NOTE: This is for Dell OEM systems only, run at your own risk.
Recently I have RMAed motherboards for non-branded Dell servers. The problem I ran into is I was getting branded system boards back when I had originally had non-branded. The non-branded BIOSes would just be blank with a progress bar instead of having the Dell logo. I ended up spending more time and energy talking to Dell again trying to get boards to my specifications. I was told by several Dell engineers that unfortunately there was no way to fix this other than the factory setting the board up.
Well they were wrong, and because I didn’t find this anywhere online I am going to detail the instructions. Note: this is ONLY for people who need to un-brand systems from Dell, I have done this with 12th Generation servers and nothing else.
- Remove the old motherboard, and install the new motherboard into the chassis
- Now the first thing Dell training says is to set the service tag on the system now, DO NOT DO THIS YET
- If you set the service tag, the unbranding tool will not work. If you have already set the service tag, more than likely by booting to DOS and using ftp://ftp.dell.com/utility/asset_a209.com, then you can still fix this. Boot back to DOS and use the tool again, except with “asset_~1 /s /d”. This is an undocumented feature that will remove the service tag of the box.
- Start up any version of Windows that is at least Windows Vista loaded. I used Windows 8 because you can get a 90 day evaluation for free. And that is enough for me to do what work I need done on the box before handing it over.
- Go to Support.Dell.com, and look up the box by the service tag to get to the OEM support site. If you don’t have the service tag, look up the generic version and get the url, currently for a R720 it looks like this http://www.dell.com/support/troubleshooting/us/en/04/Product/poweredge-r620. Now if you replace “poweredge” with “oth” you get the oem version. So http://www.dell.com/support/troubleshooting/us/en/04/Product/oth-r620”.
- Go to Drivers and Downloads, and find the download for “Identity Module”, I had to switch the OS selector to “Windows Server 2008 x64” to find it. Then hit “Download File”
- Now it will offer ~3 different files, one will be similar to “R620_Identity-Module_Application_WCPFW_WN32_1.01_A00.EXE”, stating “Identity-Module_Application”, download this file.
- Run this in Windows, it will ask if you are sure and just say yes. It can take up to 5 minutes, MAKE SURE NOTHING INTURUPTS THE SERVER IN THIS TIME.
- Reboot the server, and it will come up with the branding again, then it will give a special message once it gets past post similar to “modifying branding”
- The system will reboot again, and the branding is gone
- Now go into the DOS bootable drive, USB works well, and set the service tag for the system.
Now your OEM box that was impossible to unbrand has been unbranded.
BuildingTents 
Hi danberk, I have an old Google Search Appliance, which is branded Dell OEMR R720xd. I tried all the steps but I was not succesful. I removed Service Tag that worked for me. Then I tried W2012R2, W2008R2, W8.1 but always the same result. I run the Identity Modul Application and after 20-40 seconds something like “not compatable system”. Do you have any idea why? Thanks. Zdenek
Have you looked at getting the identity module from this page? Specifically for what looks to be your system? http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/product/oth-r720xd/drivers?rvps=y
Yes, thats the version I tried. I think the difference is that you were removing Dell standard brand but I am trying to remove Google overiding brand, which would be probably placed somewhere in different location. Well I dont know.
Will this method allow me to take an OEM server and rebrand it as a Dell server?
See this method only works on older gen servers like 11th or before (R710 series or before) I have never tried going the other way. Sorry I just havent tried. 🙂
Or…you get the WCPFW_R620_CustBSU_1_01.exe file and load it through the iDRAC web GUI in the firmware update section- no need to install an OS.
Each server for 12Gen and 13Gen should have a board service utility (custBSU file) that can be used- just for this purpose. However Dell does seem to have gaps, like the R220 and R520 CustBSU files are not online for some reason.
Cool, I have some PXE images for Windows and Linux so I never worried about “Installing” windows per say… 🙂
Hello so just to clarify things here for a OEMR 620, you will need the DBE_identity_Module, then extract the DBEidentiy.pm file, Then you need to login to the iDrac, then under iDrac select update and rollback tab, then upload your DBEidentity.pm file into the iDrac, once uploaded select install, then go to the job que and wait until the job goes from New…to…Complete. Then got to the power configuration page and select Power Reset(cold boot). the unit will reboot and start the branding process.
FYI you will need the asset_a209.exe file installed on a USB DOS Bootable key, Boot to BIOS mode to the Dos_usb_key. Then from c:\asset_~1 /s /d …in order to remove the Service Tag first.
I got the guys at serversource.co.uk in the UK to change over an OEM R640 to a proper Dell system. Worth a go if you are struggling but you might need to purchase a few things to get their attention, I got an IDRAC Ent license and a Boss controller card and then when I went back to them about the R640 as an OEM their support guys sent me a file and boom, full Dell PowerEdge R640 splashscreen and BIOS appeared.
At least in the past you could get the OEM and Stock identity files from Dell. They were usually somewhere on the FTP repo, but not always easy to find.
greetings, would it be possible to get the mentioned file? i got an r640 without everything, no images no logos, no dell text. i found three files by myself, FX4KG, MPHKH and Y5KNV but none of these work 😦
Y5KNV: OEM Blank Module
Have you tried: https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=v5cfj I havent used it, but its labeled “DELL PowerEdge OEMR XL Dell Branded ID Module for 14th gen” and that sounds like it may be it. the words “Dell Branded ID Module” on the site seem to get what we may want?