How to Install an OS on a Bare Metal Server via IPMI/iKVM

To install an OS on a bare metal server remotely, open its management console, attach a verified installer ISO as virtual media, and select that media for the next boot. Complete the installation on the intended disk, detach the ISO when finished, then check disk boot, networking, and remote login.

The process does not require a working operating system or SSH connection. It does require a working management controller, suitable access permissions, and support for remote console and virtual media.

We use Ubuntu Server as the installation example below. Dell iDRAC, Supermicro BMC, and HPE iLO use different controls, so match the instructions to your controller and firmware. This is a documentation-based guide, not a report of an Atal Networks hardware test.

Before you begin: Installing an OS or changing RAID configuration can erase data. Confirm the server identity, target disks, maintenance window, and recoverable backups before making changes.

Check Access, Backups, and Installation Requirements

A successful installation starts with two separate sets of details: management access and the network configuration for the new OS. Keep them separate throughout the procedure.

Record the Server and Management Details

Collect the following information from your provider or server administrator:

 

Requirement	Details to confirm
Server identity	Asset ID, serial number, or another reliable identifier
Management controller	Model, firmware version, and management address
Access route	Private management network, VPN, or approved gateway
Permissions	Remote console, virtual media, and required power controls
Feature access	Any license needed for console or ISO mounting
Lagerung	Target disk or RAID logical volume and existing data
Installation media	Supported OS release, architecture, and verified ISO
Host network	NIC, IP address, prefix, gateway, DNS, and VLAN if required
Recovery	Backup location, restore procedure, and support contact

Use assigned credentials. Do not assume a factory-default username or password applies to your server.

If the management page shows an unexpected certificate warning, confirm the address and certificate details with the provider. Do not accept every warning without checking which system you reached.

Prepare the OS Image and Drivers

Download the installation image from the OS publisher or an authorized mirror. Choose an image for your server’s processor architecture and supported hardware.

For an Intel or AMD x86-64 server, this normally means an amd64 or x86_64 image. An ARM server needs a compatible ARM image. A virtual-machine disk image is not necessarily a bootable installation ISO.

Check storage-controller and network-driver support before starting. Windows Server may require an additional driver during installation. A minimal or network installer may also need access to package repositories before it can finish.

Confirm What Will Be Erased

Identify the intended OS disk by its model, capacity, serial number, or RAID logical-volume details. Device names such as /dev/sda can change and should not be your only reference.

If the server holds application data on separate disks, record which disks must remain untouched. Stop if the installer shows a different layout from the one you expected.

RAID is not a backup. Creating, deleting, or initializing an array can destroy data before the OS installer starts.

Understand IPMI, iKVM, and Virtual Media

These terms refer to related but different functions:

 

Term	Meaning in this guide
BMC	Baseboard management controller that provides management functions outside the host OS
IPMI	A management interface used for functions such as hardware status and power control
iKVM or remote console	Remote keyboard, video, and mouse access to the server
Virtual media	A controller feature that presents a remote image or drive to the server
iDRAC / iLO	Dell and HPE management platforms with model-dependent features

Here, KVM means keyboard, video, and mouse. It does not mean Linux KVM virtualization.

The BMC can remain accessible while the host OS is stopped, provided its own power and network requirements are met. This lets you view firmware screens, start an installer, or inspect a boot failure.

However, IPMI support alone does not guarantee graphical-console access or ISO mounting. Check the actual controller features, permissions, and licenses.

Choose the Console and ISO-Mounting Method

Dell iDRAC, Supermicro BMC, and HPE iLO

Look for the functions below. Exact labels vary by model and firmware.

 

Platform	Console function	Media function
Dell iDRAC	Virtual Console	Virtual Media, often with Map CD/DVD
Supermicro BMC	Remote Control or iKVM	Virtual Media, Virtual Storage, or image-mount controls
HPE iLO	Remote Console	Virtual Media or virtual-drive controls

Dell’s virtual-media guide describes the supported workflow and license requirements for the listed iDRAC generations. Supermicro’s license documentation identifies HTML5 virtual media among its management-suite features. HPE documents its own HTML5 virtual-drive installation procedure.

