topic Re: INSTALL Linux on a BL460C in Operating System - Linux

INSTALL Linux on a BL460C

meekrob — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 14:18:35 GMT

Hi all ,

i need to install Redhat Linux on a BL460C Blade system , (ther is only one blade server in the enclosure)
wkat is the best way to make the installation
(using RDP or ILO2 and virtual media)
can i have a document that guide this installation ?
thank you

Re: INSTALL Linux on a BL460C

Delrish — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 16:12:25 GMT

Hi,

I think the fastest solution for deploying operating system on just one server is using I/O cable. you can connect your monitor,keyboard and USB-CDROM to your server through I/O cable and deploy the OS.

Re: INSTALL Linux on a BL460C

Steven E. Protter — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 16:43:03 GMT

Shalom,

You can do a text based installation, but you do need some i/o to do an install.

You do have another option, which is a scripted kickstart install.

Also note, if your box has an iLo card you can access the install interface through there, if you have the enhanced license installed.

SEP

Re: INSTALL Linux on a BL460C

meekrob — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 03:39:44 GMT

Hi Steven ,

can i have more information about the kickstart install ?? and i have an ILO card ,

if i want to use an external DVD (USB) , did the installation in that case be like the installation on a Proliant ML Or DL server ??

thank you

Re: INSTALL Linux on a BL460C

Don Vanco - Linux Ninja — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 13:56:15 GMT

IMO, the easiest method:
1) have the ISO images available vis NFS

2) from the first ISO, in the /images directory, write the "diskboot.img" file to a USB Flash device. You can use "dd" in Linux, or you can use "dd" in Windoze:
http://www.chrysocome.net/dd
As I understand it, H-P also has a nifty utility that will write any image to any drive, but I have not tried it myself.

3) Using the adapter cable on the front of the blade, boot to the USB device (you can set this in the BIOS or in the iLO interface)

4) When you see the "boot:" prompt, type "linux askmethod" and when you get into the installer just point it to the ISOs on your NFS share.

Only NFS can install from ISOs in RHEL < 5. As of 5 supposedly ISO installs work with all options (have not tried myself yet)

OR - if you want to make a permanent install repository that you can use NFS or FTP or HTTP against, simply:

Mount the ISOs one at a time and copy the entire contents to you install directory - in my example the CD is mounted to /media/cdrom and my destination is an OS specific directory in /install:
tar cf - -C /media/cdrom . | tar xvf - -C /install/RHEL4U4_x86

Do this with all CDs

You should copy all of the "RE*.html" files from the root of that directory in the sub-directory "RedHat" as the installer will display those in GUI mode.

Kickstart is good too - but is a lot more work for just one blade. Unless you're a kickstart wizard.

My experience with RHEL4U4 is the interfaces are enumerated in seemingly random order (at least it's decidedly different between Intel and AMD versions). So if you do use kickstart be aware that you may have to boot with the "ksdevice=...." option, and you kickstart file may have to include the "device=..." directive to get at the install media if it's networked.

More opinion. but installing from physical media is dead. Blech. Make a repository once and install from it repeatedly. Installing this way take about 4 minutes for a skinny install, maybe 11 for "everything".

JMO -
Don

Re: INSTALL Linux on a BL460C

Delrish — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 15:33:39 GMT

kickstart is a method for automatic Red Hat Linux installations based on settings preconfigured in a special file.
Yes, If you have an external USB DVDrom, you can install your linux normaly.
you can get console thru iLO or I/O cable and install the OS.
Here is a link to kickstart document:

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/custom-guide/ch-kickstart2.html

Alireza

Re: INSTALL Linux on a BL460C

Don Vanco - Linux Ninja — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 15:43:40 GMT

Pointing someone to a 5 year old version of kickstart is likely not the best advice IMO. My suggestion would be to to the Red Hat support portal and look at the docs for the release you're considering as the options have changed greatly. The documentation for kickstart in RHEL4 is excellent - shows all options.

If you have a current install at your disposal consider installing and/or using "system-config-kickstart" and giving it random options and looking at the output file for clues.

I have a heavily commented ks file that I use for NFS and FTP installs if anyone wants to see it. I do a lot in %post as well, service manipulation, additional RPM installations (via NFS mount) user creation, etc, etc...

I help a lot of customers get to fully unattended ks installs. Boot from PXE, machine installs, when it reboots is a RHEL server of their choice.

Don