4.818 bytes

Service Hints & Tips

Document ID: MCGN-44QHJ7

This document is provided to IBM and our Business Partners to help sell and/or service IBM products. It is not to be distributed beyond that audience or used for any other purpose.

Netfinity 3500 - Windows NT 4.0 does not load or install

Applicable to: World-Wide

Source: RETAIN tip H165805

Abstract: Netfinity 3500: Windows NT 4.0 does not load or install.

SYMPTOMS:
Two (2) scenarios of hang condition can occur.

Scenario #1 - Server Guide Install:

The installation will successfully assign partitions, load appropriate files and then request a reboot.

After reboot, at the blue screen there is no activity. The system is hung at this point. If the process were operating normally, then a row of dots would be subsequently displayed across the screen.

Scenario #2 - Diskette install:

After following the appropriate procedure that allows the proper installation of the Adaptec SCSI driver from the manufacturer's diskette, the system hangs during driver initialization, i.e., the system does not successfully load the driver.

PROBLEM ISOLATION AIDS:

• The system is a Netfinity 3500 server, Type 8644, any model.
• The system is configured with Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3 applied.
• The 01/12/98 AND ABOVE Device Driver for the 7895 ON BOARD SCSI is affected.
• The 1.31 Firmware for the 7895 ON BOARD SCSI is affected.

WORKAROUND:
Boot to the Netfinity 3500 SCSI Initialization Utility V.100 (p/n 33L3959).

Utility directions:
1. Boot from this diskette.
2. At DOS prompt type "zero".
3. When prompted to choose port, enter "0" for the appropriate port.
4. After "A" prompt returns to screen, remove diskette and reboot system.

The file is available from the following URL:

ftp://f3.pc.ibm.com/pub/private/server_hidden

USERID: SERVER
PASSWORD: HIDDEN

NOTE: This utility is not to be distributed to customers or utilized for any other purpose than to address the symptoms described in this TIP.

DETAILS:
Some Planar FRUs are escaping to the field without the proper initialization of the on-board Adaptec EEPROM. The result of not initializing the EEPROM is that the EEPROM will have incorrect bit assignments and the Adaptec driver will read that portion of the EEPROM and read the incorrect bit assignments, causing the system to hang during Windows NT 4.0 install or load. The utility mentioned above will ensure the proper initialization of the EEPROM, thus allowing the systems BIOS to assign the proper values to the specific portion of the EEPROM.

TRADEMARKS:
Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, and the Windows logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Other company, product and service names may be the trademarks or service marks of others.

SAS KEYWORDS:
PSY2, D/T8644, NETFINITY, SERVICER ONLY, WINDOWS, NT, 4.0, 04474/05557, INSTALL, SERVER GUIDE, DISKETTE, ADAPTEC, 7895, DRIVER, INITIALIZATION, UTILITY, 33L3959, EEPROM, BIOS, HANG, 8644ADPT, 8644ERR, 8644MCD, 8644OPER

	Search Keywords	PSY2, D/T8644, NETFINITY, SERVICER ONLY, WINDOWS, NT, 4.0, 04474/05557, INSTALL, SERVER GUIDE, DISKETTE, ADAPTEC, 7895, DRIVER, INITIALIZATION, UTILITY, 33L3959, EEPROM, BIOS, HANG, 8644ADPT, 8644ERR, 8644MCD, 8644OPER
	Document Category	Retain
	Date Created	02-02-99
	Last Updated	02-02-99
	Revision Date
	Brand	IBM PC Server
	Product Family	Netfinity 3500
	Machine Type	8644
	Model
	TypeModel
	Retain Tip (if applicable)	H165805
	Reverse Doclinks and Admin Purposes	Date last altered: A99/01/28