Custom ISO Installation via IPKVM: HP Servers (Gold Platform, iLO 5)

HP Servers (Gold Platform, iLO 5)

Applies to:

• HP servers using the iLO 5 console layout

This platform uses the newer HPE iLO 5 interface. The ISO installation flow is still straightforward: open the remote console, launch the HTML5 console, mount the ISO from the virtual media menu, reboot, then boot once from the virtual CD/DVD device.

Before You Start

• Make sure you have IPKVM/iLO access credentials.
• Keep the ISO file ready on your local computer. If the ISO is hosted remotely, you can mount it by URL instead.
• Schedule downtime. Booting from a custom ISO can interrupt services, and a reinstall can erase existing data.

Step-by-Step

1. Log in to the server’s HPE iLO 5 or IPKVM panel.
2. Open Remote Console.
3. Click HTML5 Console and launch the browser-based console.
4. In the console window, open Virtual Media from the top-left menu.
5. Go to CD/DVD -> Local *.iso file.
6. Select your ISO file and mount it.
7. Reboot the server from iLO power controls, or wait for the next reboot.
8. During startup, open the one-time boot menu. On many HPE systems this is F11.
9. Select the virtual CD/DVD device that contains the mounted ISO.
10. The server will boot from the ISO. Complete the operating system installation as usual.
11. After the installation finishes, unmount the ISO from the same virtual media menu and reboot again so the server starts from the installed disk.

Screenshot Reference

Open Remote Console, launch HTML5 Console, then use Virtual Media from the console toolbar.

Open Virtual Media, go to CD/DVD, then select Local *.iso file.

Useful Notes

• If your ISO is hosted on a reachable server, use the remote media URL option instead of a local file when available.
• If the server does not boot into the installer, reconnect the virtual media and reboot again.
• If the server keeps returning to the installer after setup, unmount the ISO and restart the server.