Trying to troubleshoot Windows on an EServer 235 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2016, 11:26:08 pm
content: Hi I am currently trying to figure out why server 2008 was crashing after loading crcdisk.sysI initially thought that it was because of crcdisk.sys, so I deleted it, but as it turns out the driver that loaded before it is loaded before it crashes.This means that whatever is being loaded AFTER crcdisk.sys is the problem and I need to delete that.So if anyone here has a server 2008 vm or computer, could you please boot it up and safe mode and tell me what driver is loaded AFTER crcdisk.sys?I haven't been able to find anyone doing this elsewhere. I just need the name and path of the driver.Thanks a lot.NOTE: It is listed when you boot into safe mode. All of the stuff that is loaded. I just need someone to check the list as it scrolls for what is being loaded after crcdisk.sysEDIT:I am now trying a few suggestions. Any more piled on would help.My current issue is trying to get windows 7 or windows server 2008 to run on an old IBM xSeries EServer model 235. It's a good server that still holds up to this day with a value of around 10 grand in 2003.It is hanging after loading all the drivers (That it shows you in safe mode)And to add I haven't fully installed it yet. It copied and installed everything onto the hard drive.

author: sokoloff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 12:19:10 am
content: You can download Win2K8 VMs from Microsoft:https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=11093http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=2227(x64)

author: RGB255_0_0
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 12:28:04 am
content: Boot off the install disk and perform an sfc /scannow using the relevant target flags.Does it straight up reboot or blue screen? You should get a rough idea from the blue screen debug data.If it's a driver you've updated you can boot from a Windows 8.1 or 10 install USB and remove the driver using DISM.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 12:40:27 am
content: It's a fresh install to an IBM xSeries EServer 235.I made a quick VM to find that that was the last file that was loaded.I have never booted into the OS and this is right after the last install step.The computer (To my knowledge) doesn't support windows 8, 10, or booting from USB, hence why I am installing an old operating system that is still supported.Right now if anyone has any ideas further, I would love them. It loads EVERYTHING find to what I can see, then just hangs for no reason, It doesn't bluescreen, it doesn't reboot, it hangs, meaningthat it just sits there saying please wait with a screen full of all the loaded drivers.Also I am doing this off an IDE drive instead of the Ultra320 SCA-80 drives to see if it would help. Thanks for any help, but I will keep trying to research this.

author: sokoloff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 12:43:37 am
content: Is there hard drive activity while the machine is "hung"? If so, this superuser thread might be relevant: (not the last bit about the BIOS, but the prior few):http://superuser.com/questions/243874/what-is-crcdisk-sys-and-what-it-means-when-it-freezes-to-load

author: RGB255_0_0
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 12:53:37 am
content: It'll boot to WinPE aka the installer just fine. Windows 10 still supports non-UEFI systems and doesn't need much RAM. You can run some diagnostics through it also but you'll need the same architecture as the 64 bit media doesn't have a 32 but subsystem to run x86 apps.At this point I'd either blame dodgy install media or hardware.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 01:19:42 am
content: trying to install win7 now.Not my first choice for a server but as long as it's windows and it's supported i'm fine with it.Also ReactOS didn't work.I was hoping to try that.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 01:31:12 am
content: Chances are you'll need IBM specific installations disks for this server due to hardware which isn't supported by Windows out of the box.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 02:03:18 am
content: Trying windows 7 yielded the same result. Maybe it's doing something so I will let it run for a day or so.If not then I will think of something else.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 09:20:27 am
content: Quote from: RGB255_0_0 on May 15, 2016, 12:28:04 amThis is the solution. Listen to this person!

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 09:40:42 am
content: I've got server 2008 r2 running, not sure if you have that or just 2008.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 04:19:16 pm
content: Quote from: MrSlack on May 15, 2016, 09:20:27 amOh I didn't see that.I am having the same issue with win7, but i will try it.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2016, 05:02:32 pm
content: It's not allowing me to run it from the command prompt in the repair section because it's in the repair section (Saying that there is a system repair that is going on that needs to be rebooted to complete, but I have no other way of loading the command prompt that I know ofAlso it's not fully installed yet, so there aren't any missing system files that should be there. It's some weird compatability issue with the server. I just don't know how to rectify it.

author: VulcanBB18
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2016, 05:41:54 am
content: Hi, I'm new here (1st post, been lurking a while),X series 235? What disk config do you have? I see you're booting of an "IDE Drive" but the interface this is connected to may not be a standard interface, and may require proper drivers.Windows 7 will NOT have the correct drivers for the disk subsystem. Crash (BSOD) on bootup/install is a good sign of this.You will need the specific drivers for whatever disk subsystem you have in there - it should give you all the specifications during POST.cheers,Jacob

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2016, 03:07:28 pm
content: Sorry for waking a dead post, butThe IBM 325 has an LSI Logic Ultra320 controller and some generic IDE controller.I would bet the IDE controller would be something off the shelf as those servers had IDE for non-drive peripherals like disc drives.I could try a PCI-X/PCI-E64 card I have in the future, but it might not be bootable.