You may be prompted to restart the computer when you use Device Manager to disable a hard disk in Windows Server 2003

In Microsoft Windows Server 2003, when you use Device Manager to disable a hard disk, you may be prompted to restart the computer before the changes take effect.

This issue may occur if the hard disk is in the paging path.

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Hotfix information

A hotfix is available to resolve this issue. After you install this hotfix, you may not have to restart the computer after you disable a hard disk even when one or both of the following conditions is true:

• The hard disk was recently removed from a software mirror in Logical Disk Manager.
• The hard disk contains the system�s paging file.

For example, in some hardware configurations, you may be able to use Device Manager to disable a hard disk and then replace the hard disk without restarting the computer. These hardware configurations may include a SCSI or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk in a hardware backplane that is hot-plug capable.

Notes

• After you apply this hotfix, you still have to restart the computer if you disable the hard disk that was mounted to start the operating system.
• The new functionality that is included in this hotfix may only be available to you if your vendor-provided hot-plugging solution and your drive also supports the functionality. Contact the manufacturer of your hardware to determine whether your system supports the functionality.
  
  For information about your hardware manufacturer, visit the following Web site:
  http://support.microsoft.com/gp/vendors/en-us
• This hotfix does not provide hot-plugging support for SATA technologies in Windows Server 2003. This hotfix lets you disable a hard disk that is in the paging path under certain circumstances. This functionality depends on the hard disk controller and on other system technology. Contact your hardware vendor to see if your the system can perform these operations.

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must have Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed.

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2003, 32-bit versions

Windows Server 2003, Itanium-based versions

Windows Server 2003, x64-based versions

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.

For more information about the terminology that is used in this article, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: