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PowerEdge: How to Install the Operating System

Summary: The PowerEdge embedded LifeCycle Controller provides a simplified method for installation of supported Windows Server and Linux server operating systems with the OS Deployment feature. This article explains how to use the iDRAC LifeCycle Controller to install a supported operating system on most Dell PowerEdge servers. Step-by-step instructions and OS installation videos for Windows Server, Ubuntu Server LTS, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, or Red Hat Enterprise Linux installation with LifeCycle Controller. ...

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Instructions

Table of Contents

  1. Prerequisites
    1. PowerEdge supported Operating Systems
    2. Update the Server
    3. Installation Source
    4. Storage Location
  2. Installing the Operating System
    1. Using LifeCycle Controller for Supported OS
    2. How to Mount and Unmount the driver packs using iDRAC9
    3. Booting directly from the OS Media
  3. Installation Videos
  4. Troubleshooting FAQs
    1. Which OS is supported on my PowerEdge server?
    2. Which licenses or subscriptions for the OS do I need?
    3. How to find drivers on the Dell home page?
    4. What is the factory password for preinstalled VMware ESXi?
    5. How to install Windows using the Volume License media
NOTE: To download a Microsoft Windows ISO image, details are available in How to Download the Windows Server Media/ISO file?

1. Prerequisites

1.1 PowerEdge supported Operating Systems.

Ensure that the operating system is supported by your PowerEdge server. Compatible and supported operating systems for PowerEdge servers are available in the PowerEdge supported Operating Systems matrix.

1.2 Update the Server.

It is best practice to update the OS Driver Pack for the latest operating system drivers, before installing a new operating system. Download the latest OS Driver Pack from the support site.

  1. Access the support site, enter the service tag of your system or click Browse all products and select your product.
  2. Click the DRIVERS and DOWNLOADS tab, type "Dell OS Driver Pack" in the keyword box, and download then upload to the Dell OS Driver Pack to the iDRAC update and rollback section. For more information, see Dell KB article Dell PowerEdge: Update the firmware of Single System Components Remotely Using the iDRAC.

1.3 Installation Source

For installing the operating system, the OS source media has to be available to the server. The installation files can be provided through:

  • The optical DVD drive
  • USB device
  • PXE network boot
  • Mounted ISO-file (through iDRAC Virtual Media)
NOTE: An ISO-file can be used as a method for OS deployment. See Using the Virtual Media function on iDRAC6, iDRAC7, iDRAC8 and iDRAC9 for detailed instructions.

1.4 Storage Location

For installing the operating system on a virtual disk, ensure that a Software RAID or PowerEdge RAID controller is installed and at least two (or more, depending on the required RAID level) hard drives are available. In specific scenarios, OS can be installed on SD cards.

2. Installing the Operating System

Two methods are available for installing an operating system:

  1. Using LifeCycle Controller for Supported OS
    • Windows Server
    • Linux-Based Distributions
  2. How to Mount and Unmount the driver packs using iDRAC9 on a Dell PowerEdge Server.

    Log in to the server's iDRAC9, go to 1. Configuration > 2 Virtual Media > 3.Mount Drivers

    iDRAC9 Virtual Media
    Figure 1: iDRAC9 Virtual Media

  3. Click the Mount Drivers button. For more information about Mounting and Unmounting the driver packs, see How to Mount and Unmount the driver packs using iDRAC9.

  4. Boot directly from the OS Media:

    • VMware ESXi distributions
    • OS Installation on PowerEdge T20/T30/T40
    • Nonsupported OS by LfeCycle Controller

2.1 Using the LifeCycle Controller

This is the preferred method to install the OS. The LifeCycle Controller simplifies the installation of the Operating System with the "OS Deployment" feature. The drivers are preloaded before the installation process when using this feature. The OS installs seamlessly due to its comprehensive compatibility with all hardware components.

NOTE:
  • A wizard is displayed to assist with the initial configuration when accessing the LifeCycle Controller for the first time. If needed, configuration steps are detailed in the manual: Initial Configuration of the Dell Lifecycle Controller (R630 Example)
  • If installing Windows Server 2022, additional BIOS configurations must be made. For more information, reference Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Support for Windows Server 2022 Operating System.

Steps to follow:

  1. Press F10 during boot to enter the Lifecycle Controller (LCC).

    system setup
    Figure 2: Lifecycle Controller
  2. Select OS Deployment in the left side menu.

    OS Deployment and Deploy OS
    Figure 3: OS Deployment and Deploy OS
  3. Click Deploy OS.
  4. Select Configure RAID First or Go Directly to OS Deployment depending on if you have a RAID set up already or not.

    Selecting a deployment path
    Figure 4: Configuring a deployment path
  5. If applicable, follow the wizard to set up the RAID disk.
  6. Select the Operating System. The boot mode can be set in BIOS or UEFI. The matching boot mode must be configured properly in the "System Services" settings (F2).

    Selecting an operating system
    Figure 5: Selecting an operating system
  7. Either select Manual or select Unattended/Automatic install as needed.
  8. Insert the OS installation media (DVD Drive or Virtual Media of iDRAC).
  9. Follow the OS installation wizard (If Manual install has been selected).
NOTE: The provided list of Dell-supported operating systems changes based on the driver packs updated on the system. To update drivers, download the latest OS Driver pack that is associated with your server.

  lifecycle controller

Figure 6: PowerEdge 12G Lifecycle Controller UI

2.2 Booting directly from the Operating System Media

It is possible to boot directly from the OS installation media to install the operating system. Some components of the server may not be recognized as the OS media may not include all the needed drivers. Drivers can be downloaded from the Dell Support site and installed later once the OS is installed.

