slackware nfs install - i'm stuck

hi all,

i'm trying to load up a pc using nfs install of slack 10.2

the server definitely is pushing out the folders, as I do get the nfs server mounted to the computers var directory.

and i just loaded in Suse using the same exact folder..so I know it's good. i rebooted the nfs server to make sure it saw all the folder contents etc. tho i dont want suse on that pc, but just did it to verify that gnu/linux likes the card, computer,nfs server etc.

I used eric's / alien bob's script to rsync slack 10.2 and just copied over all the files and folders into my nfs export folder.

Ain't I supposed to point the installer to the folder "slackware" which is the one that contains all of the sections with appropriate packages a thru y?

The installer mentions to point it to where the 'a3' disk is, I dont even see that.

thanks in advnace.

'Slackware' always did it for me:

serverIP
/part4/current/slackware

That works for me...

Forget the 'a' deal...lol

I could have sworn that I had tried that way b4 out of desperation, and I thought it had failed, but it's working right now as I type this LOL

thanks cw

in case any1 needs, or wants to add, or comments:

-boot up w/the slackware 10.2 cd - i used the bare.i (default kernel) for this install. you're kernel needs may be different, hit F2 for list of kernels.

-then log in as 'root'

-then type 'pcmcia' to activate the pcmcia port. slackware does work with the old 'yenta-socket' which gnu/linux has declared 'depracated' if you don't have a pcmcia slot, you don't need to do this part.

-then type 'network'. if you know your net-card's name, as I did you just type "P 8139too" where 8139too is my network card. The "P" means probe, I'm telling the installer to 'probe' card type '8139too' and if it see's it, then it will load modules for me.

,,,,If you don't know your NIC, you will need to put the 'network.dsk' onto a floppy disk prior to beginning this setup/install process. It's a boot disk with drivers, and will seek out your card for you. It's located in the 'bootdisks' section on all of the slakware mirrors. Slackware's documentation on how to get it on a diskette is accurate (not old) i found.

-then you enter slackware installer, add & format your swap.

-then add & format the '/' target position.

-add any other linux partitions.

-now your 'fstab' is setup for linux partitions.

-now back at the main installer screen, choose "NFS" as installation source. enter in the IP addresses as prompted. When prompted for folder location on the nfs server it's like cw said:

/folder-that-nfs-exported-on-your-lan/slackware-10.2/slackware

this assumes you used eric/alien bob's 'rsync' script that he has titled for slackware-current and changed it to do version 10.2 for you and it downloads the 'rysnc' slackware to the above location as shown.

you're looking for the 'nfs' to be mounted for you by slackware's nfs installer to /var/log/mount and you see the IP of the server echoed there on screen, that means no errors, and you tell the nfs mount wizard, no I dont need to re-enter my nfs info, I'm working.

- then choose your packages...and let her rip baby.


--final thoughts as I don't know if you can, or how to do the following:

*these days could we 'mount' our downloaded iso's on the nfs and use them?
*can we put cd's into the nfs server and copy over the contents.

if anyone has any input on these final thoughts post them here ? or link to separate thread

Originally Posted by Old_Fogie --final thoughts as I don't know if you can, or how to do the following: *these days could we 'mount' our downloaded iso's on the nfs and use them? *can we put cd's into the nfs server and copy over the contents. if anyone has any input on these final thoughts post them here ? or link to separate thread

Hi,

I see no reason that prevents you from mounting a cd on the server and share the mount via the /etc/exports on the server.

You could even mount the iso on the loop device on the server.

I would probably copy the iso(s) to the HD on the server and share that mount point via /etc/exports.

The only problem I could foresee would be the cd mount share. When you have multiple install cd(s) the exchange physically for the cd would present a problem. You could use a jukebox cd (multiple cd platters) but the handling of cd exchange may trouble the install.

I really think the copy of iso(s) to the HD and mounting with the loop device the better option.

If you have GBs' of memory you could create a large ramdisk and copy the iso there to share as a mount point. The speed would be the advantage here.

Just some thoughts!

Pat says that to do nfs you have to have the nfs server with it's folder structure similar to that of his, or other mirrors.

Does simply copying the cd's do it now that we have two cd's?

Or would I need to re-create the "filelist.txt"

As you know KDE on cd/2 and most other stuff on cd/1 is my rational.

tho i guess you could just install cd/1 stuff, then reboot after the install is done, remount the nfs, and installpkg *.tgz the rest of the kde stuff.

Originally Posted by Old_Fogie Pat says that to do nfs you have to have the nfs server with it's folder structure similar to that of his, or other mirrors. Does simply copying the cd's do it now that we have two cd's? Or would I need to re-create the "filelist.txt" As you know KDE on cd/2 and most other stuff on cd/1 is my rational. tho i guess you could just install cd/1 stuff, then reboot after the install is done, remount the nfs, and installpkg *.tgz the rest of the kde stuff.

Hi,

Why don't you setup a slackware install dvd on your nfs server hard disk? You could get a slackware 10.2 dvd which is a torrent download.

Oh that's a great idea !

That didnt even occur to my feeble brain as I had only downloaded the cd's becuase the older PC's dont have DVD rom's in them.

Now that's really cool, and that solves the question I posed in a different thread, where I ask how do you gpg verify an rsync folder of slackware. Now I could just verify the DVD and use that, nice.

gwsandvik

is that an 'official' slackware DVD iso? I don't see the listing on the slackware site, a few of the USA mirrors, or here at LQ ISO.

Is that a homeade one? Or an official release that Pat put out on bittorrent?

As far as I know, the Slackware DVDs are not official, but are made the same way that the CDs are, so there should be no problems using them

About mounting CDs and ISOs and sharing them over NFS, I have done both, and have had no problems. In fact, that is how I install Slackware now, for the most part. I boot the target machine with the floppies, then do a NFS install against my server which is sharing out the mounted ISO of the latest Slackware-current.

Originally Posted by Old_Fogie gwsandvik is that an 'official' slackware DVD iso? I don't see the listing on the slackware site, a few of the USA mirrors, or here at LQ ISO. Is that a homeade one? Or an official release that Pat put out on bittorrent?

Hi,

No!

You could use eric's unionfs example at eric's wiki

If you use his example then the mount of the dirs will allow a install from one mount point.