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Installing Windows 2003 on MCS-7835-I3-CCX1

thomascollins
Level 3
Level 3

I need to install Microsoft Windows 2003 (not Cisco's version) on a MCS-7835-I3-CCX1.  This is for Cisco Quality Manager 2.73. 

We've installed Cisco OS 2003.1 on similar servers without a problem.  But the generic Microsoft install is failing.  I insert the CD, it boots from CD fine, installs fine (recognizes the hard disks).  But then Windows Setup tries to reboot, and it doesn't find the OS on the hard drive.  It wants a boot CD or floppy there.

If the Windows CD is still in the drive, it wants to boot from that and restart setup from scratch.  If I remove the Windows CD, it fails to boot (ends up a tthe flashing picture of a floppy drive).

Sounds like I might have a RAID or BIOS issue?  But it's odd that the Windows Setup CD recognizes it, but the regular boot won't.

Any ideas?

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

Welcome to IBM hardware.

The MCS-7835-I3 is based off of the following IBM hardware:

IBM x3650-M2

1 Quad-Core Intel 2.00GHz Nehalem E5504 Processor

4GB RAM

2x 146GB Hard Drives

You will need to go to IBM's website and download the appropriate driver to install during Windows setup. I believe the option is F6 during the first-stage of the install.  You may need to do some IBM documentation reading as well. BIOS updates don't hurt but this is likely a RAID controller issue.

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11 Replies 11

Hi, actually as you are assuming it's not starting from the scratch from second time it's booting from the CD. If you look closely there are always some different tasks it's finishing after booting from CD each time. So, let it run, may be it will reboot like 3 times (even more than that i can't remember exactly) and when it will finish doing it's tasks it will automatically eject your CDROM drive and then finish the installation.

Additionally I faced the same for MCS-7845-H2 version with same OS and I'm sharing my experience only.

HTH.

Mijanur, thanks for the reply and sharing your experience.  But in my case it actually is starting over.  When it reboots with the CD in the drive, it begins at step 1 (formatting hard drive).

Welcome to IBM hardware.

The MCS-7835-I3 is based off of the following IBM hardware:

IBM x3650-M2

1 Quad-Core Intel 2.00GHz Nehalem E5504 Processor

4GB RAM

2x 146GB Hard Drives

You will need to go to IBM's website and download the appropriate driver to install during Windows setup. I believe the option is F6 during the first-stage of the install.  You may need to do some IBM documentation reading as well. BIOS updates don't hurt but this is likely a RAID controller issue.

Hi Jonathan, I agree . But for this particular problem OS can find the RAID controller driver, even it can detect HDD (if not, during installation there would be a warning like 'no compatible disk drive found').

I hope this isn't a firmware issue, can you ask TAC about this?

But for this particular problem OS can find the RAID controller driver, 
even it can detect HDD (if not, during installation there would be a 
warning like 'no compatible disk drive found').

Don't be so sure, especially since you clearly didn't try it before replying. The stage one installer - especially the longhorn installer - and the drivers loaded during install are not necessarily identical to what are unpacked on to the hard disk. I have seen this in the past or I wouldn't have suggested it as something to try.

I hope this isn't a firmware issue, can you ask TAC about this?

No; this is not a TAC issue. It's a general Microsoft problem and you're welcome to contact them or IBM on it if you wish.

Thanks for the pointers, I think we got it.

First I updated the BIOS and Firmware, from the IBM website.  Same install problems.  Next I tried to find the RAID driver that Windows might need during install, but wasn't having any luck.  I tried contacting IBM support, but was directed to Cisco TAC.  Apparently since we bought these servers from Cisco, all support comes from TAC.

So I contacted TAC, and they directed me to an IBM ServerGuide disk.  It's a boot disk that you use to configure the server first, then as the last step it asks you for the OS disk.  It worked perfectly, Windows 2003 R2 is now installed.

If anybody else needs the disk, you can get the ISO direct from the IBM Website.  Enter the model number of the server (IBM eServer xSeries x3650-M2, Product 7947) and then downloads.  Look for ServerGuide 8.3 (or the latest).  Just be sure to grab the i386 version if you plan to install Windows 32bit, or the x86_64 veresion if you plan to install Windows 64bit.

+5 for you Thomas, that's a good finding and learning though!

Agreed! Thanks Thomas, saved me hours of digging on this one.

Hi ,

we have installed standard 2003 on cisco MCS 7845 ..but the server seems to be slow in respond..

can we upgrade the drivers using a cisco CD ? one application is already installed...please advice ,

PW

Hello Purna,

No, cisco doesn't have any driver CDs.  That would come from IBM (see the above posts).  But we installed W2K3 and W2K8 on various 7845 servers and the performance is fine.  I suspect you might have an OS or application issue, not hardware/driver.

Tom

Hi ,

if we use the CISCO 2003 DVD , and upgrade the drivers....thats the plan...

regards,

PW

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