There is a linux package that you could probably run from a "live" linux distro, including OMSA Live ... if you are familiar with linux. If not, then you could do one of two things: 1) Install Server 2003 just to update the BIOS ... might end up being faster and easier. 2) Use SBUU and SUU to update the system firmware: SBUU (Systems Build and Update Utility - you will boot to this utility first):[URL] SUU (Server Update Utility - you will insert this DVD when SBUU asks for a repository):[URL] Pay particular attention to the Installation Instructions on the download page of each of the DVD ISO's for SUU or it will NOT work. "After that [updating BIOS], is it possible to load server 08 r2 on this server with SATA drives on the SATA onboard ports?" Did you read my first post and the document I provided?  Server 2008 will NOT work with your onboard SATA ports when RAID is enabled (this is called the CERC SATA 2S RAID controller).  It will not work.  It is incompatible.  Your ONLY option is to be able to turn off RAID in the BIOS and use the onboard SATA ports in ATA mode (non-RAID), which apparently was added to the BIOS at some point.  The document I gave you was dated 2008 - AFTER A07 was released, so it could have been added to any of the versions, but it probably was in version A01 or A02 where there was extensive code modification for the onboard SATA functionality.  So, to answer your question simply ... yes.
We just bought a Poweredge 1800 and it had no SCSI Drives in it, so we hooked up an 80gig SATA Drive to the onboard port. When we boot up the system it detects the SATA Drive just fine. We want to install Windows Server 2008 x64, but when we start installing it gets to where you would normally format a hard drive, nothing shows up in the drives list. Wew contacted Dell and they stated that Server 2008 can't be installed onto this server without a cerc sata 6 channel raid controller, but we have read many posts of people installing this operating system.   We want to know if installing Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 can be accomplished with this server on the onboard SATA Drive without a cerc sata 6 channel raid controller and if so, can you please tell us how to make this happen or send a link for instrcution.   Thank You in advance.
Server 2008 install on Poweredge 1800 Question