Microsoft KB Archive/931761

= You cannot install Windows Server 2003 successfully after you use Windows Vista or Windows PE 2.0 to create partitions on a hard disk =

Article ID: 931761

Article Last Modified on 10/11/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition

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Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry



SYMPTOMS
You use Windows Vista or Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) 2.0 to create partitions on a hard disk. After you do this, you try to install Microsoft Windows Server 2003 on the hard disk without using Windows Server 2003 to repartition the disk. In this case, you cannot install Windows Server 2003 successfully.

Windows Server 2003 Setup will successfully complete the text-mode part of Setup. However, after the text-mode part of Setup is complete, the computer cannot be restarted successfully to enter the GUI-mode part of Setup. Additionally, the computer may stop responding. You may receive an error message that resembles one of the following:

A disk read error occurred

Unable to load operating system

Error loading operating system

When you deploy a Windows Server 2003 sysprep image to a system, the system may continuously restart after you start the system for the first time. If you press F8 and then disable the &quot;automatic restart&quot; option, you may receive the following Stop error:

Stop: 0x000000ED (0X81F85678, 0xC000014F,0x00000000,0x00000000)

Unmountable_boot_volume

Additionally, if you view the disk in Windows PE 2.0, the disk may appear as &quot;raw.&quot;



CAUSE
This problem occurs because Windows Vista and Windows PE 2.0 create disk partitions differently than Windows Server 2003. This problem occurs only on computers that use certain BIOS firmware.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Disable the &quot;automatic disk translation&quot; feature
Before you partition the hard disk, you can disable the &quot;automatic disk translation&quot; feature in the BIOS configuration. For example, you can change the disk type from Auto to Large.

Method 2: Modify the registry to use the Windows Server 2003 disk partition procedure
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

Before you partition the hard disk in Windows Vista or in Windows PE 2.0, modify the registry so that the partitions are created by using the Windows Server 2003 procedure. To do this, follow these steps:  Click Start, click Run, type Regedit, and then click OK. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\VDS\ALIGNMENT

 On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD value. Type LessThan4GB as the new entry name. Right-click LessThan4GB, and then click Modify. In the Edit DWORD Value dialog box, click Decimal.</li> In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.</li> Repeat steps 3 through 7 to add the following registry entries: <ul> Between4_8GB</li> Between8_32GB</li> GreaterThan32GB</li></ul>

Each registry entry must have a value of 0.</li> Exit Registry Editor.</li></ol>

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RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, you must integrate the hotfix into the source files of the Windows Server 2003 installation before you install Windows Server 2003. For more information about how to integrate this hotfix into the Windows installation source files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

828930 How to integrate software updates into your Windows installation source files

Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem, submit a request to Microsoft Online Customer Services to obtain the hotfix. To submit an online request to obtain the hotfix, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451

Note If additional issues occur or any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. To create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Prerequisites
This hotfix requires that Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) be installed on the computer.

889100 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003

Restart requirement
You have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2003 with SP2, x64-based versions
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STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section.

Additional query words: CM70333, AMI BIOS. windows XP, 931760 winpe

Keywords: kbfix kbqfe kbexpertiseinter kbhotfixserver KB931761

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