebooted my machine, it wouldn't boot into Windows unless I used the boot override trick.

After getting sick of trying to get to the BIOS screen every time I booted, pressing del key would not always work, as it may have been to fast, I decided to reformat my os drive, and reinstall windows server 2008.

I have Windows Server 2008 in a usb drive, the usb drive is selected as the only boot priority in BIOS. It boots from the usb, I get the Windows is loading files... screen and after the bar reaches the end the system resets itself. I have tried using the same usb with my RAID card disconnected, and it goes past the loading screen to the install screens. I have tried the RAID card on all PCI slots on the motherboard (PCIEX16, PCIEX8 & PCIEX4), and in each position the windows is load files bar reaches the end and the pc resets itself. In all three PCI slots, I know the RAID card is being read my the motherboard, because I see the RAID card bios screen before the windows is loading files screen starts. The RAID Card is HighPoint RocketRAID 2320 8-Channel PCI-Express x4 SATA 3Gb/s.

Any ideas on how to get the motherboard and raid card to play nice?

[pcdoc]

Hi guys,
Last month my file server's motherboard died and I replaced it with a Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H. I installed Win Server 2008 and everything worked. After drivers were installed, I pluged in my HighPoint RocketRAID 2320 RAID card and my fresh install of Win Server 2008 would not boot. If I went into the bios and in the Save & Exit section, selected boot override with my OS hard drive, Windows Server 2008 would finally boot and I would have full access to my RAID.

Even though in the BIOS, in the BIOS Features section, my boot option #1 was my OS hard drive, and boot option #2 was disabled, every time I rebooted my machine, it wouldn't boot into Windows unless I used the boot override trick.

After getting sick of trying to get to the BIOS screen every time I booted, pressing del key would not always work, as it may have been to fast, I decided to reformat my os drive, and reinstall windows server 2008.

I have Windows Server 2008 in a usb drive, the usb drive is selected as the only boot priority in BIOS. It boots from the usb, I get the Windows is loading files... screen and after the bar reaches the end the system resets itself. I have tried using the same usb with my RAID card disconnected, and it goes past the loading screen to the install screens. I have tried the RAID card on all PCI slots on the motherboard (PCIEX16, PCIEX8 & PCIEX4), and in each position the windows is load files bar reaches the end and the pc resets itself. In all three PCI slots, I know the RAID card is being read my the motherboard, because I see the RAID card bios screen before the windows is loading files screen starts. The RAID Card is HighPoint RocketRAID 2320 8-Channel PCI-Express x4 SATA 3Gb/s.

Any ideas on how to get the motherboard and raid card to play nice?

Sure. I have almost the exact setup except I am using a 2680 card but I ran into the same issue. Update to the latest BIOS (mine came with F5 and the latest is F12). Then go into the BIOS set the drive you want to boot from and kill the others in all boot options. Put the card in the first slot and you should be good to go.

[009]

Thanks for the quick reply pcdoc. The raid card is in the top slot (PCIEX16). I updated the BIOS to F12, and disabled all boot devices except the usb drive. I get to the screen where "Windows is loading files.." comes up. The loading bar goes to the end, and it just stays on that screen. At least this is one step better than before where it reset itself at this point.

[pcdoc]

Thanks for the quick reply pcdoc. The raid card is in the top slot (PCIEX16). I updated the BIOS to F12, and disabled all boot devices except the usb drive. I get to the screen where "Windows is loading files.." comes up. The loading bar goes to the end, and it just stays on that screen. At least this is one step better than before where it reset itself at this point.

I would also remake your USB drive or try a DVD. I have had more failure with USB boot than I can count. I do not use that method unless I have to.

[Mr_Smartepants]

I've seen something similar. You might need to make a registry change before connecting the card.
Follow the instructions in this KB article to make sure your registry settings are correct for RAID.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

• Exit all Windows-based programs.
• Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
• If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
• Locate and then click one of the following registry subkeys:
  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci
  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\IastorV
• In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
• In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
• On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.

Edited by Mr_Smartepants, 11 June 2012 - 12:02 AM.

[009]

I've seen something similar. You might need to make a registry change before connecting the card.
Follow the instructions in this KB article to make sure your registry settings are correct for RAID.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

MR_Smartepants.. I think you did it for me mate!!

I remade the OS usb, as pcdoc suggested, and tried installing the os using that. Unfortunatlly I had the same problem, where it does not go past the windows is loading files screen. So I decided to install the OS with the RAID card not plugged in. Once OS was installed, I change the registry settings as Mr_Smartepants suggested. Plugged in the Raid card.. and boom, no problems since (knock on wood).

