Guide: Installing Windows OS using HP SmartStart 

HP SmartStart CD is available for all HP ProLiant ML/DL/SL 300, 500, and 700 Series servers and HP ProLiant BL server blades. HP SmartStart CD contains utilities like ACU, Insight Diagnostics, HP management tools and Proliant Support packs (PSP).

HP SmartStart CD provides step by step ProLiant server deployment assistance by allowing you to do assisted Windows OS installation. This CD provides an easy to use graphical interface that helps you through the OS installation process. It also helps you to install HP ProLiant server support software drivers, utilities and management agents.
Before you start the Windows installation, you need to ensure that you have created a RAID array on your Server.  Once you created RAID array and logical drive, you can go ahead and install OS on it. Please follow the step by step tutorial  provided in the below said post to create a logical drive.
Guide: Configure RAID using HP ACU on your HP Server
When you use SmartStart CD for Windows installation, it makes the OS installation process much easier because you will not be prompted to install Storage Controller drivers while installing OS. Moreover, SmartStart CD will install all necessary hardware drivers and utilities needed for your Server. If you are using HP Proliant 100 series servers, then you need to use HP Easy Setup CD to install Windows. HP SmartStart CD usually does not work with 100 series HP servers.
In this post, we are showing how to do the assisted installation of the OS using the SmartStart CD. This easy to follow step by step guide will help you to implement Windows OS on your Server for the first time.

Assisted Installation of Windows using SmartStart CD:

1. Boot the server using HP Smart Start CD (this might take some time!)
2. Select language as English (US), keyboard layout as US English and click Next button

3. Accept HP End User License Agreement by clicking Agree button.

4. Now you will be at the main page of HP SmartStart CD.
5. Under Media Option, click on Install to continue the Windows OS installation.

6. Now you will be at Boot Controller Selection window
7. Select the Controller/Logical drive from the list, click Next

8. Now you will be at Operating System Selection window.
9. Select the Windows version from the list, click Next
Note: Ensure that you select the right Windows version from the list. If you have a HP Branded OS CD (OEM) then you need to select the Windows version under HP-Branded Media Option.

10. Now you will be at Operating System Media Source window.
11. Select the Windows Installation CD location from the list. Click Next
Note: As I am mapping Windows CD using iLO Virtual Media, I have selected iLO Virtual Media as the installation Source. If you are installing from a CD/DVD, then select the right option from the list.
12. Now you will bet at Disk Partitioning Options page.
13. Select the file system (NTFS/FAT), also select the Partition size for the OS. Click Next

14. Now you will bet at Product Set Up Information page.
15. Enter Computer Name, Administrator Password and rest of the information. Click Next
Note: In Some cases, you may be prompted to enter Windows Product key as well. If prompted, please fill the Windows Product key at the same page to continue the installation.

16. Now you will bet at WBEM/SNMP Configuration page.
17. Select YES for both SNMP and WBEM Providers. Click Next
18. Now you will bet at SNMP Configuration page.
19. Leave the default settings unchanged, click Next
20. Now you will bet at WBEM Configuration page.
21. Select YES for Configure Windows firewall for Remote WMI access, click Next
22. Now you will bet at Proliant Support Pack Installation Configuration page.
23. Select Express option and click Next
24. Now you will be at Installation Information page.
25. Cross check whether correct information is showing in this window. Click Next

26. Now SmartStart CD will partition the drive and will copy necessary drivers from the CD.
27. When Prompted Insert the Windows OS CD or use iLO Virtual media to map the OS CD.

28. Accept Windows EULA by clicking Accept button. (Only if prompted)
29. Wait till  SmartStart CD finishes copying of Windows OS files to the HDD.

30. Once files are copied, the Server will be restarted.
31. Now you will see below provided screen.
32. Accept the Microsoft License Terms and click Next button

33. Wait till Windows finishes the installation.

34. Great, Windows is successfully installed on your Server, now you are ready to roar!

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Here in this post, we have installed Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise 64 bit on a DL360 G7 Server using SmartStart CD 8.6 version. If you are installing other version of Windows, you will also need to enter Windows Product key at Step number 15.