CISCO UCS C240 M4 INSTALLATION ISSUE

[Cisco.serv]

Hello,

I am in project installing New Cisco UCS C240 M4 server.

Here in its Raid storage configuration is as such 

1)UCSC-MRAID12G- Cisco 12G SAS Modular Raid Controller

2)UCS-HD18TB10KS4K - 1.8 TB 12G SAS 10K RPM SFF HDD (4K) 

The Server is loaded with 1.8 TB HDDs in all 24 slots, now when trying to install OS (Windows 2K12 R2) facing the issue that OS cannot be loaded and tried with SCU DVD & booted with WIndows DVD then also says OS cannot be installed partiotion couldn't be created. RAID 5 is configured.

Is there any specific settings to be done for 4K drives, the server is running with latest firmwares which were updated with HUU 3.0.1c. Inputs are welcome.

Regards,

Rajagopal.

[Kirk J]

Both the 4K and greater than 2TB size of the boot drive require UEFI.

Make sure your boot order has UEFI enabled, and not legacy.

Thanks,

Kirk...

[Cisco.serv]

Dear Kirk,

Thanks for your inputs, will check this out..

So you mean to say that in Boot options UEFI option should be enabled guess by default it was disabled.

If you don't mind do you any Screen shots for this & enabling is only step require or anything else added to it??

Thanks,

Rajagopal.

[Kirk J · Accepted solution]

Greetings.

See screen shots below (done in 3.01c with HTML5 CIMC interface)

Once you have these options saved, map your install ISO in your vKVM, virtual media.

When you are ready to boot the ISO/install media, hit F6 to select boot order options.

You should now notice one of your entries: UEFI: Cisco vKVM-Mapped vDVD1.22

Booting into your install media in this mode will tell the OS installer that it is a UEFI environment, and it will create an UEFI boot table entry for your OS.

If you are installing Windows and have issues, see https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn336946.aspx

Please note that VMware does not support booting to VDs with 4K sector size drives at this point.

Thanks,

Kirk...

[Cisco.serv]

Dear Kirk,

Good day to you. Followed as suggested by was able to Install OS successfully. Thanks a lot for the help.

Just another query is Windows 2016 OS supported on this model of server UCS C240 M4??

Regards,

Rajagopal.

[Kirk J]

Greetings.

Checking the interop matrix at https://ucshcltool.cloudapps.cisco.com/public/# it confirms that the C240M4s are supported on the later firmware levels.

Thanks,

Kirk...

[Cisco.serv]

Dear Kirk,

Thanks once again.

The Server has been updated to Release 3.0(1c) but i can also see Release 3.0(2b) in the latest release , so which would you suggest to go with.

The User is planning to implement server with Windows 2016, i can't supported SCU & Drivers for Windows 2016 on the Cisco site.

May have to install with Windows Media directly.

Regards,

Rajagopal.

[ryanweldon1134]

Simply changing these BIOS options does NOT create a "Windows Boot Manager" entry in the boot order, which is required for Windows to boot. If you have an existing Server OS that you convert to GPT, there are additional steps in order to add "Windows Boot Manager" to the list of boot options.

What created a "Windows Boot Manager" option for me was:

1. Launch KVM

2. Activate virtual media

3. Map the Server 2019 ISO

4. Boot the server to the ISO as UEFI:WIN_SVR_2019 (ISO name)

5. Get the Windows installation to the point where it's time to wipe/create partitions, then just reboot.

6. Viola. "Windows Boot Manager" is now in the boot order.