Unable to boot after installing Windows Server 2012 Standard

Dear Server Expert,

I am trying to install a test server by using normal computer instead of server to test on the Hyper V. I am using Windows Server 2012 Standard and install it from CD. Currently, for the windows, I have installed it inside the SSD Hard disk that have 250GB space and for data there will be under 1TB normal SATA HDD.

I have installed the windows successfully and join to the domain. However, I find one strange thing. Whenever I take out the windows installation disk from the CD ROM, it won't boot into windows whenever I restarted the computer. it will just stuck with one blinking cursor and there are no error messages no matter I hit any key on the keyboard. I have checked that from the BIOS, the primary boot up will be the SSD. There are no storage devices attached on the USB ports too. Whenever I inserted the windows CD and reboot the computer, it will successfully boot into windows without any error messages.

may I know whether it is issue with the installation or issue with the BOOT partition? I did the installation twice and the issue still the same.

Thanks.

Regards,

August 21st, 2015 2:13am

Hi,

As you said it seems like a boot-up related issue.

Please try to boot with the CD and get into WinRE. Run the steps listed before to see if one of them could help fix the start-up issue:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/4162.windows-server-2008-repair-steps-for-no-boot-issues.aspx

Please try following 2 command lines in order to see if issue could be fixed. 

X:\sources\recovery> startrep.exe 

SFC.EXE /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows 

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 24th, 2015 9:16am

Hi,

As you said it seems like a boot-up related issue.

Please try to boot with the CD and get into WinRE. Run the steps listed before to see if one of them could help fix the start-up issue:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/4162.windows-server-2008-repair-steps-for-no-boot-issues.aspx

Please try following 2 command lines in order to see if issue could be fixed. 

X:\sources\recovery> startrep.exe 

SFC.EXE /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows 
August 25th, 2015 2:00am

Hi,

Yes these steps will work as the these commands are not changed since Windows Vista/2008. 

The first thing I suspect is that the boot information are not created correctly - Or please check BIOS settings for the boot order - whether HDD is not the first sequence in booting up?

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 26th, 2015 8:45am

Hi,

Yes these steps will work as the these commands are not changed since Windows Vista/2008. 

The first thing I suspect is that the boot information are not created correctly - Or please check BIOS settings for the boot order - whether HDD is not the first sequence in booti

August 26th, 2015 10:19am

Can we assume that if you install Windows 8.1 on the computer that it works properly, i.e. it can boot correctly without the installation media mounted?

Have you tried 2012 R2 media?  Have you tried installing from USB instead of DVD?

When you get the system booted with Windows Server 2012, what is the output of the bcdedit command?

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 26th, 2015 10:33am

Can we assume that if you install Windows 8.1 on the computer that it works properly, i.e. it can boot correctly without the installation media mounted?

Have you tried 2012 R2 media?  Have you tried installing from USB instead of DVD?

When you get the system booted with Windows Server 2012, what is the output of the bcdedit co

August 27th, 2015 2:58am

Just investigating different things that I would have tried.

Bottom line is that you are trying to install on a system that is not supported by Windows Server.  Windows Server will generally run fine on systems that run Windows 7, but the hardware manufacturer does not validate their client machines to run Windows Server.  I have been running Windows Server on an unsupported desktop machine since 2008, so I know that it often works even though it is not supported.  But, there is no guarantee that Windows Server will run on any desktop.  I have never seen a hardware incompatibility manifest itself in this manner, but that is not to say that this could simply be a hardware incompatibility issue.  That's why I would try other methods of installation - try a USB.  Try Windows Server 2012 R2.  If neither of those work, you might be out of luck running Windows Server on that particular platform, unless you are willing to run with a distribution DVD mounted.

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 27th, 2015 3:44pm

Just investigating different things that I would have tried.

Bottom line is that you are trying to install on a system that is not supported by Windows Server.  Windows Server will generally run fine on systems that run Windows 7, but the hardware manufacturer does not validate their client machines to run Windows Server.  I have been running Windows Server on an unsupported desktop machine since 2008, so I know that it often works even though it is not supported.  But, there is no guarantee that Windows Server will run on any desktop.  I have never seen a hardware incompatibility manifest itself in this manner, but that is not to say that this could simply be a hardware incompatibility issue.  That's why I would try other methods of installation - try a USB.  Try Windows Server 2012 R2.  If neither of those work, you might be out of luck running Windows Server on that particular platform, unless you are willing to run with a distribution DVD mo

August 29th, 2015 3:17am

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics