Z420 Workstation troubleshooting in Install Windows

[alpha754293a]

Hmmm...weird - the forums won't let me sign in under my other screenname. Oh well, anyways I executed the instructions per below and when I am trying to install Windows 7 Profession x64, via the following steps:

I put in the install media, copied the two folders (one for 32-bit and one for 64-bit) on to a USB flash drive.

When it asked for the driver, I first tried to point it to the 64-bit driver and it said that it coudn't install that driver, but when I point it to the 32-bit driver, it is able to see my drive, and run through the installation, but when it reboots, it still gives the same error message - that the iaStorA.sys is still missing and/or corrupt.

The version of the driver that I have downloaded via the link below is version 3.6.

Thanks.

*edit*

Some more details/information about my system:

BIOS is set to RAID+AHCI

There is only one drive (that I am working on for now, the OS drive), so according to IRST, it's a non-RAID disk.

I've also tried to use tools like RT 7 Lite in order to create a new copy of the Windows 7 Pro x64 installation media by integrating the drivers (32-bit, 64-bit, and 32-bit and 64-bit permutatively) and they all fail with the same error message.

Actually, when I tried integrating only the 64-bit driver into the install media, it wouldn't even install and WinPE (for the installation) failed and said that the 32-bit driver was either missing and/or corrupt.

However, even integrating ONLY the 32-bit driver, when the system reboots, the error message still says the same thing, iaStorA.sys is either missing and/or corrupt from C:\Windows\system32\drivers.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

*edit #2*
I'll have to call to see if I can even try to get a set of Recovery Disks because the system is out of warranty now. 😞

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@DGroveswrote:

download the Intel RSTe  "enterprise" driver set the RSTe driver supports the c602 chipset that the z420/440/620/640 uses the normal consumer RST driver lacks this chipset driver

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/22584/Intel-Rapid-Storage-Technology-Enterprise-for-Intel-...

the RSTe driver is ver 3 for win 7 (but can use ver 4 builds usually) and must be ver 4 for win 10 support

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03283273

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[TedMittelstaedt]

I just did a new win 7 64 bit install on one of these with a generic win 7 install disk that did ask for the driver.  The driver I used was in sp56779.exe from https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp56501-57000/sp56779.exe.  Just run it, extract to usb stick, plug stick in PC during installation, browse to the 64 bit A driver and your good.

This was found in 

HP Customer Support - Software and Driver Downloads HP Z420 Workstation

Selected OS  windows 7 64 bit

Note that the only USB slots usable during installation are the black USB slots in the back, not the blue ones.

[Skylarking]

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@TedMittelstaedt wrote:

I just did a new win 7 64 bit install on one of these with a generic win 7 install disk that did ask for the driver.  The driver I used was in sp56779.exe from https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp56501-57000/sp56779.exe.  Just run it, extract to usb stick, plug stick in PC during installation, browse to the 64 bit A driver and your good.

This was found in 

HP Customer Support - Software and Driver Downloads HP Z420 Workstation

Selected OS  windows 7 64 bit

Note that the only USB slots usable during installation are the black USB slots in the back, not the blue ones.

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Yes, the win7 install disk does not have native usb3 drivers so your keyboard and mouse will not work during the install process... either use usb2 ports (or better still a ps2 keyboard and mouse) or google "inject usb3 drive into windows 7 install disk“ and create a new install disc with the needed usb3 drivers. 

[SDH]

Don't forget what I mentioned earlier.....

HP PS2 keyboards and mice are available new for low cost from eBay.  Yes, they are still officially available from HP and work very well.  Over the years I've only used PS2 I/O devices while building up our HP workstations because in that early stage of development I've found them to be most reliable at getting the job done.  Then we switch over to USB2 keyboard/mouse or stick with PS2.

An example, I've been able to get into BIOS via PS2 on some resistant ZX20 workstations when USB2 keyboards/mice could not achieve that.  The motherboard PS2 circuitry is separate from the other I/O circuits and provides a more "primative" but more effective access in some cases.

[Skylarking]

^ true.. updated my post to reflect this [:)’]

[SDH]

Found some of my prior notes from when I hit this roadblock also. 

If you have a HP W7Pro64 OEM COA Recovery/Restore installer (optical disc or USB type) for a Z420/Z620 it will have the proper drivers on it for a clean install.  The early workstations came with W7Pro64 optical restore media.  The later ones came with both W8 and W7 media.... the purchase included the right to "downgrade" from W8 to W7.  Or, it was a Linux license.

Contrast that type of Restore/Recovery media hand crafted by the HP engineers with the Microsoft System Builder W7Pro64 media.... the chipset for the Z420/Z620 did not exist when that DVD was created.  Thus, when you do a clean install from the HP media it will have the proper storage drivers on  the DVD.  Not so for doing a clean install from the MS System Builder DVD.  You need to inject that driver set early on in the install process while running from the DVD.  You can do that by having the proper 64-bit driver on a thumb drive etc. and navigate to it at that point of the install, and thereafter the install can proceed.