Note: If installing Windows Server 2022, additional BIOS configurations must be made. For more information, reference Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Support for Windows Server 2022 Operating System.

Steps to follow:

  1. Insert the OS installation media (DVD Drive, USB, Virtual Media of iDRAC) and boot on it.
  2. Press F11 during startup to select the boot device.
  3. Follow the OS installation wizard.
  4. Once the OS is installed, manually install the missing drivers.

3. Installation Videos

 


This video demonstrates the process of installing a Windows OS using the Lifecycle Controller.

How to Install and Configure VMware ESXi for PowerEdge Server.

Duration: 00:05:03 (hh:mm:ss)
When available, closed caption (subtitles) language settings can be chosen using the CC icon on this video player.

4. Troubleshooting FAQs

4.1 Which OS is supported on my PowerEdge server?

Dell collaborates with Operating System vendors to ensure consistent and reliable performances. The Operating System Library page provides the list of supported OS per PowerEdge model. An unsupported operating system may cause failures during the installation process or not work properly with hardware components.

4.2 Which licenses or subscriptions for the OS do I need?

To enable all functions of an operating system. A license (Windows and ESXi) or subscription (Linux) might be required. Here you find links to the most common vendors of supported operating systems:

Licensing resources:

Subscription resources for:

4.3 How to find drivers on the Dell home page?

If drivers for hardware components are not in the operating system, download the missing software from the Dell home page:

  1. Go to https://www.dell.com/drivers and then choose the required system type by entering the Service Tag or selecting the product type manually.

  2. Select the installed operating system, enter a matching Keyword in the intended field, and press Enter.

  3. The corresponding drivers are shown below. Click the download sign to receive the required file.
    Software search on Dell support site
    Figure 8: Software search on Dell support site

4.4 What is the factory password for preinstalled VMware ESXi?

Since the 14th generation of Dell PowerEdge servers, a factory password is set for preinstalled VMware ESXi. The root password is the Service Tag of the machine followed by the character "!". This can be changed during deployment. Example: "AAAXXX1!".

 

The LifeCycle Controller requires a standard Windows retail media to go to the installation. The LifeCycle Controller does not support the Volume License media. Three solutions are possible:

  • See Dell KB article How to Mount and Unmount the driver packs using iDRAC9.  
  • Boot directly on the Volume License media and use the Windows Operating system installer. It is required to manually inject the RAID Controller driver to detect the array and the virtual disks. The best way to find the appropriate driver is by using the service tag on the Dell.com/Support site and select the PERC driver.
  • How to load PERC drivers: When deploying an operating system without using the OS Deployment feature, the RAID Controller drivers may not be in the installation wizard. As a result, no available partition is displayed during the installation. You may need to use different media (USB, CD/DVD, etc) with the latest PERC drivers from the Dell Support site to proceed with the installation.
  • How to load USB 3 drivers: Windows Server versions older than 2012 (including WS 2008 R2 w/SP1) do not support USB 3.0 natively. 
  • Run the installation with a standard retail media with the LifeCycle Controller and use the volume license key to activate the Operating System. 

Additional Information

 

 

Affected Products

PowerEdge XR2, PowerEdge C4130, Poweredge C4140, PowerEdge c6320, PowerEdge c6320p, PowerEdge C6420, PowerEdge C6520, PowerEdge C6525, PowerEdge C6600, PowerEdge C6615, PowerEdge C6620, Poweredge FC430, Poweredge FC630, PowerEdge FC640 , Poweredge FC830, PowerEdge FM120x4 (for PE FX2/FX2s), PowerEdge HS5610, PowerEdge HS5620, PowerEdge M630, PowerEdge M630 (for PE VRTX), PowerEdge M640, PowerEdge M640 (for PE VRTX), PowerEdge M830, PowerEdge M830 (for PE VRTX), PowerEdge MX740C, PowerEdge MX750c, PowerEdge MX760c, PowerEdge MX840C, PowerEdge R230, PowerEdge R240, PowerEdge R250, PowerEdge R260, PowerEdge R330, PowerEdge R340, PowerEdge R350, PowerEdge R360, PowerEdge R430, PowerEdge R440, PowerEdge R450, PowerEdge R530, PowerEdge R530xd, PowerEdge R540, PowerEdge R550, PowerEdge R630, PowerEdge R640, PowerEdge R6415, PowerEdge R650, PowerEdge R650xs, PowerEdge R6515, PowerEdge R6525, PowerEdge R660, PowerEdge R660xs, PowerEdge R6615, PowerEdge R6625, PowerEdge R670, PowerEdge R730, PowerEdge R730xd, PowerEdge R740, PowerEdge R740XD, PowerEdge R740XD2, PowerEdge R7415, PowerEdge R7425, PowerEdge R750, PowerEdge R750XA, PowerEdge R750xs, PowerEdge R7515, PowerEdge R7525, PowerEdge R760, PowerEdge R760XA, PowerEdge R760xd2, PowerEdge R760xs, PowerEdge R7615, PowerEdge R7625, PowerEdge R770, PowerEdge R830, PowerEdge R840, PowerEdge R860, PowerEdge R930, PowerEdge R940, PowerEdge R940xa, PowerEdge R960, PowerEdge T130, PowerEdge T140, PowerEdge T150, PowerEdge T160, PowerEdge T330, PowerEdge T340, PowerEdge T350, PowerEdge T360, PowerEdge T430, PowerEdge T440, PowerEdge T550, PowerEdge T560, PowerEdge T630, PowerEdge T640, PowerEdge XR11, PowerEdge XR12, PowerEdge XR4510c, PowerEdge XR4520c, PowerEdge XR5610, PowerEdge XR7620 ...
Article Properties
Article Number: 000130160
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 31 Jan 2025
Version:  28
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