centos pxe install fails

lykwydchykyn · 05-23-2012, 11:34 AM

I'm trying to install Centos over PXE. I downloaded the Centos 6.2 PXE boot stuff, and it boots fine and starts the installer.

I'm using the URL method for the packages, and have tried a couple different mirrors.

Each time, it goes fine until it starts installing packages, and then I get this error:

Code:

The file iputils-20071127-16.el16.i686.rpm cannot be opened.  This is due to a missing file, a corrupt package or corrupt media.  Please verify your installation source.

It gives me the option to reboot or retry. Retry results in the same message, of course, and rebooting doesn't work (probably it hasn't installed the bootloader yet).

Here's my PXE config, FWIW:

Code:

##CENTOS##

label centos
MENU LABEL Centos Installer
     kernel centos/vmlinuz
     append initrd=centos/initrd.img ramdisk_size=100000 ksdevice=eth0 ip=dhcp method=http://www.gtlib.gatech.edu/pub/centos/6.2/os/i386/

kbp · 05-24-2012, 12:18 AM

If you browse http://www.gtlib.gatech.edu/pub/centos/6.2/os/i386/ does the package actually exist?

lykwydchykyn · 05-24-2012, 04:50 PM

Yes, and I can download it in the browser.

kbp · 05-25-2012, 01:50 AM

If you switch to one of the other terminals (Alt+F3 .. can't remember which one exactly) you may be able to see whether the host gets an ip address and dns server from dhcp.

lykwydchykyn · 05-29-2012, 03:19 PM

I clicked over to the VT this time, and see the error:

Code:

try 1/10 for http://www.gtlib.gatech.edu/pub/centos/6.2/os/i386/Packages/iputils-20071127-16.el6.i686.rpm failed: [Errno 14] Downloaded more than the max size for http://www.gtlib.gatech.edu/pub/centos/6.2/os/i386/Packages/iputils-20071127-16.el6.i686.rpm: 19816 > 17488

Is there a max filesize for downloading?

lykwydchykyn · 05-29-2012, 03:37 PM

I switched to a third mirror and get the same error (different URL, of course, but same error with the same numbers on the same package).

kbp · 05-29-2012, 09:20 PM

There seems to be a size limitation being imposed on you, do you have a firewall or proxy ?

lykwydchykyn · 05-29-2012, 11:28 PM

There's no size limit on our network; after all, the file in question is only ~120kb! Here's some weird stuff, too:

- I dropped over to tty2 and downloaded the iputils rpm with wget. No problems. Just to see what would happen, I copied it to the anaconda folder.

- Now, there isn't an error with iputils any more. I get the same error with the sudo package instead! Even if I reboot and start a new install from scratch, I get the error with sudo, not iputils.

I don't get it. I googled the error and all I could find was some references to a mismatched python version, but I double checked that my netboot files are from the exact same repository that I'm pointing to for install. Same thing happens each time.

lykwydchykyn · 07-27-2012, 10:17 AM

I decided to retry this after a couple of months away, this time using a netinstall CD (version 6.3) and using the mirror at centos.org.

I'm getting the exact same error. Am I really the only one having this issue?

John VV · 07-27-2012, 09:19 PM

dose the standard 32 bit CentOS 6 install
you will only get 3.3 Gig of the 4 gig MAX on 32 bit hardware

lykwydchykyn · 07-28-2012, 04:31 PM

What? This machine only has 512 MB. What does that have to do with my error?

kbp · 07-28-2012, 06:28 PM

If you're not opposed to change, can I suggest installing cobbler instead of rolling your own pxe setup? .. I use it everywhere, feature-wise:

- manage dns and dhcp (optional)
- import a distro from dvd
- create custom repos
- create profiles with kickstarts attached

..basically it saves a lot of troubleshooting. I have a cobbler vm on my machine so I can spin up a new linux vm in 5 minutes then destroy it when I'm finished.