Repair Install on server 2003

Hi guys,

(sorry if this has been asked a million times before but i couldn't see it
anywhere)

Got a Windows server 2003 standard edition server that lastnight was
rebooted for some "critical updates" , well machine just hasn't come back up
and is stuck in an infinate loop. Gets to the server 2003 booting screen
then just resets. Safe mode - cuts out the same when it gets to
acpitabl.dat. Last known good config no use either.

Been in the RC and used everything i can think of in there to no effect.

Plan 1 was to run a repair install which would save me having to reconfig
the damned document control databases that are on the machine. (I have full
backups of data but its going to be a massive pain rebuilding) but the
repair option just doesn't seem to be there in server 2003? Is this because
its a Dell OEM version of server or is it just not available? I could have
sworn it was!

Plan 2 - Does anyone know of any guide for using the RC for reloading dll's
etc from the OS disk? I'm pretty sure it must be a corrupt file or registry
setting or something.

Failing that i'm looking at a full reinstall of the damned system unless
anyone has any suggestions?

(heading for pub after day of banging head off walls)

"Moose" <moose@a.pc> wrote in message
news:X-ednW-zSuLGKpTXnZ2dnUVZ8v2dnZ2d@brightview.co.uk...
> Plan 1 was to run a repair install which would save me having to reconfig
> the damned document control databases that are on the machine. (I have
> full backups of data but its going to be a massive pain rebuilding) but
> the repair option just doesn't seem to be there in server 2003? Is this
> because its a Dell OEM version of server or is it just not available? I
> could have sworn it was!
>
> Plan 2 - Does anyone know of any guide for using the RC for reloading
> dll's etc from the OS disk? I'm pretty sure it must be a corrupt file or
> registry setting or something.
>
> Failing that i'm looking at a full reinstall of the damned system unless
> anyone has any suggestions?

I don't think there are only those two plans....

Plan 3 - Call MS Support. Yes, it cost something, but it is probably worth
it.

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------

> Plan 3 - Call MS Support. Yes, it cost something, but it is probably
> worth it.

Actually, I'd call Dell first if its the OEM version.

As for the repair option missing, since OP knows what it is, I'll assume you
are looking in the right place. <grin> Hope you enjoyed your pub visit.

Brian

"Brian" <reply2me@thenewsgroup> wrote in message
news:OtlkPqz0JHA.1644@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Plan 3 - Call MS Support. Yes, it cost something, but it is probably
>> worth it.
>
> Actually, I'd call Dell first if its the OEM version.

Yes,..actually that would be my first call,..then MS second. My point and
my intent was,..that there are more than just the two options the OP listed
before "flattening" the machine.

And yes, OEM versions of the disk sometimes have the Repair Option disabled
in the Setup,...but the last Dell I dealt with did allow the Repair option.
But if the repair option is disabled, it can be done with a retail or VL CD
if you can come up with one.


--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------

"Phillip Windell" <philwindell@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:efaoEq00JHA.1248@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>
> "Brian" <reply2me@thenewsgroup> wrote in message
> news:OtlkPqz0JHA.1644@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>> Plan 3 - Call MS Support. Yes, it cost something, but it is probably
>>> worth it.
>>
>> Actually, I'd call Dell first if its the OEM version.
>
> Yes,..actually that would be my first call,..then MS second. My point and
> my intent was,..that there are more than just the two options the OP
> listed before "flattening" the machine.
>
> And yes, OEM versions of the disk sometimes have the Repair Option
> disabled in the Setup,...but the last Dell I dealt with did allow the
> Repair option. But if the repair option is disabled, it can be done with a
> retail or VL CD if you can come up with one.
>
>
> --
> Phillip Windell
> www.wandtv.com
>

Hiya,

Yup phoned dell who weren't able to help , probably shouldn't have admited i
had a full data backup or they might have tried harder before they parked
themselves on the reinstall option. ;o)

I've tried using a retail CD of server 2003 (had it sitting in the cupboard
from an exchange server install) but it wouldn't give me a repair option
either, only offered up the install over option. (am definately looking in
right place so stumped as to why its not offered)

Ah well, i kind of decided in the pub last night that i'd probably be just
as well reinstalling the OS , the data for the doc control database is on a
second partition so it will be untouched. I'll just have to get on the phone
to the application provider and get them up to do a reinstall of the app,
think i've got a couple of support days on contract with them left and if i
don't getting them in for a few hours will probably be cheaper than opening
a ticket with Microsoft. Figure if i get them on the phone first thing i can
get them in for the afternoon, as long as the reinstall of the OS goes
smooth (its just a standard member server) i could have the whole thing up
and running by the end of today.

So if all goes well by 4 this afternoon i should have the cattleprod out and
be asking a few questions as to why there is no ghost image of the OS
partition which my sidekick was supposed to have created a few months back!
lol

Thanks for the help guys!

"Moose" <moose@a.pc> wrote in message
news:062dnahC4K0-_pfXnZ2dnUVZ8oSdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk...
>
> "Phillip Windell" <philwindell@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:efaoEq00JHA.1248@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>
>> "Brian" <reply2me@thenewsgroup> wrote in message
>> news:OtlkPqz0JHA.1644@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>> Plan 3 - Call MS Support. Yes, it cost something, but it is probably
>>>> worth it.
>>>
>>> Actually, I'd call Dell first if its the OEM version.
>>
>> Yes,..actually that would be my first call,..then MS second. My point
>> and my intent was,..that there are more than just the two options the OP
>> listed before "flattening" the machine.
>>
>> And yes, OEM versions of the disk sometimes have the Repair Option
>> disabled in the Setup,...but the last Dell I dealt with did allow the
>> Repair option. But if the repair option is disabled, it can be done with
>> a retail or VL CD if you can come up with one.

You're better off with a Full backup with System State instead of a Ghost
Image. there are problems with using Images when the OS is a Server OS (no
problem with Client OSs). But there are ways around that with the
Image,...you just have to apply it, move the machine to a workgroup, then
join it back to the domain again. I think the cut off time is if the image
is more than 60 days old.

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------