Windows Home Server 2011 won't boot

[jdbl]

Hello - I'm not very technically minded, but managed to build a Windows Home Server a few years ago. It has been running well...until recently when it shut down and now refuses to boot. I don't know what tests to run on it to find out why it won't boot, or how to get it to boot again. Worse still, the backup drive which took a daily copy of the system drive isn't detected when I try to restore the OS from it.

The server is based around a Gigabyte Z77-ds3h motherboard with an i5 processor, 8Gb of RAM and a 256Gb mSATA drive. The OS is WHS2011.

When I switch it on, I am presented briefly with the Windows logo then with the System Recovery Options box, from which I select UK keyboard, then click Next to get to the local user log on credentials, which I fill in and click on OK, then am presented with the choice of recovery tools (system image recovery, Windows memory diagnostic and command prompt). When I choose system image recovery, I am presented with a pop up dialogue box that says Windows cannot find a system image on this computer, even though the USB system back up drive is attached. If I click to select a system image, then select to search for a system image on the network, I can get to a Windows Explorer pop up and clicking on the drop down box shows that the C, D and E partitions of the system drive are detected, as is the backup drive. There is also an X drive called Boot. I've no idea what the D, E and X drives do - I didn't knowingly install them...I just followed the instructions to install WHS2011 on the C drive when I built the server and I think some process within that must have created these partitions.

Anyway, that's where I'm at, and I'm well and truly stuck. If anyone can tell me how I can fix the server without having to reinstall the entire OS and the various add-ins, I'd be very grateful.

Please let me know if you need any further information to diagnose the problem....but bear in mind I have less technical knowledge than my kids or my cats. Building the server was about the limit of what I can do.

Thank you,

JB

PS - I have already read through the various pinned notes and followed the guidance they contain about booting, but have still not been able to get the thing to boot fully.

PPS - please say if I have breached any forum protocols - I hope I haven't, but please do say so rather than remove my post or shouting or whatever.

 

[COLGeek]

Try booting the system with a Live Linux CD/thumb drive (like Ubuntu). This will not affect your storage devices, but will give you an idea about the health of your hardware (I suspect your motherboard or the primary boot device).