Table of Contents
- Overview
- Step 1: Power On and Connect to iLO
- Step 2: Adding ProxMox as the Server OS
- Step 3: Updating the ProxMox OS
- Glossary
- References
Overview
- This write up is to document reaching the HP ProLiant Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) from my laptop (Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11) for the first time.
- I received the server with working components and just needed to figure out how to connect to the iLO to be able to fetch or assign a static ip address.
Step 1: Power On and Connect to iLO
- First I connected the server to my home router so the server would have an IP address assigned. I did this by connected an ethernet cable from my router directly to one of the NIC ports at the rear of the server.
- Next, I connected an ethernet cable from my Lenovo Laptop to the iLO port on the rear of the server. The HP ProLiant DL380 has a dedicated iLO port which is separate from the rest of the machine allowing remote management of power settings and some administrative tasks.
- I checked the addresses on my home network and saw the newly added server IP. I was able to remote into the iLO, using the iLO html 5 remote console, and poke around the server settings. I navigated to the network settings and assigned a static IP address, so I could take the server offline to learn about the system and install Proxmox as the OS.
Step 2: Adding ProxMox as the Server OS
- I created a bootable usb with ProxMox using
rufus, installed viachocolateypackage manager withchoco install rufus. The process was simple and intuitive. - Inserted the configured usb into the server’s internal USB 3.0 connector on the system board and ProxMox immediately booted up.
- I simply followed the prompts, named server
wonka.pve, and the OS installed with no problems. - Once complete, I was able to connect to the
pveusing HTTPS (https:\\xxx.xxx.xx.xx:8006).
Step 3: Updating the ProxMox OS
- Connected to the ProxMox HTTPS interface
- Attempted initial system update using
apt update - Encountered repository and security errors: Unsigned or insecure repository warnings, missing “Release” files, failed connections to package sources.
- Investigated APT configuration and identified issues with package sources and repository paths
- Manually modified APT source lists:
- Edited repository files under
/etc/apt/sources.listand/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ - Removed invalid or incorrect Proxmox repository entries
- Edited repository files under
- Corrected repository URLs and distribution paths
- Cleared package cache to eliminate corrupted/stale metadata:
- Updated with
apt update - Full upgrade with
apt full-upgrade -y
- Updated with
- Verified system packages and Proxmox components updated successfully
NOTE: I was required to modify the default enterprise url paths (required active subscription) to the non-subscription repository urls.
# /etc/apt/sources.list
# subscription path (default)
https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/pve
# non-subscription path
deb http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm pve-no-subscriptionGlossary
-
Integrated Lights-Out (iLO): is a separate management subsystem on ProLiant servers. It stays on when the main server is off or booting, as long as the machine has AC power (and typically a small amount of standby power to the iLO). It’s mainly for out-of-band control so you don’t need a keyboard, monitor, and physical access to the box for many tasks.
-
POST (Power-On Self-Test): is the firmware startup phase right after main power-on and before the OS loads. The System ROM checks and initializes core hardware, then hands off to the configured boot device.
-
/etc/apt/sources.list: is the primary APT file on Debian-based systems that lists package repositories: where apt should fetch software and which suite or component to use.
apt updatereads it, together with files under /etc/apt/sources.list.d/, to refresh the local package index, so edits there change which mirrors and tracks your system uses.