Thanks heaps both of you, pcdoc and Mr_Smartepants!

[Mr_Smartepants]

Glad to help.
Now if you wanted to install the OS onto the RAID itself you would need to load the RAID card drivers into your OS .iso through DISM injection or by creating a folder at the root of the .iso with the name $WinPEDriver$ and putting the drivers in there. Otherwise the Windows installer won't "see" the array.

[pcdoc]

Glad you got it running. Good luck with it.

[009]

The problem is back again. I don't think the changes in the register was the fix. I must have been lucky, and got a 2-3 boots that worked.

This afternoon I had to reset the server after installing some software. After seeing all the POST screens (I think that is what they are called), the screen goes black, and stays there. I would guess its one screen from the windows loading progress bar screen. It stays on this black screen and does nothing. If I unplug the RAID card, it boot up windows with no problems. No matter what I try now, I cannot get the windows to boot up with the RAID card attached. I have tried resetting the bios to default, trying to use the priority boot setting, and nothing seems to work.

[Mr_Smartepants]

Did you install the full set of Intel drivers after changing the registry?
Since you have a separate RAID card, did you disable the onboard RAID in the motherboard BIOS? (AHCI)
Can you boot from a liveCD (Ubuntu, Fedora, or WinPE) and see the RAID? If you go into the RAID card BIOS does it report the drives are "healthy"?
Even though you have a "black screen", does the system show any other signs of activity? (HDD light flickering? HDD seek noise?)
There's a lot of info you need to provide other than "It's broken".

[pcdoc]

The registry hack you have tried is typically for installs that activate AHCI on they had been with the IDE settings in the BIOS then changed. For troubleshooting, try setting your system BIOS to IDE mode and see if that helps.

[009]

Did you install the full set of Intel drivers after changing the registry?
Since you have a separate RAID card, did you disable the onboard RAID in the motherboard BIOS? (AHCI)
Can you boot from a liveCD (Ubuntu, Fedora, or WinPE) and see the RAID? If you go into the RAID card BIOS does it report the drives are "healthy"?
Even though you have a "black screen", does the system show any other signs of activity? (HDD light flickering? HDD seek noise?)
There's a lot of info you need to provide other than "It's broken".

The registry hack you have tried is typically for installs that activate AHCI on they had been with the IDE settings in the BIOS then changed. For troubleshooting, try setting your system BIOS to IDE mode and see if that helps.

Thanks for the suggestions.

The RAID bios shows all drivers as healthy.

I tried booting up normally tonight, hoping the 24hr rest, would magically solve everything. Sadly it did not. It stopped before the windows loading screen as per below. I checked the hdd lights at the black screen and it was not flickering, nor could I hear the seeking noise of the hdd.

When I have said it goes to the black screen in my previous posts and in this post too, I actually get the "Windows Error Recovery Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause...." screen. If I go "launch startup repair", it goes into that with no problems, if I select "start windows normally", I get get the black screen that does nothing.

I unplugged the RAID card, boot into windows and tried to install the Fix. However it would not let me install the fix due to my OS being Windows Server 2008. I shut down the pc and plugged the RAID card back to do more testing.

I then tried changing the bios settings to IDE mode (it had been set at AHCI mode). In IDE mode, it goes past the boot screen, I see the windows loading screen for a second (bar is about 1/10 across) and the pc reboots itself. I tried it a few times, and it would always reset itself at the windows is loading screen, with the bar at slightly different positions, but always under 1/8th or so full.

I changed the BIOS back to AHCI mode, and tried booting again. It went back to being stuck at the black screen with no Windows loading screen.

I then tried changing the SATA connection of my OS drive from SATA2 to the SATA3 ports. Black screen again.

I tried disconnecting all sata cables, and only had OS drive on the SATA3 port. Black screen gain.

Changed the OS drive to the SATA 2 port, with no other sata cables plugged in. Black screen again.

I unplugged the RAID card, and it boots into Windows with no problems.

I then re-read your post and realised, that the few times I booted the pc to test if the registry tweaks worked or not was possibly before I installed all the drivers, and it may have been the intel drivers that I installed that was causing it. But I would have done at least one boot after installing the drivers, that would have booted up with no problems.

I uninstalled everything intel (except display driver) from add/remove programs and uninstalled the Intel® 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller – 1E02 driver (See 1 in attached picture) and reset computer. When the computer reboot it installed a Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA controller driver.

