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Booting Win2k on a BIOSless 2940?

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  • #1

    Booting Win2k on a BIOSless 2940?

    How? I've got a PC running win2k server on a BIOSless 2940U2W SCSI card - the way I got it to boot was using an old ISA Adaptec 1540 and a SCSI hard drive just to contain the boot files, and win2k was actually on the 2940 controller (well, a hdd connected to it!). But this is wasting a hard drive and the controller, so can I somehow get it to boot from a floppy?

    I've tried a few things - I've got a boot floppy which works (ie boots win2k from the 2940) but it stops working (don't even get the boot menu) when I unplug the 1540... any ideas?

    I think maybe that a copy of the boot files from a win2k install on a proper 2940 might do it... anyone got ntldr/ntbootdd.sys/boot.ini/ntdetect.com from that kind of setup?
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  • #2
    biosless 2940U2W ?

    Are you sure the bios is not just disabled, and the message "press ctrl-a" also has been disabled ?
    (both these things can be done, the card would then act as if it has no bios)

    Jörg

    PS: I'll check for the bootfiles you requested, I have a W2K server booting from a 2940UW.
    pixar
    Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow. (James Dean)

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    • #3
      I'm pretty sure it's a biosless card. It's actually a 2940U2B for a MAC. It uses the same chipset at the 2940 and win2k recognises it as a 2940U2W

      It'd be fantastic if you have those files
      Last edited by SteveC; 13 March 2002, 09:35.

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      • #4
        You could add the adaptec bios for the coresponding pc-scsi-controller to your mobos bios with the tool cbrom....

        AFAIK, the mac-controllers from adaptec have just another bios, compared to the pc-controllers, maybe you could try to flash your controller with adaptecs bios for a pc-controller?

        Both of these hacks are kinda hardcore, but I would give it a try...
        main system: P4 Northwood 2.0 @ 2.5GHz, Asus P4PE (LAN + Audio onboard), 512MB Infineon PC333 CL2.5, Sapphire/BBA Radeon 9500@9700 128MB (hardmodded), IBM 100GB ATA-100, 17" Belinea (crappy), and some other toys...ADSL (1,5mbit/s down, 256kbit/s up...sweeeeeet!)

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        • #5
          Problem with reflashing the card is that on adaptec's site, they say "This BIOS is not suitable for 2940U2 OEM controllers" for their BIOS downloads... and "Using this utility for OEM adapters, designed-in controller chips, or other Adaptec SCSI host adapters may render those adapters unusable."

          What are the chances of this really happening?

          And adaptec don't even list the model of card I have so I can't add the bios.

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          • #6
            You're booting to Win2k on the SCSI HDD on the 2940? You need to edit your BOOT.INI and create a NTBOOTDD.SYS.

            Error - Office.com
            http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q102873


            http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/tip/1,289483,sid1_gci786957,00.html?FromTaxonomy=%2Fpr%2F5e3


            Jammrock
            Last edited by Jammrock; 13 March 2002, 10:26.
            “Inside every sane person there’s a madman struggling to get out”
            –The Light Fantastic, Terry Pratchett

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            • #7
              Thanks Jammrock - I'll read through all that later.

              The thing is though, I don't even get the boot menu - it's before boot.ini, surely?

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              • #8
                I'll post a more detailed description of the bios flashing procedures tomorrow, when I'm at work...
                main system: P4 Northwood 2.0 @ 2.5GHz, Asus P4PE (LAN + Audio onboard), 512MB Infineon PC333 CL2.5, Sapphire/BBA Radeon 9500@9700 128MB (hardmodded), IBM 100GB ATA-100, 17" Belinea (crappy), and some other toys...ADSL (1,5mbit/s down, 256kbit/s up...sweeeeeet!)

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                • #9
                  MetalCartman - I found on groups.google.com someone who has given instructions on modifying a 2940U2W controller's BIOS to a 2940U2x, but I couldn't get the last bit to work. Basically, it was like this:

                  Get the new BIOS ROM file and extract the 8bios.bin file using lha
                  hex edit 8bios.bin and change the id from 81a0 to 0081 (or simething similar - can't remember now)
                  re-compress the edited 8bios.bin file to the ROM file
                  Reflash the card.

                  Problem I;m having is when I re-compress the file, the ROM ends up not at 64kb and so the flash tool rejects it. I also found another flashing tool, but the screen is garbled and I can't read the menus or anything when I run it.

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                  • #10
                    SteveC,

                    When the computer is booted to a pure Win2k system it looks for the Boot.ini first. Unlike WinNT, Win2k does not put in a menu with two options by default. The Safe Mode is accessed via the Recovery Console (pressing F8 at boot). Meaning that if the boot.ini is setup wrong, or if there is no NTBOOTDD.SYS, then Win2k will not boot and will show no indication that it is even trying.

                    There are two ways I can see this working. Create a NTBOOTDD.SYS from the 2940 drivers (as instructed in M$ Support link, just a simple file rename). Then modify the Boot.ini on the floppy until it boots to Win2k. You should only need to modify the SCSI() and DISK() variables, if memory server me correctly. Once you are in Win2k, copy the NTBOOTDD.SYS and Boot.ini to C:\ and you're done.

                    Second, pull the 1540 out, boot from the Win2k CD and re-install. The Win2k installer should properly create a working boot.ini and NTBOOTDD.SYS.

                    Jammrock
                    “Inside every sane person there’s a madman struggling to get out”
                    –The Light Fantastic, Terry Pratchett

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                    • #11
                      Ok, if it comes from a mac, then it is something different.
                      Tonight (at home) I'll manage to copy the requested files (post them tomorrow), but perhaps you won't need them with all the suggested modifications.

                      Jörg
                      pixar
                      Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow. (James Dean)

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                      • #12
                        Well, here are the files :
                        -boot.ini
                        -ntldr
                        -ntdetect.com
                        -AC78XX.sys
                        I could not find the ntbootdd.sys file...

                        http://telin.rug.ac.be/~jv/W2K_sp2_files.zip

                        (they are too big to be attached, please let me know when you have them)

                        These files come from a Windows 2000 Professional Server, Service Pack 2
                        There was a performance issue with booting from SCSI-controllers, which required an additional patch, I think it was : http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000...61/default.asp
                        (but I'll have to verify this, I have the fix somewhere on my harddisk, which allows me to verifiy the patch number)

                        My scsi-controller is an
                        Adaptec 2940UW (not the pro !)
                        flashed to bios version 2.20.0

                        I hope these files help you, if you need any other files, just ask !

                        Jörg

                        PS: sorry about the delay...
                        pixar
                        Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow. (James Dean)

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