Start Free Trial

asked on

SBS2011 goes to black screen with cursor. How do i proceed...

The server was cold booted, which cause a mirrored drive desync, so server was giving BSOD 0x00000058.

I did an 18hour reimage, and now when it boots it goes to windows login scroll, then black screen with cursor for 30 seconds before auto reboot. I tried win7 repair, ect I tried coping files from another server (c:windows\registration) and that didnt help. (https://duitwithsbs.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/sbs-2011-failed-restore-black-screen-with-cursor/).
Including...
Start the server by using Windows Server 2008 R2 media.
Select Repair your computer.
Select Command Prompt.
At the command prompt, run the bcdedit command. Lists of items appear under Windows Boot Manager and under Windows Boot Loader.
Look for the values for the following items :
Under Windows Boot Manager, the Device item should be set to unknown.
Under Windows Boot Loader, theDevice and osdevice items should be set to unknown.
Run the following three commands to correct the settings, and then restart the computer:
bcdedit /set {default} device partition=c:
bcdedit /set {default} osdevice partition=c:
bcdedit /set {bootmgr} device partition=c:

When i first was troubleshooting the BSOD i broke the mirrored drives. The drive is now just listed as "rebuild", as shown in attached. The drives are listed in the HARDWARE RAID as jbod.

Basically I have a FULL windows server backup (400GB), a "broken" mirrored pair of drives that wont boot. I have to have this server working in 12 hours. Can i rebuild the mirror? or break it and restore the lone drive for now? Should I do a new install then recover after? Can i split the data files from the bare metal backup? to restore system state then transfer files later?

what is the quickest way to resolve this issue?

Thanks in advance.
IMG-7814.JPG

What RAID controller are you using on this server? If it's a proper RAID controller I would recreate the RAID1 array in the RAID Option ROM, put in the SBS 2011 disk, load the drivers for the RAID controller then do a restore.

ASKER

They were initially just set up as jbod in the hardware raid. They are mirrored within windows server.

Now I'm forced to do a reimage because both the mirror drives are RAW.

Should I go setup a hardware raid now? Then try to reimage to THAT drive? The mirror is broken and all data on drives is gone, so....

ASKER

It's just the onboard RAID.

ASKER

It's just the onboard RAID.

Should I go setup a hardware raid now? Then try to reimage to THAT drive? The mirror is broken and all data on drives is gone, so....

Definitely go hardware RAID, I never recommend software RAID unless it is the last resort. Now's a better time than any to do it.

Do you know the model of the RAID controller? What type of server is being used will help as well.

ASKER

So the reimage will go onto a hardware raid even though the old one was a software raid?

The reimage yesterday took 18 hours (400gb) with a bad drive (non OS) in there. Do you think it will take that long with just the 2 tested good drives? I'm kinda leery to start the reimage because we need to be up in 10hours.

Would a new install, then recover from system back work? Or be faster?

Both pictures are of raid.

I REALLY appreciate the help.

ASKER

Adapted embedded sata RAID controller #0
Super micro and sr56x0/sp5100

So the reimage will go onto a hardware raid even though the old one was a software raid?

Depends, how was the image created in the first place? i.e. through what backup program?

The reimage yesterday took 18 hours (400gb) with a bad drive (non OS) in there. Do you think it will take that long with just the 2 tested good drives? I'm kinda leery to start the reimage because we need to be up in 10hours.

Define "bad drive"? What is the speed and type of the RAID drives (e.g. SATA 7200rpm, SAS 10,000rpm, etc.) compared to this 'bad drive'?

ASKER

The bad drive was connected, but not OS, it was another backup. its a velociraptop WD1000dhtz. Its failed seatools tests.

I am hoping the bad drive is what cause the reimage to take so long. I had "try to scan and recover sectors/errors".

I am creating the RAID 1 array now, then HOPEFULLY can reimage from my backup drive.

Is doing a clean install, then recovery from image a viable option?

ASKER

I am basically left with a full system backup.

Im adding the 2 (previously software) mirrored drives into a clean array.

I will try to do a reimage, without start errors!

ASKER

the image was made with windows server backup.

Errors in a drive will certainly increase the amount of time it'll take to do a restore.

From my experience a 400GB restore shouldn't really take that long providing you're restoring from a good backup and to decent hardware. e.g. I've done 250GB restores in the past from a USB backup drive which takes a few hours to complete.

Is doing a clean install, then recovery from image a viable option?

Not really, the full restore option from the SBS 2011 media will be a much better and faster option.

Recreate the mirror array then restore to that drive as mentioned previously. Are you recreating the mirror through the RAID Option ROM or some other method?

ASKER

Recreate the mirror array then restore to that drive as mentioned previously. Are you recreating the mirror through the RAID Option ROM or some other method?

I am creating the raid through the onboard raid controller? not sure I understand the question.

So the reimage I did earlier, failed because of system partitions or mbr, I "think". It actually could have been any number of things, but now that ive zeroed these drives with the raid, when the reimage is done, it should be a perfect boot process?

User generated image

Yes sorry that's what I meant. Just wanted to make sure you weren't trying to recreate the RAID array through diskpart :)

When the new RAID array is up and running, put in the SBS 2011 media then boot from this disk. You can then follow this guide which has step-by-step screenshots to perform the restore: http://blog.ronnypot.nl/?p=615

ASKER

Do you think at any point I will have to add RAID drivers? or SATA drivers?

Yes I do. Do you have them handy on a USB flash drive?

ASKER

I have the driver disk, but it's not letting me add them to the USB, it's asking for a:\ floppy.

The drivers were installed before because the raid was active and running in jbod?

ASKER

I can't seem to find the RAID drivers for 64x windows online either.