I shut down the pc and plugged in the RAID card. Booted up, and got the black screen. Changed BIOS mode to IDE, and got the windows loading screen before the pc reset it self.

It’s getting late here (I’m from Australia) and need to get to bed. I’ll do more testing tomorrow with any more suggestions you guys may have. I plan to do a format and fresh install of Server 2008, and selectively install the Intel drivers. If that does not help, I'll try downloading a livecd as you suggested.

Will install:
LAN - Atheros LAN Driver 2.0.4.4
USB 3.0 - Intel USB 3.0 Driver 1.0.4.225
VGA - Intel VGA Driver 15.26.9.64.2712
Rocket Raid 2630
Won’t install:
SATA RAID - Intel® Rapid Storage Technology 11.1.0.1006
Chipset - Intel Management Engine Interface 8.0.0.1351
Chipset - Intel INF installation 9.3.0.1019
Audio - VIA audio driver 10.500a

Edited by 009, 18 June 2012 - 05:48 AM.

[009]

http://postimage.org/image/yw8ggzvtz/

[Mr_Smartepants]

What you're reporting now sounds like a different problem, or one that has similar symptoms but may be unrelated.

The problem is back again.
...
This afternoon I had to reset the server after installing some software.

I'm wondering if this new problem is related to the "software" you just installed immediately prior, especially since you said the system worked fine for 2 or 3 restarts.

What you SHOULD install at the absolute minimum is: Chipset - Intel INF installation 9.3.0.1020 (Labeled for Win7 but should be fine for 2008r2. 9.3.0.1019 is older but suitable).
The chipset drivers allow the other components of the motherboard to be "seen" correctly.


There's newer versions of the Intel Management Engine Driver: http://downloadcente...d=3438&lang=eng
And Intel RST: http://downloadcente...d=3438&lang=eng
Though some people report odd things with the RST drivers, I myself have had great success with them.

Make sure your OS drive is working fine and is virus-free before troubleshooting your RAID card/array. Your BIOS should have the SATA controller set for either AHCI or RAID and have your OS drive set as the first boot device (not "other controller").

Please report back and let us know if you get any further.

[009]

What you're reporting now sounds like a different problem, or one that has similar symptoms but may be unrelated.

I'm wondering if this new problem is related to the "software" you just installed immediately prior, especially since you said the system worked fine for 2 or 3 restarts.

What you SHOULD install at the absolute minimum is: Chipset - Intel INF installation 9.3.0.1020 (Labeled for Win7 but should be fine for 2008r2. 9.3.0.1019 is older but suitable).
The chipset drivers allow the other components of the motherboard to be "seen" correctly.


There's newer versions of the Intel Management Engine Driver: http://downloadcente...d=3438&lang=eng
And Intel RST: http://downloadcente...d=3438&lang=eng
Though some people report odd things with the RST drivers, I myself have had great success with them.

Make sure your OS drive is working fine and is virus-free before troubleshooting your RAID card/array. Your BIOS should have the SATA controller set for either AHCI or RAID and have your OS drive set as the first boot device (not "other controller").

Please report back and let us know if you get any further.

Tried booting from my usb copy of 2008R2 but it didn't go past the Windows is loading screen (for windows install). I had to unplug the RAID card, and windows installation well smoothly. First thing I installed was my lan driver, and then shutdown the computer.

Plugged in the RAID card.. and it booted into windows with no problems. I installed the RAID card driver (I just ralised I was installing v1.8 of the driver from the .ch website, and now I got a copy of v1.9 from the global website). I reset the computer after installing the RAID card driver, and it booted into windows with no problems.

I followed http://jeffwouters.n...-administrator/, and imported the foreign disk and could now see the RAID drive in My Computer.

I did another reset, and the computer booted up into windows with no problems.

I know you suggested to install Chipset - Intel INF installation 9.3.0.1020.. but I really don't want to rock the boat and install any other driver..

I also need to install the USB3 driver, so that I can back up to my USB3 portable drive.

I might test the server as is for a few days and install more drivers only if I don't have any problems with windows not booting up after a reset.

[ikon]

I completely agree with you not installing the Intel drivers..... yet. After you have a good backup then I would experiment with them. By a good backup I mean you back up the OS drive, remove the OS drive and replace it with a spare, then restore to the spare drive and test the system. When that's all working I would go for the Intel.drivers.

[pcdoc]

If we are talking about the whole suite, such the famous and ever so buggy Intel rapid stor I agree. The chipset driver though should be installed. When you are ready to give it a try, just do that one and no others.