Automated installations Objectives Creatinig a kickstart file to

Automated installations • Objectives – Creatinig a kickstart file to make automated installations from • Contents – – – Creating a new kickstart file Copy kickstart file to boot diskette Copy kickstart file to kickstart server Booting with kickstart files on floppy, cdrom, http and nfs DHCP bootstrap configuration • Practicals – Perform one kickstart installation • Summary

Creating A New Kickstart Configuration File • You create your own brand kickstart configuration file by using the "ksconfig" command from a GUI console in xwindows. • Ksconfig brings up your first manual installation selections • Once you have created the kickstart configuration file you can copy it to: – A directory on the server which has your network installation files – A boot diskette – A regular Linux diskette

Copying The File To A Linux Boot Diskette • The file should have the name "ks. cfg" – Should be placed in the top directory of the diskette. – As Linux boot diskettes are in MSDOS format you will have to use the "mcopy" command to copy the file: # mcopy ks. cfg a: ks. cfg • The kickstart process will fail to read your configuration file if you just use the regular "cp" command. • Copying the file to a Regular Linux diskette # cp ks. cfg /mnt/floppy/ks. cfg – This is sometimes needed when you install from CDROMs and need to get the kickstart configuration file from another device. As in the case of the Linux Boot diskette method, the file should be named "ks. cfg".

Copying The File To Your Kickstart Server • Whether you are using NFS, HTTP or FTP for your network installation it is best to place your kickstart files in a subdirectory under the Red. Hat directory. – The examples below assume the subdirectory is called Red. Hat/kickstart. • A Note About Using anaconda-ks. cfg – It is possible to use the /root/anaconda-ks. cfg file as a template for future installations. Red. Hat comments out the partitioning information in this file, so you will either have to uncomment it and then make your partitioning modifications or be prepared to be prompted for your portioning information.

Booting With Your Kickstart Files • Boote from your boot device, a floppy or CDROM. • You'll need to use the following commands at the lilo boot: prompt to continue with the installation. – Floopy Boot, ks. cfg On Boot Floppy – boot: linux ks=floppy – CDROM Boot, ks. cfg On Floppy – boot: linux ks=hd: fd 0/ks. cfg – The HTTP Server Has ks. cfg – boot: linux ks=http: 192. 168. 1. 100: /kickstart/ks. cfg

Booting With Your Kickstart Files, cont. • The NFS Server Has ks. cfg • Explicitly Stating the Configuration Filename – You can configure kickstart to use a particular file under the /export/Red. Hat/ directory that our NFS configuration on the installation server makes available. – boot: linux ks=nfs: 192. 168. 1. 100: /kickstart/ks. cfg • Implicit Configuration Filename – boot: linux ks ps

DHCP with bootfile • DHCP needs more – DHCP now need to be able providing boot file host client { hardware ethernet 00: 50: DA: 38: CE: 23; fixed-address 192. 168. 1. 64; server-name ”master"; filename "/export/client/kickstart/ks. cfg"; next-server 192. 168. 1. 100; option domain-name-servers 192. 168. 1. 100; option log-servers 192. 167. 1. 100; option broadcast-address 192. 168. 1. 255; option domain-name ”client. ikea. se"; option root-path "/tftpboot/client 2"; }