[CentOS] Re: %include command in Kickstart

[Robert]

Al Sparks wrote:
> On 2/16/07, Al Sparks <data345 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>   
>>> Al Sparks spake the following on 2/15/2007 6:33 PM:
>>>       
>>>>> Al Sparks spake the following on 2/15/2007 4:44 PM:
>>>>>           
>>>>>>> One of the images (in Nahant) is to boot off the CD and install
>>>>>>> from the network.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That should work BUT I've only used it to get the entire ks file
>>>>>>> off the LAN. Booting from a CD is quick and easy (provided you
>>>>>>> have a CD drive as in this instance).
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Probably the %include will work fairly easily if the original ks file's
>>>>>>> obtained via NFS; otherwise I suspect you'll need to do the mount;
>>>>>>> in %pre
>>>>>>>               
>>>>>> How would I access the whole ks.cfg file on an nfs w/o dhcp?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> That would be ideal.
>>>>>>    === Al
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>             
>>>>> Assign an ip address during the boot process, and have everything
>>>>> referenced by ip address, instead of names.
>>>>>           
>>>> At the boot prompt, I did the following:
>>>>
>>>>    linux ksdevice=eth0 ip=10.254.254.125
>>>>    netmask=255.255.255.0 gateway=10.254.254.1
>>>>    dns=10.1.1.21 ks=nfs:10.254.242.33:/vol/updts/staging/CentOS_4.3/ks.cfg
>>>>
>>>> I get a blue screen with
>>>>    "Welcome to CentOS-4 i386"
>>>> in the left upper corner, with the typical navigation key
>>>> instructions at the bottom.  It just hangs there.
>>>>
>>>> I ping the IP address above, and get no pongs.
>>>>
>>>> Suggestions?
>>>>    === Al
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> Dont you also need a
>>> method=nfs:nfs:10.254.242.33:/vol/updts/staging/CentOS_4.3/ for
>>> anaconda to get loaded?
>>> Just a guess as I haven't done any kickstart installs, so no
>>> flames if I'm talking out of my you know what!
>>>       
>> I'm coming to the conclusion that RH, and by extension, CentOS
>> just won't allow you to use a kickstart file over the network w/o
>> DHCP.
>>
>> I can and have used NFS as long as I place the kickstart file on
>> the CD itself.
>>
>> That's a pain.
>>
>> First look at the debugging screens ALT-F3-> ALT-F6. Is the installer
>> complaining. We mostly use kickstarts via HTTP so I havent tried NFS
>> in a long while.
>>     
>
> The ALT-F2 keys didn't seem to work, and it hung up the install,
> though I'm willing to try alternative suggestions.  CTL-ALT-F2 does
> get me a shell prompt, if I do it during a pause.
>
> What I've finally done is set up a vfat partition on the on the server
> itself.  That way, when I do a
>    clearpart --linux
> in the ks.cfg it doesn't bother that vfat.
>
> Leaving the ks.cfg on there allows me to try different kickstart
> configurations with that server w/o having to make coasters each time.
>
> Once I find kickstarts I like, I don't mind placing them on a CD.
>
> Thanks for the help.  Even though I didn't accomplish what
> I was originally looking for, I learned a lot trying everyone's
> suggestions.
>       === Al
>   
I am about 99-44/100% certain that I have successfully done a NFS 
kickstart using a fixed address (192.168.1.2) on my humble home network. 
I don't think it should matter that I was installing some version of 
Fedora Core rather than CentOS.  I'll try to find my notes but don't 
hold your breath on that one.  I do remember that the command line was 
LONG and unwieldy.
I am equally certain that I have done a NFS kickstart, letting the IP be 
assigned by the DHCP server, with the real (final)  IP being specified 
in the ks file. That was a LOT easier to do but obviously required a 
DHCP server.

The more I think about it, I'm certain I did it with a fixed IP.  I 
remember now that the big thing I had to wrestle with was using eth1 
while letting eth0 just kinda flap in the breeze.  I still can't 
remember the exact incantation I used, but the answer is on and between 
between the lines in the document 
file:///usr/share/doc/anaconda-10.1.1.46/kickstart-docs.html, beginning 
a bit less than halfway down the page below the heading "network 
(optional)".

The 1st Corollary to Murphy's Law plainly states that the first time you 
do this, it's better if your network is spread out over one desktop than 
over one Earth.

Good luck!
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