[SOLVED] Kickstart PXE install

vikas027 · 08-04-2010, 01:28 PM

Hello Friends,

I am in a VMware environment, and using RHEL 5.4.

I am trying to setup a PXE Kickstart installation. For this I have configured DHCP and TFTP, made a kickstart file and shared it in the network through HTTP.

My problem is that somehow kickstart file (ks.cfg) is not picked by the machine in which I am installing the OS. Although, the contents of my kickstart file can be viewed over HTTP. Please see KS_Error.jpg.

Code:

[root@ser pxeboot]# elinks http://192.168.1.100/ks.cfg | head
   # Kickstart file automatically generated by anaconda. # linux
   ks=http://192.168.1.100/ks.cfg install # The source server from which all
   the packages and other necessary file needed for installation are picked
   up url --url http://192.168.1.100/RHEL5.4 # mouse, keyboard, and lang
   indicates the mouse type, default keyboard and language to be used during
   the installation. mouse keyboard us lang en_US.UTF-8 langsupport
   --default=en_US.UTF-8 en_US.UTF-8 # Networking :- eth0 = interface name,
   rest are obvious network --device eth0 --bootproto static
   --ip=192.168.1.115 --netmask=255.255.255.0 --gateway=192.168.1.1
   --hostname=ser.box2.com rootpw --iscrypted
[root@ser pxeboot]# echo $?
0

However, I believe DHCP and TFTP is working fine as I am getting the correct IP 192.168.1.115 which I have set in /etc/dhcpd.conf. Also, my label 1 which I have set in /tftpboot/linux-install/pxelinux.cfg/default is working fine as I able to locate initrd and vmlinuz. Please see attached Image_1.jpg

Any ideas, how to troubleshoot this. Please do tell me if I need to paste any of my configuration files.

pcangelo · 08-05-2010, 10:39 AM

Did you check your firewall configuration? RHEL I believe that is installed by default with a restrictive firewall.
Maybe your apache server that provides the kickstart file is not available from outside.
Check also your url: url --url http://192.168.1.100/RHEL5.4 - is your ks file inside?

szboardstretcher · 08-05-2010, 11:59 AM

Just for testing purposes, I would disable all firewall and selinux.

service iptables stop
service iptables6 stop
system-config-securitylevel (disabled/disabled)

imho, restart after these changes and try again.

vikas027 · 08-06-2010, 12:31 PM

Dear pcangelo/szboardstretcher,

I have already disabled SELINUX and IPTABLES. I dont think the problem lies here, because I can access the url http://192.168.1.100/ks.cfg from my Host OS.

SuperJediWombat! · 08-07-2010, 01:03 AM

Try running a packet trace from the server hosting the ks.cfg file, to see how far the client is getting.

Code:

tcpdump -i eth0 port 80

vikas027 · 08-07-2010, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperJediWombat!

Try running a packet trace from the server hosting the ks.cfg file, to see how far the client is getting.

Code:

tcpdump -i eth0 port 80

Nice idea, I will try and post here the output, if in case I need some help decoding it.

vikas027 · 08-10-2010, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperJediWombat!

Try running a packet trace from the server hosting the ks.cfg file, to see how far the client is getting.

Code:

tcpdump -i eth0 port 80

Hi,
I tried the same but no luck.

Code:

[root@ser ~]# tcpdump -i eth0 port 80 -w abc1.pcap
tcpdump: listening on eth0, link-type EN10MB (Ethernet), capture size 96 bytes
0 packets captured
0 packets received by filter
0 packets dropped by kernel

Any help people, I am ready to give remote connection to machine through Team Viewer (provided it is allowed in www.linuxquestions.org).
I have done it before, but I am stucked here

, cant find any way to troubleshoot it further.

vikas027 · 08-13-2010, 01:40 AM

Any help people, I have tried normal kickstart method and shared my ks.cfg file through FTP (Booting the Machine through DVD and then linux ks=ftp://192.168.1.100/pub/ks.cfg)
I even tried providing the static IP.

But, again for some reasons my file it is unable to retrieve my ks.cfg file. Although, I am able to view my cfg file in HostOS browser.

mahi_nix · 08-13-2010, 06:54 AM

Hi Vikas027,

Have you done system-config-netboot configuration on Graphics or you can use pxeboot/pxeos command for kickstart configuration.

Try Below Commands:

1. system-config-netboot

2. pxeos -a -i "Discription" -P "NFS/FTP/HTTP" -D 0/1 (o for diskless and 1 for network) -S "TFTP servers IP" -K "http/ftp://IP of Kickstart Server:/File location with name" -L "Location of Source" "OS Identifier"

3. pxeboot -a -K "Kickstart Server" -o "OS Identifier" "Clienthost IP/Name"

and then restart all related services and boot client via PXE.

Thanks,

Mahi

SuperJediWombat! · 08-15-2010, 05:00 PM

It looks like a networking issue to me..

Can you Alt+F2 into a text terminal? If so, try these and post the output:

Code:

ifconfig
ip route
ping 192.168.1.100
wget http://192.168.1.100/ks.cfg
wget ftp://192.168.1.100/ks.cfg

If you don't have wget availible, use telnet:

Code:

telnet 192.168.1.100 80
telnet 192.168.1.100 21

vikas027 · 08-16-2010, 08:56 AM

Thanks Mahi / SuperJediWombat,

Indeed there is some problem in setting the IP.

I saw the logs by pressing Alt+F3 and saw that it was taking IP from DHCP service of VMware Workstation, I disabled (through services.msc) it and then tried giving it from my DHCP Server 192.168.1.100.

Now, I find it strange that it is giving some NIC error. Pls see NIC_1.jpg.

I even tried it setting manually, but it is failing. Please see NIC_2.jpg.

Now, I will try to give IPs to both the machines (my Kickstart Server and the Kickstart Client) from VMware Workstation DHCP and see what happens.

I'm glad, at least I figured out the reason with the help of you guys.

Alt+F combinations should have clicked my mind.

mahi_nix · 08-17-2010, 05:16 AM

Hi Vikas027,

Do not Stop VMware DHCP Service. please check you network interface mode in vmware and let us know and also paste your DHCP Server Configuration information here so we can able to help you.

Thanks,

Mahi_nix

SuperJediWombat! · 08-17-2010, 05:20 AM

It sounds like you probably have your guest's virtual network interface set to NAT through VMware. Try setting it to bridged mode and see how you go.

vikas027 · 08-18-2010, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperJediWombat!

It sounds like you probably have your guest's virtual network interface set to NAT through VMware. Try setting it to bridged mode and see how you go.

I have configured my Network Adapter (Interface) as Host Only. because I wanted to access the new machine (kickstart client) from my Host OS. I took help from here.

And I am glad to tell you that finally I have made it working without disabling my DHCP service. I did disable VMware's DHCP service as I wanted to give IP of my choice to the Kickstart Client . Though, I could not figure out the reason(s) why it was not working earlier. I just reconfgured everything, it might be some small mistake I was making earlier.

Many thanks to you.

vikas027 · 08-18-2010, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mahi_nix

Hi Vikas027,

Do not Stop VMware DHCP Service. please check you network interface mode in vmware and let us know and also paste your DHCP Server Configuration information here so we can able to help you.

Thanks,

Mahi_nix

Hi Mahi,

I have stopped VMware DHCP Service as I dont require it.
Now, everything is working fine after I reconfigured DHCP, xinetd and HTTP services.

Many thanks to you.