Make sure to have BIOS SATA emulation set to RAID + AHCI before you start the process..... what gets installed for the storage drivers relies on that, and if you start wrong your long clean install will not be what you wanted.

Of interest.... a clean install off the HP OEM COA DVD media creates a build that will allow you to burn one Restore/Recovery media (which can be a set of optical discs or a USB thumb drive).  I much prefer the USB.  But a clean install from that copy you made will not allow making another Restore/Recovery media.  I have found that using Acronis allows me to capture an image of that USB media and to clone it again.  So, that way I can have a USB Restore/Recover thumb drive for my projects both at home and at the office.  The best one I have is the latest version.... the earlier ones were a bit kludgy.

Many don't realize how valuable those optical discs are.... keep them carefully organized and note exactly what workstation they came with.  One set can take care of many workstations assuming the licensing is proper... 

[DGroves]

I,m currently creating a new HP z800 win 7 Prof x64 restore DVD/USB key using a HP restore disk  from another system

the disk is a basic OEM win 7 install  disk with the HP license files that allow auto activation (it's not a image restore) but a normal windows 7 setup install disk (you can also use a retail win 7 disk, but there are several extra steps involved)

all i am doing is slipstreaming in the latest security and updates for win 7 from microsoft, then slipstreaming in the z800 drivers, or using a custom script that runs during the install to intergrate several updates/programs that can not be slipstreamed into the win setup using NTLite. this is what HP does/did with the factory install disk using their custom tools

the above works for just about any model computer/motherboard and OS if anyone is interested let me know and i'll try to

give some help on creating your own custom restore dis/usb key.

all i ask is that you be able to understand the english language as i do not want to try supporting someone who is using google translator

[SDH]

That is a massive project!  Good luck on it.... it will be very valuable but over the heads of many of us.  Maybe post it up at that top fixed topic that is there whenever we go to this forum?

MS has made updating W7Pro64 a headache, and it is quite a project to go from an original clean install to a fully updated one.

One very helpful computer guru, Ken Morley, with help from others figured out a basic breakthrough I use, and will link below.  I do the clean install disconnected from the internet, follow his steps of then loading on two MS KBs which I have preloaded onto a thumb drive (install them in the order he states) and then go from there.  This method works from both the clean installs from HP OEM COA media and from the MS System Builder media.

Remember to go into Windows Update and choose the option to install updates for other MS products while still running under IE9 (from my HP OEM COA installer media.... yours may be different).  Get that option done before the IE version gets updated to IE11.  That preference will carry forward after the IE11 update, but it is hard to do that once updated into IE11.

Here's the LINK, and I only download the 64-bit version of each KB... go down to CURRENT PROCEDURE and use that:

or, Google for "Following a clean install, Windows Update remains at Checking For Updates forever".

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-update/following-a-clean-install-windows...

[DGroves]

I was going to write up a description, but found this site that wrote it up in more detail and better than i could ever do.

https://www.raymond.cc/blog/create-an-integrated-up-to-date-windows-7-install-disc/

you only need a working OEM windows 7 install disk (which self activates) or you can make one from a retail disk and use the Serial from the COA on the case (needs call to ms to activate if done this way)

follow the instructions in the web page for installing windows updates downloader and their custom 2018 update download script (do not use the one on the wdu web page)

after downloading the ms updates, use ntlite and intergrate them along with the drivers from the HP web site for your model computer. If you want usb 3.0 support, or a  HD driver that is not part of the win 7 install you need to slipstream the usb 3/HD drivers into the win 7 install.swm file, and the setup.swm file, and optionally the winPE image

due to the number of ms updates  after intergrating them the imstall.wim file will be over 4GB in size, which is not allowed

to fix this, use the ntlite "split swm" option which will take the 5gb file and create 2 files. the windows installer will know how to handle this so don't worry last, check the create ISO/CD box to have it make a iso image of the slipstreamed windows. then use rufus 3.x for UEFI based installs, or the earler 2.18 for legacy CSM installs

To SDH, pm me if interested in learning how to convert any win 7 disk into a OEM, or any vender OEM into another's OEM

[leang81pro]

Hello HP Professors.  I was very intrigued by the info here that I needed to register.  My ambition is to FINALLY use Thunderbolt technologies for my editing workflow it's way overdue.  

I was reading about the BIOS updates.  I plan to purchase the E5-2697 v2 for any of the Z420, 620, or 820 stations that use the C602 chipset.  This way it can be a build for intense color grading and 3D rendering for my associates, project based.  In my experiences a super fast 4 core is good enough for video rendering, but more core count benefits me for other workflows for different situations in various post production schemes.  

Do I need to worry about any of the BIOS versions on the market if those that are listed are not V2 ready?  Meaning, if I buy a station that has a dinosaur BIOS only using V1, can I update the BIOS for V2 ready given the information you have so nicely provided?  I'm glad to have joined.  Looking forward to the advise!  Thanks -