Honest Guvnor wrote: > 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. I do know that http ks works. That is the only kind I do. For SL 5, I make sure I have the "noipv6" in the same line. If I'm booting off a network install CD I use the line linux noipv6 ks=http://my.address.here/path/ks.cfg We've had some problems here, where people are trying to access their kickstart file when they really can't. They are often on a private network, and trying to access the kickstart file on the public network, where they can't reach. Troy -- __________________________________________________ Troy Dawson [log in to unmask] (630)840-6468 Fermilab ComputingDivision/LCSI/CSI DSS Group __________________________________________________