Does the SBS2011 media see the configured RAID without drivers? You need the drivers only if the media does not see the drives.

ASKER

I can see the drives but the volume letters are messed up. im getting an error when i start reimage.

User generated image

I can see the drives in the list volume and the system bios....

ASKER

i can see them here as well....

User generated image

ASKER

here is the error that is preventing reimage.

User generated image

ASKER

I made the hardware RAID array bootable. Is there any ways to format it, or something?

its almost like the diskpart sees it, but not the OS? Although the error seems to be cause by not have the exact configuration.

ASKER

Im so stressed. lol

do i need to format the drives in the RAID array?

What was the size of your system drive before this failure?
JBOD is usually used as a storage - not a bootable drive.
Maybe for you it is the fastest way to install the OS new and then restore the data from backup image over newly configured JBOD configuration.

do i need to format the drives in the RAID array?

no. Restore process formats them itself.

ASKER

Maybe for you it is the fastest way to install the OS new and then restore the data from backup image over newly configured JBOD configuration.

I am more desperate to get this going then have it in RAID right now. So if I do a clean install...I CAN recover system state etc from a windows server backup VHD?

ASKER

What was the size of your system drive before this failure?

It was a 1TB (2 1TB drives) software raid.

ASKER

So do you suggest i format the drives back to jbod, and try to do the reimage. if that doesnt work, just do a fresh install.... the restore from image?

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/96f509b9-3671-4032-8dca-10ab4c4b55eb/restore-sbs-2011-system-state-to-clean-install?forum=smallbusinessserver

is it easy to do?

Try the following, keep only one drive in the system, no RAID. Then attempt to restore system only. No data. As said in your link. MSR and system partition.
Will it boot to Windows?

Sorry savethehumans, was busy travelling home from work.

Try unplugging all the hard drives except one of the mirrored drives for now and do a direct restore to that single drive. We'll worry about fixing up the RAID later.

ASKER

i tried one and it gave same error

User generated image

trying the other one now. Should I break the RAID from within the adaptec controller UI?

Try leaving the USB drive containing the backup image unplugged until you get to the point where the restore process scans the backup drive for the image.

Same error message (albeit with SBS 2008) with the solution can be found here: http://blog.mpecsinc.ca/2009/03/sbs-2008-restore-failed-element-not.html

ASKER

Ok but it's not a USB it's a sata drive.

Your backup is stored on a SATA drive?

ASKER

Yes. The system image.

Well the controller listed the drives as
Raid-1 degraded (I started to format then stopped)
Jbod - drive 2 (the half of the raid
Jbod - sata backup
Jbod - empty 3tb because I read that error wants same amount of disks, so I had to replace the one with bad sectors.

The reimage started. /shrug

Problem is it's hardly moving (like hasn't moved at all in 10mins) and I can't wait 16 hours again. Should I cancel it and try it again? Or is that just crazy talk?

Are we allow to tip on EE, because I can't thank you enough for your patience and help!

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

ASKER

User generated image

hasnt moved. so my options are wait 14-19 hours again... or is it in my best interest to try a fresh install and recover system state after its up? ill give this an hour i guess, but if it doesnt move i have to do something... i cant wait 16 hours.

RAID1 degraded - it is a hardware RAID, right? What if you try to restore system only over a single 1TB drive?

ASKER

When I pulled out the RAID drive it gave the "element missing" error.

I tried it with both.

ASKER

yes raid-1 is a hardware raid.

before there was just 4 jbod listed in the hardware raid.

are you suggesting change the bios to sata from raid and try to recover like that?

As a last resort yeah, plug in a separate SATA drive and restore to that drive. I think you should have been a bit more patient though as a 400GB restore can take a few hours.

ASKER

i tried installing to a sata by choosing amd/achi in the bios (maybe i should have used legacy ide?)

anyways, if gave me this window.

User generated image

so now ill go back to raid and start slow reimage
/argh

ASKER

well i set everything back to raid in the bios, the 4 drives are coming up as jbod healthy.

but now i get this window

User generated image

ASKER

ok now im at a loss and broken lol.

can you please tell me what you think i should do?

so 4 jbod coming up in raid controller as legacy. <---thats fine? i dont know why its cante create a disk, they are all connected.

maybe try legacy ide in the BOIS?

Verify your boot order. Did you change the SATA mode back to RAID or whatever it was set to previously?

ASKER

I will go verify. i just did a list disk and the 2 ex mirror drives are listed as foreign

SOLUTION

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

ASKER

ok ill give it one last try in legacy ide.

can you point me to directions to restore system state from image.... im sure its not though the restore wizard...

i really appreciate your guys' patience! I cant believe how lost i am. :)

ASKER

the one drive legacy IDE fails with same previous error.

User generated image

ASKER

OK i did a diskpart clean and was able to start a reimage.

I HOPE IT STARTS. lmao...

thanks a lot you guys! you probably literally saved this human.

Haha I can understand what it's like when you're on a deadline!

Once we get all this up and running I would look at purchasing an external add-on RAID controller. Much better reliability this way.

ASKER

Agreed.

Also the meter on the reimage is moving at a good pace.

So i get the feeling you were shaking your head at the server being backed up to a couple extra internal SATAs. lmao, ill look into the correct hardware solutions for that as well!

And using a better designed backup software such as Ghost, Paragon, Acronis or ShadowProtect.

ASKER

^ yes! omg, that is number one on the list. just easy cloning.

So i get the feeling you were shaking your head at the server being backed up to a couple extra internal SATAs. lmao

Haha yes, that was indeed my initial reaction. Sorry!

Definitely look at different backup software as well, maybe even look at virtualization.