Hello, I've got a machine i'd like to put CentOS 4.4 on. Unfortunately this machine doesn't have a rom in it, just a floppy and a network card. I was wondering if i could boot it, then have it pick up what it needs to start the install off the network and do an unattended install vi nfs? Or, if that's not possible would it be possible to boot and load CentOS completely from the network bypassing the hard disk altogether? I don't need x on this box, in fact it doesn't have a monitor, most of the work it will do will be via ssh, or unattended stuff. Thanks. Dave.
On Mon, 19 Mar 2007, Dave wrote:
Hello, I've got a machine i'd like to put CentOS 4.4 on. Unfortunately this machine doesn't have a rom in it, just a floppy and a network card. I was wondering if i could boot it, then have it pick up what it needs to start the install off the network and do an unattended install vi nfs? Or, if that's not possible would it be possible to boot and load CentOS completely from the network bypassing the hard disk altogether? I don't need x on this box, in fact it doesn't have a monitor, most of the work it will do will be via ssh, or unattended stuff. Thanks. Dave.
I believe CentOS 3 was the last version of CentOS that included a boot floppy. IIRC, the issue is that the newer kernels (with other required components) are too large to fit on a floppy.
Hi, Thanks for the information. Ok, that means i find a rom and put it in the box for the install. This being the case, using the rom to start the box, i'd still like to do the install unattended from the network and/or completely run the box from the network. Suggestions? Thanks. Dave.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Barry Brimer" lists@brimer.org To: "CentOS mailing list" centos@centos.org Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 12:04 AM Subject: Re: [CentOS] automated install over network
On Mon, 19 Mar 2007, Dave wrote:
Hello, I've got a machine i'd like to put CentOS 4.4 on. Unfortunately this machine doesn't have a rom in it, just a floppy and a network card. I was wondering if i could boot it, then have it pick up what it needs to start the install off the network and do an unattended install vi nfs? Or, if that's not possible would it be possible to boot and load CentOS completely from the network bypassing the hard disk altogether? I don't need x on this box, in fact it doesn't have a monitor, most of the work it will do will be via ssh, or unattended stuff. Thanks. Dave.
I believe CentOS 3 was the last version of CentOS that included a boot floppy. IIRC, the issue is that the newer kernels (with other required components) are too large to fit on a floppy. _______________________________________________ CentOS mailing list CentOS@centos.org http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
Barry Brimer spake the following on 3/19/2007 9:04 PM:
On Mon, 19 Mar 2007, Dave wrote:
Hello, I've got a machine i'd like to put CentOS 4.4 on. Unfortunately this machine doesn't have a rom in it, just a floppy and a network card. I was wondering if i could boot it, then have it pick up what it needs to start the install off the network and do an unattended install vi nfs? Or, if that's not possible would it be possible to boot and load CentOS completely from the network bypassing the hard disk altogether? I don't need x on this box, in fact it doesn't have a monitor, most of the work it will do will be via ssh, or unattended stuff. Thanks. Dave.
I believe CentOS 3 was the last version of CentOS that included a boot floppy. IIRC, the issue is that the newer kernels (with other required components) are too large to fit on a floppy.
You can make a bootable usb key to install from if you can get the system to boot from usb.You can set up a PXE boot to get the system going, but it will be a bit of work just to to a one off install. Easier to just hang a cdrom in the unit temporarily to install, or use the above mentioned usb key.
Dave wrote:
Hello, I've got a machine i'd like to put CentOS 4.4 on. Unfortunately this machine doesn't have a rom in it, just a floppy and a network card. I was wondering if i could boot it, then have it pick up what it needs to start the install off the network and do an unattended install vi nfs? Or, if that's not possible would it be possible to boot and load CentOS completely from the network bypassing the hard disk altogether? I don't need x on this box, in fact it doesn't have a monitor, most of the work it will do will be via ssh, or unattended stuff.
if the system will do a PXE boot from the network and you've got a bootp/dhcp server on the LAN segment you should be able to setup a jumpstart and load the kernel via tftp, then install the system from http or nfs. I haven't done this myself in ages, so I can't be of more assistance
On Tuesday 20 March 2007, John R Pierce wrote:
Dave wrote:
Hello, I've got a machine i'd like to put CentOS 4.4 on. Unfortunately this machine doesn't have a rom in it, just a floppy and a network card. I was wondering if i could boot it, then have it pick up what it needs to start the install off the network and do an unattended install vi nfs? Or, if that's not possible would it be possible to boot and load CentOS completely from the network bypassing the hard disk altogether? I don't need x on this box, in fact it doesn't have a monitor, most of the work it will do will be via ssh, or unattended stuff.
if the system will do a PXE boot from the network and you've got a bootp/dhcp server on the LAN segment you should be able to setup a jumpstart and load the kernel via tftp, then install the system from http or nfs. I haven't done this myself in ages, so I can't be of more assistance
As John says, _if_ it can do pxe then you can install. You'll need a properly configured dhcp/pxe server, the vmlinux and initrd.img files from 4.4/os/xxx/images/pxeboot, pxelinux (from the syslinux package) and a suitable pxelinux config.
minimal pxelinux.cfg example (assuming the pxeboot files mentioned above lives in /tftpboot or equiv on your server): LABEL c4_install KERNEL vmlinuz APPEND initrd=initrd.img
The doc files that comes with the syslinux package are good (/usr/share/doc/syslinux-2.11/pxelinux.doc for example).
good luck, Peter
On Mon, Mar 19, 2007 at 09:45:58PM -0700, John R Pierce wrote:
if the system will do a PXE boot from the network and you've got a bootp/dhcp server on the LAN segment you should be able to setup a jumpstart and load the kernel via tftp, then install the system from http or nfs. I haven't done this myself in ages, so I can't be of more assistance
Check out cobbler (http://cobbler.et.redhat.com/) for a tool which helps set up PXE boot environments.
Hi
If your machine cannot PXE boot you may be able to use Etherboot.
hth
richard
Hello, I've got a machine i'd like to put CentOS 4.4 on. Unfortunately this machine doesn't have a rom in it, just a floppy and a network card. I was wondering if i could boot it, then have it pick up what it needs to start the install off the network and do an unattended install vi nfs? Or, if that's not possible would it be possible to boot and load CentOS completely from the network bypassing the hard disk altogether? I don't need x on this box, in fact it doesn't have a monitor, most of the work it will do will be via ssh, or unattended stuff. Thanks. Dave.
CentOS mailing list CentOS@centos.org http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
Dave wrote:
Hello, I've got a machine i'd like to put CentOS 4.4 on. Unfortunately this machine doesn't have a rom in it, just a floppy and a network card. I was wondering if i could boot it, then have it pick up what it needs to start the install off the network and do an unattended install vi nfs? Or, if that's not possible would it be possible to boot and load CentOS completely from the network bypassing the hard disk altogether? I don't need x on this box, in fact it doesn't have a monitor, most of the work it will do will be via ssh, or unattended stuff.
Could you do something like this :
-
Barry Brimer -
Dave -
David Mackintosh -
John R Pierce -
Karanbir Singh -
Peter Kjellstrom -
Richard Bellamy -
Scott Silva