How to use Dell OpenManage to Verify BIOS requirements for Hyper-V

Background: The Hyper-V Roll on Windows Server 2008 R2 requires certain Hardware settings to be enabled in the host system BIOS, such as Intel VT and DEP. More information can be found at: Hyper-VHardware Requirements  However, with Dell PowerEdge Servers, it is possible to utilize the OpenManage tool to configure and verify BIOS settings, without having to reboot the server. Here’s how….

Step 1) On the Server you wish to enable Hyper-V, go to Start-->All Programs-->Dell OpenManage Applications and launch the “Server Administrator” tool (This will open a browser)

*You will need an account that is part of the Local Admin group of the server in order to have access to the Open Manage Console

Step 2) Once the OpenManage Home page loads, you will want to navigate to the System-->BIOS menu on the left hand side. Follow up by clicking on the “Setup” Tab on the top Menu Bar

Step 3) From the Setup Menu you can verify that the following options are ENABLED:

Processor Virtualization Technology

Processor Logical Processor (HyperThreading)

Processor Execute Disabled

Step 4) If options are not configured properly (i.e. Disabled) you can simply click on the current setting on the right, and OpenManage will direct you to a screen where you can change the settings. Be sure to click the “Apply Changes” button before exiting the menu.

Step 5) You can now “Log Out” and close the browser. At this point you should be good to go. Proceed to Server Manager to enable the Hyper-V roll.  For instructions on installing Hyper-V check out: Hyper-VGetting Started Guide