By: JohnStutsman
Figure 1 – Preparing my Gen8 MicroServer for Installation of WHS2011
Recently, I loaded MicroSoft Windows Home Server 2011(“WHS2011”) onto my HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer using the HP Smart Array B120i RAID Controller and P222/512 FBWC RAID Controller to manage my OS and Data drives.
Attached to the HP Smart Array B120i RAID Controller I used two Crucial M4 256GB SSDs in RAID0 as my WHS2011 OS drive (seen on the top in the ODD space in Figure 1) and tested two Western Digital WD1500HLHX’s as Data drives mounted on the Schoondoggy Drive Mount (seen on the side of the MicroServer in Figure 1). Attached to the HP Smart Array P222/512 FBWC RAID Controller were four more Western Digital WD1500HLHX’s as Data drives mounted in the main four drive bay in the front of the MicroServer.
I used Western Digital WD1500HLHX as Data drives simply because I didn’t have any large capacity drives available to do my test’s with.
I wrote up a step-by-step guide on how I did it including pictures and videos.
The As-Built for my Gen8 (as pictured in Figure 1):
Machine
- HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer Xeon E3-1265LV2
- 16GB ECC RAM (Kingston KVR1333D3E9SK2/16)
- OS: MicroSoft Windows Home Server 2011
- OS Drive: HP Smart Array B120i RAID Controller – Logical RAID0 Drive made with two (2) physical drives Crucial M4 256GB SSD
- Test Data Drive: HP Smart Array B120i RAID Controller – Various Logical RAID Drive’s made with two (2) physical Western Digital drives VelociRaptor WD1500HLHX
- Schoondoggy Drive Mount
- Test Data Drive: HP Smart Array P222/512 FBWC RAID Controller – Various Logical RAID Drive’s made with four (4) physical Western Digital drives VelociRaptor WD1500HLHX
- Samsung slim external USB DVD RW drive (not in the picture but used to install WHS2011)
You can read more about how I prepared for and implemented the installation in my Step-by-Step guide in message #59 & #60 of the Forum thread: Has Anyone Loaded & Run WHS-2011 on a Gen8. There you will also find pictures, videos, and performance charts of my OS drive & my Test Data drives in different RAID configurations.
Please join us in the HSS Gen8 Forums with any question and/or comments on the above and other threads.
References:
ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 Links
How to Install Windows Home Server 2011
Windows Home Server 2011 Screen Walkthrough
Installing WHS-2011 on the HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer with AHCI Enabled
HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer Configuration
Playlist: WHS2011 on Gen8 MicroServer
SGDM-SDM Pre-Production Review: HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer
