On Fri, 11 Feb 2005, Dashamir Hoxha wrote [re-arranged to 
chronological order]:

> 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:"

> 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.

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?

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.

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.


(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).

hope this helps