Windows in C240 LFF

[webstermoretti]

Hi,

I have a C240 M4 LFF with 12x 8Tb disks and i can't install Windows Server 2012 R2 on it

I think this disks are 4Kn and is necessary to install Windows in UEFI mode, so in CIMC I've created a Raid 5 DG with all disks and initiated it and changed the BIOS options "SET UEFI Boot Options" to Enabled and "PCI Slqt ID: HBA Option ROM" to UEFI Only

With Rufus i create a bootable USB with the option "GPT for UEFI" and FAT32 but server don't boot. Creating the USB with the default MBR option it boots, but when i try to install Windows i receive a message that Windows cannot be installed on this disk

Another strange thing is that when i boot with MBR i can see disk 0 and one 2Tb partition and other 80Tb partition

Is there anything different i can do to install Windows in this server?

Thanks

[Kirk J]

For installing Windows OSs from USB install media, I have had more luck using the MS USB bootmaker tool to put the Windows ISO onto the USB.  Also, I am curios if you have have tried to simply install by mounting the ISO via the vKVM virtual media option?

Thanks,

Kirk...

[webstermoretti]

Hi,

I've already tried to use the MS tool, but i have the same problem

What i tried:

1. Boot with default BIOS configuration and default ISO using vKVM and the boot is OK and i can go through Windows install until i have to select the partition to install. It show two partitions, one with 2Tb and other with 80Tb the Disk 0 but cannot install in any of then saying "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This compute's hardware may not support booting to this disk"

2. After reading through Cisco's guides it may be necessary to configure UEFI in BIOS because the disks are 4kn sector. So i chabged the BIOS and tried to use the same ISO and stopped in the same part with the same error

3. Tried to use Rufus to configure an USB to boot as GPT for UEFI in FAT32 because is the default to boot with UEFI but the server don't boot Windows in this format. The same problem when formating in GPT for UEFI in NTFS.

Never had a problem installing a Windows in a server before even on B-Series. Is there anything else i can do?

Thanks for the help

[Stephan Perschke]

Hi,

The boot drive is limited to 2TB when the legacy BIOS is used. You can try to configure a 2TB virtual drive, respectilvy DG in your RAID Controller and try installing Windows again.

Kind regards,

Stephan