C H A P T E R  3

Using SIA to Install an Operating System

This chapter explains how to install a supported Microsoft Windows or Linux operating system using the Sun Installation Assistant (SIA). SIA assists in the installation of supported operating systems and requires a licensed retail version of the operating system distribution media to be available locally or remotely to complete the task.

SIA provides OS-level device drivers that are certified by Sun for optional accessory cards and other system hardware. Using SIA eliminates the need to obtain and prepare OS-level device drivers on separate media before installing the operating system.



Note - For a complete list of system and OS-level device drivers that are provided and installed by SIA, refer to the SIA CD/DVD README.html file and the Product Notes for your server.


Topics in this chapter include:


Install an OS With SIA

The SIA installation program provides a graphical user interface that guides you through the initial steps of identifying the system hardware, generating the operating system installation from customer-provided retail OS media, and completing the installation by installing the device drivers that are certified by Sun.

Prerequisites


procedure icon  To Install an OS With SIA Using Local or Remote Media

Follow these steps when booting the SIA and OS installation from local or remote media.



Note - In the instructions that follow, example dialog screen shots have been provided as a reference. Information displayed in each dialog may differ depending on your server model.


1. You should have already started SIA and prepared it for tasks as described in Chapter 2. When you reach the Task Selection dialog, proceed to Step 2.



Note - The instructions below assume local CD/DVD drive access. Be sure to modify the instructions accordingly if you are using a local USB flash drive prepared with SIA software, or if you are running SIA from a remote console (or KVMS) with CD-ROM redirection.


2. At the Task Selection dialog, select Operating System Installation, and then click Next.

This dialog will only appear if your server supports more tasks than OS installation. The dialog lists only task options supported for your server. For example, your list may include operating system installation, server BIOS/SP firmware upgrade, or other tasks.


If you do not see the Task Selection dialog, proceed to Step 3.

3. As the Operating System installation process begins, you see the Install Media Information dialog.


At this dialog, you need to specify the location of your OS installation media. Choose one of the following:

- a local CD/DVD, or

- a redirected CD/DVD or ISO CD-ROM image



Note - Linux SIA installations only. SIA might not recognize the Linux installation media if you chose to use a CD/DVD ROM device other than the one you previously used to boot the SIA program. Therefore, it might be necessary to insert the Linux OS media into the same device that you used to boot the SIA program.


Follow the instruction bullet below that best describes where your OS source is located:

To install the OS from a local CD/DVD drive, do the following:

i. In the Install Media Information dialog, click CD/DVD, then select the server’s CD/DVD drive from the CD Location drop-down list.

ii. Eject the SIA CD/DVD from this drive then insert the first CD of the operating system distribution into the drive.

iii. In the Install Media Information dialog, click Next to continue.

The Identifying Distribution dialog appears.

iv. Proceed to Step 4.

-or-

To install the OS from a redirected CD/DVD or redirected ISO CD-ROM image using the server’s LOM (Lights Out Manager) Remote Console, do the following:

i. In the SIA Install Media Information dialog, click CD/DVD.

ii. Select the virtual CD-ROM from the CD Location drop-down list.

iii. In the server’s LOM (Lights Out Manager) Remote Console, redirect the operating system installation media (CD-ROM or CD-ROM Image) using one of the following methods.

For example, in Step 1 of this procedure if you booted:



Figure Legend

1

From an ILOM Remote Console, use the Devices menu to mount and unmount devices such as a CD or ISO CD image.

2

From an eLOM Remote Console, use the Storage menu to mount, unmount or change devices such as a CD or ISO CD image.


iv. In the SIA Install Media Information dialog, click Next to continue.

The Identifying Distribution dialog appears.

v. Proceed to Step 4.

-or-

To install the OS from a network share, do the following in the Install Media Information dialog:

i. In the SIA Install Media Information dialog, click Network (Linux or Windows).

ii. In the address bar, specify the network address to the media. See the following table for examples.


