New DELL T420 Server - LA want me to wipe the Hidden partitions but I am not sure.

[edutech4schools]

When I last installed a DELL server about 5 years ago I used the DELL built in OS installer software to install Windows 2008r2. Basically power on server, hit F10 which took me to a DELL server config page, enter in RAID info, let it know what server OS I was going to install and hit apply. The Dell server would then ask for the 2008r2 CD and would install the OS along with DELL drivers etc automatically. It was all nice and easy.

 

I am just about to order a new DELL server so contacted the LA who supply a number of server services to the school, just to make sure Server 2012r2 was compatible. I received a message back saying that the remote backup software might have an issue with any hidden DELL partitions and could I remove any superfluous partitions, and only use partitions that you create within Windows itself. Basically asking me to wipe the drives before installing the OS.

 

So would wiping all partitions mean I lose the ability to use the DELL OS installer? or does this run from somewhere else like the bios?

 

When setting up a server do you normally use the pre installer software or wipe it all and manually install the OS?

[dhicks]

When setting up a server do you normally use the pre installer software or wipe it all and manually install the OS?

 

All our physical machines get set up by running installers from PXE, over the network. I would wipe over whatever the manufacturer put on the disk - whatever you have on disk in a server should be replaceable / RAID-able, having vendor-specific partitions is just going to add more complexity. Are you quite sure the utility you are thinking of runs from disk, though? Most proper hardware RAID setups run from BIOS, I'd have thought an OS installer would be the same.