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PowerEdge: How To Install an Operating System

Summary: This page explains how to use to install a new operating system on a Dell PowerEdge server. It contains tutorials to use the Lifecycle Controller to deploy an operating system.

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. How the Operating System Deployment Works
  2. Operating System Installation Articles
  3. Technical Articles Regarding Operating System Installation

This page explains how to use to install a new operating system on a Dell server (PowerEdge). It contains tutorials to use the Lifecycle Controller to deploy an operating system.

How the Operating System Deployment Works

The OS Deployment feature in the Lifecycle Controller helps to install an operating system with the correct drivers in a few steps. The OS Deployment wizard allows an administrator to deploy:

  • Dell-supported operating systems (drivers are automatically installed)
  • Customized operating systems (drivers are automatically installed)
  • Any other Operating systems (required drivers are manually installed)
Note: OS Deployment wizard also allows RAID configuration before installing the Operating System if it is not already configured.

The list of Dell-supported operating systems changes based on the driver packs updated on the system. To update the drivers, download the latest OS Driver pack that is associated to your server.

Compatible and supported Operating Systems for PowerEdge can be checked on the Dell Support Matrix.
Operating System manuals and installation guides can be found on Dell.com/OperatingSystemManuals.

If the operating system is installed without using Lifecycle Controllers, some drivers are missing and must be manually installed.

Operating System Installation Articles

How to Install the Operating System on a Dell PowerEdge Server
This article explains how to use the OS Deployment feature to install or reinstall a supported operating system on a server.
This guide works for all supported operating systems. In most cases, Windows Server, Red Hat, SUSE, and CentOS are supported. For more support information, reference the Dell Support Matrix.

To install VMware ESXi on a Dell Server, it is recommended to boot directly on the Dell Customized Image.
For more information, reference Dell Customized Image of VMware ESXi Availability and Download Instructions.

For a remote installation, consider the following two articles:

The virtual media allows using the iDRAC to mount a file and to send it to the remote server.
 

Technical Articles regarding Operating System installation

  • 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.
How to manually load the PERC Drivers during Windows 2003, 2008 or 2012 installation is explained in Dell PowerEdge: How the load the PERC Drivers during Windows 2003, 2008 or 2012 installation

  • How to load USB 3 drivers on Windows 2008 R2

Windows Server versions older than 2012 (including WS 2008 R2 w/SP1) do not support USB 3.0 natively. How to inject USB 3.0 drivers into Windows Server 2008 R2SP1 for use on Dell R230, R330, T30, T130, T330 is explained in How to inject USB 3.0 drivers into Windows Server 2008 R2SP1 for use on Dell R230, R330, T30, T130, T330.


Extra videos to watch

 

How to install the Windows Server 2022 operating system.

Duration: 00:06:55 (hh:mm:ss)
When available, closed caption (subtitles) language settings can be chosen using the CC icon on this video player.

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.

Affected Products

HS Series, XE Servers, Dell EMC vSAN Ready Nodes, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019, Microsoft Windows Server 2022, PowerEdge XR2, Poweredge C4140, PowerEdge C6420, PowerEdge C6520, PowerEdge C6525, PowerEdge C6615 , PowerEdge C6620, PowerEdge FC640, PowerEdge M640, PowerEdge M640 (for PE VRTX), PowerEdge MX740C, PowerEdge MX750c, PowerEdge MX760c, PowerEdge MX840C, PowerEdge R240, PowerEdge R250, PowerEdge R260, PowerEdge R340, PowerEdge R350, PowerEdge R360, PowerEdge R440, PowerEdge R450, PowerEdge R470, PowerEdge R540, PowerEdge R550, PowerEdge R640, PowerEdge R6415, PowerEdge R650, PowerEdge R650xs, PowerEdge R6515, PowerEdge R6525, PowerEdge R660, PowerEdge R660xs, PowerEdge R6615, PowerEdge R6625, PowerEdge R670, 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 R7715, PowerEdge R7725, PowerEdge R840, PowerEdge R860, PowerEdge R940, PowerEdge R940xa, PowerEdge R960, PowerEdge T340, PowerEdge T350, PowerEdge T360, PowerEdge T440, PowerEdge T550, PowerEdge T560, PowerEdge T640, PowerEdge XR11, PowerEdge XR12, PowerEdge XR5610, PowerEdge XR7620, VMware ESXi 7.x, VMware ESXi 8.x ...
Article Properties
Article Number: 000151616
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 18 Dec 2024
Version:  13
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