# How to boot a server into a custom ISO image using iDRAC (/docs/tutorials/idrac-boot-management/how-to-boot-server-custom-iso-idrac)











Your Dell server's out-of-band management (OOB) platform is called [iDRAC](https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000179517/dell-poweredge-how-to-configure-the-idrac-system-management-options-on-servers). It's a piece of dedicated hardware on the server's motherboard, allowing system administrators to access the server's console remotely and attach virtual media.

iDRAC provides remote console and virtual media capabilities even when your server's OS fails to boot, or there is no OS installed at all. Please refer to "[How to access the out-of-band management interface of a Dell server called iDRAC](/tutorials/idrac-setup/how-to-access-oob-management)" for instructions on how to access iDRAC of your server.

The Virtual Media feature of iDRAC allows system administrators to boot their servers into custom ISO images located on an SMB share or an administrator's workstation.

### Enabling the Virtual Media feature in iDRAC

You may need to enable the Virtual Media feature in the **Configuration** section of the iDRAC web interface. To do so, navigate to **Configuration** → **Virtual Media** and set the **Enabled** property value to `Enabled`:

<img alt="You may need to enable the Virtual Media feature in the Configuration section of iDRAC web interface" src={__img0} />

### Using a local ISO image as Virtual Media

You can use an ISO image located on your workstation as virtual media on the server. To do that, you need to launch **Virtual Console** within iDRAC and click **Connect Virtual Media**:

<img alt="you need to launch Virtual Console within iDRAC and click Connect Virtual Media" src={__img1} />

You will be asked to select a file:

<img alt="You will be asked to select a file" src={__img2} />

Press **F11** during startup to select the boot device or **F2** to set boot order through BIOS.

For additional instructions, please refer to the Dell documentation for your iDRAC version:

#### iDRAC 9

* [Using the Virtual Media function on iDRAC6, iDRAC7, iDRAC8 and iDRAC9](https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000124001/using-the-virtual-media-function-on-idrac-6-7-8-and-9)
* [iDRAC 9 User's Guide – Launching virtual media using virtual console](https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-us/idrac9-lifecycle-controller-v3.3-series/idrac9_3.36.36.36_ug/launching-virtual-media-using-virtual-console?guid=guid-4ad23c7d-b1ed-43c8-b601-630c0174c174\&lang=en-us)

#### iDRAC 7/8

* [iDRAC 8/7 User's Guide – Launching virtual media using virtual console](https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-us/idrac7-8-lifecycle-controller-v2.50.50.50/idrac_2.50.50.50_ug_pub/launching-virtual-media-using-virtual-console?guid=guid-2f69a16f-bfc7-4d06-88b0-5312e7d2a42a\&lang=en-us)

### Using an ISO file on a remote file share as a Virtual Media

You can use an ISO image located on a remote file share as virtual media on the server. Depending on the version, iDRAC on your server supports CIFS (SMB) shares or CIFS (SMB) and HTTP/HTTPS.

Use an IPv4 host address in the **Image File Path** field as iDRAC can't resolve DNS hostnames.

Please note that the OOB network connecting your bare-metal servers is separated from the private network and the Internet. As such, your server's iDRAC can't access any remote file shares by default. You should turn on the **Enable public access for 24 hours** feature to allow your server's iDRAC to access external networks.

You can set up the remote file share in the **Virtual Media** configuration section:

<img alt="You can set up the remote file share in the Virtual Media configuration section" src={__img3} />

After connecting the image, press **F11** during startup to select the boot device or **F2** to set boot order through BIOS.