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[RESOLVED] WHS on a 1U box with NO DVD reader ...only a CD slot RRS feed

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    Heya folks ... tricky question for ya today! I have a machine that has a CD-Rom drive (only) and won't boot off of an external device (DVD Reader) ... and I'm trying to figure out a way to install Home Server on the box for testing purposes...  So does anyone know how I can do that?  There has to be a documented, MS-recommended way to do this?

    Thanks in advance.
    • Edited by Wh1t3Rabbit Tuesday, December 29, 2009 8:46 PM resolved
    Tuesday, December 29, 2009 2:15 PM

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    RESOLVED!

      A hard-to-find BIOS update allowed me to attach a USB DVD reader that it then booted from, and everything is peachy now.  Now, if I could only get my Drobo working the way I want it to... (external mass-storage USB device).

    THanks to everyone who replied.

    Tuesday, December 29, 2009 8:45 PM

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    Can't you just replace the CD drive with a DVD unit?  Certainly a 1U server should see a DVD drive o.k., right?
    Tuesday, December 29, 2009 3:03 PM
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    Given that you have a "system builder" package, Microsoft pretty much assumes you'll figure it out on your own, so don't look to them for suggestions. :)

    Crack the case, disconnect the CD reader, and hook up a DVD reader instead. Leave it sitting on top if you want, or alongside, or whatever. It sounds pretty ghetto, but it should work. You could see if you can locate a laptop DVD reader to replace the CD reader with if you'd rather.
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Tuesday, December 29, 2009 3:29 PM
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    Use daemon tools and mount the iso or install the drive in another pc or external drive kit.
    dell
    Tuesday, December 29, 2009 6:22 PM
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    I also had a server that have the slim cd-rom. What I did was installed a cd-rw/dvd-rom from a laptop in it's place. I happend to have the drive laying around, but I had to remove the faceplate from the drive to make it fit (I will trim the face plate at a later date and install it)

    If you don't have a slim dvd drive sitting around, you can pickup a new one from newegg for around $35 and for only $45 you can get a slim dvd burner.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118005&cm_re=slim_dvd-_-27-118-005-_-Product

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106323&cm_re=slim_dvd-_-27-106-323-_-Product
    Tuesday, December 29, 2009 7:36 PM
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    Crack the case, disconnect the CD reader, and hook up a DVD reader instead.

    Thats a great idea, however the connector on the back of slim cd-dvd drives is different, I have an adaptor that allows you to make an IDE drive into that connection, however most don't.

    You may find a "standard" IDE connector on the motherboard that you could hookup a standard dvd-rom upto, you may need to turn it on in the bio's but thats not a big deal. and then just have the drive sit on top of the server like Ken sugested, and unhook it once everything is installed. Or just buy a new slim drive, and be done with it forever.
    Tuesday, December 29, 2009 8:00 PM
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    RESOLVED!

      A hard-to-find BIOS update allowed me to attach a USB DVD reader that it then booted from, and everything is peachy now.  Now, if I could only get my Drobo working the way I want it to... (external mass-storage USB device).

    THanks to everyone who replied.

    Tuesday, December 29, 2009 8:45 PM