A working console with no ISO-mount option may indicate a permission or license issue. Check that before changing firmware or trying another installer.

Local ISO or Controller-Mounted Image

With a local ISO, your workstation supplies the image through the supported console or media client. Keep the required session open, prevent the workstation from sleeping, and maintain its network connection.

Some controllers can mount an image from a network source. In that case, the BMC must reach the source using a supported protocol. A URL that works on your laptop may be inaccessible from the management network.

Use a provider-approved source and access method. Do not enable old file-sharing protocols across your normal network just to satisfy a legacy controller. Ask for a supported alternative or an isolated arrangement.

Install the OS Through IPMI/iKVM

Step 1: Open the Console and Confirm the Server

Connect through the approved management route and sign in to the controller. Check the server’s asset identifier before opening power controls.

Launch the remote console. Use a supported HTML5 viewer where available. Older hardware may require a vendor client or JNLP application. Follow its supported-client instructions instead of weakening browser or Java security settings across your workstation.

You should see the server’s current display, such as a firmware screen, login prompt, or boot error. A powered-off host may show no video until it starts.

Check before continuing: You can identify the correct server and use the console. Do not restart a different machine because its login page looks familiar.

Step 2: Verify and Attach the Installer ISO

Verify the downloaded ISO against trusted publisher information. On a Linux workstation, calculate its SHA-256 hash with:

sha256sum /path/to/installer.iso

On Windows PowerShell, use:

Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 -Path ‘C:\ISO\installer.iso’

Replace the example path with your file location. Compare the complete result with the publisher’s checksum for that exact image.

A hash checks whether two files match. It does not establish authenticity if both the ISO and expected hash came from an untrusted source. Where provided, follow the publisher’s signed-checksum process, such as Ubuntu’s image-verification instructions.

In the console or management interface:

1. Open the virtual-media controls.
2. Select the CD/DVD or ISO option.
3. Choose the verified local image or supported remote source.
4. Select the action that connects or maps the image.
5. Confirm that the device status shows connected or mounted.

Selecting a filename is not always enough. Some interfaces require a separate connection action.

Expected result: The controller reports an attached virtual device. Keep any required media session open.

Step 3: Check Boot Mode and Storage Configuration

Confirm the intended firmware boot mode before installation. UEFI and legacy BIOS installations use different boot arrangements. Boot the installer in the mode you intend to use afterward.

Do not disable Secure Boot by default. Check whether the chosen OS, installer, and required drivers support the server’s settings. Change those settings only for a documented compatibility need.

Next, confirm how storage should appear:

• A hardware RAID controller may present a logical volume rather than individual disks.
• An HBA or supported passthrough configuration may expose disks directly.
• Software RAID requires an OS-supported disk and boot layout.

Do not change controller mode or create an array merely because a disk is missing. Check hardware status, existing configuration, and driver support first.

Stop if: The disk identity, array state, or expected boot mode is unclear.

Step 4: Select a One-Time Virtual-Media Boot

Use the controller’s next-boot setting or the server’s one-time firmware boot menu. Select the virtual CD/DVD or equivalent device containing your installer.

Boot keys differ between systems. Use the key shown during startup or the manual for that server. If the viewer captures function keys, use its virtual keyboard or key-send controls.

Prefer a one-time boot selection for installation. A permanent virtual-CD priority can return the server to the installer on later restarts.

Restart the host during the approved maintenance window. Use an orderly shutdown when an existing OS is responsive. Resetting the BMC and restarting the host are different actions.

Expected result: The OS installer menu appears. If the old OS starts, recheck the media connection and selected boot device before repeating the restart.

Step 5: Install onto the Confirmed Storage Target

For Ubuntu Server, select the language and keyboard layout, then follow the installer screens. The order and options can differ by release; use the Ubuntu Server installation documentation for your version.

