Unattended Network Install

Markus Baertschi

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Jun 4, 2005, 5:00:55 AM6/4/05

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I'm trying to set up a fully unattened network install. My objective is
to boot and install my servers without manual intervention, CD etc.

After two days of reading and testing we have only a partial success. We
can boot the server remotely with bootp/dhcpd/tftp. But after booting
the install image it asks for CD1 to be inserted.

How do I tell my install image to mount the CD's via NFS instead ?

Markus

Gordon Ross

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Jun 4, 2005, 5:26:19 AM6/4/05

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Are you using an installation server ? I don't do unattended installs
(but would be gratefull for any hints 'n' tips) but with the
installation server, you never get asked for CDs as everything is held
on a server and served via NFS. The only CD I need is CD1 to do the
inital boot/start of the installation.

GTG

Markus Baertschi

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Jun 4, 2005, 8:16:02 AM6/4/05

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Gordon Ross wrote:
> Are you using an installation server ? I don't do unattended installs
> (but would be gratefull for any hints 'n' tips) but with the
> installation server, you never get asked for CDs as everything is held
> on a server and served via NFS. The only CD I need is CD1 to do the
> inital boot/start of the installation.
>
> GTG

I don't want to boot from CD1, but boot from the network and the use the
installation server. I'm up to the point that network boot is working,
but it asks for CD1 after booting, I'm looking to get around this.

Markus

Justin Grote

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Jun 4, 2005, 10:10:38 AM6/4/05

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Aaron and I wrote an article on this subject:

http://support.novell.com/techcenter/articles/tp10009.html

--
__________________________
Justin Grote
Network Architect
JWG Networks

Aaron Gresko

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Jun 6, 2005, 11:01:23 AM6/6/05

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On Sat, 04 Jun 2005 12:16:02 +0000, Markus Baertschi wrote:

> I don't want to boot from CD1, but boot from the network and the use the
> installation server. I'm up to the point that network boot is working, but
> it asks for CD1 after booting, I'm looking to get around this.
>
> Markus

You need to add a boot parameter to deliver the install
location as follows: install=nfs://server_ip/path_to_install_files

Myneni

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Jun 6, 2005, 5:07:48 PM6/6/05

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Try looking at SystemImager.

Thx
Myneni

No Spam!

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Oct 17, 2005, 2:48:02 PM10/17/05

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If you are doing a network install and booting off the network using
DHCP, then I assume you are using the network enabled version of grub
(PXEgrub), right?

Your DHCP server should specify the image for network grub, as well as
the menu.lst file. The line should look something like:

option pxe-menu "/grub/menu.lst";

You'll also need to tell the DHCP server to use option 150 for
pxe-menu... (option pxe-menu code 150 = text;)

In the menu.lst file (which is somewhere on your installation server)
you should pass the appropriate kernel arguments
(autoyast=http://.../file.xml install=http://install-source-path/) for
an automated installation. You should also specify the arguments for a
network installation source.

--
Chander Ganesan
Open Technology Group, Inc.
One Copley Parkway, Suite 210
Morrisville, NC 27560
Phone: 877-258-8987/919-463-0999
Fax: 919-386-0158
http://www.otg-nc.com

Torsten Bloth

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Nov 8, 2005, 4:07:09 PM11/8/05

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Aloha,

you don't need PXEgrub. What you need is at least a PXE-enabled NIC (and
that is common for server and newer NICs).
So you have to install pxe, tftp and dhcpd. Point the 'filename' to
whatever you need.

If you have not a pxe ready NIC, PXEgrub is your friend.

Have fun,

Torsten