Unlike HP SmartStart CDs, Easy Setup CD is specific to each server model. We cannot use the same HP Easy setup CD for all 100 series servers. Each server has its own Easy Setup CD and you need to ensure that you are using the right Easy Setup CD of that server. For HP Servers 200 series and higher, we can use HP SmartStart CD for OS installation.

HP Easy Setup CD allow us to install Windows OS on HP Proliant servers. This CD is also packed with all required drivers, tools and utilities for your server. In this article, I will go ahead and explain how to use HP Easy Setup CD to perform assisted installation of Windows OS on your HP Proliant 100 series servers. Remember that I am sharing my experience over here.

How to Prepare for OS installation:

First you need to download the HP Easy Setup CD of your server. Head over to HP.com and download the Easy Setup CD of your Server from there. Here, I am using HP Proliant DL120 G6 server so I will go ahead and download the Easy Setup CD of my server now.

HP Easy Setup CD is available as .ZIP file. Once you extract/unzip the file, you will get an .ISO file. You can burn this .ISO file to a DVD (or use Lights-out 100 Virtual Media) and boot your server from it. Check the boot order of the server in BIOS to ensure that CD/DVD is set as the first boot device.

Regarding Windows Server Operating System setup file; we will be using a Windows 2008 .ISO file. You need to copy the Windows  setup file (.ISO file) to a USB thumb drive. Later you need to connect this USB thumb drive to your 100 series HP Proliant server. If you have a Windows OS CD/DVD with you, then you can create .ISO file using any third party tool available on internet. Please check below provided screenshot for your better understanding.

I will be using HP Easy Setup CD to boot my HP Server and later I will use the Windows Setup file (.ISO file) copied to the thumb drive to install the OS. Please ensure that you have both Easy Setup CD and Windows Server 2008 ISO file ready.

Install Windows OS using HP Easy Setup CD:

I have inserted my HP Easy Setup CD in the server (Or you can use Lights-out100 Virtual Media to mount CD or ISO file). I also connected the USB thumb drive to the same server (USB drive has the Windows Operating System .ISO file). Please go through all the steps and I hope you will be able to install OS on your server today. All the best

1. Power ON Server, allow the server to boo from HP Easy Setup CD.
2. If server boot from Easy Setup CD, then you will find below screen (Please check screenshot).
3. Press Enter key to boot the server from HP Easy Setup CD.

4. Server will boot from the CD, please wait till this process is completed.

5. Now, HP Easy Setup CD is loaded on your server (Please check screenshot).
6. Now select Language and Keyboard layout, then click Next button.

7. Now you will be at the Home Screen of HP Easy Setup CD.

NOTE:  Before you install Windows OS, you need to create RAID on your server. If there is no RAID configured on your server, then you will not be able to install Windows using HP Easy Setup CD. You can use Array Configuration Utility or ORCA to configure RAID on your server.

8. To install Windows on your server, Click Install button.

9. Now you will be at Boot Controller Selection screen (Please check screenshot)
10. Select the Controller/Drive in which you want to install Windows Server OS. Click Next.

11. Now you are at the Operating System Selection screen (Please check screenshot).
12. Select Retail Media or HP-Branded Media from here.

NOTE: Use the option HP-Branded Media only when you have paid and purchased Windows Server Operating System DVD from HP. HP does not ship Operating System DVD with Servers. If you have not purchased Windows DVD from HP, then you should select Retail media here.

13. Now select the version of Windows Server OS you are going to install.

NOTE: I find a lot of people make mistakes here. You need to know the exact version of Windows available in your Windows DVD/ISO file. If you select a different OS version, then the installation will not complete. I selected Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition here.

14. Once you selected the right OS from the list, click Next.
15. Now you will bet Operating System Media Source page as shown below.
16. Select USB Key as the media source because our Windows 2008 .ISO file in a USB thumb drive.
17. Specify CD/DVD File (.ISO Format) as the OS Source Format (Check screenshot)

18. Once you make above said changes, click on Next button.
19. Now select the USB thumb key in which Windows OS (.ISO file) is stored (Check screenshot).

20. Select the Windows Operating System (.ISO file) from USB drive.

21. Once you select the Windows ISO file, click Next.
22. Now you will be at Disk Partitioning Options page as shown below.

23. select NTFS as the file system and click Next.
24. Enter Computer Name, Windows OS password etc. Then click Next (Check screenshot).

NOTE: If you wish, you may enter the Windows Administrator password later. If you are typing Windows admin password here, then ensure that you remember it :D, Here in my case, I am leaving the password field blank.

25. Now you will be at WBEM/SNMP Configuration page (Please check screenshot).
26. Select the option Install SNMP (if you wish you can also install WBEM).
27. Once you made the correct selection, click on Next.

NOTE: SNMP or WBEM is needed when you configure System Management Homepage (SMH) on your Server.  SMH allows you to monitor all server hardware components effectively. Click here to learn more about SMH.

28. Now you will be at SNMP Configuration page as shown below.
29. Please DO NOT change the default values shown over there, just click Next.

30. Now you will be at Installation Information page as shown below.
31. Please verify the information shown over there, then click Next.

32. OS deployment started now, it will partition the Disk drive and will start copying drivers.

33. Once it reaches 25-30%, it will validate the Windows ISO file you have specified.

NOTE: The installation will not continue if you copied another version of Windows Server OS (.ISO file) in the thumb drive. So always ensure that, the version of Windows OS specified in step 13 & 14 matches with the .ISO file you have copied in USB drive.

34. If the Windows setup file are valid, it will continue OS installation.

35. Please wait till the installation reaches 100%.

NOTE: Before you restart the server, remove the USB key which has OS (.ISO file). The OS setup files are already copied to hard drives. So we do not need USB drives any more.

36. Now click Exit and server will be rebooted (Please check screenshot provided above).
37. Let the server restart now, now let the server boot from the hard drives.
38. When you see Microsoft EULA, Accept the license and click Next.

39. Allow the Windows Server Operating System installation to continue.

40. Your server may be restarted multiple times. Do not panic.

41. Once the server restated, you would find screen like this (Check screenshot)

42. Once installation is completed, you will find Windows login window (check screenshot).

NOTE: If you have not specified Windows password in step 24 (scroll above), then you will need to enter Windows password now. If you have already set a password in step 24, then you need to enter the password you typed over there. As I have not specified password, I will go ahead and set password now.

43. As I have not specified any password before, I will need to enter a new password now.
44. Press Enter key and the new password will be set.

45. Now Windows installation is completed.

Great, you completed the installation of Windows. You can use any alternate way to install Windows OS on your HP Proliant 100 series server. I just shared the steps which worked for me and I hope it works for you as well.

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