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Installing Windows Server 2008 through Dell Systems Build and Update Utility


Windows Server 2008 is the next major release in the line of Server Operating Systems after Windows Server 2003. Dell has contributed
in its own way to validate and support this release of Microsoft, one being developing DSBUU DVD for easier and efficient OS installation.

There are different ways of installing Windows Server 2008 OS, which are the following:
1) Manual DVD based install
2) Deployment using Windows Deployment Service
3) Network based Installation using WinPE CD
4) Installation using DELL systems Build and Update Utility(DSBUU)


Dell provides a Dell Systems Build and Update Utility (DSBUU) that helps the user to install the OS in a convenient manner without bothering
to install the latest drivers required on the system.


DELL’s System Build and Update Utility The Dell™ Systems Build and Update Utility DVD includes a single tool to enable basic lifecycle
management of Dell Systems: Simple OS Installation, Firmware and BIOS Update, Hardware Configuration (scriptable and GUI), and Server
Update Utility (custom and complete). As the Windows Server 2008 installation is based on the WinPE (Windows Pre-installation Environment),
Dell has made sure that WinPE is included in the DSBUU. Apart from the OS installation DSBUU supports the following features. For in detail
use of these features please refer the document link given in note 1.

1) Firmware Update

The Firmware Update module in the Dellâ„¢ Systems
Build and Update Utility enables you to update the BIOS and firmware versions of your Dell systems in a pre-operating system environment.

This module:

  • inventories your system (BIOS, firmware, and drivers)
  • enables you to select your own repository (To learn more about the repository, see "What Is The Repository?")
  • generates a comparison report (comparison of the currently installed version of each
  • Component on the existing system with the repository component version for the same System.)
  • enables you to upgrade the system components

2) Update Utility Creation

The Dell™ Server Updates DVD contains a repository which includes update packages for supported Dell systems for Microsoft® Windows®
and Linux operating systems. The Update Utility Creation module in the Dell Systems Build and Update Utility enables you to customize and
create a smaller and more compact update utility repository by selecting only the systems and operating systems you require. This custom
repository retains the features of the Server Update Utility. You can use the Update Utility Creation module to carry out one-to-one updates on
your systems.

3) Content Manager

The Content Manager is a tool in Dell™ Systems Build and Update Utility that enables you to: · download the latest Server Update Utility ISO image
from Dell online at ftp.dell.com. · create your customized repository using the Dell Server Updates DVD or from the Dell online website. · save your
customized repository on a local or shared location and use it later for system hardware updates in a pre-operating system or post operating system
environments. · Check for the latest updates by comparing your local or customized repository with the Dell online repository at ftp.dell.com.

4) Hardware Configuration Scripting Tool

The Hardware Configuration Scripting Tool in the Dell™ Systems Build and update Utility enables you to configure your system’s Baseboard
Management Controller (BMC), Dell Remote Access Controller (DRAC), Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), and BIOS.

Once you save the configuration settings for your system’s BMC, DRAC, RAID, and BIOS, you can use the tool to generate the .ini file, and apply
these configuration settings across multiple systems.

The installation module

The Server Operating System Installation (SOI) module in the Dell™ Systems Build and Update Utility (DSBUU) enables you to install Dell-supported operating systems on your Dell systems. SOI also maps the operating system you want to install to your system and installs the requisite drivers. It also has a simple interface to configure Dell-supported storage controllers. The basic functionalities of the SOI is to deploy an operating system on your “bare-metal” Dell systems or repurpose the system (ie, installing a different OS on the system which already has an Operating System)

The user can boot from the DSBUU DVD and thereafter he is taken through the OS install step by step.

The major benefits that a customer gets by installing Windows Server 2008 by DSBUU are the following:

1) DSBUU will install latest drivers for the components of the systems required for that OS and also the hotfixes provided by Microsoft.

2) It will Allows the user to do Raid configuration (RAID 0, 1, 5, 10).

The following screen shots elaborate on the installation steps to install Windows Server 2008 using DSBUU:

1) Boot the system using the DSBUU DVD. The following screen will be displayed.

Installing WS08 via Dell Systems Build and Update Utility - The Dell TechCenter

2) From the options listed, select the Dellâ„¢ Systems Build and Update Utility and press enter. Dell System Build Update Utility home page will be displayed.

Installing WS08 via Dell Systems Build and Update Utility - The Dell TechCenter


3) Click on Server OS installation. Set date and time option will be displayed. Click next.


Installing WS08 via Dell Systems Build and Update Utility - The Dell TechCenter


4) Select the operating system. Here chose Longhorn 32 bit or 64 Bit oses. Click next


Installing WS08 via Dell Systems Build and Update Utility - The Dell TechCenter


5) Configure Raid page will be displayed. Here the disks will be configured to the required RAID level RAID 0, 1, 5, 10. If users don’t want to configure, he can skip the raid configuration. Click next .


Installing WS08 via Dell Systems Build and Update Utility - The Dell TechCenter



Installing WS08 via Dell Systems Build and Update Utility - The Dell TechCenter

6) Raid configuration summary page will be displayed. After the verifying the summary if need any can go back to previous page or else click continue.


Installing WS08 via Dell Systems Build and Update Utility - The Dell TechCenter



7) DSBUU starts precopy operation which includes formatting disks, creating RAID, copying required drivers. Once the Precopy operation is done it will ask for Finish page will be displayed.


Installing WS08 via Dell Systems Build and Update Utility - The Dell TechCenter


8) Reboot the system and Insert the Longhorn DVD when it prompts for OS DVD.

Note:

1) To know features of the DSBUU please refer the following document. (The link will get changed once longhorn os is available). http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/software/smsbu/1.0/index.htm

2) To Download the DSBUU follow the following method.
1) Open browser type http://support.dell.com
2) Click on “Drivers and Downloads” from the Most popular selections option.
3) Click on “ Select model “
4) Select “Server,Storage,Networking” from “select your family” option
5) Select “ PowerEdge Server “ from “ select “Your Product Line” option
6) Select latest generation model from select “Your Product Model” option. (For e.g. 1900, 6850 etc.)
7) Click on Confirm.
8) Select the System Management from the category Filters option.
9) Select the CD ISO – Dell ISO – Dell systems Build and Update Utility.