Hi all,

I got this done:

1/ create ks.cfg with option NFS install ( severname and files location)
2/ NFS with all IOS image ready for RedHat install
3/ DNS, Dhcp on my LAN
4/ create boot diskette for RedHat

Here what I want:

1/ Be able to install RedHat over the network using IOS image on my NFS server.

My question:

1/ Where should I place my ks.cfg? on same boot diskette I create in step (4)? or on my NFS server?

2/ At the machine I try to install RedHat? How can I tell them to get IP address so Its can contact my NFS server where all the files need for install?

Any help please?

BEn,

I did try

boot: ks=nfs:192.168.0.2:/RedHat/ks.cfg

But I got this ERROR message:
could not find kernel image: ks=nfs:192.168.0.2:/RedHat/ks.cfg

I did place ks.cfg file there. And also run this
cp -var /mnt/cdrom/RedHat /RedHat

Could someone tell me what I did wrong here. I read all the Howto, none of them give me complete instruction.

BEn,

How do you supply Network Driver to your Network Card? I am using KickStart Application that comes with RedHat 9 to create my ks.cfg. I don/t see how with the boot disk I create will get the Network Card function here?

Anyone done this, please help me? I am pretty at the end of the road now. There are no good docs out there on this topic. This is a real draw back for Linux?

BEn,

Hi all,

How do you create kickstart boot diskette? is it contain any network driver?

Please help anyone?

BEn,

Did you look at Kickstart Installations and Kickstart Configurator?

Starting a Kickstart Installation is probably what you will want to read.

Make sure the /Redhat directory is mountable from another machine on the network.

You can follow Making an Installation Boot Diskette and you will need to make the disk from drvnet.img.

You can start the installation by doing:

linux dd ks=nfs:192.168.0.2:/RedHat/ks.cfg

The dd will allow the system to prompt you for the driver disk. Hopefully it should auto detect the nic. I normally boot right off the CD and do someting like linux ks=nfs:192.168.0.2:/RedHat/ks.cfg.

Hope this helps.

Sidmark-2850,

Thanks for the reply. I did read all the link that you suggest. I also create the boot diskette as you suggest. Boot off the CD. You name it. I am not sure where are my mistake. Tomorrow when I get in, I will try with the dd option:

linux dd ks=nfs:192.168.0.2:/RedHat/ks.cfg

When I check the /var/log/message on NFS server, I don/t see any activities of mounting.

Will let you know the outcome when I try out tomorrow....

Thanks.

BEn,

HI all,

Install RedHat 9, when select installation method "NFS image"

I got this:

_____________________

No driver found

Unable to find any devices of the type needed for this installation type. Would you like to manually select your driver or use a driver disk?
_____________________

Is this a nic driver? That some thing I don/t understand?

BEn

How am I get the ip at boot time so I can do KS with NFS? God why Linux make everything harder than it should be....

Can you explain yourself a little more?

Basically its like this:

the Kickstart diskette loads into kickstart/text install then asked for where you want to install from....if you choose NFS like we want to it asks for the drivers for the network card.... we put in the driver disk that comes with the network card....Netgear ****310tx or somethin and it doesnt recognize it as the driver disk

any help on if there is only certain supported cards? maybe i should try a diff ccard? I am working along side Ben(ongxanga) so we would appreciate your help

Did the nic work at all when the operating system was up and running? While the system is running do cat /proc/modules. Post the output. Your card's module might be listed there.

Question: Does anyone know how to find the nic driver if it it built into the kernel statically as opposed to being built as a module.

I looked at the output of my /proc/modules and did not find mine there because mine is linked statically. Mine is a 3com and I compiled it in. Can't remember my module offhand.

Since you are using RH9, you can make a bootable CD from the boot.iso file in the images directory. It should contain all the drivers without using additional disks. Or, you can boot from the original cd and type "linux askmethod" and try to perform a regular unkickstarted NFS install.

Does that work or does it not find the driver at all?

Hi,

I am create a installation tree like this

creat /RedHat

cp -var /mnt/cdrom/RedHat /RedHat

Then I kickstart with NFS but it complaint not able to find Installation Tree

Ben,

Since you did not mention anything about the disk, I take it that the install disk works and the network driver is detected. You need to create the installation tree and export it.

Copy all of the contents of the first 3 CDs, not just the RedHat folder. At least, that's what I did.

Repeat for disks 2 and 3.

You also need an entry in your /etc/exports file. A simple entry is:
Once, you have done that, activate the NFS services and make sure that it is booted with the machine. Go to another machine and make sure that the /RedHat share is mountable and readable.

Your next step should be to try a regular unkickstarted NFS install to see if it works correctly. You can check what is wrong by going to the 3rd and 4th console during the install. (Alt + F3 / Alt + F4). These two screens should be especially helpful when trying to find out what went wrong. If nothing goes wrong, then try the kickstarted NFS install.

sidmark-2850,

Finanlly me and my buddy able to get Kickstart work with your help. We would like to say thanks to you...

BEn,

Cool. What was the problem. What did you do to fix it?