My Windows Home Server v1 does not start anymore. It is a Tranquil SQA-5H server without CD drive. I do have a USB recovery key and a recovery CD but the recovery key doesn't work. I don't have an installation disk. Of course I have already contacted Tranquil for assistance but let's just say they take their time and obviously I am very impatient because all my files are on the server. I am basically posting this here to walk two paths so I can get this fixed asap. Below is what I get and what I have tried so far. Thank you for any help and advice!
When I attached a monitor and restarted the server I got this error:
When I restart with the USB recovery key, I get "Windows failed to start". It refers to winload.exe and it tells me to restart with the installation disk (which I don't have):
I pressed enter to continue and got the windows boot manager.
Here I pressed enter again with 'Windows [EMS Enabled]' selected. This also gave me "Windows failed to start". this time itrefers to ntkrnlpa.exe and again it tells me to restart with the installation disk:
When I now keep on pressing enter it keeps on cycling between the screens from the previous three pictures.
I also tried to press F8 when in the screen of picture 2.jpg. This gave me advanced options for the Windows setup.
I have tried every option but they all result in a screen as in picture 3 above or in one of the following two screens:
I then removed the recovery key and pressed Esc again. It rebooted the server and then I got an error "NTLDR is corrupt. The system cannot boot." Here the system doesn't even respond to the keyboard.
I have sent the above to Tranquil support and they adviced "It seems that the OS is corrupt and the unit is not booting form the restore key. You can bring up the Boot Menu by pressing F10 during POST and then select the USB drive."
I did as told, but it did not resolve the problem. When I pressed F10 I got the boot menu:
Selecting the USB option gives me "Windows is loading files":
I also get this when I just restart with the USB recovery key without using F10. After this screen I am back in the same cycle as mentioned above.
At then asked Tranquil if they could send me the original Windows Installation Disk. They said they cannot provide a WHS V1 OEM installation disc and that it seems the flash drive I have is somehow corrupted. They say they can send me a new flash drive if the unit is still covered by warranty. I gave them the order details and as usual I may have to wait a couple of days before they contact me again. I am afraid that will be a message saying that it's not covered by warranty anymore.
Looking back at all the screenshots It seems to me I need to get my hands on an installation disk and a way to put it on a bootable USB because the unit doesn't have a CD/DVD drive.
So, any help or assistance to get this resolved is much appreciated !!!
Thanks
When I attached a monitor and restarted the server I got this error:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
Winnt_root\System32\Ntoskrnl.exe
Please re-install a copy of the above file.
When I restart with the USB recovery key, I get "Windows failed to start". It refers to winload.exe and it tells me to restart with the installation disk (which I don't have):
Picture 1
I pressed enter to continue and got the windows boot manager.
Picture 2
Here I pressed enter again with 'Windows [EMS Enabled]' selected. This also gave me "Windows failed to start". this time itrefers to ntkrnlpa.exe and again it tells me to restart with the installation disk:
Picture 3
When I now keep on pressing enter it keeps on cycling between the screens from the previous three pictures.
I also tried to press F8 when in the screen of picture 2.jpg. This gave me advanced options for the Windows setup.
Picture 4
I have tried every option but they all result in a screen as in picture 3 above or in one of the following two screens:
Picture 5
Picture 6
I then removed the recovery key and pressed Esc again. It rebooted the server and then I got an error "NTLDR is corrupt. The system cannot boot." Here the system doesn't even respond to the keyboard.
I have sent the above to Tranquil support and they adviced "It seems that the OS is corrupt and the unit is not booting form the restore key. You can bring up the Boot Menu by pressing F10 during POST and then select the USB drive."
I did as told, but it did not resolve the problem. When I pressed F10 I got the boot menu:
Picture 7
Selecting the USB option gives me "Windows is loading files":
Picture 8
I also get this when I just restart with the USB recovery key without using F10. After this screen I am back in the same cycle as mentioned above.
At then asked Tranquil if they could send me the original Windows Installation Disk. They said they cannot provide a WHS V1 OEM installation disc and that it seems the flash drive I have is somehow corrupted. They say they can send me a new flash drive if the unit is still covered by warranty. I gave them the order details and as usual I may have to wait a couple of days before they contact me again. I am afraid that will be a message saying that it's not covered by warranty anymore.
Looking back at all the screenshots It seems to me I need to get my hands on an installation disk and a way to put it on a bootable USB because the unit doesn't have a CD/DVD drive.
So, any help or assistance to get this resolved is much appreciated !!!
Thanks