NT DISK ADMINISTRATOR MAY CHANGE THE PARTITIONS TABLE

Subject: NT DISK ADMINISTRATOR MAY CHANGE THE PARTITIONS TABLE
New Netfinity server RETAIN Tip: 

    Record number:       H166956
    Device:              D/T8680
    Model:               M
    Hit count:           UHC00000
    Success count:       USC0000
    Publication code:    PC50
    Tip key:
    Date created:        O99/06/08
    Date last altered:   A99/06/08
    Owning B.U.:         USA


Abstract: NT DISK ADMINISTRATOR MAY CHANGE THE PARTITIONS TABLE

SYMPTOM:

A notification message that a change in the partition table has occurred and the BOOT.INI file needs to be changed.

If you do not follow the instructions displayed in this message, NT will not restart.

PROBLEM ISOLATION AIDS:

•  The system is any of the following IBM servers:

       a Netfinity 7000-M10 server, Type 8680, any Model.
       a Netfinity 7000 server, Type 8651, any Model.
       a Netfinity 5500-M20 server, Type 8662, any Model.
       a Netfinity 5500-M10 server, Type 8661, any Model.
       a Netfinity 5500 server, Type 8660, any Model.
       a Netfinity 5000 server, Type 8659, any Model.
       a Netfinity 3500 server, Type 8644, any Model.
       a Netfinity 3000 server, Type 8476, any Model.
       a Netfinity 1000 server, Type 8477, any Model.

•  The system was configured with NT Server 4.0 or NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition using ServerGuide 4.1, ServerGuide 4.11 or ServerGuide 4.12.
•  The system is configured with a System Partition.
•  The system displays a warning message when running NT Disk Administrator.

FIX:

It will be fixed in ServerGuide 5.0

WORKAROUND:

In order to start NT again the System Partition has to be removed.
To remove the System Partition follow these steps:

1.  Insert a DOS Bootable Diskette with FDISK.COM program on it into the floppy drive (drive A:).
2.  Reboot the Netfinity Server
3.  Once DOS is running, execute the FDISK command
4.  Then enter choice "3" (Delete partition or Logical DOS drive)
5.  Press <ENTER>
6.  Enter choice "1" (Delete Primary DOS Partition)
7.  Press <ENTER>
8.  Enter "1" in the primary partition to delete field
9.  Press <ENTER>
10.  Enter "NETFINITYSP" in the Volume Label field
11.  Press <ENTER>
12.  Press <Y> to accept the deletion of the System Partition
13.  Press <ENTER>
14.  Press <ESC>
15.  Press <ESC>
16.  Remove the DOS Bootable Diskette from the floppy drive
17.  Press <ENTER> to reboot the server and start NT.

  -WARNING- Following the steps described above will delete all the data in the System Partition.
DETAILS:

The System Partition created by ServerGuide is set at the beginning of the First Hard Disk but is the last entry of the Partitions Table.
Then ServerGuide creates the Partition where NT will be installed after the System Partition and as the First entry of the Partitions Table.

When NT Disk Administrator is run it may change the Partition Table, moving the System Partition to the first entry and the NT partition to the second entry.
If this occurs a warning message will be displayed as follows:

       The partition # of the partition which contains your
       Windows NT system files has been changed. The old
       partition # was 1, the new partition # is 2. Edit
       boot.ini to reflect this change before shutting down
       the system.


Note: If the user does not follow the instructions - the next time the system reboots, NT will try to start from the first entry in the Partitions table and it will fail because the NT partition is no longer there, it has been moved to the second entry.

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