Windows OS Source

Transfer Method

What to Type

ISO image file in a directory

HTTP

Path to directory containing the OS install ISO image file. Example:

http://hostname_or_IPaddress/imagepath/ISOimage.iso

 

FTP

Path to directory containing the OS install ISO image file. Example:

http://hostname_or_IPaddress/imagepath/ISOimage.iso

 

NFS

Path to directory containing the OS install ISO image file. Example:

http://hostname_or_IPaddress/imagepath/ISOimage.iso

Linux OS Source

Transfer Method

What to Type

Content extracted from an ISO image to a director

HTTP

Path to directory containing the extracted OS install ISO content files. Example:

http://hostname_or_IPaddress/extractedISOdirectory

 

FTP

Path to directory containing the extracted OS install ISO content files. Example:

http://hostname_or_IPaddress/extractedISOdirectory

 

NFS

Path to directory containing the extracted OS install ISO content files. Example:

http://hostname_or_IPaddress/extractedISOdirectory

Single ISO image file in a directory

NFS

Path to directory containing the OS install ISO image file. Example:

http://hostname_or_IPaddress/ISOimagedirectory

Note - The directory can not contain more than one ISO image file


For OSes available in multiple images (CD1, CD2, etc.), additional address fields will be available.



Note - The URL address can not contain spaces.


iii. Click Next to continue.

The Identifying Distribution dialog appears.

iv. Proceed to Step 4.

4. In the Identifying Distribution dialog, review the information presented in the dialog then click Next to start the OS installer.

Windows example:


Linux example:


Depending on the OS distribution detected by SIA, you will see one of the example dialogs shown above. Choose one of the following procedures that best applies to your installation:

5. (Windows Server 2003 installations) In the Windows Preinstallation Information dialog, specify the required information.

The information required depends on your version of SIA.


When done, click Next to launch the operating system installation. Once the operating system pre-install completes, the Installing Additional Software dialog appears. Proceed to Step 9.

6. (Windows Server 2008 installations) If you are installing Windows Server 2008, SIA will create a WinPE partition on the boot disk, as shown below.

This partition is required for Windows Server 2008 installation using SIA.


After the WinPE partition has been created, you will be prompted to select a partition location on the boot disk for the operating system. Do not overwrite the WinPE partition (the first 7 GB partition on the disk). Select a space on the disk other than the WinPE partition, and click Next to create the Windows boot partition and launch the operating system installation.


The partition is created and the operating system preinstallation environment completes. The Installing Additional Software dialog appears. Proceed to Step 9.

7. (SLES 9-SP installations from CD or ISO CD-ROM image only) In the SLES 9 Service Pack (SP3 or later) dialog, follow the instructions on the dialog and click Next to continue with the SLES 9 installer program.


When the SLES 9 base installation completes, you must update SLES 9 to the minimal SLES 9 Service Pack supported on the platform. Follow the prompts to complete the installation. Note the following server-specific exception:



Note - For specific information about specifying the SLES 9 patch information in the SLES 9 installer update dialogs, refer to Novell’s SLES 9 installation documentation.


After the SLES 9 patches are installed, the SLES 9 installer program exits and the SIA Installing Additional Software dialog appears. Proceed to Step 9.

8. If you are installing RHEL 5.3, you will see the Pre-installation Environment setup page (shown below). Select a boot disk on which SIA will create the Pre-installation Environment partition and click Next.


After the RHEL preinstallation environment is set up, the SIA Installing Additional Software dialog appears. Proceed to Step 9.

9. In the Installing Additional Software dialog, SIA installs additional platform-specific drivers, as needed. Review the information presented.

Windows example:


Linux example:


10. Remove the SIA media and click the Reboot button.

The server reboots and continues with the installation of the operating system. If remote update was selected, SIA retrieves the latest files from the web. Otherwise it uses the files on the OS distribution media.Follow the on-screen instructions and perform reboot(s) as prompted.

11. After completing the OS installation, do the following: