Greetings. We are trying to convert our cluster to run SL 5.0 and seem
to be having a problem doing something that a great many people must
have done successfully namely downloading the kickstart file from the
server when installing SL 5.0 on a node. We are new to SL and
kickstart.

We initiate the network install using Etherboot on a floppy. This
works in that DHCP supplies the network information and tftp downloads
the kernel, initrd and boot command wrapped up by mknbi. Linux boots
but eventually fails stating there was an error downloading the
kickstart file. It prompts for a new ks parameter.

We have successfully performed an interactive ftp install on a
different node so the main part of the network installation would seem
to be no problem. We simply cannot get the kickstart file transferred.

Initially we tried various combinations of dhcp.conf edits and boot
parameters trying to use ftp to transfer the kickstart but without
success. The manual does not seem to list ftp as an option anymore for
transferring the kickstart file. Is this an omission in the manual or
has this option been removed? (We have seen that system-config-netboot
it refers to appears to be missing. How reliable is the manual?).

We have installed and tried NFS which appeared to be the preferred
choice but again without success. We confirmed that we could NFS mount
and access the kickstart file from other nodes.

We have not installed and tried http but suspect the method of
transfer is probably not the problem. As nonsysadmins who have never
used kickstart or SL it is likely we are simply missing something
obvious and basic. Can someone please provide an example of a set of
boot parameters and dhcp.conf entries that they are confident works
for SL 5.0 and a remote kickstart file?

Any other thoughts or pointers gratefully received.