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KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED after re-lettering system drive

Windows NT 4.0 Server SP6

I was trying to replace a flaky system drive by installing a new empty drive, establishing mirrors for the two partitions on it (C: and D:), waiting for it to sync up, breaking the mirror, and re-lettering the partitions.

I was able to complete most of this but after I broke the mirror and tried to change the old C: to something else so I could change the new partition to C: I was forced to reboot. On reboot I now get a BSOD before the login prompt appears:

KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
STOP 0x0000001E (0xC0000005, 0xA0042EE9, 0x00000000, 0x00000004)
Address A0042EE9 has base at A0000000 win32k.sys
Irql: 1E sysver: F0000565

Right now I’ve got: a “bootable” F: on disk 0 and “bootable” G: on disk 2; D: is a mirrored data partition on disks 0 and 2; disk 1 is a RAID5 array full of data that has been untouched.

Things I’ve tried so far:

Created a boot floppy with a boot.ini that lets me boot from either F: or D: – same results

VGA mode for both bootable partitions – same results

Parallel NT install on F: (seen as C: on boot). It boots and lets me get to all the partitions except the mirrored one. I did this to replace pcAnywhere’s awgina.dll with msgina.dll – same results.

From the parallel install: CHKDSK /R on all partitions – no errors – same results

Removed the paging file on all partitions - complains about it missing and - same results

Re-seated all SCSI connectors - no help

Re-seated all memory and ran MEMTEST from CD - no errors - no help

I’m thinking there’s some app or driver that really needs to be on, or at least see, a partition lettered C: and if I could change one of the bootable partitions back to C: I’d be in business. But HOW can I do this? Maybe that's not the problem at all?

ahmedbahgat

It seems from the many tries you tried, that you have the freedom to do whatever, as long as the raid volume is intact and can be read after fixing the problem, if this is the case and to avoide wasting more time, I will recommend removing the bad drive, adding the new drive, reinstalling NT on the new drive, and you have the option to supply the raid driver during nt setup, r wait untill nt setup finish, I will recommend the first, set NT on the emty drive, inculde formatting to male sure all permissions is removed, you will end up with a healthy NT system on a clean drive, you will need to reinstall all software, you raisd volume will be there, and you can add another drive and mirror after that,

it will be a good idea to copy the hardware profile, between adding componenets while rebuilding the server, as if anything goes wrong, you will be able to go one step back, by viewin g lasg good know menu "configuration" and you will see all hardware profiles you copied and you can select any

cheers

d-smith

ASKER

I think I'd rather nuke the new drive, remove the old one, get NT installed, re-install BackupExec and do a restore from tape on the partitions that are unavailable. I haven't done this yet because I was hoping for a quicker option and because the critical recovery tools are stored off site and I won't have access to them until Monday morning. It'll be Monday afternoon until the server can be up (if nothing else catches fire before then). Of course staff will also want their server available first thing Monday.

Any other QUICK ideas?

ahmedbahgat

if you have Backup Exec, do you have the Intelegent Disaster Recovery installed?, I use it all the time, great stuff here, it will create a bootable cd room that is unique for your system setup, and with your backup tapes you will be able to restore the syatem in less than 2 hours

cheers

d-smith

ASKER

Nope, no IDR.

d-smith

ASKER

FIXED!!! No restore required.

Here’s what I did:

1) Parallel install of NT (see MS KB Article 259003 “How and Why to Perform a Parallel Installation of Windows NT 4.0”)

2) Run REGEDT32 from the parallel install and load the damaged install’s HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive (see MS KB Article 174630 “Windows Restarts Continuously with Blue Screen”)

3) Delete the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\DISK subkey. I found info on this at: http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/info/diskkey.shtml This subkey is created by Disk Administrator. If you delete it Windows NT letters the drives in order and the first one will, of course, be C:

4) Boot from the now bootable original install on C: and use Disk Administrator to re-letter the drives back to what they need to be.

5) Re-establish the mirrors I need.

All this requires a Windows NT boot disk and messing around with BOOT.INI, see MS KB Articles
301680 "HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows" and
99743 “Purpose of the BOOT.INI File in Windows 2000 or Windows NT”

The clue I needed to figure this out was located right here: https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20676791/Ghosting-NT-4-Server-to-a-new-drive.html He went about it differently but the results are the same.

d-smith

ASKER

ahmedbahgat

Thanks for your help, I'm awarding you partial credit as your suggestion would have worked but wasn't the quick fix I was looking for.

ahmedbahgat

cheers everyone only B grade :-(

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