Windows 8.1 on Dell SC1425 Server

[gravator]

I am trying to install Windows 8.1 on this server.. I know dont ask.. and i have tried to install from Flash drive and DVD drive. All that the server is showing on the monitor is a the blue windows logo and nothing else when booting from DVD or Flash drive. Then it sits here for about 5 mins and then restarts.

I have turned off RAID in BIOS on SATA controller and switched to ATA SATA controller.

I am still getting nothing and looking for suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[shamrin]

Does Windows 8.x support 2x CPUs?

 

[gravator]

Does Windows 8.x support 2x CPUs?

From what I have found it does.

It starts from disk or flash drive like it is going to start the install, but gets to the blue flag for a two mins then restarts.. Then loops :S

 

[TAPtech]

Does have any add-in cards? Maybe a big fancy multi-port NIC?

Try unplugging anything non-essential to see if it'll get rolling.

 

[Markverhyden]

Maybe you should spend a couple of minutes looking at the spec sheet. Looks like it will not support a desktop OS. Not to mention that the machine is probably in the 10 year old range.

Microsoft
®
Windows Server
™
2003, Standard x64 Edition; Microsoft
Windows Server 2003, Web Edition; Microsoft Windows Server 2003,
Standard Edition; Red Hat
®
Enterprise Linux
®
v3 (Enterprise Server
EM64T and
Workstation Server EM64T)

http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/pedge/en/sc1425_specs.pdf

 

[gravator]

Maybe you should spend a couple of minutes looking at the spec sheet. Looks like it will not support a desktop OS. Not to mention that the machine is probably in the 10 year old range.



http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/pedge/en/sc1425_specs.pdf

I understand it is getting some age, but just b/c the spec sheet doesnt say Desktop, doesnt mean it wont. They put the OS's that they recommend or what can come installed on these spec sheets. This server had Windows XP installed on it before now. So I know a Desktop OS should install.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Likely you'll have driver issues....it probably has hardware that has only had drivers developed (thus available for download) for Windows desktop operating systems. I doubt you'll find drivers for Win8 on Dells site.

Windows XP may have been installed in the past, but how healthy did Device Manager look? Any yellow marks sticking out? And the rule of thumb isn't always true "Well an older OS ran on it, so todays OS should". Older hardware isn't always supported in current OS's.

Did it run absolutely rock solid? Or have an occasional glitch like a system hang or sudden reboot once every month or every couple of months?

I remember years ago I accepted a clients job....he purchased some entry level el cheapo HP server 100 series (similar to Dells old SC series)...but instead of a server OS....he purchased a Windows XP Pro license. It was going to be the "server" for his 3x computer network real estate office.

Of course no Windows XP drivers at HPs site for the server...just Server 03 and maybe 08 had just come out. Took me 2x days to build that dang thing...going on crazy driver hunts trying this 'n that. Oh ..and had to build a slipstream XP machine to get XP to install on that funky fake-RAID onboard crap RAID controller. A unique onboard ATI or Matrox video chipset HP only uses on servers.

 

[gravator]

Likely you'll have driver issues....it probably has hardware that has only had drivers developed (thus available for download) for Windows desktop operating systems. I doubt you'll find drivers for Win8 on Dells site.

Windows XP may have been installed in the past, but how healthy did Device Manager look? Any yellow marks sticking out?

Did it run absolutely rock solid? Or have an occasional glitch like a system hang or sudden reboot once every month or every couple of months?

I was more pointing out that there was an Desktop OS that was loaded on the server at an earlier point in time.

When it had XP it didnt have any issues and when we came in to replace, it was b/c we were putting them on a server OS with a domain.

I agree with you that it probably doesnt have any 8.x drivers, but shouldnt it at least get back the Blue Windows Logo Screen during install boot?? I have tried to unhook one of the two HDD and tried every possible setting in BIOS to change with same problem. I might be out of luck and need to get over it, but the tech inside me wants to figure it out

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I know I could look it up....BUT...
What HDD controllers does this model have? If it's SATA...can you kill AHCI and run it in legacy?
If it's PATA...move to a non-RAID onboard IDE port?

 

[gravator]

I know I could look it up....BUT...
What HDD controllers does this model have? If it's SATA...can you kill AHCI and run it in legacy?
If it's PATA...move to a non-RAID onboard IDE port?

I will try this out. Thanks YeOldeStonecat!