bviecce
asked on
Windows Server 2003 Keeps Restarting
Hi Guys,
My Windows Server 2003 keeps restarting itself. When it gets to the logo startup it displays the Windows 2003 message and then shuts down itself and restarts. My server is an IBM x306 with two hard drives set in a raid. Everything seems normal when it boots but as it gets to the logo the server restarts. Do you have any ideas what may be causiing the problem and how I can fix this?
My Windows Server 2003 keeps restarting itself. When it gets to the logo startup it displays the Windows 2003 message and then shuts down itself and restarts. My server is an IBM x306 with two hard drives set in a raid. Everything seems normal when it boots but as it gets to the logo the server restarts. Do you have any ideas what may be causiing the problem and how I can fix this?
As a first step, hit F8 just before the Windows splash screen appears and choose Disable automatic restart on system failure from the Windows Advanced Options Menu. This should give you a chance to read any bluescreen messages that are coming up.
From there you may get a clue to the cause of the problem.
From there you may get a clue to the cause of the problem.
ASKER
I tried to run safe mode but with the same result. The messages stop and the screen doesn't even show. It reboots anyway. I will try the F8 option to see what happens. I'll also try the repair but I do not have any repair disks just the OS CD.
1) Try safemode with Network support as Shift-3 recommended. Then, try Safemode with VGA support.
2) Malware could cause repetative boot sequence. If anyone can recommend a antispyware package that scans before the boot of windows, that Might resolve your problems. I think AVG has a boot disk that will allow you to scan prior to Windows loading up.
3) You can also use recovery console, (if you remember your password), to check the boot.ini file. That may be corrupt. Usually if this is a problem, you will recieve invalid drive.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330184
4) The OS cd is how you perform a repair installation. Install the CD and when it boots, it will go to the repair installation options.
I agree with Shift-3:
My guess is a bad video driver and using safemode with VGA support should allow you to log on and fix the issue.
2) Malware could cause repetative boot sequence. If anyone can recommend a antispyware package that scans before the boot of windows, that Might resolve your problems. I think AVG has a boot disk that will allow you to scan prior to Windows loading up.
3) You can also use recovery console, (if you remember your password), to check the boot.ini file. That may be corrupt. Usually if this is a problem, you will recieve invalid drive.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330184
4) The OS cd is how you perform a repair installation. Install the CD and when it boots, it will go to the repair installation options.
I agree with Shift-3:
My guess is a bad video driver and using safemode with VGA support should allow you to log on and fix the issue.
ASKER
Nope. Neither safe mode with networking nor VGA mode made any difference. I tried the 'disable auto restart on error' and it gave me a message - you know, the blue screen - 'A problem has been detected in windows etc... UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME'.. . etc. None of the F8 options work.
I'm trying to run the repair from the OS CD but its asking for the raid drivers to be put in the A drive. My drivers are on a CD and the program will not recognize the CD in the CD ROM Drive. "Oh Joy!"
I'm trying to run the repair from the OS CD but its asking for the raid drivers to be put in the A drive. My drivers are on a CD and the program will not recognize the CD in the CD ROM Drive. "Oh Joy!"
ASKER
So I found the problem. It turns out that the C:\ drive on the server is totally and completely full. It looks like someone copied a large amount of information onto the server hard drive and now there is no free space there for the operating system to work with. I used a tool named Bart PE to bring the server up to see what was happening and this is the conclusion. The problem is that I cannot even access the drive to even create some space on it. Do you know of any tool/utility/method that I can use to create some free space on the hard drive so that the server will boot?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
Create a free account to see this answer
Signing up is free and takes 30 seconds. No credit card required.
ASKER
Thanks so much for your help. I'll definitely practice this for all my machines
Have you attempted to run it in safe mode or going a repair through the OS cd?