Solaris 10 6/06 Installation Guide: Custom JumpStart and Advanced Installations

x86: Performing a Custom JumpStart Installation

During a custom JumpStart installation, the JumpStart program attempts to match the system that is being installed to the rules in the rules.ok file. The JumpStart program reads the rules from the first rule through the last rule. A match occurs when the system that is being installed matches all of the system attributes that are defined in the rule. As soon as a system matches a rule, the JumpStart program stops reading the rules.ok file and begins to install the system, based on the matched rule's profile.

You can install a Solaris Flash archive with custom JumpStart. For instructions, see To Prepare to Install a Solaris Flash Archive With a Custom JumpStart Installation.

Choose one of the following procedures:

For a standard custom JumpStart procedure, see x86: To Perform an Installation or Upgrade With the Custom JumpStart Program and With GRUB.
To perform a custom JumpStart by editing the GRUB command, see x86: Performing a Custom JumpStart Installation by Editing the GRUB Boot Command.

x86: To Perform an Installation or Upgrade With the Custom JumpStart Program and With GRUB

Use this procedure to install the Solaris OS for an x86 based system with the GRUB menu.

Steps

If the system is part of a network, ensure that an Ethernet connector or similar network adapter is attached to your system.

If you want to install a system that is connected through a tip(1) line, ensure that your window display is at least 80 columns wide and 24 rows long.

To determine the current dimensions of your tip window, use the stty(1) command.

Decide if you want to use a profile diskette.

A profile diskette is no longer used to boot the system but, a diskette can be prepared that includes only the JumpStart directory. The diskette can then be used situations such as performing a JumpStart installation and booting off the CD-ROM.
- If you are using a profile diskette, insert the profile diskette into the system's diskette drive.
- If you are not using a profile diskette, continue with step Step 4.

Decide how to boot the system.
- If you boot from the Solaris Operating System DVD or the Solaris Software - 1 CD, insert the disc. Your system's BIOS must support booting from a DVD or CD.
- If you boot from the network, use Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) network boot. The system must support PXE. Enable the system to use PXE by using the system's BIOS setup tool or the network adapter's configuration setup tool.

(Optional) If you are booting from a DVD or CD, change the boot setting in your system's BIOS and set to boot from DVD or CD media. See your hardware documentation for instructions.

If the system is off, turn the system on. If the system is on, reboot the system.

The GRUB menu is displayed. This menu provides a list of boot entries. The entry that is provided is the Solaris instance to be installed.

GNU GRUB version 0.95 (631K lower / 2095488K upper memory)
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Solaris 10 image_directory                                          |
|                                                                   |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Use the ^ and v keys to select which entry is highlighted. Press
enter to boot the selected OS, 'e' to edit the commands before
booting, or 'c' for a command-line.

The image_directory is the name of the directory where the installation image is located. The path to the JumpStart files was defined with the add_install_client command and the -c option.

Note –

Instead of booting from the GRUB entry now, you can edit the boot entry. After editing the GRUB entry, you then perform the JumpStart installation. For instructions about how to edit the GRUB entry and a list of installation options, see x86: Performing a Custom JumpStart Installation by Editing the GRUB Boot Command.

On the Boot Solaris screen, select the device from which to boot the system. Select DVD, CD, Net, or Disk.

At the prompt, perform one of the following instructions:

Select the type of installation you want to perform:
 
         1 Solaris Interactive
         2 Custom JumpStart
         3 Solaris Interactive Text (Desktop session)
         4 Solaris Interactive Text (Console session)
         5. Apply driver updates
         6. Single User Shell
Enter the number of your choice.
Please make a selection (1-6).

To select the custom JumpStart method, type 2 and press Enter.

The JumpStart installation begins.

Note –

If you do not make a selection within 30 seconds, the Solaris interactive installation program begins. You can stop the timer by typing any key at the command line.
If you select items 1, 3, or 4, you install with an interactive installation. For information about interactive installations, see Solaris 10 6/06 Installation Guide: Basic Installations.
For information about these installations, see the Solaris 10 6/06 Installation Guide: Basic Installations.
- If you select item 5, you install driver updates.
- If you select item 6, you can perform maintenance tasks.

If you did not preconfigure system information in the sysidcfg file, when prompted, answer the questions about system configuration.

Follow the instructions on the screen to install the software.

When the JumpStart program finishes installing the Solaris software, the system reboots automatically. Also, the GRUB menu.lst file is automatically updated. Then the instance of Solaris that you have installed appears in the next use of the GRUB menu.

After the installation is finished, installation logs are saved in a file. You can find the installation logs in the following directories:
- /var/sadm/system/logs
- /var/sadm/install/logs

x86: Performing a Custom JumpStart Installation by Editing the GRUB Boot Command

In some circumstances such as for debugging purposes, you might want to modify the GRUB boot command. The following procedure describes the steps to edit the GRUB boot command before performing the custom JumpStart installation.

x86: To Modify the GRUB Boot Command

Steps

To begin the installation, proceed with Step 1 through Step 5 in the preceding procedure, x86: To Perform an Installation or Upgrade With the Custom JumpStart Program and With GRUB.

If the system is off, turn the system on. If the system is on, reboot the system.

The GRUB menu is displayed. This menu provides a list of boot entries. The entry that is provided is the Solaris instance to be installed.

