1. SmartStart CD.

SmartStart CD is a software CD shipped with most of the HP Proliant ML, DL, BL Servers. This CD
provides many essential deployment tools, drivers and utilities that primarily assist users with a first
time installation of an operating system on their HP ProLiant/Blade server.

SmartStart CD is specially designed for users who just received their server from the factory, and are
powering it up for the first time. By using Assisted installation option available with SmartStart CD, users
can easily install a Server OS on his/her server.

2. Switching Command Line and GUI interface of SmartStart CD:

SmartStart is a Linux based software. Once you boot to the SmartStart CDYou can switch between the
Shell interface or GUI version by pressing Ctrl + Alt + F1 or Ctrl + Alt + F2. I have tested it using my
SmartStart CD 8.6 and here is my findings.

1. What you see below is the GUI version of SmartStart CD.

Pressed Ctrl + Alt + F1 and Command line version opens

 Press Ctrl + Alt + F2 to go back to the GUI version of SmartStart CD.

3. Installing Windows OS using HP SmartStart CD

HP SmartStart CD is available for all HP ProLiant ML/DL/SL 300, 500, and 700 Series servers and HP
ProLiant BL server blades. HP SmartStart CD contains utilities like ACU, Insight Diagnostics, HP
management tools and Proliant Support packs (PSP).

HP SmartStart CD provides step by step ProLiant server deployment assistance by allowing you to do
assisted Windows OS installation. This CD provides an easy to use graphical interface that helps you
through the OS installation process. It also helps you to install HP ProLiant server support software
drivers, utilities and management agents.

Before you start the Windows installation, you need to ensure that you have created a RAID array on
your Server. Once you created RAID array and logical drive, you can go ahead and install OS on it. Please
follow the step by step tutorial provided in the below said post to create a logical drive.

Guide: Configure RAID using HP ACU on your HP Server

When you use SmartStart CD for Windows installation, it makes the OS installation process much easier
because you will not be prompted to install Storage Controller drivers while installing OS. Moreover,
SmartStart CD will install all necessary hardware drivers and utilities needed for your Server. If you are
using HP Proliant 100 series servers, then you need to use HP Easy Setup CD to install Windows. HP
SmartStart CD usually does not work with 100 series HP servers.

In this post, we are showing how to do the assisted installation of the OS using the SmartStart CD. This
easy to follow step by step guide will help you to implement Windows OS on your Server for the first
time.

Assisted Installation of Windows using SmartStart CD:

1. Boot the server using HP Smart Start CD (this might take some time!)