Most Linux installs on a Dell PowerEdge server are straightforward, because the drivers come with the Linux kernel. The Dell-specific work is before and after the installer: confirming that your distribution and version are supported on your model, choosing between Lifecycle Controller and a manual install, picking the right disk, and adding Dell's management tools. This guide follows Dell's Linux knowledge base articles. For the distribution installers themselves, see Install Ubuntu Server 24.04 on bare metal and Install Rocky Linux 9.
Before you start
- Check your model's Supported Operating Systems page on the Dell support site. For example, the PowerEdge R760 page lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10, SUSE Linux ES 15 and 16, and Ubuntu Server 22.04, 24.04 and 26.04 LTS. Dell's Linux KB also points to the Red Hat hardware catalog and Ubuntu's certified servers list.
- Update BIOS, iDRAC, Lifecycle Controller and the PERC before installing.
- Create the OS virtual disk (PERC or BOSS) and note its size so you can recognise it in the installer.
- Set Boot Mode to UEFI in System BIOS. Dell's BIOS documentation states that booting from NVMe drives requires UEFI.
Step 1 — Understand where the drivers come from
Dell KB 000231524 explains that on Linux the kernel supplies the drivers, so the OS version you install must include what your hardware needs. Dell sometimes releases a driver before the next OS release includes it; the KB's example is a PERC driver shipped for RHEL 8.4 before it appeared in RHEL 8.5. Those Dell Linux drivers are specific to the OS version and kernel and are downloaded from the Dell support site. This is why the support check above matters: a newer server with an older distribution release may not see its controller or NICs.
Step 2 — Choose the install route
| Distribution | Lifecycle Controller OS Deployment | Manual install from media |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux | Supported when a driver pack exists for the version | Yes |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server | Supported when a driver pack exists for the version | Yes |
| Ubuntu Server and other distributions | Not supported; Dell says other Linux OSes must be installed manually | Yes |
Step 3 — Option A: RHEL or SLES with Lifecycle Controller
- Press F10 during POST, click OS Deployment and then Deploy OS.
- Choose Configure RAID First or Go Directly to OS Deployment.
- Select Boot Mode (it must match the System BIOS setting) and your RHEL or SLES version from the list. The list depends on the OS driver pack installed in Lifecycle Controller.
- Choose Manual Install, or Unattended Install with a kickstart file on USB or a network share.
- Insert or map the installation media and continue in the distribution's installer.
The Lifecycle Controller User's Guide notes that the drivers are extracted to a temporary OEMDRV location that is removed after 18 hours or an AC power cycle. More detail is in Lifecycle Controller OS deployment.
Step 4 — Option B: install from iDRAC virtual media or USB
- Map the ISO in the iDRAC Virtual Console, or write it to a USB drive (Dell KB 000334285). See iDRAC9 virtual console and virtual media.
- Press F11 during POST and boot from Virtual CD/DVD or the USB drive.
- Follow the installer. Dell's KB summarises the RHEL installer's required items as the root password, the installation destination and the installation source. Ubuntu Server uses a text-based installer: network, package mirror, storage layout, admin user, optional Ubuntu Pro and the OpenSSH server.
- On Ubuntu, Dell's KB recommends installing the OpenSSH server; otherwise you can log in only locally or through the iDRAC virtual console.
Warning: The installer erases the disk you select as the installation destination; Ubuntu asks you to confirm that the selected disk's data will be destroyed. Make sure you pick the OS virtual disk, not a data volume. In Dell's Ubuntu example the default disk had to be changed to the BOSS virtual disk. Back up first.
Step 5 — Identify disks correctly
Dell's Linux KB notes that drives appear as sda, sdb and so on, NVMe drives as nvme0n1 and similar, and that the device order is not fixed. Check sizes and models before formatting anything, and use UUIDs or labels in /etc/fstab rather than device names.
lsblk
lsscsiStep 6 — Add Dell tools after installation
- iDRAC Service Module (iSM): gives iDRAC OS information and features such as Lifecycle Log replication into OS logs. Dell's KB says to extract the package and run
setup.sh, using the OS-side installer. Dell's iSM page lists RHEL 9.6 and 10, SLES 15 SP7 and 16, and Ubuntu Server 24.04.2 for iSM 6.1, and points 15G and 16G servers to the iSM 5.4.2 matrix. - RACADM: extract the package for your OS, go to the
racadmfolder and runinstall_racadm.sh. See racadm health and log commands. - PERC CLI: for RAID status from the OS, see PERC CLI status commands.
- Logs for support: on RHEL and SUSE, install the
sospackage and runsos report.
cat /etc/redhat-release
lsb_release -a
sos report --batchFrequently asked questions
Can I deploy Ubuntu Server with Lifecycle Controller?
No. Dell's Ubuntu KB states that Ubuntu is not a supported OS to deploy using Lifecycle Controller. Install it from iDRAC virtual media or USB.
Do I need to download Dell drivers for Linux?
Usually not: the kernel supplies the drivers. Dell's KB notes that Dell sometimes provides a driver before the next OS release includes it, so check Drivers & Downloads for your Service Tag if a controller or NIC is not detected.
Checklist
- Distribution and version listed for your model on Dell's Supported Operating Systems page.
- Firmware updated; Boot Mode UEFI; OS virtual disk created.
- RHEL or SLES through Lifecycle Controller, or any distribution through iDRAC virtual media or USB.
- Install destination confirmed by size and model.
- OpenSSH server installed (Ubuntu) and network configured.
- iSM and RACADM installed; RAID status checked from the OS.
Skyline can supply, configure and maintain Dell, HPE and Huawei servers under an annual maintenance contract (AMC). Contact us.
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