Thread: Windows server computer does not start while using a another OS

A Windows Server 2003-based computer that uses a SAN boot configuration does not restart after you start the computer by using an alternative operating system

Suppose the following method:

• A Windows Server 2003 based PC utilizes a SAN (Storage Area Network) boot setting.

• The Storage Area Network is using a GPT (GUID partition table) disk for the boot drive.

• The PC utilizes more that one HBA (host bus adapter) in a multipath settings to communicate with the SAN drives.

• The PC is rebooted by utilizing an alternative OS such as Windows PE (Windows Preinstallation Environment). The alternative OS does not utilize a multipath driver that supports this multipath (MPIO) settings. Instead of edit displaying each SAN disk as a unit, the operating system shows a copy of each SAN drive for each HBA edge.

In this method, when you attempt to reboot the PC to Windows Server 2003, the PC does not start again.

The trouble happens because the substitute operating system modifies the separation ID GUID on the GPT drives to avoid inconsistency. In this method, the separation ID GUID on the boot drive is also altered. The boot loader will not be able to find the system files because the boot disk now utilizes a dissimilar division ID GUID. Windows Server 2003 will not be able to start because the system files cannot be entranced.