Bootnet Image for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 ES U3

[Richard McDonald_4]

I am attempting to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 ES U3 on a DL320 G2 remotely via a Remote Insight Lights-Out board and a NFS image (I have done this many times with older DL320s). As the server has a Broadcom NIC the default RedHat bootnet.img is not supported. Compaq have posted a 'Bootnet Image for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 ES U2' - (http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/19436.html) but this fails with the error 'The second stage of the install which you have selected does not match the boot disk which your are using'. This makes sense since I am using a U2 boot disk with a U3 NFS image.

I was wondering it is possible to modify the bootnet.img image or if there is a HP representative who can post a U3 compatiable bootnet.img file?

Many thanks in advance for your advice or assistance,

[Greg Wojtak]

Here's what I was able to get working. It's involved, but, hey, it worked:

1) mount the U3 bootnet.img up and get the initrd.img out of it to modify it.

2) modify the initrd.img to add the bcm5700 driver

3) package the initrd.img back in the bootnet.img and write the file to disk

Ok, that part wasn't as involved. Here's exactly what I did, hopefully it will make it easier for you:

# mount /dev/cdrom /mnt
# cp /mnt/images/bootnet.img /root
# umount /mnt
# mount -t msdos -o loop=/dev/loop0 /root/bootnet.img /mnt
# cp /mnt/initrd.img /root
# umount /mnt
# gunzip < initrd.img > initrd
# mount -t ext2 -o loop=/dev/loop0 /mnt
# cd /mnt/modules
# cp modules.cgz module-info /root
# cd /root
# gunzip < modules.cgz >modules.cpio
# cpio -i --make-directories # cd 2.4.9-e.34BOOT
# rm eepro100.o pcnet32.o 3c59x.o
# cp /path/to/bcm5700.o .
# cd /root
# rm modules.cpio modules.cgz
# ls 2.4.9-e.34BOOT/* > file-list
# cpio -o modules.cpio
# gzip -9 modules.cgz

Edit module info to look like this:
Version 0
bcm5700
eth
"HP Broadcom Driver"

# cp module-info modules.cgz /mnt/modules
# umount /mnt
# gzip -9 initrd.img
# mount -t msdos /root/bootnet.img /mnt
# cp initrd.img /mnt
# umount /mnt
# dd if=/root/bootnet.img of=/dev/fd0

Voila!

[Richard McDonald_4]

Hi Greg,

Many thanks, this was excellent information. I have completed the process and now have a functional bootnet.img, but I am having issues with the bcm5700 module itself.

At the Installation Method screen and after selecting the 'NFS image', I am receiving a error 'Failed to insert bcm5700 module'. If I F3 across to the install screen I see the following:

*starting to STEP_URL
* going to insmod bcm5700.o (path is NULL)
error 2 reading header: cpio: bad Magic
* goto url (null)

[koenig_1]

Ok,try this

cpio -oc < modules.cpio > modules.cgz

[Stuart Browne]

There is a U3 bootnet image now you know..