I have installed windows Small Business Server 2008 many many times and I am
following the instructions here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...34(WS.10).aspx



It seems very hard to get this new destination SBS 2008 server to recognize
the answer file. I looked online and saw several options:
1) rename the answerfile to lower case
2) format the USB drive to FAT32 from the default of most drives which is FAT
3) open up the sbsanswer file using the utility to ensure that the file is
valid.

I have tried all that to no avail. I know the USB drive works because
Windows SBS 2008 will load the drivers off it for the network card on the
server after install. WHen I put the USB drive in at the appropriate time, it
blinks with USB drive activity when its inserted - as if Windows setup is
accessing it and reading it OK at the supposed correct time.

QUESTION: is there any other way to make SBS 2008 start the migration
wizard? How can one finish the setup of SBS 2008 and join it to the existing
domain and start up the migration wizards other than this answer file?

My CDROM is a USB attached CDROM on this server, could be part of the reason
why the server has a hard time reading the answerfile early during setup.

Place the answer file on the root of C: -- that should work. Also, using a
floppy drive works, if you have one on the server.

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/blogs/xperts64
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel


"Cole Naus" <ColeNaus@newsgroup> wrote in message
news:6B128F28-577D-4BB9-A915-22C64C6A44C6@newsgroup

>I have installed windows Small Business Server 2008 many many times and I
>am
> following the instructions here:
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...34(WS.10).aspx
>
> It seems very hard to get this new destination SBS 2008 server to
> recognize
> the answer file. I looked online and saw several options:
> 1) rename the answerfile to lower case
> 2) format the USB drive to FAT32 from the default of most drives which is
> FAT
> 3) open up the sbsanswer file using the utility to ensure that the file is
> valid.
>
> I have tried all that to no avail. I know the USB drive works because
> Windows SBS 2008 will load the drivers off it for the network card on the
> server after install. WHen I put the USB drive in at the appropriate time,
> it
> blinks with USB drive activity when its inserted - as if Windows setup is
> accessing it and reading it OK at the supposed correct time.
>
> QUESTION: is there any other way to make SBS 2008 start the migration
> wizard? How can one finish the setup of SBS 2008 and join it to the
> existing
> domain and start up the migration wizards other than this answer file?
>
> My CDROM is a USB attached CDROM on this server, could be part of the
> reason
> why the server has a hard time reading the answerfile early during setup.

I had issues myself using a USB external drive. so I used a cheap handout
USB flash drives that they give away at conferences and fairs for my answer
file and it worked perfect.


"Cole Naus" <ColeNaus@newsgroup> wrote in message
news:6B128F28-577D-4BB9-A915-22C64C6A44C6@newsgroup

>I have installed windows Small Business Server 2008 many many times and I
>am
> following the instructions here:
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...34(WS.10).aspx
>
> It seems very hard to get this new destination SBS 2008 server to
> recognize
> the answer file. I looked online and saw several options:
> 1) rename the answerfile to lower case
> 2) format the USB drive to FAT32 from the default of most drives which is
> FAT
> 3) open up the sbsanswer file using the utility to ensure that the file is
> valid.
>
> I have tried all that to no avail. I know the USB drive works because
> Windows SBS 2008 will load the drivers off it for the network card on the
> server after install. WHen I put the USB drive in at the appropriate time,
> it
> blinks with USB drive activity when its inserted - as if Windows setup is
> accessing it and reading it OK at the supposed correct time.
>
> QUESTION: is there any other way to make SBS 2008 start the migration
> wizard? How can one finish the setup of SBS 2008 and join it to the
> existing
> domain and start up the migration wizards other than this answer file?
>
> My CDROM is a USB attached CDROM on this server, could be part of the
> reason
> why the server has a hard time reading the answerfile early during setup.

yes, it should. But I suspect here he's hitting an issue since it's not the
_first_ USB drive being polled. Never tried multiple USB drives, but I'm
suspecting that is the issue, since he says he's booting off a USB DVD.

Charlie.

"AllenM" <NoReply@newsgroup> wrote in message
news:%23ctDmNLLKHA.3424@newsgroup

>I had issues myself using a USB external drive. so I used a cheap handout
>USB flash drives that they give away at conferences and fairs for my answer
>file and it worked perfect.
>
>
> "Cole Naus" <ColeNaus@newsgroup> wrote in message
> news:6B128F28-577D-4BB9-A915-22C64C6A44C6@newsgroup

>>I have installed windows Small Business Server 2008 many many times and I
>>am
>> following the instructions here:
>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...34(WS.10).aspx
>>
>> It seems very hard to get this new destination SBS 2008 server to
>> recognize
>> the answer file. I looked online and saw several options:
>> 1) rename the answerfile to lower case
>> 2) format the USB drive to FAT32 from the default of most drives which is
>> FAT
>> 3) open up the sbsanswer file using the utility to ensure that the file
>> is
>> valid.
>>
>> I have tried all that to no avail. I know the USB drive works because
>> Windows SBS 2008 will load the drivers off it for the network card on the
>> server after install. WHen I put the USB drive in at the appropriate
>> time, it
>> blinks with USB drive activity when its inserted - as if Windows setup is
>> accessing it and reading it OK at the supposed correct time.
>>
>> QUESTION: is there any other way to make SBS 2008 start the migration
>> wizard? How can one finish the setup of SBS 2008 and join it to the
>> existing
>> domain and start up the migration wizards other than this answer file?
>>
>> My CDROM is a USB attached CDROM on this server, could be part of the
>> reason
>> why the server has a hard time reading the answerfile early during setup.

>
>