Installing Windows Server 2008 without a DVD-ROM drive

installationnetworkingremotewindows-server-2008

We've just picked up a cheap second-hand Dell PowerEdge 860 with an SAS 5i/R RAID controller, and we want to install Windows Server 2008 on it. Problem is that the machine only came with a CD-ROM drive and the OS is only available in DVD format…!

However, the server is fitted with an onboard Broadcom NetExtreme that mentions an Ethernet Boot Agent during boot-up. I'm kind of hoping that I can use this agent to install an OS over our local network.

Is this even possible? If so, how can it be done?

If it can't done, how else can we install Windows Server 2008 onto a machine with only a CD-ROM?

Thanks for any help or advice.

Note: There is no operating system on the machine at present. Other operating systems close at hand on CD are: Windows Server 2003 and Windows ME X( – both of which require a floppy drive to add drivers for the RAID controller. (Naturally, the server doesn't have a floppy drive.)

UPDATE
So many great answers, in the end we bit the bullet and installed a DVD drive. Thanks for the help, everyone.

Best Answer

Couldn't you just install DVD drive for the installation time and make an ISO of the DVD on hard drive if needed later?