[CentOS] re-install over internet

Sat Jun 13 17:08:38 UTC 2009
John R Pierce <pierce at hogranch.com>

Bob Puff wrote:
>>> John: If the DC has KVM over IP, they can connect to his box, can he
>>>       
> do it with that? Lanny
>
>
> Interesting idea.  I don't think they do, but even if they did, I don't have 
> the install CD in the drive.  Is there a way to perhaps load a tiny distro 
> on /boot, reconfigure grub to load that, and then use that to do the deed? 
> I can copy the data to other nearby servers, so I'm not worried about that, 
> but I don't have the install CDs handy.  I could download something to a 
> nearby server though, if that would help.
>   


setup a kickstart server on another server on the segment.   this 
requires a DHCP server, a TFTP server for the network boot code, and a 
NFS server with the centos distribution.  you can put a kickstart file 
on the tftp (or is it on the NFS?  I always forget), and this can 
completely configure the install so it will run blind.     (that -is- 
the tricky part here).   you can at least get console logging via a 
network connection via the kernel module netconsole which you'd setup in 
the kickstart