At the storage screen, compare the displayed disks or logical volumes with your recorded inventory. Review the proposed partitions and bootloader destination before accepting changes.

Guided storage can suit a straightforward system. Custom layouts may be needed for separate data volumes, software RAID, encryption, or workload-specific space allocation. There is no single partition layout suitable for every server.

The final storage confirmation is the destructive point. Read the changes before allowing the installer to write them. Preserve data disks that are outside the installation plan.

If no disk appears, investigate the controller, logical volume, and driver requirements. Do not keep retrying installation or initialize storage without understanding the cause.

For encrypted root storage, decide how the server will be unlocked after a remote reboot. Encryption without a usable recovery and unlock process can leave the machine waiting for console input.

Step 6: Configure Networking and Administrator Access

Apply the host-network settings supplied for the server. These are separate from the BMC’s network settings, even when hardware shares a physical port.

For a static configuration, confirm the interface, address, prefix length, gateway, and DNS servers. Match a NIC by its MAC address when interface names are unclear. Add VLAN settings only if the provider requires them.

Do not guess a gateway from the server’s public address. Routed subnets and provider-specific network designs may require settings that differ from a home or office LAN.

Create your administrative account and set the hostname. Select OpenSSH server if you intend to administer Ubuntu through SSH. Configure an authorized public key through a supported method; keep the private key on your administration device.

If the installer requests a proxy or repository mirror, use the values appropriate to your network. A full ISO may reduce downloads, but updates and extra packages can still need repository access.

For Windows Server, check storage and NIC drivers, licensing, and the intended remote-management method. Linux SSH instructions do not replace Windows access configuration.

Expected result: The installation has the intended network settings and an administrative access method. Keep the console available until remote login works.

Step 7: Finish Installation and Boot from Disk

Wait until the installer has finished using its media. When it requests removal, disconnect the virtual ISO through the controller and continue the restart.

If you set a persistent boot override, restore the intended disk or OS boot entry. Follow the installer’s restart instructions. Some operating systems need multiple restarts, so do not detach media early simply because the screen changes.

Watch the next boot through the console. Confirm that the installed OS starts from the intended storage device.

If the installer menu returns, inspect the attached ISO and boot selection. Do not run the installation again over the new system.

Check the Server Before Closing the Console

Verify Storage and Boot Mode

Log in to the installed Ubuntu system and inspect storage:

lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,TYPE,FSTYPE,MOUNTPOINTS

findmnt /

Confirm that the root filesystem is mounted from the intended storage stack. LVM, encryption, or software RAID can add layers between the filesystem and physical disks.

To identify how this Linux session booted:

if [ -d /sys/firmware/efi ]; then

  echo ‘Booted in UEFI mode’

else

  echo ‘Booted in legacy BIOS mode’

FI

This reports the current boot mode. It does not change firmware settings.

Check the Network and First SSH Login

Inspect addresses and routes:

ip -br address

ip route

ip -6 route

Compare them with the assigned configuration. Test DNS separately from basic network reachability:

getent ahosts ubuntu.com

This checks name resolution through the system’s configured resolver. A failed result calls for checking DNS and its network path.

From your administration workstation, start a separate SSH session:

ssh adminuser@server-address

Replace both values. Check the server’s SSH host-key fingerprint through the trusted console before accepting a new key. A planned reinstall can change that fingerprint, but an unexpected change still needs investigation.

A successful ping does not prove SSH works. If SSH fails, check whether OpenSSH was installed, whether a listener is active, and whether host or provider firewalls permit your connection. Keep the working console session open while fixing access.

Apply Updates and Retain Recovery Access

On Ubuntu, refresh package information and review available updates:

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

Read the proposed changes and complete any required restart in a suitable window. Configure the host firewall to permit the intended administration path before enabling restrictive rules.

