Microsoft KB Archive/225309

= Partitions Created w/Non-Microsoft Utilities Cause "NTDETECT Failed" Error Message =

Article ID: 225309

Article Last Modified on 9/11/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.5

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This article was previously published under Q225309





SYMPTOMS
After the text-mode portion of Setup for Small Business Server is completed and the system is restarted, Setup attempts to continue, but may not work and the following error message may be displayed:

NTDETECT Failed



CAUSE
This behavior may occur if you create the first partition on your hard disk using a non-Microsoft disk management tool (such as an OEM utility CD-ROM).

With this type of partition, Windows NT Setup does not properly write the boot signature to partitions created during Windows NT Setup. After the partition is converted to NTFS, the system starts fine. In this case, the system is not able to proceed to the point of conversion, and does not start.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, do one of the following:  Build a Windows NT boot disk and use it to continue Setup.

This allows Windows NT to continue and convert the boot partition to NTFS, rendering it bootable. Use Setupdd.sys from SBS 4.0 or 4.0a to bypass this problem.

Use this option if you intend to boot from a FAT partition immediately after the utility partition, and install SBS on an NTFS partition beyond that. You can also use this option if you do not want to use a boot disk as shown in option 1.

NOTE: This option disables the AutoPartition feature included with Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4. For more information about the AutoPartition feature, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

196288 Unattended Installation Prompts for Install Partition



Option 1a. Create a Windows NT-bootable disk (partition immediately following the utility partition selected as the Windows NT installation partition).  Format a blank floppy disk on a computer running Windows NT Server or Windows NT Workstation. This floppy disk will be the temporary floppy disk. Copy Ntdetect.com and NTLDR to the floppy disk from the i386 folder on SBS CD #1.

Note: If you do not have a Windows NT-based computer available, follow only step 1 in following article, and delete all files from the floppy disk after the step is complete.

214748 How to Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS Partition with SBS

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/214748

  Create a file named Boot.ini with the following contents, and then copy it to the temporary disk: <pre class="fixed_text">[boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT.SBS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT.SBS="BackOffice Small Business Server" multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT.SBS="BackOffice Small Business Server [VGA mode]" /basevideo /sos </li> Insert the temporary disk into the drive A and restart the server computer.</li> Windows NT Setup should now convert the Windows NT partition to NTFS, at which time it once again becomes bootable, and the temporary disk is no longer needed. Remove the floppy disk before the server restarts.

NOTE: However, if you selected "FAT" for your file system, the partition is not converted to NTFS until later in the setup process. You need to leave the floppy disk in the drive until the conversion. If this is the case, you see a message telling you that the Windows NT partition must be converted to NTFS. Acknowledge this message, and when the conversion process is complete, the Windows NT partition once again becomes bootable. You can then remove the floppy disk.</li></ol>

Option 1b. Create a Windows NT-bootable disk (the Windows NT installation partition was not the partition immediately following the utility partition). <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Format a blank floppy disk on a computer running Windows NT Server or Windows NT Workstation. This floppy disk becomes your temporary floppy disk.</li> Copy Ntdetect.com and NTLDR to the floppy disk from the i386 folder on SBS CD #1.

NOTE: If you do not have a Windows NT-based computer available, follow only step 1 in following article, and then delete all files off of the floppy disk after the step is complete.

214748 How to Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS Partition with SBS

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/214748

</li>  Create a file named Boot.ini with the following contents, and then copy it to the temporary disk: <pre class="fixed_text">[boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(X)\WINNT.SBS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(X)\WINNT.SBS="BackOffice Small Business Server" multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(X)\WINNT.SBS="BackOffice Small Business Server [VGA mode]" /basevideo /sos </li> You need to substitute the correct partition # for X in three places in Boot.ini. For example, if you created two partitions (#2 and #3, where the utility partition is #1), and you specified partition #3 as the Windows NT installation partition, then you would substitute "3" for "X".</li> Insert the temporary disk into drive A and restart the server computer.</li> Windows NT Setup then converts your Windows NT partition to NTFS (unless you specified "FAT" during the text-mode portion of Windows NT Setup), but because the Windows NT partition is not the boot partition, the boot partition is still not in a bootable state.</li> Leave the temporary floppy disk in the floppy drive through the Windows NT portion of setup. When the server restarts, and the Small Business Server Setup screen appears, click Cancel.</li> Click the Start button, point to Programs, and then click Command Prompt.</li> Type the following command:

convert X: /FS:NTFS

(You need to substitute the correct drive letter for X. For example, if your boot drive is drive C, you need to substitute "C" for "X".)

</li> Remove the floppy disk and restart the server computer. The server computer should now start with no problems.</li> Log on to the server computer as Administrator.</li> Double-click My Computer, double-click the CD-ROM Drive, and then double-click Setup.exe.</li> Click Small Business Server Setup, and setup continues normally.</li></ol>

Option 2. Use Setupdd.sys from SBS 4.0 or 4.0a to bypass the problem. <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> <li>Rename Setupdd.sys to Setupdd.old on SBS Setup floppy disk #2.

NOTE: It is recommended that you create a backup set of boot floppy disks for this procedure. For instructions on creating boot floppies for Small Business Server, please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

180108 Small Business Server 4.0 Readme.wri File

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/180108

</li> <li> From the SBS 4.0 or 4.0a Setup floppy disk #2, copy Setupdd.sys to SBS 4.5 setup floppy disk #2.

NOTE: If you do not have SBS 4.0 or 4.0a, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain this file. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: <pre class="fixed_text">  Date       Time     Version      Size      File name     Platform -  01/12/98   01:00a   4.0.1381.6   219,888   Setupdd.sys   x86 </li> <li>Restart SBS Setup as normal, but use the new SBS Setup floppy disk #2, and the installation proceeds normally.

NOTE: Using this method allows setup to bypass the "NTDetect Failed" problem, but it does disable a feature of SBS. Because Setupdd.sys from Service Pack 4 is slipstreamed into SBS, removing it and replacing it with the Setupdd.sys from SBS 4.0 or 4.0a disables the AutoPartition feature. This feature is useful for systems with multiple partitions. The AutoPartition feature was added to Service Pack 4 to allow unattended installations of Windows NT to select which partition to install Windows NT. Even if AutoPartition=1, the user is prompted to choose a partition.</li></ol>

<div class="status_section">

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in BackOffice Small Business Server 4.5.

Additional query words: smallbiz

Keywords: kbbug kbpending KB225309

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