Startrep.exe just says searching!

Question

I have Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard installation.  We rebooted the server and following the reboot it wouldn't reload.  So I was finally able to boot the device using a 3 month old backup.  This wasn't an issue because the server hosts
a database which I was able to recover using Knoppix.  I reloaded the database files and we were back up and running.  When the system was first installed we used two identical servers.  
So I just recently loaded a backup of the running server on the spare and it won't boot either.
I was doing this to test my backups.
I attempted to boot the server to the Windows Server R2 disc and I went to repair and was able to select the install that I loaded with my backups.
I went to command prompt and ran startrep.exe
It just stayed on the searching screen for about 2 or 3 hours.  It never went any farther, and there was no HD activity. Is there something I'm missing.  I'm going to try some other steps tomorrow, but wanted to see if anyone has any suggestions.
 It's a PowerEdge 2900 with a virutal raid configured to raid 5.
I'm going to try the following steps later.  Is there a particular reason I should use the Windows 7 x64 cd for Startup Repair instead of Windows Server 2008 R2? 
Method 1:
===============
1. Insert the Windows 7 64bit installation disc into the disc drive, and then start the computer. 
2. Press any key when the message indicating "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD …". appears.
3. Select a language, time, currency, and a keyboard or input method. Then click Next. 
4. Click Repair your computer. 
5. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, choose the drive of your Windows installation and click Next. 
6. At the System Recovery Options Dialog Box, click Repair your computer.
7. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
8. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Startup Repair.
Method 2:
===============
1. Put the Windows Server 2008 R2 installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer. 
2. Press any key when the message indicating "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD …". appears.
3. Select a language, time, currency, and a keyboard or another input method. Then click Next. 
4. Click Repair your computer. 
5. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next. 
6. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt. 
7. Type Bootrec /RebuildBcd, and then press ENTER. 
Method 3:
===============
1. Put the Windows Server 2008 R2 installation disc into the disc drive, and then start the computer.
2. Press a key when the message indicating "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD …". appears.
3. Select a language, a time, a currency, and a keyboard or another input method, and then click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer.
5. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
7. Type BOOTREC /FIXMBR, and then press ENTER. 
8. Type BOOTREC /FIXBOOT, and then press ENTER.
9. Type Drive:\boot\Bootsect.exe /NT60 All, and then press ENTER.

Answer 1

Hi adammcc81,
Could you offer us the detail information about “We rebooted the server and following the reboot it wouldn't reload.”
 , do you meet any error message?
“So I just recently loaded a backup of the running server on the spare and it won't boot either.” Which backup software you are using? I will assume you are using the Windows
Server Backup for the further troubleshooting steps.
Please use the same edition DVD to boot your server and perform the repair action. As you descripted the startrep search a long time, I assume it may caused by there don’t
have the built-in array driver for your server.
Please first refer the following similar scenario repair steps if it doesn’t work do the next repair steps.
Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 System Will NOT Boot After Making Changes To Boot Manager Using BCDEdit
http://blogs.technet.com/b/danstolts/archive/2009/10/03/server-2008-r2-or-windows-7-system-will-not-boot-after-making-changes-to-boot-manager-using-bcdedit.aspx#sthash.Mm0wFvNv.dpuf
I don’t have the same hardware with you therefor I can’t determine whether the Server Install image have the built-in array driver for your server, please use the diskpart
tool to list your server volume, if you can’t see your disk volume you must first inject your array driver to install image first.
You can use this command to list your server volume: After your enter the recovery console, type in
Diskpart-> list volume
You can refer the following article to inject your server array driver to the server setup image,
Add Driver Packages to a Boot Image
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd759162.aspx
More information:
Diskpart
https://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/bootcons_diskpart.mspx?mfr=true
I’m glad to be of help to you!
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