I need help with a wacky and unconventional server setup.

[Sir Dude]

I'm in the process of making a new NAS/game server. The computer I'm using is a 2009 Mac Pro running the latest version of Windows Server. I don't know the specs exactly but it has 2 Intel Xeons, what I would guess is a GT 220 graphics card (I ripped it out of an old Windows XP gaming machine purely so I can get a display out and nothing more), and 16gb of memory. I don't have a problem with anything software related, but I'm having a major issue regarding hard drives.

 

I've got 3 completely blank and reformatted used drives for a combined 4tb of just storage. Windows Server is installed on it's own SSD. With just that, the computer boots up fine, no issues there. The problem is only 1 of the 3 hard drives boots to Windows. The other 2 have a completely blank screen when installed. I've tried looking things up myself but my setup is so particular that I'm not finding the answers I need. Whenever I try going into Mac's startup utility, the screen stays blank even with no other additional drives installed. Something I noticed is the only drive that works is the oldest drive, 5 years older than the other 2. I don't know if that's got anything to do with it.

 

When the computer boots up normally, of course it'll go the lock screen. If I then press the power button, the computer immediately shuts off. But then when I install one of the black screen drives, simply pressing the power button does nothing (or at least nothing noticeable).

 

I have no idea what's going on or what I can do to fix this. If nobody here has an answer, then can I be pointed to another forum or somewhere with people that may know more? It's not imperative that I use THIS computer but it's the only one we have on deck that's good enough and I'm completely strapped for cash.

[killswitch6000]

 

On 6/28/2022 at 2:19 AM, Sir Dude said:

. With just that, the computer boots up fine, no issues there. The problem is only 1 of the 3 hard drives boots to Windows. The other 2 have a completely blank screen when installed

Do you mean that they are not showing up in windows or do u have another windows install on them and want to boot into those ??

[Sir Dude]

On 6/29/2022 at 3:43 AM, killswitch6000 said:

 

Do you mean that they are not showing up in windows or do u have another windows install on them and want to boot into those ??

I can't even boot into windows, the screen stays black. The storage drives are completely empty, I wiped them myself. And I know they work because they show up on another computer with no problem.

That other computer has hot swapping available so I try doing that with this Mac (plugging them in while it's turned on) but nothing happens and they don't show up. Turning the machine on with them plugged in has the screen not turn on.

Something I did discover was when the machine boots up normally, if I push the power button it shuts off instantly. However, when I boot it up with another drive installed pushing the power button does not immediately shut off the machine. I don't know if that means anything.

[killswitch6000]

ok. so here is an idea. Install linux on the other two drives and see if it boots into those. If it does not, then there maybe some problem with the drives themselves. if it does, then its a problem with the windows server. 

On 6/28/2022 at 2:19 AM, Sir Dude said:

reformatted used drives

Do u know these drives are not dead when u bought them used ??