Installing WS 2008 R2 with Dell Systems Build and Update Utility, Version 6.5.0, 173_A01 (Power edge 1950)

I've not seen that before, but instead of using SBUU, try SMTD ... it contains SBUU, the OS Install pack, OMSA, and everything else that 2008 R2 needs for an "assisted install".

Or, you can simply install directly from the OS DVD ... there are very few drivers needed going this route.  If I remember right, Windows already has the drivers for everything to be functional, but you want to install the NIC and Video drivers from Dell (and OMSA).

i forgot to mention that image one and two are the images of SMTD which you suggested. i also had a few problems downloading image one, the download stopped randomly twice, once at 500meg (about 4 hours into the download) and another time at 1gig (about 8 hours into the download) both times i needed to re download from the begining.

i have installed it with just the DVD "non-assisted install" it worked fine with the odd driver missing. i was after an assisted install hopeing that it will include a raid configuration utility so i can edit/change the raid setup "on the fly" of the power-vault i have attached.

i am now having problems with the Dell support website image 1 downloaded fine "slow 90kb/s on 100meg fibre but fine" but image 2 does not download at all.... it crashes chrome and I.E, it also slowed my computer to a crawl as it cause chrome to use about 1gig of ram. (after i finally closed the dell page window, my browser went back to using 27meg of ram, down from 1.3gig)

Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

Update: i decided to try an assisted install, selecting "windows server 2008 x64 SP2" instead of the "2008 R2" as i thought it might just pick up the drivers and install.

it came to the windows GUI screen again where it says insert windows 2008 DVD. i inserted it and it came up with this error "invalid operating system", but then it came up with another error saying something along the lines of "continuing install removing dell stuff" and then came up with the 2008 R2 install screen.

i decided to continue the install, it then fully installed without a hickup, i logged in and all the drivers were installed. (im not sure if this was the Dell assist DVD or windows decided to pickup the drivers this time)

Their was no dell software installed on the server, so i am now in the process of trying to find how i can get a dell raid utility tool if their is one.

i have come to the conclusion that SBUU is currently bugged and doesnt support 2008r2 and that SMTD is unobtainable. leaving you with the only option of installing 2008 r2 via windows media DVD.

I had to do BIOS updates to run 2008 Server R2 on some of our Dell hosts.  I'm not sure what the difference is.

The direct links to SMTD:

I was able to download this successfully this morning.

DON'T use the Dell Download Manager ... many times these help with large downloads, but this one is true crapware.

Firmware (BIOS and ESM) is a possibility, if it is very old. 

Does your R2 media have SP1?  SMTD 6.5 may require SP1, and older versions (or even 6.5) may not support it.

Not sure if I followed much of your post(s), but the only "RAID tool" you will be able to use is OMSA (OpenManage Server Administrator):
http://ftp.dell.com/sysman/OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-WIN-6.5.0-2247_A01.10.exe

Download and run to extract files, then run C:\Openmanage\windows\setup.exe.  Choose Custom to make sure Storage Management is installed (old firmware can disable automatic installation of SM).  This will also install drivers for the DRAC, if you have it installed.

Yes JOHNADCO i updated the bios, it did not fix the assisted install problem :(.

Cheers for the help "theflash1932" windows server 2008 R2 is installed and working without errors so i dont want to flatten it again for another attempt at an assisted install with dell software :D i tried installing the OpenManage server administrator but it came up with a error complaining that the OS is 64 bit and then aborted the install. i will look to see if their is a 64bit version of OpenManage.

at the moment i have Dell SAS Raid Storage Manager installed, it looks like this program does what i want it to do but seems overly complicated. i will have to test it with some spare Sata drives and see if i can create a raid with this utility on the fly.

What im looking for is the Dell equivalent of HP's Raid Configuration Utility.

as seen here

h18000.www1.hp.com/.../acumatrix

Is their an equivalent dell tool?

There is only one installer for OMSA ... it will install on x86 or x64.  I just installed that very file on a 2950 this morning running 2008 R2.  With the messages you are getting, I'm not sure I'd trust your 2008 R2 install, even if it does seem to be working otherwise.

THANK YOU!!!