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Driver needed to install W Server 2008 r2 on Dell Precision T3500

Tags:
  • Business Computing
  • Windows Server 2008
  • Dell
  • Servers
Last response: in Business Computing
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January 20, 2014 12:02:38 PM

I have a Dell Precision T3500 that I would like to install Windows Server 2008 R2 on to. I have the installation media on USB and DVD from M$. When I try to install it though the Hard Drive is not recognized by the installer. Im almost positive from some searching that it is some sort of driver issue that can be loaded during the installation, and I know its possible to get it on the system as some other users have succeeded in getting the OS on the system, I just cant seem to figure it out. Any one with any ideas?

More about : driver needed install server 2008 dell precision t3500

January 20, 2014 12:30:02 PM

It's probably the hard drive controller drivers. Have you located the drivers you need for that unit from Dell? No need going any further until you log onto Dell's website and download all the drivers for that T3500 for either Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 (Server 2008 R2 was built from the Windows 7 code base). Make sure the drivers correspond to the bitedness of the OS you downloaded, either 32-bit or 64-bit.

There should be a feature during install that lets you load disk drivers, in fact probably that screen that comes up blank instead of showing you your hard drive. There's usually a "load drivers" button (I've only installed 2008 R2 a couple of times and can't recall exactly).
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January 20, 2014 12:34:45 PM

Yea thats exactly what Im talking about though, I've been through Dells website and DL'd all the sata Drivers as well as intel rapid storage driver and tried to load them but none of them are "compatible with the hardware" according to the the windows installation. I just want to know which one i need so i can download it and install.... thanks for the fast reply.

All W7 x64 drivers as there is no server option on the website.
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January 20, 2014 1:02:08 PM

If there by chance a hardware raid controller installed or are the hard drives plugged directly into the mobo?
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January 21, 2014 6:22:31 PM

The hard drive is directly connected to the mobo...... However this problem has been solved by disabling the drive in BIOS and re-enabling it. Don't know how or why it worked, but it is fixed now. Thanks for the help.
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Best solution

January 22, 2014 7:57:04 AM

If you encounter this issue again, you would want to use the Intel Rapid Storage Technology drivers directly from Intel which are compatible with the X58 chipset used in the T3500. You will notice that there are three drivers provided from the Intel Download Center, one is for installation in the working operating system and includes the GUI to manage the storage chipset from the system tray, the other two marked as F6 drivers are for use at the point when during Windows Setup no drives are detected. You would need to copy the drivers to a USB stick and to instruct Windows Setup to locate them there. Once loaded, the drives would be detected.

Resetting the drive configuration likely changed the operating mode of the chipset from RAID or AHCI to ATA, which is a legacy mode compatible with the included drivers in Windows. While this is perfectly functional, you will lose out on the ability to configure a RAID array using the onboard chipset. If you ever want to enable that mode to support RAID you will need to install the drivers and enable them through the registry.
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