In this video, we'll show how to manually install the Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 operating system in the UEFI mode, on Dell EMC 14th generation PowerEdge systems.
Before you begin, ensure that you have the Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 operating system image file handy. Note that in this video, we are using virtual media method to install the operating system.
To begin the process, turn on the system. Click Virtual Media, and then click Connect Virtual Media. Click Virtual Media, and then click Map CD/DVD to map the OS image.
In the dialog box, click Browse to select the Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 .ISO image and then click Map Device. Note that the storage controllers
like the PERC 10 and SWRAID S140 will not have native inbox drivers in the OS. If your server is using any one of these two RAID controllers then you need to download the out-of-box drivers from the Dell support site.
Also, the driver image or folder name might be different in your case. In this video the folder is named Payload. To create the driver image file, click Virtual Media, and then click Create Image.
In the dialog box, click Browse to navigate to the folder where you have downloaded and extracted the drivers. Select the folder, and then click Open.
Click Create Image, and then click Finish. The driver image file is now created. To map the driver image file, click Virtual Media, and then click Map Removable Disk.
Click Browse and select the newly created driver image file, and then click Map Device. Next, to set the Boot Mode and Boot Sequence, press F2 to go to the System Setup page.
Click System BIOS, and then click Boot Settings. Ensure that UEFI is selected as the Boot Mode, and Boot Sequence Retry is enabled. Click UEFI Boot Settings, and then click UEFI Boot Sequence.
Make the Virtual Optical Drive as your next boot device, and then click OK. Click Back. Click Finish to exit the system setup page, and then click Yes to reboot the system.
The system restarts automatically. Note that after rebooting your system, you'll be prompted to press any key to start the installation. If any key is pressed, the OS installation starts.
However, if no key is pressed, the system does not proceed with the installation and the system might return back to the F1/F2 screen, or the system might boot into the existing operating system.
If this happens, restart the system and retry the installation. After the files are loaded, select the appropriate Language in which you want to install the OS.
Note: If you want to change to another language, reboot the system and boot back in to the OS media, and then choose the desired language.
You can select the Time and currency format of your region, select the Keyboard or input method, and then click Next to continue. Click Install now.
This operation might take a while to complete. To install the GUI version, select Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter (Server with a GUI) and then click Next.
Read the license agreement. If you agree to the license terms, select I accept the license terms, and then click Next. Select Custom: Install Windows only.
Note, that as mentioned in the beginning, we're using the PERC 10 RAID controller on this server. Since the drivers are not native, we need to use out-of-box driver.
The driver is already mapped here and we can see the procedure to load the driver now. In the Windows Setup dialog box, click Load driver, and then click Browse to select the driver folder. Click OK.
The Select the Driver to install page appears. Select PERC H740P Adapter, and then click Next. In the dialog box, Click New, and then click Apply. Click OK.
Drive partitions are created. After this, select the drive where you want to install Microsoft Windows 2012, and then click Next to begin the installation.
Note: That the system will restart a few times while the installation is in progress. After the installation is successful, the system restarts. After the system restarts, you have to set the password for the default username Administrator.
You can now log in to Windows Server 2012 R2 using the Administrator credentials. Please note that Dell highly recommends that you install the latest hotfixes and security updates from Microsoft on your system by using Windows updates or by downloading the latest updates after installing the operating system.
For more information, go to www.delltechcenter.com/os.
