I have a customer with two identical Dell servers. They both had Server 2003R2, and are both DC's. I did an inplace upgrade on the primary server in December to Server 2008 SP2 STD x86 without issue. I have since gone onsight to upgrade the second server to 2008 and the installation fails at the "Gathering Files" part of the installation.

I have tried new medai, checked the event log. All I get is a popup that says "Installation encountered and error and cannot continue" and then I am back to the 2003 desktop. All of the pre-work completed without fail as to the domain prep etc. I cannot find any reference on line as to this issue save for a few regarding Vista. I know Vista and Server 2008 SP2 are the same kernal, but the one solution I found was to remove user accounts, which i cannot do as its AD controller.

Please advise, as this is a remote customer and I only get on site 2 to 3 times a year and this upgrade is behind schedule. Thank you in advance for your asistance.

 

Shayne Noel

LAN Admin

Alberni technology Solutions

250 731 9625 

 

• Moved by Tim QuanModerator Friday, April 29, 2011 2:19 AM (From:Migration)

Hello,

this problem doesn't belong to Directory services itself. This belongs to an upgrade from Windows server 2003 R2 to Windows server 2008 in the first step, so please use the following Windows server forum instead:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/winservergen/threads

Thank you for understanding.

Hi,

 

I suggest performing a Clean Boot first. This can reduce third-party software conflictions during the upgrading.

 

Clean Boot

========

1. Click Start, type "MSCONFIG" (without the quotations) in the Search Bar and Press "Enter" to start the System Configuration Utility.

 

Note: Please click Continue if the "User Account Control" window pops up.

 

2. Click the "Services" tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" box and click "Disable All" (if it is not gray).

3. Click the "Startup" tab, click "Disable All" and click "OK".

4. Restart the computer and test the issue.

 

Note: Clean Boot is a troubleshooting step. If some programs have been disabled, we can re-enable them later. If you see the System Configuration Utility, check the box of "Don't show this message" and then click "OK".

 

Then upload all unnecessary hardware devices such as sound card, network card and external USB drives.

 

Now upgrade to Windows Server 2008 again.

 

If any error message appears, please let me know the exact wording of the error message.

 

In addition, please upgrade the following files (if they exist) to https://sftus.one.microsoft.com/choosetransfer.aspx?key=b7d773d8-200a-4532-bc95-4a1c5a506dd3

 

Password: i!94cn^n7+m_6

 

C:\windows\panther\setupact.log

C:\windows\panther\setuperr.log

C:\windows\panther\unattendgc\setupact.log

C:\windows\panther\unattendgc\setuperr.log

C:\windows\setupact.log

C:\windows\setuperr.log

 

Tim Quan

TechNet Subscriber Support in forum

If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com  

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• Marked as answer by Tim QuanModerator Tuesday, May 03, 2011 2:18 AM
• Unmarked as answer by Tim QuanModerator Monday, May 09, 2011 7:58 AM

Any update?

I tried to download the files but it states no files to try. I will not beonsite at this location again until the 13th when I will retry as suggested. I appreciate your assistance and will update this thread once I can get to the site, which to me is a 4 hour trip.

 

Shayne

No file for you to download but asked you to upload the files.

Hi Tim,

I've got the same issue doing an upgrade from server 2003 r2 sp2 standard to server 2008 enterprise sp2.  It hangs at Gathering Files and won't proceed any further.  I've tried your suggestion on a clean boot and selective startup but it didn't make any difference.  I've got the error logs if you can take a look.  Let me know how best to proceed. 

 

Thanks,

DC

I came to site and tried as you suggested, same result. Hoping for some help..................

What do you mean "upgrade the following files? Where are the replacements?

 

Shayne

The error is "Windows installation encontered and error and cannot continue"

 

Sorry I missed that.

 

Shayne

Still no insight as to this error? Any others want to chime in with your success at this?

 

 

Shayne

Still looking for a solution folks.

what is the procedure for escalation on this? i cannot seem to get a solution to this issue, and really need to get the upgrade done for the customer before september

 

normally with some searching and trial and error, things can be solved, but i have made three trips to this location at our expense and am not able to get this running yet  any further ideas would be greatly appreciated  

 

shayne

Hi Shayne,

This week I planned upgrading several 2003R2 SP2 Domain Controller servers to 2008 (x86). The first server 2003R2 server to be migrated completed succesfully, however the other four servers did not and stopped the upgrade process at the same point you described in the first thread. The setuperr.log showed the following error:

Win32ErrorException: Error
(1315), Invalid machine account for [Machine_name].

The servers were all complete updated in terms of Microsoft Updates, firmware and drivers.

The solution for me was to demote the DC, perform the upgrade (now succesful!), and promote again. Not sure as to what the real culprit is/was here, but my best guess at this point is that the upgrade proces also does some role diagnosis (dcdiag perhaps) and if any errors encountered it fails.

 

Good luck!

Much appreciated. Will try really soon and report back.

 

Shayne

• Proposed as answer by B0bbyP Friday, October 14, 2011 10:39 PM

Hey Gang,

 

I have found a fix to this, I hope in time to help someone out..and it's an easy one:

 

Open Windows Explorer on the system you are trying to upgrade AFTER a failed attempt

 

There will be three new folders:

$UPGRADE.~OS

$WINDOWS.~BT

$WINDOWS.~LS

 

Go into the Security Properties and give "Everyone" Full Rights (on each folder)

 

That's It!!!!!

 

I'm am very, very upset that this wasn't addressed by Microsoft! Anyway, Happy Upgrading!!!

 

Bob

• Edited by B0bbyP Friday, October 14, 2011 10:48 PM

Hi

I have the similar situation where the upgrade fails and the windows 2008 unable to start.

do You mean like after giving the full permsission and start the upgrade will work?

Expect a quick reply.

Thanks

Ram.

Didn't help me to set the permies on those folders. What did the trick for me was ensuring there was 10GB free space, disabling the NIC, removing any agents, turning on Windows firewall & taking another stab at it.