*DEAD* Intel NAS Server w/ Intel Celeron 420 1.6GHz, DDR2 & eSATA - $135

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FirNaTine

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Jun 6, 2005
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Have patience! It took me several tries to get it to work right, starting from scratch on the last (successful) try. Make sure you read the comments at the end about installing the SATA drivers in two locations.

Edit: The following section is what I was referring to:

FYI

Windows Home Server has an unattended installer which works almost great. There are some problems when loading drivers in the 2nd part of the installer (the Windows 2003 blue screen installer) which is very picky sometimes, turning out into BSOD’s. This has to do with the first installer (Windows PE) for some reason. Why? I truly don’t know, but it’s fixable by slip-streaming the DOS drivers for your hard disks.

I’ve tested it numerous times in a lot of different ways, but it seems adding the driver to the boot.wim alone it isn’t good enough. so we need to add the same DOS driver to the i386 folder as well.

When you have followed this slipstream guide it will make your install and, more importantly, your re-installs more pleasant. That’s why I wrote this tutorial, and because I like a challenge . The original slipstream wiki was a bit unclear in things, and I hope this revised tutorial will make things easier to understand.
 
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Slaimus

Senior member
Sep 24, 2000
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I gave up on the headless install last week and ordered the riser and a low power PCI-E card. It turns out my previous install was crashing due to BSOD too. The slipstreamed image installed okay in a VirtualBox VM, so it must be drivers or a hardware problem.
 
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Doomer

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Dec 5, 1999
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Why O Why O Why. seems like weirdness is a feature of WHS.

My XP machine is showing the Server as "Not Connected". But yet, I can start the console, log into the server and everything is normal. Network is healthy, etc.

So why the heck would it show as not connected when obviously it is connected.

My Win 7 bos is not affected, it shows the server as connected and healthy.
 

rsolomon

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Dec 15, 2001
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Why O Why O Why. seems like weirdness is a feature of WHS.

My XP machine is showing the Server as "Not Connected". But yet, I can start the console, log into the server and everything is normal. Network is healthy, etc.

So why the heck would it show as not connected when obviously it is connected.

My Win 7 bos is not affected, it shows the server as connected and healthy.

Is this ongoing or just for a few minutes after rebooting the WHS?

Firewall?

Richard
 

Slaimus

Senior member
Sep 24, 2000
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It looks like my BSODs are the result of trying to installing WHS on an IDE drive. The BIOS seems to by default "hide" the IDE drive after boot up, causing a 0x0000007B STOP error. If I press the reset button while starting up, I can get it past the first two steps (PE step and Server 2003 step). After that no combination of BIOS settings and reset button presses would get me past the BSOD.

Anyone have any tips or is using a IDE drive hopeless?
 

rsolomon

Senior member
Dec 15, 2001
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It looks like my BSODs are the result of trying to installing WHS on an IDE drive. The BIOS seems to by default "hide" the IDE drive after boot up, causing a 0x0000007B STOP error. If I press the reset button while starting up, I can get it past the first two steps (PE step and Server 2003 step). After that no combination of BIOS settings and reset button presses would get me past the BSOD.

Anyone have any tips or is using a IDE drive hopeless?

I believe I posted this a number of postings above. From what I can tell, the PATA host gets programmed into a mode that only the BIOS understands and once you go into protected mode and load a driver it's effectively gone. I spent quite a bit of time attempting to work around that and gave up.

If you change the BIOS setup so the ATA ports are in "Compatible" mode then you can have 2 SATA and 2 PATA devices, but I couldn't get the other 2 SATAs to show up - and that's consistent with the chipset description of the "Compatible" mode. I was after a PATA OS device to use MORE SATAs, not less, so I didn't like this mode.

FWIW, I was originally trying to use a PATA DVD-ROM and it just goes away when the OS goes into protected mode. :(

Richard
 

Doomer

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Dec 5, 1999
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Is this ongoing or just for a few minutes after rebooting the WHS?

Firewall?

Richard

Nope, the server has been running continuously for over a month.

No firewall at all. Windows FW is disabled.

I had a similar problem a while back where both boxes were showing the Network at risk (icon was yellow). But when I started the console, it showed the network as healthy. That problem sorted itself out. Maybe this one will too.