Check time synchronization, enable required monitoring, and set up backups before placing production data on the server. Record the OS release, storage layout, network settings, and recovery contacts securely.

Finally, perform a planned restart with the ISO detached. Check that the OS boots and remote login still works. This verifies more than reaching a login screen immediately after installation.

Fix Common IPMI Installation Problems

Problem	Checks and next action
Console works, but ISO mounting is unavailable	Check virtual-media permissions, license, supported viewer, and controller capabilities
ISO shows as mounted but does not boot	Check connected status, bootable image, architecture, firmware mode, and next-boot device
Controller cannot mount a URL or share	Check access from the BMC network, supported protocol, credentials, and certificate compatibility
Installer stalls or loses media	Check workstation sleep, viewer session, network stability, and media-source availability
Installer cannot see a disk	Check RAID logical-volume status, controller mode, hardware health, and storage drivers
Keyboard or function keys do not work	Check console focus and use the viewer’s virtual keyboard or key-send function
Installed OS has no network	Check NIC selection, IP settings, routes, VLAN requirements, and driver support
Installer starts again after reboot	Detach the ISO when no longer needed and check persistent boot overrides
Server reports no boot device	Check disk visibility, boot mode, bootloader installation, and the OS boot entry

Avoid repeated hard resets while the installer may be writing data. First determine whether the problem is the remote viewer, virtual media, or the server itself.

If you need provider help, supply the server ID, controller model and firmware, ISO filename, mounting method, boot mode, storage layout, error text, and approximate failure time. Remove credentials from screenshots or logs before sharing them.

Use Another Installation Method When It Fits Better

Virtual media is useful for a manual install or a custom image. Other methods can better suit different jobs:

Method	Suitable use
Provider reinstall service	Deploying an OS and layout supported by the provider
PXE or iPXE	Repeatable network installation across multiple servers
Rescue image	Inspecting disks, recovering files, or repairing a failed boot
Redfish-based management automation	Controlling supported server functions as part of a deployment process

Redfish is a management API, not an OS installer by itself. Serial over LAN can provide text-console access when firmware and installer settings support it, but it does not replace every graphical installation path.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Can I Install an OS Remotely Without a USB Drive?

Yes. A supported virtual-media feature presents an ISO to the server as a remote installation device. You need access to that feature and a working media connection for as long as the installer requires it.

Can I Use IPMI Before an OS Is Installed?

Yes, if the management controller is configured, powered, and reachable. The host OS does not need to be running. Graphical console and virtual-media availability depend on the controller and service configuration.

Is iKVM the Same as Linux KVM?

No. iKVM provides remote keyboard, video, and mouse access. Linux KVM is a virtualization technology used to run virtual machines.

Does My Laptop Need to Stay Connected?

Often, yes, when the installer reads a local ISO through your workstation. A controller-mounted remote source may work independently of the viewer. Check the behavior of your specific mounting method before closing a session.

Will Installing an OS Erase Every Disk?

The result depends on the installer selections and storage changes. Formatting or repartitioning the target erases data there, while RAID changes may affect several disks. Review every proposed change and confirm backups before proceeding.

Can I Install Windows Server or Proxmox This Way?

The remote-media method can boot their supported installation images when the server and controller meet the requirements. Their storage, driver, boot, licensing, and network steps differ from Ubuntu. Follow the documentation for the selected release.

How Long Does an IPMI Installation Take?

There is no fixed duration. The ISO size, media connection, installer downloads, storage speed, and required restarts all affect completion time. A slow workstation-to-controller media path can delay an otherwise quick installation.

Recommended Next Steps

Before moving the server into production, confirm that it boots from disk without the ISO, uses the assigned network configuration, and accepts remote login from the approved administration network. Complete updates, firewall rules, monitoring, and backups, then retain a documented recovery path.

For a new deployment, review our bare metal server options. Share your required OS, storage layout, preferred region, and remote-console needs with our team. Ask us to confirm the available console, virtual-media access, and installation support for the configuration you choose.