Recover Proliant server with universal restore doesn't work

I've got a DL380 G3 (old server) running Win2K3. I'm trying to image the whole install to a DL360 G5 (new server).

Old server has a RAID 1 C-drive with a RAID 5 D-Drive. I matched the same scenario with the new hardware with the obvious exception the drive sizes are larger on the new box.

I can image the old server spiffy - runs through, no errors and everything looks great.

When I do the restore / recovery on the new hardware with the universal restore option selected, it runs through just fine as well. However after the reboot all I get is a black screen. No Loading... message, no Server 2003 startup, nothing. I can't even F8 to get a safe menu to appear.

Running build 8206 True Image Enterprise

Any thoughts for troubleshooting? I tried the paragon software boot rescue kit but it didn't seem to help. I can't tell if it's an OS issue, boot issue, Win2K3 issue, drive letter issue or what.

 

Sugarpops,
Universal Restore should require drivers for the new RAID controller during restore. Did it?

 

Surprisingly, No it didn't.

I think I may have found the solution.

After some extensive reading both here and elsewhere, I've learned that Server 2003 had some changes made to how multi-core processors where handled if 2003 SP2 was installed. This could cause a hang on the acpitabl.dat file during 2003 server startup if moving an image from an old hyper-threaded CPU onto a newer non-hyperthreaded CPU platform.

In the (not so) old days, it was called Hyperthreading. Nowadays, nobody calls it that including Intel. However, in the BIOS setup on the Proliant DL360 G5 server( Xeon quad-core Dual-CPU unit), there is an option under Advanced->Processor Options... to disable multi-core representation.

Disable that and the otherwise completely unbootable server now boots right up. Let it plug-and-play everything, run the Compaq Support Paq to update all the drivers, then restore the setting in the BIOS during the next reboot.

I've reproduced it twice on the same image with success both times. Now I'm trying it another image that is more complex to see if the solution consistently resolves the issue.

The only side effect I've seen thus far has been the Task Manager only shows 1 processor graph. Device Manager shows 8 processors, but Task Manager will only show 1 processor. Shrug.

 

Sugarpops,
That's very interesting case.
Firstly, it's realy surprisingly strange that no drivers were required for the new RAID controller; I guess, it's not the same as you had in your DL380G3 (likely, SmartArray64xx?).
Secondly, it's really very interesting problem with ACPITABL. However, old HT-enabled CPUs and new multi-core CPUs don't share the same multi-core technology. The technologies are absolutelly different. As for BIOS setting in your new G5 server, I'm affraid it really disables other CPU cores, but you'd better read docs, as I may be wrong. However the fact the system sees only 1 CPU says for that. I'd have a look Performance counters for number of CPUs, that would clarify the real number of CPU cores available for the system.

 

Heh the more you read, the more you learn.

Here's the scoop dealing with imaging from Proliant DL380 G3 to Proliant DL360 G5.

First, no raid drivers necessary. Default install of build 8206 Enterprise with universal recovery works just dandy.

When a source server is running a single CPU, it will continue to run single CPU when moved to a new platform. Doesn't matter how many cores/CPUs are in the new platform. The old 2003 install used a single CPU HAL so it will continue to do so when imaged to a new platform. Despite seeing multiple CPUs in device manager, your clues will be performance monitor and task manager only show 1 CPU total. Microsoft says there's a way to change it, but I wasn't in the mood to risk a BSOD as the server doesn't really require all that power anyways.

When the source server is running multi-cpu, it will continue to run multi-cpu. However, 2003 needs a chance to plug-and-play the new aspects of the HAL that are plug-and-playable. In order for this to happen, you MUST disable multiple cores in the BIOS of the DL360 G5 before booting the newly recovered image. Otherwise the OS will just hang - try it in safe mode and you'll see it hanging at the acpitabl.dat file. That's your HAL. To fix, just disable the setting in the BIOS and reboot - no need to restore the image again. In the older systems, you would display hyper-threading.

Once you've booted with multiple cores off, let things settle down after all the plug-and-play happens. Log in, reinstall the Compaq Support Paq to get the latest drivers for the new hardware. Reboot, re-enable multiple cores in the BIOS and you're done.

 

Hm... You've done a great work!
That's quite important since it's time come to change 3-5-years-old HT-generation-servers to the new multi-core ones. One should keep in mind what you've discovered. I will surely do.

 

I believe I am having the same issue but with imaging a Dell PowerEdge 2900 and restoring it to a PowerEdge 840. It starts to load Server 2003 then sits at acpitabl.dat for a second then reboots. The PowerEdge 840 is Pentium dual core but I don't see any way to adjust cores in the BIOS. Can anyone help with this?