No Repair Option Offered Using Small Business Server Boot Disks

ID: Q175665

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server versions 4.0, 4.0a, 4.5

SYMPTOMS

When you start an Intel processor-based system from the three setup disks that come with Small Business Server, or when you start Setup on a DEC Alpha (RISC) system from the Small Business Server compact disc, you never get the option to run through the repair process.


CAUSE

The three SBS setup disks and the compact disc are programmed to perform an unattended installation of Small Business Server and related components and, therefore, bypass the screen that offers the repair option.


WORKAROUND

On an Intel System

  • On the second setup disk, rename Winnt.sif to Winnt.bak. You can restart from these disks and it will prompt you to run the Repair process.

    -or-


  • Re-create a second set of setup disks by using the Small Business Server distribution compact disc (not a retail version of Windows NT 4.0 Server or Workstation).

    To do this, go to any computer running the retail version of Windows NT. Place the first Small Business Server distribution compact disc into the CD-ROM drive and type the following at a command prompt:

    D:\i386\winnt32 /ox

    Alternately, go to an MS-DOS/Windows-based computer and type the following at the command prompt:

    D:\i386\winnt /ox


For additional information on creating three setup disks, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q131735
TITLE : How to Create Windows NT Boot Floppy Disks

Keep in mind that using an Emergency Repair Disk should be considered a last resort, because this process overwrites many system files with versions that may not be compatible with the programs that are installed on the server.

On a DEC Alpha (RISC) System

If a retail version of Windows NT Server (non-SBS) compact disc is available, use the Alpha firmware utilities to start the Windows NT setup process from the retail version of Windows NT Server compact disc. When you are presented with the screen that says "Welcome to Setup," replace the Windows NT Server compact disc with the first compact disc of Small Business Server. Select "R" to repair the system and then continue with the emergency repair.

WARNING: Do not attempt to repair the system with the retail version of Windows NT Server compact disc. Doing so will produce unpredictable and undesirable results.

If a retail version of Windows NT Server compact disc is not available, you can use the following steps to perform the repair.

  1. Install a new copy of Small Business Server (install Windows NT only -- do not install the Server Applications, for example, Microsoft Exchange Server, SQL Server, and so on), or Windows NT Workstation into a directory other than Winnt.sbs. If you are installing Small Business Server, you will be informed during the installation that the Winnt.sbs directory already exists. Press ESC and type in a new directory name, such as Repair.

    NOTE: The Small Business Server installation requires 2 GB of free hard disk drive space. If 2 GB of space is not available, the installation will fail and the only workaround is to use a Windows NT Workstation or Windows NT Server compact disc.


  2. Start into this new working installation.


  3. Run Winnt32.exe from the Alpha directory of the first Small Business Server compact disc. This will copy some temporary files to the hard drive, create a new entry in the Alpha Boot menu called Installation/Upgrade.


  4. Restart the server and select the Installation/Upgrade selection on the Boot menu. When you get to the screen that says "Welcome to Setup," select "R" to repair.


  5. After the repair is finished, you may remove the extra entries from the Alpha Boot menu and delete the temporary directory $WIN_NT$.~LS from drive C.



STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server version 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: smallbiz sbs erd

Keywords : kbsetup kbbug4.00 SBS ntsetup
Version : winnt:4.0,4.0a,4.5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug


Last Reviewed: March 26, 1999
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