Using the Sun Installation Assistant for Installing a Windows OS

C H A P T E R 2

The Sun Installation Assistant (SIA) is a CD-based tool that helps you install a supported Windows OS on your Sun Fire X4600 server. It provides a set of Sun-supported drivers that have been tested for quality assurance. Detailed information on SIA for Windows is provided in the Sun Installation Assistant for Windows and Linux User’s Guide, (820-3557).

By using the SIA CD, or a USB flash drive, you can install an OS, the appropriate drivers, and additional software on your system. The use of SIA is optional, but it can make the installation of Windows easier for you, as it eliminates the need to create a Driver CD.

SIA does not automate the OS installation process. You will still need to follow the procedures provided in the OS vendor’s native GUI install program, but you will not need to create a separate Driver CD. SIA automatically installs the Sun-supported drivers.

SIA performs the following tasks:

1. Identifies the hardware on your system and prepares Sun server drivers for the OS install.

2. Launches the OS vendor’s native install program.

3. Identifies and installs appropriate drivers and platform-specific software during the OS installation process.

Note - If your server uses a PCI Express card with an LSI disk controller, you will need to install the LSI drivers yourself. If it uses a PCI Express card with an Adaptec disk controller, you do not need to install drivers.

SIA is shipped with new systems and may also be available as a download for your system at http://www.sun.com/download/index.jsp.

OS Installation Instructions

Note - If you want to mirror your OS, you must create the RAID before you install the OS. See Configuring RAID for Any Operating System from the BIOS