User's Manual

Important Information and Frequently Asked Questions 41
Server Operating System Installation
Important Information
The Server Operating System Installation (SOI) module in SBUU 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.
You can use SOI to:
• deploy an operating system on your "bare-metal" Dell system (that is, when
your system does not have an operating system installed on it).
• "repurpose" your system (that is, your system already has an operating
system installed on it, and you want to install a different operating system).
• extract drivers and save them on a directory on your system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens if I install a new operating system on my system that
already has an operating system?
A: If you already have an operating system on your system (that is, if you are
"repurposing" your system), and you use the SOI to install a different
operating system, the existing operating system is removed and data is
deleted from your system.
Q: Can I install Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and VMware ESX Server
operating systems?
A: Yes, you can. However, for operating systems such as Windows Server 2008
and VMware ESX Server, the native Graphical User Installation tool provided
by the operating system installation media is used.
Q: What happens if I disconnect the network connection while I am copying
the operating system image from a Server Message Block (SMB) share?
A: If you disconnect the network connection while the operating system
image is copying, an error message appears indicating that the network is
being disconnected. A Reboot button is also enabled. However, the operating
system installation process does not resume after you reconnect the network
cable. You need to reboot your system.