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Home > Archive > General Discussion > January 2001 > Need some help with Setting up Server or Ws
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Need some help with Setting up Server or Ws
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| Ok I`ll try and explain what I did and did not do when I was installing Server (NT4)
First off after doing things the hard and learning way, I started with a 3.2GB HD which was formatted in FAT32 big mistake, but a tech said all you need to do is to boot to DOS and insert the CD and go to the I386 directory and type in: winnt and everything takes care of itself....NOT
Man i spent alot of time trying to install Server today and I`m frustrated to say the least.
Ok the next step I took was to use the fdisk utility and not choose large drive support.
I created a primary Dos partition (2045MB) then an extended Dos partition (1001MB)
Then rebooted then formatted with FAT16, both partitions.
Then one thing techs don`t tell you is that you need CD-Rom support, so you need to either use a win 98 boot disk or make your own custom boot disk that loads the CD-Rom driver, or you could transfer the Oakcdrom.sys file to the HD and modify the config.sys file to load it.....anyways moot point as I already know that.
It was only then when I partitioned the HD that the NT 4 installation took...I was under the impression that NT supported larger (4GB) HDs??
Well after trial and error, and getting the error message: " NT cannot locate the MS-Dos partition where the installation files are supposed to go" (something like that) it was frustrating after waiting for the files to transfer (40 minute or less) and then get that darn error message.
Thats when I decided to do a partition, then it worked.
Also for those who have an Intel 810 Chipset motherboard who want to install Server on it you need an minimum of 64 megs of Ram...trust me I know as I read up on it (and have that motherboard ~Maximum PC magazine I think Decembers issue) and tried to install Server with that amount of Ram and there are errors galore using the minimum! Thats why I got 128 megs and it works alot better, though the architecture of the motherboard sucks.
This post is turning into a book!
Well after the install everything looked ok, until I tried to configure a dialup network...then all hell broke loose!!... I had lots of Ras errors and damned if I could get the OS to find my modem (creative lab soundblaster PCI) I selected the modem from my installation disk (yes it was an NT driver) and it took it no problem, but it wanted to use Com 1 and that was the only choice, but it still couldn`t find it, all my BIOs functions are set on Auto.
I even went as far as adding a few more ports but that didn`t work either.
I`m pretty sure I need Ras services to us the dialup, but the OS doesn`t see the modem, it does install it, as its there under modems in the control panel and its on Com 1 but the OS can`t communicate with it....I`m stumped!!!
I used to have it working but I installed it with a tech and he was pretty fast at doing all the stuff and I was sleeping I guess, so I`m trying to install it again and I forgot lots already! as I don`t work with it everyday.
I usually use win 98Se and y2k pro on my other HD.
Should installing NT be this difficult? I have no problem with other OSs, it just seems NT ain`t that smart (and I`m dumber!) at doing any auto configuration and plug n play is more like plug n pray.
So if anyone has any idea of why I would have to use a smaller HD to get NT to install and what I need to do for NT to see my modem and make it work,all help would be greatly appreciated!!
I`m scheduled for an exam 70-68 (my last core) and was hoping to have at least a PDC installed, then I can work on my labs with my studies.
Thanks Mike | |
| jo2001my 2001-01-12, 11:24 am |
| First Are u using Pentium 2 or 3? if yes, try disable PnP, the manually configure the COM1 & COM2
second! NT4 didn't support PnP, try to manually configure the Drive
Third! Take out your sound card, it may use the interrupt. | |
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| Go to: Start: Programs: Administrative Tools: NT Diagnostics. Check out the devices and see if there are any resource conflicts. That would be the most likely issue.
Disable the extra ports that you added. They may be sucking up resources and creating more conflicts.
Disable Plug N Pray. NT doesn't support it.
I'd suggest that you make the 3 NT boot disks and the Emergency Repair Disk to make your life easier for later installs/reinstalls.
A lot of people have a DOS boot disk that includes a generic CD-ROM driver on it. This lets you boot up the system in order to install NT on it. I'm not sure off-hand if the WIN98 boot disk would work. (I've never used it myself.)
Good luck. | |
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| Thank you for your replies! and yes I realize NT4 doesn`t support PnP, but I did notice something in either services or devices in the control panel that referred to PnP.
As for my sound card it is built in and I`m pretty sure to disable it I need to use a jumper as it`s non-configurable in the BIOS.
There was some conflicts when I added 3 more Com ports, so I removed them and all was fine except for the OS couldn`t find the modem.
You can use windows 98 boot disk on an NT machine to use the fdisk utility and format.
I`m going to try and re-install NT again.
I`m using a 466 Celly to do all this, is there something about those cpus that Server doesn`t like?
Again thanks for the reply, I appreciate it!!
Mike |
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