Mirrored Dynamic Disks

  • Thread starter Thread starter logan.greenlee
  • Start date Start date
L

logan.greenlee

I recently had a windows 2000 server fail with a mirrored dynamic disk
configuration. Both drives appear to be physically intact. I am able to
do a partial boot of the system. However, the boot fails with what MS
describes as a Hive error.

I'm having difficulty recognizing the two disks as mirrored with a
fresh install of windows 2000. Anyone have advice for recovering the
data from this type of situation?
 
You didn't mention the hive. Assuming the system hive and you already tried
LKG, It may be possible to rename the system hive found in
%systemroot%\system32\config\system
to system.old
then rename
%systemroot%\system32\config\system.alt
to
%systemroot%\system32\config\system

You can also try using the most recent backup found in
%systemroot%\repair\regback

If that fails you haven't much choice but to copy/ use the
original-as-installed system hive from
%systemroot%\repair\system
to
%systemroot%\system32\config\system
You'll need to reinstall the device drivers for any hardware added since the
original OS install.

If the software hive, it may be possible to rename the software hive found
in;
%systemroot%\system32\config\software
to software.old
then copy the most recent backup found in
%systemroot%\repair\regback
as
%systemroot%\system32\config\software

If that fails you can copy/ use the file
%systemroot%\repair\software
This file is an image of the hive at the time the OS was installed, so you'd
have to reinstall all software. This being the case you might just as well
blow it away and start a new install. (note: this would at least allow you
to start the OS to make any necessary backups prior to wiping the drive.)

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000
Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you do not have Setup
floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD,
use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the Setup floppy disks. At
the "Welcome to Setup" screen. Press F10 or R to repair a Windows 2000
installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. The Recovery
Console then prompts you for the administrator password. If you do not have
the correct password, Recovery Console does not allow access to the
computer. If an incorrect password is entered three times, the Recovery
Console quits and restarts the computer. Note If the registry is corrupted
or missing or no valid installations are found, the Recovery Console starts
in the root of the startup volume without requiring a password. You cannot
access any folders, but you can carry out commands such as chkdsk, fixboot,
and fixmbr for limited disk repairs. Once the password has been validated,
you have full access to the Recovery Console, but limited access to the hard
disk. You can only access the following folders on your computer: drive
root, %windir% or %systemroot%

You didn't mention the drive controller (possibly SCSI, or ultra DMA, or
ATA100, or raid, or serial ATA), but in order to start the RC you may need
to boot the Windows 2000 setup disks or CD-Rom and *F6* very early and very
important (at setup is inspecting your system) in the setup to prevent drive
controller detection, and select S to specify additional drivers. Then later
you'll be prompted to insert the manufacturer supplied Windows 2000 driver
for your drive's controller in drive "A"

If you wait and then S to specify additional drivers, then it may be too
late as Windows 2000 Setup at this point may have already assigned the
resources your drive's controller is wanting to use.


--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

|I recently had a windows 2000 server fail with a mirrored dynamic disk
| configuration. Both drives appear to be physically intact. I am able to
| do a partial boot of the system. However, the boot fails with what MS
| describes as a Hive error.
|
| I'm having difficulty recognizing the two disks as mirrored with a
| fresh install of windows 2000. Anyone have advice for recovering the
| data from this type of situation?
|
 
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