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Motherboard upgrade, reinstall failed. Need help RRS feed

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    I just upgraded my motherboard (new motherboard is ASUS A8V-VM CSM) and tried to re-install Windows Home Server.

    Installation went well until last step - Finalizing Installation. At this step, 2 command line windows popped up and an IE (7) warning message (something about add-ins might damage your system) popped up after which the installation stopped responding.

    At this point, I wasn't able to setup an admin password or proceed with any other configuration because installation didn't finish.

    I rebooted the computer and installation ran again, but it stopped at the same step. I repeatedly rebooted, and sometimes my monitor would display an error saying "no signal".

    So far I had tried reset BIOS, re-install Home Server again. Problem still exists.

    I'm wondering if this is a driver issue. If there an installation log from which I can look up any errors causing this?

    Also I want to verify, am I suppose to use the Windows Home Server Installation disc when I re-install, instead of the Restore disc?

    Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
    Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:49 PM

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    Honestly, I really think you should run some hardware diagnostics. But in the long run you might be better off just getting a different motherboard, one that doesn't include an nVidia chipset. I've had good luck with Intel chip sets (it's what I normally prefer), but my very first test server was an AMD-based machine.
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Thursday, January 8, 2009 1:41 AM
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    When you're (re)installing WHS yourself you're supposed to use the original installation media, yes. The Restore CD is for performing a bare metal restore of a home computer backup.

    What you describe could be a driver or hardware issue. Have you run any sort of hardware diagnostics on the new motherboard?
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Wednesday, January 7, 2009 4:27 PM
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    Thanks for your reply Ken.

    The "new" motherboard is not really new. It was used on another Windows XP computer which I thought it would be better than my "old" Homer Server motherboard.

    What I did was I put "old" memory sticks (2x512M) , "old" CPU (AMD 3500+) and "old" HDD (500g SATA) on this "new" motherboard. Before re-installation, I tried to boot up the old Home Server system with "new" motherboard. When I got to the loading screen, I saw the loading animation then the monitor went black and then displayed the "no signal error". The hard-drive still showed some signs of activity (light is on), but loading did not proceed after I got the "no signal" error.  This was the main issue as to why I decided to re-install.
    Wednesday, January 7, 2009 5:03 PM
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    I would still try some hardware diagnostics; at least Memtest86. But that motherboard (you mean the A8N-VM CSM, right? The is no V version of that specific product.) uses an nVidia chipset and onboard graphics adapter; some users have had problems with nVidia based servers, I know. Could you try using a different (cheap PCI would be fine) graphics adapter, and the motherboard adapter turned off?
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Wednesday, January 7, 2009 6:32 PM
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    Thank you, Ken.

    You're right, it's A8N-VM CSM.

    I will try another pair of memory sticks (2x1G, which were on "new" motherboard originally) and a different video card tonight and see how it goes.

    Thanks again for your time and suggestion.


    Wednesday, January 7, 2009 7:15 PM
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    OK, here is what I have done so far:

    Plug in another Video Card (PCIE)
    Disable on board VGA
    Reboot
    Stopped at same point, I got a red screen :(

    Replace memory sticks, new sticks are from another computer
    Reboot
    Stopped at same point, monitor says "Power saving mode"

    Unplug network cable (got this suggestion from wegotserved.com)
    Reinstall OS
    In last step - Finalizing installation, it finished installing .net framework and some other programs. After windows home server installation was completed, it did a reboot and then gave me the same error as I mentioned in my original post.

    Right now, I'm doing a new installation on another hard drive.

    BTW, my "old" memory sticks worked in my first installation 2 days ago which was successful. I will run some tests anyway.

    Any idea?
    Thursday, January 8, 2009 1:26 AM
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    Honestly, I really think you should run some hardware diagnostics. But in the long run you might be better off just getting a different motherboard, one that doesn't include an nVidia chipset. I've had good luck with Intel chip sets (it's what I normally prefer), but my very first test server was an AMD-based machine.
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Thursday, January 8, 2009 1:41 AM
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    Thanks Ken.

    Sorry for the late response, was too sleepy last night :)

    The new installation on another hard driver failed due to the same issue.

    I had to rollback to the "old" motherboard and do a re-installation on my original hard drive, which was successful.

    To clarify where my previous installation failed, I watched my successful installation. Before the user can setup auto update settings and the admin password, 2 command line windows pop up, of which the second window was called "Powercfg". This is where my installation failed.

    Since I have had a copy of failed installation on another hard drive, where can I find an installation log on that hard drive?
    Thursday, January 8, 2009 3:16 PM
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    Check with the documentation on the manufacturer's web site, to make sure the board supports ACPI. If it does, make sure ACPI is enabled in the BIOS in the motherboard BIOS. Functional ACPI support is a requirement for Windows Home Server.
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Friday, January 9, 2009 2:08 AM
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    ACPI is enabled. Still no luck, I think I will stay with my old motherboard. Thanks a lot, Ken.
    Sunday, January 11, 2009 9:34 PM