Hi guys,

I have bought an Dell SC 1420 server with no installed OS in it. When
i tried to install "free BSD" or "Red Hat 9.0 Server", the
installation stalls asking me to only insert "MS Windows 2003 Server"
or "Red Hat Linux ES 3.0".

When i called the helpdesk they say the same story.When i bought this
server the sales people just didn't bother to tell me this atall and
now it has been 2 months since we bought it and we are unable to use
it. I am unable to spend on these licensed server & CALS as well.

So,i need to know how to bypass this issue or how to disable this
feature of server in the BIOS and be able to install Free BSD Server
or Red Hat 9.0 Server or any other free server softwares that can be
supported in this server for handling 30 client pc's.

Cheers!
Arun.

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Request for Question Clarification by denco-ga on 21 Aug 2005 23:59 PDT

Howdy Arun,

Would something such as a free version of Solaris be acceptable
to you?  Thanks!

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

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Clarification of Question by arun_p-ga on 22 Aug 2005 00:41 PDT

Hi Denco,

Thanks for your revert,but solaris i am afraid my guys cant handle it.
I would appreciate of you can suggest me a way in which i can disable
the option in the server's bios.

Arun.

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Request for Question Clarification by landog-ga on 22 Aug 2005 03:40 PDT

Hi,

Have you tried to clear or even flash the BIOS yet with a bootable DOS diskette?

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R92363&formatcnt=1&fileid=120296

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Clarification of Question by arun_p-ga on 22 Aug 2005 04:57 PDT

Hi Landog,

Thanks for your revert, yes we did it but it doesn't allow support for
other network operating systems excluding the said two paid operating
systems. So, let me know any other utility that can used to make the
BIOS to allow other operating systems like FREE BSD or RED Hat 9.0.

Cheers!!
Arun.

I've seen other owners running Win XP on the SC1420  - so it must be
possible to install an OS other than those you mention.

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/search?submitted=true&type=message&q=SC1420+&days=-1&page_size=50

Hi Landog,

Yes we can install any paid version of Windows / Red Hat enterprise
versions. It doesn't support freeware operating systems this is where
the problem is.

Hi landog,

Sorry further to what i commented, the main reason i have purchased
the server is to make it an workgroup server,so i wouldn't be able to
just install XP Pro or XP home. I need to install an Network operating
system which is a freeware like Free BSD or Red Hat 9.0.

Cheers!

Dear sir, I have installed Redhat about 8 times. Here is the procedure
I have used. Maybe it will help.
   First, try to locate a copy of RedHat that is more recent than the
computer hardware. For example, you can download a free copy of Fedora
type Redhat, which includes Server, WorkStation, and Laptop levels,
from www.fedora.com. Fedora is the non-Enterprise variety (read
"non-commercial") of Redhat. The last time I checked they were up to 
Fedora Core 3.  You can also locate Fedora Radhat Training Books in
some bookstores, and  they come with Fedora CD in the back. If your
hardware is more recent than the Redhat you have, then some of the
drivers that you need for your system may be missing when you do the
install.
   Second, check the system BIOS.  1) set the Boot Disk priority so
system will boot first from local CD-Rom.   2) If it has it, set the
OS-Type setting to Non-Dos/Non-Windows, since your are installing
Redhat.
   Third, pop open the CD-Rom, and load the RedHat Install Disk 1. Close CD.
   Fourth, now power OFF the server, wait a minute, then power back up.
   If the system is behaving normally, the server should try to boot
first from the CD, which would start the RedHat Install Widget
running. It should bring up a text-based screen, with a prompt, and
list some command line options that you can type in & execute at the
prompt. The instructions are usually pretty clear.
   Once you start the Redhat Install Widget, it walks you through,
step by step, and its pretty self explanatory. The two most
complicated parts, in my opinion, are designing your disk partitions,
and setting up the X-Windows interface. When you get to this point,
try acepting the system default settings. If the
Display/Monitor/X-Window settings are not compatible with your
hardware, then X-Windows will not launch, and you will have to go back
and tweak those settings.
   If you cannot get the system to boot from the CD rom, check the
system documentation that comes on the CD, to see if you need  to make
a Linux Boot floppy. Then perhaps you can boot the redhat install
widget from the floppy drive and still so  the install from CD.
... hope this helps.....:)

Hi ZodiacMan,

Thanks for your detailed explanation of installng Red Hat Linux. See
the actual problem is that my server BIOS has been programmed by DELL
such that it will only allow either MS Windows 2003 server or Red Hat
ES 3.0 & above. This was confirmed by the tech support team of DELL as
well. The problem is to disable this feature and being able to install
this other FREE O/s. Pls look into my query in this angle.

Regards,
Arun.

I know it's not FreeBSD, but have you tried installing CentOS
(centos.org) it's a free (beer/speech) operating system, built on the
gpl code of RHEL.  If it works, then at least you have a Free Unix
like OS on the computer.

Also, perhpas you could remove the hard drive, use another computer to
install a base system onto the hard drive, then swap the drive back
into the sc 1420.  Perhaps if the image is on the drive, the bios will
be fooled?

Just some thoughts off the top of my head

Hi Godfirnon,

Thanks for your comment,but to remove the HDD from this server is an herculan task 
there are too many warranty stickers even for the screws. I am afraid
if i open them and my 3 year warranty will be off the window.. So, pls
advise any other software based option wherein i can fool the server's
BIOS.

Regards,
Arun

The one thing I can think off is install a generic Linux installation
on a machine  (with generic I mean as plain vanilla as possible), rip
an image to a CD by means of for example norton ghost or any other
tool and spool that image onto your Dell, do a quick prayer and see if
it will boot

An other possibility is get Unbuntu and see if it will boot from the
CD , if so can then install it

I suggest calling Dell to confirm that you can swap the hard disks
without affecting your warranty.  If they say you can't, remind them
that servers don't normally last 3 years without RAM or hard disk
upgrades!

Install FreeBSD on another disk (not the factory Dell one), put it in
your server, and see if it works.  If it doesn't work, at least you
haven't clobbered your Dell disk.

If you have SCSI, you might be able to boot from an external SCSI disk
without opening the case.

This whole scheme is rather unseemly, isn't it?

Dell BIOS does not prevent OSs from being installed.  Shame on tech
support for telling you this.  What does prevent you from installing
"non-supported" OS is the installation CD that comes with the server
(aka "Dell Server Assistant").  If you do a manual installation of the
OS and specify driver disks (initially you should only need the SATA
or SCSI drivers depending on your config), you will be able to install
any OS that you please.