> > > On Wednesday 09 February 2005 17:03, [log in to unmask] wrote:
 > > > I'm trying to create a SL303 install CD that will automatically do
 > > > something like "linux ks=http://noc/ks.cfg" at the initial "boot:"

 > > On Fri, 11 Feb 2005, Dashamir Hoxha wrote 
 > > Maybe it would be easier to prepare a boot floppy (bootdisk.img), to copy
 > > the kickstart file there and then to modify 'syslinux.cfg' in the floppy.
 
 > From: "Alan J. Flavell"
 > But surely the whole point of the question was about getting the 
 > kickstart file off the network, instead of messing around with 
 > different floppies per node?

That's only half correct.  One requirement is to kickstart config
and install via the network....

 > We install SL on laptops which in fact /have/ no diskette drive, only 
 > a CD/DVD drive; but the installer can be started just fine from the 
 > boot.iso CD image (and access the SL distribution via NFS).
 > 
 > Here's one way to go about it - which isn't to say that there aren't 
 > many other ways which work. There is no need to personalise the CD.
 > 
 > We prepare DHCP entries which will issue a fixed IP address per MAC 
 > address, and with a stanza like:
 > 
 >   filename "/usr/kickstart/";
 > 
 > in the "group" (this is ISC DHCPD).
 > 
 > On the same server we have an exported filesystem, "/usr/kickstart",
 > which contains the personalised kickstart files, with file names
 > like 194.36.1.xxx-kickstart (where 194.36.1.xxx is the IP address
 > of the node to be installed).
 > 
 > This is one of the standard options of the installer.  Just respond 
 > to the installer prompt with 
 > 
 >   linux ks
 > 
 > and away it goes.

...the other requirement is to start the kickstart install *without*
having to type "linux ks" at the boot: prompt.


 > As you see, we're accessing the kickstart files via NFS rather than 
 > via http:// - I'm not sure how important the difference might be.

I found the difference is important.  I've ended up using the NFS
/kickstart/a.b.c.d-kickstart method because of it's flexibility:
I have a script that automates DHCP config and the creation of
various "classes" (eg compute node, storage server, desktop)
kickstart config files from a master/template kickstart config file.


 > (Of course, none of this will work unless the installer has a suitable 
 > network driver for the Ethernet device in question.  That *had* been a 
 > problem with SL3.01 and the IBM R40e, but it solved itself in later SL 
 > versions).

I don't diddle around with unsupported ethernet cards because
supported ones are so darn cheap these days!

steve 
- - - 
systems & network guy
high energy physics
university of wisconsin