Restore a Hyper-V Server to an Optiplex 960, Take 3

Mark Berry April 6, 2013

This is the third in the series of almost annual articles about my experiences testing a Hyper-V restore. I’ve done this successfully in 2011 and 2012. Why repeat? To make sure disaster recovery is still possible, and to try a new approach.

Set Optiplex vPro Manageability Option

Mark Berry July 16, 2012

Almost four years ago, I blogged about how to buy an OptiPlex with vPro from the Dell Outlet. Unfortunately the last time I checked, Dell no longer publishes the detailed system information before you purchase, though you might be able to get the info from a salesperson.

Restore a Hyper-V Server to an Optiplex 960, Take 2

Mark Berry March 12, 2012

In January 2011, I wrote about my experience restoring a Hyper-V Server to an Optiplex 960. That article is exhaustive (and exhausting). I’ve done the same test again and wanted to write up a somewhat shorter procedure. If you get stuck in this procedure, refer to the original article for details.

Restore a Hyper-V Server to an Optiplex 960

Mark Berry January 7, 2011

Recently I upgraded a small server to run Windows Server 2008 R2 as a Hyper-V host, with Server 2008 R2 as a guest as well. I’ve read that Windows Server Backup can restore to dissimilar hardware. That could be especially helpful in a small environment where no other servers are available. Can I restore the entire Server 2008 host and guest to an Optiplex 960 desktop? How long will it take?

Buying an OptiPlex with vPro from Dell Outlet

Mark Berry December 22, 2008

About a year ago, I bought a Dell OptiPlex 755 for a client. The machine came with Intel Advanced Management Technology (iAMT) with vPro. I soon discovered that has a killer feature:  it has a little web server built into the hardware that allows me to remotely power the machine off and on. That's right, out-of-band power management built into the motherboard! For someone who does remote IT administration, that feature can be invaluable. I decided I would definitely look for iAMT/vPro on future purchases.

Dell Outlet has some great deals on OptiPlexes. When you follow the link from the Outlet to the OptiPlex 755 Desktop Product Details, vPro is mentioned six times. It's obviously a major feature of the OptiPlex 755. Intel's list of vPro Skus also confirms that vPro is included on every OptiPlex 755 form factor. vPro is a feature of certain processors, so I made sure that I bought a machine with a vPro-capable processor (an E8350).

Long story short, the computer I received did not have iAMT or vPro. The setup options were simply missing from the systems management BIOS.