ohmErnie
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Windows Deployment Services: Could not read from the selected boot disk
I captured an image of a Dell D630 using Windows Deployment Services running on Server 2008. When I do a PXE boot on another D630 and choose the Image to install, the process starts but the errors out with the following:
Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem.
Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware.
I think I understand this means i am installing to partition 2 rather than 1, but how do I change that and if I change it will my other D630's image or will they want to go to partition 2?
Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem.
Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware.
I think I understand this means i am installing to partition 2 rather than 1, but how do I change that and if I change it will my other D630's image or will they want to go to partition 2?
ThinkPaper
When you image with WDS you should have an option to select which partition to install on... if it hasn't been configured that way, if you are using the winpe "command prompt" version, you should be able to enter the commands to select the proper partition and image on it.. so how are you imaging with WDS?
ASKER
I am using only WDS and using "Create Capture Boot Image." I PXE boot the pre configured system and choose the capture boot image and then add the created WIM to the Install images.
ASKER
it looks like if I create a small partition (1mb) and then the larger partition it is not an issue and the image loads. Does that mean I must have captured an image that already had two partitions or is it because the original boot.wim from the server 2008 DVD has two partitions?
Is this for XP or Vista?
Most likely it may be a case of a corrupt image itself, it installing on the wrong partition.. or perhaps a difference in the hardware configuration.. we need to figure out exactly what..
The captured image.. does the master pc have 2 partitions as well or 1? Have you checked the image to make sure you've captured the right partition? You should be able to log on the WDS and "mount" the image using ImageX and see the contents of the image.. this way you can at least ensure it's grabbing the right partition. You may also want to replace the hardware files on the image .. or recapture the thing altogether just to make sure its not corrupt.
(see http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserversetup/thread/54178ec0-ecef-4464-878a-b710998c24b3)
Also have you tried deploying the image back on itself to ensure it works ok?
Also on the client pc.. you may have to totally DELETE ALL the PARTITIONS on that pc.. sometimes WDS is quirky with it and may not really delete it...
Are the 2 machines exactly the same (hardware-wise)?
Most likely it may be a case of a corrupt image itself, it installing on the wrong partition.. or perhaps a difference in the hardware configuration.. we need to figure out exactly what..
The captured image.. does the master pc have 2 partitions as well or 1? Have you checked the image to make sure you've captured the right partition? You should be able to log on the WDS and "mount" the image using ImageX and see the contents of the image.. this way you can at least ensure it's grabbing the right partition. You may also want to replace the hardware files on the image .. or recapture the thing altogether just to make sure its not corrupt.
(see http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserversetup/thread/54178ec0-ecef-4464-878a-b710998c24b3)
Also have you tried deploying the image back on itself to ensure it works ok?
Also on the client pc.. you may have to totally DELETE ALL the PARTITIONS on that pc.. sometimes WDS is quirky with it and may not really delete it...
Are the 2 machines exactly the same (hardware-wise)?
>>Does that mean I must have captured an image that already had two partitions or is it because the original boot.wim from the server 2008 DVD has two partitions?
Not familiar with server 2008, but pretty sure that WDS cannot capture 2 partitions at the same time.. i think this is something that has to be done manually (if you want to capture multiple partitions)..
I'm thinking what is happening is perhaps the boot.ini is referring to the wrong partition (2) and you may need to edit it to point to partition 1 instead of 2...
Not familiar with server 2008, but pretty sure that WDS cannot capture 2 partitions at the same time.. i think this is something that has to be done manually (if you want to capture multiple partitions)..
I'm thinking what is happening is perhaps the boot.ini is referring to the wrong partition (2) and you may need to edit it to point to partition 1 instead of 2...
ASKER
sorry for the confusion...im not trying to capture two partitions. It is my understandng that when you use the boot.WIM from the server 2008 DVD as recommend, all data is on the second partition. I have had to add drivers to my boot.wim, but and to do so to the 2nd partition because the first is empty. Not sure if that makes sense.
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Dell machines have a hidden diagnostic partition. You need to modify the boot.ini file to reflect this.
On my network I boot into winpe, change the attributes of the boot.ini file (attrib -a -s -h) and change the partition number (usually from 1 to 2). Reset the attributes (attrib +a +s +h) and reboot.
On my network I boot into winpe, change the attributes of the boot.ini file (attrib -a -s -h) and change the partition number (usually from 1 to 2). Reset the attributes (attrib +a +s +h) and reboot.
ASKER
I am not familiar with winpe...do I use this in combination with WDS?
Winpe - Windows Pre-Installation Enviroment
It provides a command line access to your windows installation. I have it setup as an option on my WDS server so i boot over the network and not have to carry CD's etc. I'm not sure if you can download it separately but it comes with the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) which contains a winpe.wim file which you add as a boot image.
WAIK does a lot more and is very useful with deployments but for now just get the WinPE file.
It provides a command line access to your windows installation. I have it setup as an option on my WDS server so i boot over the network and not have to carry CD's etc. I'm not sure if you can download it separately but it comes with the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) which contains a winpe.wim file which you add as a boot image.
WAIK does a lot more and is very useful with deployments but for now just get the WinPE file.