Intel Xserve will NOT boot from hard disk drive

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Level 1

55 points

Intel Xserve will NOT boot from hard disk drive

I have two Intel Xserves 2.0 QC machines

I have tried to re-install version 10.4.11 OS (don't ask) onto a Hard disk drive that is in a Disk drive caddy and inserted in the machine.

When booting from The installation DVD media

The disk is seen by the "Disk Utility" (the disk is partitioned as GUID boot) and the installation proceeds to the disk.

Once the first pass of the installation is complete and the system reboots, the system shows the folder and ? mark.

If I boot and hold "ALT" key to view all avaialble boot options the Hard Disk Drive does NOT appear as valid boot disk.

It does show, the still inserted Installation DVD.

I CAN boot from an external firewire drive and the Hard disk drive is visible to the OS once logged in.

I have tried different caddy postions (left, middle and right)

I have tried bona fide Apple supplied Disk drives

I have tried various different caddies

I have tried installing Operating System 10.5.* and 10.6.8 server

I have run SMC reset and system reset

But still I cannot boot off from any Hard Disk Drive inserted in a caddy at the front of the system.

Has anyone seen this behaviour?

Is it fixable?

Do I have replace something like the Hard Disk Drive back plane circuit board? Or even the main logic board?

I have now run out of ideas and cannot find any help in discussions or just googling.

ANY help would be very appreciated

Regards

Tony

Xserve, Mac OS X (10.4.8), Intel and PPC systems

Posted on Jan 26, 2014 3:36 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 26, 2014 3:02 PM in response to Tony Baker

What drive (it's make eg: Samsung, Hitachi etc) have you installed in the caddy and what capacity is it? Are you aware only certain drives can be used in ADMs used in an XServe? For example you can't just take any hard drive suitable for a desktop/workstation and expect it to work. You're going to need 'server-grade' drives. Neither should you use 'eco-friendly' drives designed to spin down to save power consumption.

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Answer 2

Tony Baker Author

Level 1

55 points

Jan 27, 2014 2:25 AM in response to Antonio Rocco

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply

I have attempted quite a few disks of different brand and size

I try mostly to test with "Apple LOGO branded" drives

Particularly a Seagate 80Gb Barracuda - that were supplied with Xserves originally.

These same drives/caddy combinations work in a 2.66 intel QC system.

I do notice that all Caddies (all SATA) have differing model number labels on the back.

Regards

Tony

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Answer 3

Jan 28, 2014 4:17 AM in response to Tony Baker

Apologies but some further questions: I know my XServes but I'm not sure what QC means in your description? What are the tech specs of the two XServes you're having problems with exactly? Did you take out the factory fitted drives from the ADMs and installed the other drives yourself? It may be worthwhile re-checking the connection? The Seagate 80GB Barracuda ADM was it originally supplied with the late 2006 model? I'm asking because it's possible you've got an ADM that's not supported on the other XServes you have? The Xserve Late 2006 take apart manual has a compatibility guide on page 11 which might help?

http://www.jigsaw24.com/applecare-imac-3-yr-protection-plan//-/fcp-product/21566

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Answer 4

Tony Baker Author

Level 1

55 points

Jan 28, 2014 4:41 AM in response to Antonio Rocco

Antonio Hi !

QC = Quad core or QX as it is written on the "pull out" serial number tab at rear of system

I have 3 late 2006 Intel xserves

On my intial posting I declared 2 were 2.0 machines - when I was trying to be concise

2 of the macines are 2.66 systems and 1 is 2.0 system - all are QX machines

the 2.0 and 1 of the 2.66 will NOT boot from the ADM and disk inside the system - whereas the other 2.66 system will.

I have many different Caddies and these have different product/model number labels

603-9965

603-9545

603-9796

these are marked "intel SATA"

The 80Gb was only one of the drives tested - I have used Seagate 400Gb 750Gb and 1Tb - all of which have been used in systems at one time or another

and as I said the drives ARE visible once the operating system (either installation DVD or external firewire are booted from) - they are just NOT visible when the system is searching for boot media.

Thanks for the guide - I will look through that and continue to try and find an answer

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Answer 5

Jan 28, 2014 6:09 AM in response to Tony Baker

Of course!

Apple have a support article with an ADM compatibility guide that may additionally find useful:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1219?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

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