Procedure

To install the HLH operating system from a USB flash drive:

1. Copy the ISO from the D:\Tools\HLHISO directory to USB flash drive.

Note: Depending on the age of the system, we recommend that you use a more recent image then is present in the D:\Tools\HLHISO folder. If you have any questions about which image to use, open a ticket with Dell EMC Support.

2. Prepare a USB flash drive (we recommend 16 GB USB v3) bootable Windows Server 2016 image.

Note: We recommend that you use Rufus Version 3.4 for this task.

3. Create the UEFI-bootable OS image to the external USB device, and then click Start.

4. Insert the USB device with UEFI-bootable Windows 2016 image into the top USB port on the front or rear of the scale unit node. The following figure shows the approximate location of the USB port.

5. To restart the server:
   1. To verify lifecycle controller, press F10:

i             Set language and keyboard type to your region, and then click Next.

ii           Read the product overview, and then click Next.

iii          Verify Lifecycle Controller Network settings, and then click Next.

iv          Verify iDRAC Network and Credential Configuration, then click Next.

v            Verify Summary, and then click Next.

2. When F11 = Boot Manager displays, press F11.
3. Select the disk connected to the front USB 1: <FlashDrive>.
4. When Press 'd' to disable Secure Boot during this boot only displays, press d on keyboard.

Secure Boot is enabled after a system reset. 

5. Press any other key to continue without disabling Secure Boot.

6. To load the Windows Installation media, press any key when prompted.

7. Press Enter each time you are prompted to boot.

Completing Installation of OS

Procedure

To install and configure Windows Server 2016:

1. From Windows Setup, set the language, time, and keyboard to your region, and then click Next.

2. Click Install Now.

3. Under Activate Windows, click I don’t have a product key.

4. From the operating system list, choose Windows Server 2016 Datacenter (Desktop Experience), and then click Next.

5. After you read the license terms, select I accept the license terms, and then click Next.

6. At the installation prompt, to select the install location:
   1. Delete all existing partitions except the 299 GB partition (14G) or 99 GB partition (13G).
   2. Install the OS in the newly created free space.
   3. To restart the server, click Next.

7. After restarting the server, verify that the data partition still exists and is listed as the D: drive. Change the drive letter if required.
8. Install the Windows Server Hyper-V role and required tools:
   1. Open an Administrative PowerShell window.
   2. Enter Install-WindowsFeature -Name Hyper-V, RSAT-Hyper-V-Tools, and then press Enter.
9. To continue the HLH deployment follow the instruction in the Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Hub Stack Deployment Guide.

Note: The deployment guide is not available to customers. To obtain instructions for completing a new HLH deployment, create a Support Request with Dell Technologies Support.

10. To prepare your system to use the Dell EMC Patch and Update Automation Tool for updates later than the 1906 release, follow the instructions in the latest Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack Hub Patch and Update Installation Guide.

Important notes

For 13G, to avoid taking down the scale unit nodes, do not use the remediate parameter when running the Invoke-CheckFirmwareBaseline command.

For 14G, to skip the compliance portion and avoid decommissioning the scale unit nodes, before running the HLH Deployment script, modify the AutomationWorkFlow.JSON file.

The following figures show the AutomationWorkFlow.JSON file before and after editing the statuses of the compliance commands:

Figure 4.                  JSON file

Figure 5.                  Before modifying the file

Figure 6.                  After modifying the file