The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51
SUMMARY
Under some circumstances, the fault tolerance (FT) driver cannot
initialize after a failure of a mirrored boot partition (containing
Windows NT system files) and system partition (containing NTLDR and boot
loader files). This article provides a step-by-step system recovery
procedure for such a failure.
MORE INFORMATION
There are two recovery options:
Option 1
- If the hard disk drive with the primary system partition has failed and
you have a single controller mirror set established, set the physical
SCSI ID on the mirror drive to zero. If you have a duplex mirror set,
swap the drive from the primary controller to the secondary controller.
- Use a Windows NT Fault Tolerance (FT) boot floppy disk to point to and
boot the system/boot partition. Make sure the BOOT.INI file points to
the partition with the Windows NT system files.
- Open Disk Administrator, break the mirror set and mark the primary
system partition on Disk0 as Active so that the Windows NT FT disk is
not necessary for the next startup.
- If the failed drive has been replaced, establish the mirror set and
allow data regeneration during the next system boot.
Option 2: No Hardware Changes
- Before breaking the mirror set in disk administrator, shut down the
server and use the Windows NT Fault Tolerance boot floppy disk to point
to and boot the remaining healthy partition (the mirror).
- Open Disk Administrator, select the mirror set partition and break the
mirror. The healthy partition retains the drive letter previously
assigned to the mirror set. The faulty partition, if it is still
available, is assigned the next available letter.
- Delete the faulty partition on Disk0 or replace the disk drive if
necessary. You cannot delete the active boot partition through Disk
Administrator in 80x86-based computers; you have to use the Windows NT
Setup Disk to delete it.
- Establish the mirror between the healthy system/boot partition and the
raw disk space on Disk0. Exit Disk Administrator and save the disk
configuration changes.
- Use the Windows NT FT boot floppy to start regenerating the mirror set
to Disk0. Time required for this depends on factors such as disk size,
access time and controller type.
- Verify that the mirror set is healthy and has completed regenerating,
then select the set and break the mirror. You have to do this on 80x86-
based computers because the system partition needs to be marked as
Active for startup, and Disk Administrator allows you to mark only
primary partitions on Disk0 as Active.
- From Disk Administrator, modify the partition drive letters to have the
appropriate assignments (C drive on Disk0 and D drive on Disk1). Mark
the primary partition on Disk0 as Active.
- Reboot the system without the Windows NT FT boot floppy. Run Disk
Administrator and delete the partition on Disk1 and then re-establish
the mirror from Disk0 to Disk1.
For additional information, please see the following articles in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:
- Q108304: Recovering from Loss of FT Disk Configuration Information
- Q113976: Using Emergency Repair Disk With Fault Tolerance Partitions
- Q113977: Booting From Mirror After Primary Partition Is Lost
- Q114779: Overview of Disk Mirroring (RAID Level 1) in Windows NT
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