I think it's kind or strange that the monitor would show bogus info that doesn't jive with the server itself.
 

rsolomon

Senior member
Dec 15, 2001
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I think it's kind or strange that the monitor would show bogus info that doesn't jive with the server itself.

Bizarre. I've seen mine be 5-10minutes behind - one box shows grayed out server for a while after it reboots but nothing as bad as you describe. Are you runniing PowerPack 3? I'm not sure how to tell if one has updated the connector software or not. I did PP3 before installing any clients and my WHSConnector.exe shows version 6.0.2423.0 when I select the icon in explorer - I didn't see any way to get it to display its own version.

Richard
 

Netopia

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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So what do you guys think that chances are that one could replace the DOM with a PATA ->CompactFlash adapter and a CompactFlash card? I'm looking at doing Server 2008 or Linux, so the WHS requirement isn't an issue for me.

You think it would be able to replace the DOM?
 

Slaimus

Senior member
Sep 24, 2000
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I wonder if there is something on the DOM's software that tells the BIOS to not hide the PATA device, since its OS can obviously boot and run in protected mode.
 

rsolomon

Senior member
Dec 15, 2001
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I wonder if there is something on the DOM's software that tells the BIOS to not hide the PATA device, since its OS can obviously boot and run in protected mode.

I never looked at the Linux install or even booted it, but my *guess* is that the first thing it does is create a RAMdisk and copies everything to that to run. That copy process might either run Real mode or just use Protected mode drivers which make Protected mode BIOS calls instead of trying to talk to the hardware. I dunno.

The whole vanishing PATA bit honestly baffles me because I didn't see anything in the ICH7R documentation to suggest it should happen this way, and I've never seen it happen on any other system.

Richard
 

Doomer

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 1999
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Bizarre. I've seen mine be 5-10minutes behind - one box shows grayed out server for a while after it reboots but nothing as bad as you describe. Are you runniing PowerPack 3? I'm not sure how to tell if one has updated the connector software or not. I did PP3 before installing any clients and my WHSConnector.exe shows version 6.0.2423.0 when I select the icon in explorer - I didn't see any way to get it to display its own version.

Richard

Yep, I'm running PP3 and have updated the connector SW on all computers.

I have to say that this weirdness hasn't affected the performance or reliability of the server at all. I've always been able to access it.
 

beergeek

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Jul 17, 2002
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Have tried working my way through the thread, but so far haven't seen people describe what the problems with the EMC software are that push them to great efforts to install WHS. Are these just people who want the box to do more things than just be a simple SMB/NFS NAS? The Tom's review pointed out a couple of limitations wrt extended functionality (principally functions beyond simple NAS capabilities, it seemed) and storage upgrade, but nothing I saw wrt basic NAS functionality.

So - are the people putting WHS (or bigger Linux/BSD based software releases) on it due to problems with the EMC SW, real limitations with the EMC for normal NAS usage, desire to do more with the box (and what would that be?), or just to do it?
 

ethan007

Banned
Jan 12, 2010
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Cool Thx
N.gif
 

rsolomon

Senior member
Dec 15, 2001
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So - are the people putting WHS (or bigger Linux/BSD based software releases) on it due to problems with the EMC SW, real limitations with the EMC for normal NAS usage, desire to do more with the box (and what would that be?), or just to do it?

If all you want is a big hunk of storage space that's network accessible then yes, WHS is overkill.

WHS provides: automated backup (with bare-metal restore capability) of attached PCs, one-button configuration of external (through your firewall) access to all your WHS-attached storage and *computers* (remote-desktop gateway), streaming of audio/video/images to your local network-attached media-center extenders (xbox, etc), and more.

WHS's storage model is a bit odd - as extensively discussed here and on WeGotServed, but essentially it boils down to this:

WHS Storage Pros:
-mirroring with asymmetric disks (no matching requirements like RAIDn)
-selective mirroring (controllable by file folder so you can more flexibly allocate your storage amongst mirrored and non-mirrored data)

WHS Storage Cons:
-boot drive is not mirrored (default OEM's setup typically provides for automated recovery, including data, with an attached DVD-ROM drive or networked computer with same)

I avoided the "con" by fiddling with the BIOS configuration and doing a custom WHS install, but the default is pretty easy - especially if you start with a USB-attached DVD-ROM and some solution for temporary install of a video card.

