Cannot boot Windows server 2003

By Viper101
in Microsoft (Windows)

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Viper101

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I use to have XP SP1 on my old machine, I thought id put Windows Server 2003 onto it and link it up to my new computer. I wiped the hard drive using Drive Scrubber. Then I inserted the Windows server 2003 SP1 disk into the drive and select boot from CD-ROM in the bios settings. It begins pre-installation and for some weird reason XP SP2 Boot screen appears, after that it goes into the Windows Server set up, command prompt opens and "Factory-PE.exe" runs. Then command prompt remains open and nothing happens. Please not this is a OEM CD :(

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https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/451954-cannot-boot-windows-server-2003/
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Viper101

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  bobbba said:

Why not just go back to XP?

I dont have clue how to reformat the drive. When it stays on Command Prompt it says:

"X:\I386\system32>factory -winpe"

"X:\I386\system32>"

The reason I wanted Windows Server onto it was just to mess around since I am hoping to get a job in IT later in life. :o

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simsie

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Get through to the partitioning stage of Win 2003 setup cd-rom. Select the partition you want to install to and press d. Follow the instructions until you have got rid of the partition and got "Unallocated Space". Select the large amount of allocated space and press enter, then choose NTFS Quick. hopefully it will then work

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Viper101

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  simsie said:

Get through to the partitioning stage of Win 2003 setup cd-rom. Select the partition you want to install to and press d. Follow the instructions until you have got rid of the partition and got "Unallocated Space". Select the large amount of allocated space and press enter, then choose NTFS Quick. hopefully it will then work

The installation doesnt get that far. Here is the order and what happens:

1. Bios boots

2. Press any key to boot from CD-ROM

3. Pre-installation of Windows environment

4. XP Boot screen

5. Command prompt opens

6. "X:\I386\system32>factory -winpe" automatically runs

6. Factory -winpe finishes and command prompt remains open

7. "X:\I386\system32>" stays on the command prompt

That is all what happens.

Grand Master

+BudMan MVC

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where did you get this CD? Is it some kind of trial CD? Are you sure there is not another CD in your machine in another CD/DVD drive?

I can tell you this - No 2k3 server CD from MS boots with "Factory -winpe" anything..

Either your not booting what you think your booting.. ie some other CD or some kind of recovery partition on the hard drive.. Or that is not a CD from MS.

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metalguy90

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  Viper101 said:

The installation doesnt get that far. Here is the order and what happens:

1. Bios boots

2. Press any key to boot from CD-ROM

3. Pre-installation of Windows environment

4. XP Boot screen

5. Command prompt opens

6. "X:\I386\system32>factory -winpe" automatically runs

6. Factory -winpe finishes and command prompt remains open

7. "X:\I386\system32>" stays on the command prompt

That is all what happens.

it sounds like you have an OEM version of Windows 2003.

OEM companies add stuff to the Windows CDs to better fit their needs and their customers needs.

sounds like this OEM CD that you have is using other parameters and scripts that the OEM company has put in place. These scripts and parameters are designed for specific hardware. If you are not using the original OEM computer/server with this OEM CD, then it will most likely fail.

At my organization, I have created an "OEM" windows xp dvd that is designed to work only with our hardware.

OEM Companies (like Dell, IBM, etc), use their own OEM CDs (even for Windows 2003 server) that work with certain hardware configurations. The CDs look official but are designed only for their computer systems.

hope this isnt too confusing.

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Viper101

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  metalguy90 said:

it sounds like you have an OEM version of Windows 2003.

OEM companies add stuff to the Windows CDs to better fit their needs and their customers needs.

sounds like this OEM CD that you have is using other parameters and scripts that the OEM company has put in place. These scripts and parameters are designed for specific hardware. If you are not using the original OEM computer/server with this OEM CD, then it will most likely fail.

At my organization, I have created an "OEM" windows xp dvd that is designed to work only with our hardware.

OEM Companies (like Dell, IBM, etc), use their own OEM CDs (even for Windows 2003 server) that work with certain hardware configurations. The CDs look official but are designed only for their computer systems.

hope this isnt too confusing.

Thanks for making it a lot clearer. It is a OEM disk. Came in a seal Microsoft box with security seals.

It worked fine on VMWare. Ive digged out an old 98 recovery disk and restored the Boot record and partition table. Im going try to format the hard drive and see if that makes any different.

Cheers

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metalguy90

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  Viper101 said:

Thanks for making it a lot clearer. It is a OEM disk. Came in a seal Microsoft box with security seals.

that sounds odd?

most OEMs CDs dont have much Microsoft branding on it, but their own.

ie. Dell would make the OEM CD look like a Dell CD.

the last company i worked for bought Dell servers and all their disks were blue & white.

the company i work for now uses IBM servers, and their disks are white & black; even though both OEM CDs are Microsoft Windows 2003 server, they both looked like IBM or Dell CDs

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andy2004

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hmmm reading your post after mine reminded me of a problem i once had installing server 2003 on a client machine. If the 2003 is booting ok but its not loading the files or appears to be stuck it indicates a hardware problem. In my case i solved it by replacing the cd drive and the PATA cable but it also could be due to faulty ram. Download microsoft memory tester from another pc and save it to floppy and run the floppy disk. If the ram is fine then more than likely its the cd drive or the hard drive. You just have to elimante each component until you find the problem. :) also as mentioned already it could be because its an oem cd. Try downloading the 120 day trial from Microsoft and burn it to a cd and see if that installs.

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Viper101

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  andy2004 said:

hmmm reading your post after mine reminded me of a problem i once had installing server 2003 on a client machine. If the 2003 is booting ok but its not loading the files or appears to be stuck it indicates a hardware problem. In my case i solved it by replacing the cd drive and the PATA cable but it also could be due to faulty ram. Download microsoft memory tester from another pc and save it to floppy and run the floppy disk. If the ram is fine then more than likely its the cd drive or the hard drive. You just have to elimante each component until you find the problem. :) also as mentioned already it could be because its an oem cd. Try downloading the 120 day trial from Microsoft and burn it to a cd and see if that installs.

I downloaded the trial version of Windows Server 2003. I burned it onto a CD-ROM, inserted it into the CD-ROM drive and error messege occured "Invalid System Disk". I dont think that RAM is damaged as XP was working fine before. The only thing I can think of is the Hard drive. I think im going buy a 80GB hard drive, to see if that will work. Il let you know how it goes.

Cheers

Grand Master

+BudMan MVC

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  Viper101 said:

I brought a new 80GB Hard drive, fitted it and tried installing Server 2003, however still no luck. This is just one big headache! :blink:

Yeah cuz installing a OS is just so hard.. How does a CD not booting point you to a hard drive issue? The CDrom could boot without a Hard Drive in the system..

When you say you burned the trial download to a CD? I'm guessing you have a CD with trial2003.iso on it - and can not figure out why id doesn't boot ;)

If you can not figure out how to burn a ISO.. have them send you a trial..

  • 2 weeks later...
Neowinian

Ozzmosys

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:cool:

He's not using a real Microsoft WIN 2003 disk. I've installed many OS's and W2K3 never acts like that...

I've heard of some of these "so-called good deal" disks and most simply do not work...

Recommend he get his money back...if he can!

Ozz~ :alien:

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