Pls help Newbie set up new ver1 ML350..

I’ve built a ML350 (ver 1) from new & used parts, and need a little hel
in the correct sequence to configure the hardware & software.
(I’ve built many desktop PC’s, but this is my first server – partly fu
project to learn, partly to use in my small business, currently on WinX
Pro peer to peer). I want to set up Msoft Small Business Server 2003

Quick spec: Dual 933 PIII, 2gig ecc ram, 4x hot plug SCSI 73gi
drives. I’ve upgraded Bios to D02/F02
Storage: Compaq 431 Raid Card. I want to run RAID 1/0
3Com 3C985b-SX Fibre Network card to link with a 3com intelligen
switch.

I’ve got another 15gig scsi drive (not hotplug) – would it be a goo
idea to fit this & use for the operating system partition & so leav
the RAID for data only? This might make the machine les
robust/reliable? (I realise I would then set the standard SCSI card a
the boot card)

I have SmartStart 4.7 (came with the new bare case), SmartStart 5.5
(downloaded from Nutcracker here – thanks Todd), and Smartstart 6.
–Ebay, before I found this forum & found I needed 5.50 !.

I’ve had a couple of goes with 5.50, but haven’t got it right yet (i.e
choosing win2000 install option – successfully goes all the way t
install operating system, but won’t recognise the SBS2003 instal
disk.)

I’ve got the scsi’s connected to the standard card – haven’t fitted th
431 or 3 com network card yet.

I “think” I need to get the machine running, then load the 431 firmwar
upgrade patches to the system, then fit the 431 card & carry out th
firmware upgrade.
But then without the 431 fitted, I may not be able to configure th
RAID 1/0 array that I want to use (should I set up machine on standar
card then “upgrade” the machine to the new card.)

I “think” I need to load Win SBS first, then load on the Compaq Win200
SBS support pack, which I’ve downloaded.

Sorry if this is too long - I don’t want to irritate anyone. Perhaps
do this “off-forum” and pay someone a Paypal tutorial fee ?

Thanks Richar

--
Avon

"Avon" wrote in message
...

I've built a ML350 (ver 1) from new & used parts, and need a little help
in the correct sequence to configure the hardware & software.
(I've built many desktop PC's, but this is my first server - partly fun
project to learn, partly to use in my small business, currently on WinXP
Pro peer to peer). I want to set up Msoft Small Business Server 2003

Quick spec: Dual 933 PIII, 2gig ecc ram, 4x hot plug SCSI 73gig
drives. I've upgraded Bios to D02/F02
Storage: Compaq 431 Raid Card. I want to run RAID 1/0
3Com 3C985b-SX Fibre Network card to link with a 3com intelligent
switch.

I've got another 15gig scsi drive (not hotplug) - would it be a good
idea to fit this & use for the operating system partition & so leave
the RAID for data only? This might make the machine less
robust/reliable? (I realise I would then set the standard SCSI card as
the boot card)

I have SmartStart 4.7 (came with the new bare case), SmartStart 5.50
(downloaded from Nutcracker here - thanks Todd), and Smartstart 6.4
-Ebay, before I found this forum & found I needed 5.50 !.

I've had a couple of goes with 5.50, but haven't got it right yet (i.e.
choosing win2000 install option - successfully goes all the way to
install operating system, but won't recognise the SBS2003 install
disk.)

I've got the scsi's connected to the standard card - haven't fitted the
431 or 3 com network card yet.

I "think" I need to get the machine running, then load the 431 firmware
upgrade patches to the system, then fit the 431 card & carry out the
firmware upgrade.
But then without the 431 fitted, I may not be able to configure the
RAID 1/0 array that I want to use (should I set up machine on standard
card then "upgrade" the machine to the new card.)

I "think" I need to load Win SBS first, then load on the Compaq Win2003
SBS support pack, which I've downloaded.

Sorry if this is too long - I don't want to irritate anyone. Perhaps I
do this "off-forum" and pay someone a Paypal tutorial fee ?

Thanks Richard


--
Avon



Ok Richard, this is what you need to do:

1. Put the 431 in that box, and get it cabled up to the drive cage
2. Completely forget the fact that you have that 15G drive laying around.
You wont be able to use it in RAID.
3. R0/1 wont get you much if you cant use it with a 2 channel card. it will
work, but you are unecessarily wasting an entire 73G disk. Yes, it will
work, and you can do some performance testing if you like, but i would
suggest good old R5.
4. Upgrade your FW by way of the SS CD and a floppy disk with the FW for
your controller.
5. I dont think SmartStart does "small busniess server" as an integrated
setup option. You want to run a "manual" install, and tell it that you have
2000. Retail. When it prompts your for the CD, pop it in and reboot. let the
box boot from the CDRom and it will carry you through the installation

The sequence I've used with a number of compaq servers is:

1) Boot off the smartstart CD and install the Utilities and utility
partition.
2) Reboot and run the system configuration (BIOS) util from the system
partition (F10)
3) Reboot and install operating system of choice.
4)Reboot and install the support software from the smartstart CD or from
disk if you've downloaded later versions.

May not work for everything, but it seems to have worked 100% of the
time for me with 2K and 2K3 on a number of different machines.

Tim.


Avon wrote:
I’ve built a ML350 (ver 1) from new & used parts, and need a little help
in the correct sequence to configure the hardware & software.
(I’ve built many desktop PC’s, but this is my first server – partly fun
project to learn, partly to use in my small business, currently on WinXP
Pro peer to peer). I want to set up Msoft Small Business Server 2003

Quick spec: Dual 933 PIII, 2gig ecc ram, 4x hot plug SCSI 73gig
drives. I’ve upgraded Bios to D02/F02
Storage: Compaq 431 Raid Card. I want to run RAID 1/0
3Com 3C985b-SX Fibre Network card to link with a 3com intelligent
switch.

I’ve got another 15gig scsi drive (not hotplug) – would it be a good
idea to fit this & use for the operating system partition & so leave
the RAID for data only? This might make the machine less
robust/reliable? (I realise I would then set the standard SCSI card as
the boot card)

I have SmartStart 4.7 (came with the new bare case), SmartStart 5.50
(downloaded from Nutcracker here – thanks Todd), and Smartstart 6.4
–Ebay, before I found this forum & found I needed 5.50 !.

I’ve had a couple of goes with 5.50, but haven’t got it right yet (i.e.
choosing win2000 install option – successfully goes all the way to
install operating system, but won’t recognise the SBS2003 install
disk.)

I’ve got the scsi’s connected to the standard card – haven’t fitted the
431 or 3 com network card yet.

I “think” I need to get the machine running, then load the 431 firmware
upgrade patches to the system, then fit the 431 card & carry out the
firmware upgrade.
But then without the 431 fitted, I may not be able to configure the
RAID 1/0 array that I want to use (should I set up machine on standard
card then “upgrade” the machine to the new card.)

I “think” I need to load Win SBS first, then load on the Compaq Win2003
SBS support pack, which I’ve downloaded.

Sorry if this is too long - I don’t want to irritate anyone. Perhaps I
do this “off-forum” and pay someone a Paypal tutorial fee ?

Thanks Richard