HTH,
Richard
 

beergeek

Senior member
Jul 17, 2002
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If all you want is a big hunk of storage space that's network accessible then yes, WHS is overkill.

WHS provides: automated backup (with bare-metal restore capability) of attached PCs, one-button configuration of external (through your firewall) access to all your WHS-attached storage and *computers* (remote-desktop gateway), streaming of audio/video/images to your local network-attached media-center extenders (xbox, etc), and more.

<and more info...>

Thanks for the info - never played with it. Of those features, some (like external storage access) aren't of interest, some (like remote desktop) I solve other ways, but some (like automated backup and media streaming) I want and was under the impression were supported by the EMC software - at least it is so claimed by EMC. I also don't need lots of flexibility in the storage array - a RAID 5 with 4 identical disks is what I intend anyway.

However, it appears that Intel stopped upgrading the version of EMC software they provide (1.1 is supplied, current is at least 2.0), so it may not offer all those feature in the supplied version. Disappointing, as the feature set shown by EMC for (current versions of?) Lifeline and Retrospect seem perfectly adequate for my NAS needs - I handle other server needs in other servers. Having a dedicated NAS S/W load rather than sharing an existing server (which had been my plan) seems more reliable, while having the NAS software booting from outside the storage array seems a much cleaner solution...

So does anyone have info on what features are actually supported by the supplied EMC software or if there is any availability for the upgrade? Or has anyone any info on running freenas or opennas or something else loaded in the flash on this puppy?
 

darkamulets

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Feb 21, 2002
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What are people getting temp wise on there drives? I seem to be holding at 100F, but I put in a pair of 7200rpm WD I had lined up for another project. Wondering if the 5400 is much cooler and worth swapping out.
 

H20cooled

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Jan 15, 2010
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Picked up one of these last week after reading about the deal. Was going to grab one during one of the many egg's sales, but glad I held out. Have mine running with 4 Samsung 1TB raid drives and its great. Had a stick of 1GB ram laying around and thru it in. Seeing 50-60MB thruput bursting to 80-90 with all 4 drives in a raid5. Now I am going to pick up a second one of these, before the are all gone
 

wieglenda

Junior Member
Jan 10, 2010
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I have not tried the EMC software (went directly to WHS since I have a technet license), but I'm pretty sure that's not normal. On boot the fans go full speed for a couple of seconds, but then they quickly die down. Under normal use mine is very quiet.

Did you update the CPU? If so, maybe the CPU isn't compatible and/or it's overheating?

I didn't update anything, I just plugged it in and went. I found that one of the fans never slowed down. When I swapped in a new 70mm 4-wire fan it did the same thing. When I plugged in the other, totally functioning fan, it ran fine with no problems. I'm stumped that I'd have 2 bad fans in a row...
 

Emulex

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2001
9,759
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anyone want to sell their old machine of similar spec; i'll pay $50 for a celeron 420,512mb,no drive, case,gigabit ethernet on board. help ya offload the cost of this beast
 
Dec 26, 2007
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Anybody that has gotten their WHS install working, would you be able to send me a ISO/copy of it (removing your serial of course). I haven't gotten this to work through numerous tries.
 
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Dec 26, 2007
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Another thought:

What about going through the initial install config (where you input your serial and all that) in a different system, then when it reboots removing that drive and putting it in the Scaleo for the actual install? Anybody know if that would work?
 

Netopia

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Question for those that have the knowledge:

What would be the pluses and/or minuses of WHS vs Server 2008?
 

H20cooled

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Jan 15, 2010
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Question for those that have the knowledge:

What would be the pluses and/or minuses of WHS vs Server 2008?


WHS vs 2003/2008 server std has a few big diffrences

WHS can not connect to a domain or be a domain controller. So if you already have a domain or want to create one WHS is not what you want.

WHS cost wise is a great option, its a stripped down 2003 server with storage and print server features with out the $700 lic cost.

2003/2008 std can run any number of apps that you wish to load including the OEM storage server Edition if you have access to it (same OS that many of the higher end NAS run on with 2003).

If you run 2003 or 2008 I would upgrade the CPU and ram as they have more overhead then WHS and much more then the EMC software
 
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