Suggestion for a good bootable sata pci card

[candulj]

Hello,
I have several windows 2003 servers on old server boards. Someone mentioned that I should preinstall a bootable SATA pci controller card into each server, then boot and install the drivers into the windows os. This way if the server board fails I can still boot from the controller. This does not make sense. Can somone expand on this alittle more please? Thanks for your reply.

Joe

 

[Tmagic650]

This might work for you:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.aspx?CurImage=16-132-013-02.jpg&Image=16-132-013-02.jpg%2c16-132-013-03.jpg%2c16-132-013-04.jpg%2c16-132-013-05.jpg%2c16-132-013-06.jpg%2c16-132-013-07.jpg%2c16-132-013-08.jpg&S7ImageFlag=0&Depa=1&Description=Rosewill+RC-209-EX+PCI+2.3%2c+32bit%2c+33%2f66Mhz+SATA+HDD+Controller+Card

 

[Samstoned]

if server motherboard fails it will not boot anything
if you mean the ide ,sata or scsi controller on board
the chances of those failing are the same if not less then an add on card
I have had more cards fail than on board controllers
now a plus of an add on could be that your board does not have raid on board
don't buy cheap cards or starter cards
to get sata I speeds a pci slot will work
to get sata II speeds you need pci-x or pci-e slot
by the way your bios must be able to see the boot device on the card
I now most older servers will see scsi
but not sure about sata
only way to tell on boot go to bios it will show device in boot order
call board manufacturer up and ask tech