Updated: 8 October 2026 · Applies to: Dedicated servers with Supermicro IPMI, Dell iDRAC9 or HPE iLO 6 virtual media (vendor documentation); ISO checks tested with GnuPG 2.4.7 and xorriso 1.5.6 on Debian 13.7

To install your own operating system on a dedicated server, open the IPMI remote console (iDRAC on Dell, iLO on HPE), attach the ISO as virtual media, boot the server from that virtual CD and run the installer. Before that, verify the ISO’s checksum, check that it can boot in the server’s boot mode, and have any RAID drivers ready. On a Ucartz dedicated server, open a support ticket if you need console or virtual media access, or want us to install the ISO.

What a custom ISO install needs

  • A console with virtual media. The KVM-over-IP console gives you the server’s screen and keyboard; virtual media presents your ISO as a drive. Supermicro says its HTML5 virtual media needs a Supermicro software licence (Ucartz Supermicro servers are deployed with it activated), and HPE lists a supporting licence as a prerequisite.
  • The right boot mode. Supermicro boards offer Legacy, UEFI and DUAL under Boot Mode Select, and HPE requires UEFI to install on an NVMe drive. Your ISO needs a boot entry for that mode. Boot order basics: change the boot order in BIOS or UEFI.
  • RAID and drivers. Supermicro says to configure RAID before installing Windows, and to add the RAID driver with Load driver in Windows Setup when no disk is listed. On iLO you can drag a driver folder into the HTML5 console, and it appears on the server as iLO FOLDER. For software RAID, set it up in the installer (RAID levels explained).
  • Your network settings. Note the address, prefix and gateway before you wipe the old system (ip -br address and ip route on Linux), because the installer may ask for them.

1. Verify the ISO

Debian 13.7 example, next to its SHA256SUMS file:

$ sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS --ignore-missing
debian-13.7.0-amd64-netinst.iso: OK

--ignore-missing skips the other images listed in the file. After we appended one byte to the ISO, the same check gave:

debian-13.7.0-amd64-netinst.iso: FAILED
sha256sum: WARNING: 1 computed checksum did NOT match

Then check the signature of the checksum file (import the key first; see gpg No public key):

$ gpg --verify SHA256SUMS.sign SHA256SUMS
gpg: Good signature from "Debian CD signing key <debian-cd@lists.debian.org>" [unknown]
Primary key fingerprint: DF9B 9C49 EAA9 2984 3258  9D76 DA87 E80D 6294 BE9B

Compare the fingerprint with Debian’s verification page; the “not certified” warning that follows is expected. On Windows, Get-FileHash .\debian-13.7.0-amd64-netinst.iso uses SHA256 by default, according to Microsoft. For Fedora, see Fedora ISO checksum check.

2. Check that it can boot

$ xorriso -indev debian-13.7.0-amd64-netinst.iso -report_el_torito plain
...
El Torito boot img :   1  BIOS  y   none  0x0000  0x00      4        2869
El Torito boot img :   2  UEFI  y   none  0x0000  0x00   7360        1029

BIOS and UEFI entries mean it boots in both modes; an image with only a BIOS entry will not start on a server set to UEFI only. A data-only ISO we built with xorriso -as mkisofs reported No El Torito information was loaded: it cannot boot.

3. Mount it and boot from it

  • Supermicro: use the Virtual Media menu of the iKVM/HTML5 console, or mount the ISO from a file server (HTTP, HTTPS, Samba or CIFS) on the BMC’s Virtual Media page. Press F11 during start-up for the boot device list.
  • Dell iDRAC9: Launch Virtual Console › Connect Virtual Media › Virtual Media › Map CD/DVD, select the ISO, Map Device; then Boot › Virtual CD/DVD/ISO and confirm. Dell says the server then reboots and shows “Virtual CD boot Requested by iDRAC”.
  • HPE iLO 6: in the HTML5 console, click the Virtual Media icon › CD/DVD › Local *.iso file. URL-based media needs the image on a web server on the same network as iLO.

The image is read from your computer, so keep the console open until the installer no longer needs it. Afterwards, disconnect the virtual media and make sure the server boots from its disk.

On a Ucartz dedicated server

  • Unmanaged dedicated servers include full root access and a free IPMI KVM console, and you can mount a custom ISO yourself. Our Supermicro servers are deployed with the BMC licence for HTML5 virtual media activated, so the browser console can mount your ISO directly.
  • Open a support ticket to ask for console or virtual media access, or for us to install the ISO. Free Basic Managed Support covers quick tasks such as OS reinstalls and IPMI/KVM help, best effort.
  • On a fully managed server our team looks after the operating system: ask before replacing it.

Installing erases the disks: back up first. For a standard reinstall, see reload the OS of your server using IPMI.

Official documentation: Supermicro BMC User’s Manual (X13, H13, B13), Dell’s iDRAC virtual media article and the HPE iLO 6 User Guide.

Was this answer helpful? 0 Users Found This Useful (0 Votes)