GNU GRUB version 0.95 (631K lower / 2095488K upper memory)
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Solaris 10 image_directory                                          |
|                                                                   |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Use the ^ and v keys to select which entry is highlighted. Press
enter to boot the selected OS, 'e' to edit the commands before
booting, or 'c' for a command-line.

The image_directory is the name of the directory where the installation image is located.

Note –

If you used the NFS to set the path to the JumpStart directory with the add_install_client command and the -c option, then you do not need to include the path in the boot entry.
If you are not using NFS, then you must note the path to the compressed configuration file that contains the JumpStart directory.

To stop the booting process and use the menu entry editor, type e.

The GRUB edit menu is displayed.

kernel /I86PC.Solaris_11-8/multiboot kernel/unix -B console=ttyb,\
install_media=131.141.2.32:/export/mary/v11 \
module /I86PC.Solaris_11-8/x86.new

Use the arrow keys to select the boot entry.

To edit the selected command, type e.

A command that is similar to the following example displays.

grub edit>kernel /I86PC.Solaris_11-8/multiboot kernel/unix -B \
console=ttyb,install_media=131.141.2.32:/export/mary/_\
module /I86PC.Solaris_11-8/x86.new

Edit the command by typing the options that you need.

The syntax for a JumpStart installation is the following.
grub edit>kernel /I86PC.Solaris_11-image_directory/multiboot kernel/unix/ \ install [url|ask] options -B install_media=media_type
For a description of JumpStart options, see x86: Command Reference for Booting the System.

In the following example, the OS is installed over the network with a custom JumpStart profile.
kernel /I86PC.Solaris_11-8/multiboot kernel/unix/ install \ -B install_media=131.141.2.32:/export/mary/v11 \ module /I86PC.Solaris_11-8/x86.new

To accept the edits, press Enter.

Your changes are saved and the GRUB main menu is displayed.

Note –
Pressing the Escape key returns you to the GRUB main menu without saving your changes.

To begin the installation, type b.

x86: Command Reference for Booting the System

The following table describes the command-line options for the GRUB menu boot command. The options listed are appropriate for a JumpStart installation.

The syntax of the boot command is the following.

kernel /I86PC.Solaris_11-image_directory/multiboot kernel/unix/ install \
[url|ask] options -B install_media=media_type

Table 9–3 GRUB Menu Boot Command Reference

Option

Description

install

Performs a custom JumpStart installation.

In the following example, the system boots from DVD media and the following options were used:

install performs a custom JumpStart
file://jumpstart/config.tar finds the JumpStart profile on the local disk

kernel /I86pc.Solaris_11.8/multiboot install file://jumpstart/config.tar \
 -B install_media=dvdrom module /I86Solaris_11.8/x86.new

[url| ask]

Specifies the location of the custom JumpStart files or prompts you for the location.

url – Specifies the path to the files. You can specify a URL for files that are located on an HTTP or HTTPS server:

The syntax for an HTTP server is the following:

http://server_name:IP_address/jumpstart_dir_path/
compressed_config_file&proxy_info

If you placed a sysidcfg file in the compressed configuration file, you must specify the IP address of the server that contains the file, as in the following example:

kernel /I86pc.Solaris_11.8/multiboot install \
http://192.168.2.1/jumpstart/config.tar \
 -B install_media=192.168.2.1/export/Solaris_11.8/boot \
module /I86PC.Solaris_11.8/x86.new

If you saved the compressed configuration file on an HTTP server that is behind a firewall, you must use a proxy specifier during boot. You do not need to specify an IP address for the server that contains the file. You must specify an IP address for the proxy server, as in the following example:

kernel /I86pc.Solaris_11.8/multiboot install \
http://www.shadow.com/jumpstart/config.tar&proxy=131.141.6.151 \
 -B install_media=192.168.2.1/export/Solaris_11.8/boot \
module /I86PC.Solaris_11.8/x86.new

ask – Specifies that the installation program prompt you to type the location of the compressed configuration file. You are prompted after the system boots and connects to the network. If you use this option, you are not able to do a completely hands off JumpStart installation.

If you bypass the prompt by pressing Return, the Solaris installation program interactively configures the network parameters. The installation program then prompts you for the location of the compressed configuration file.

The following example performs a custom JumpStart and boots from DVD media. You are prompted to type the location of the configuration file after the system connects to the network.
kernal /boot/multiboot kernel/unix install ask -B \ install_media=192.168.2.1:export/sol_11_x86/boot module \ /I86PC.Solaris_11.8_

options

dhcp – Specifies to use a DHCP server to obtain network installation information that is needed to boot the system. This option is not needed for a JumpStart installation. If you do not specify to use a DHCP server by typing dhcp, the system uses the /etc/bootparams file or the name service bootparams database. For example, you would not specify dhcp if you wanted keep a static IP address. For example:
kernel /I86pc.Solaris_11.8/multiboot install \ dhcp -B install_media=192.168.2.1:/export/Solaris_11.8/ \ boot module /I86PC.Solaris_11.8/x86.new
The options nowin and text do not apply to a JumpStart installation. These options are useful with an interactive installation. For more information, see To Install or Upgrade With the Solaris Installation Program With GRUB in Solaris 10 6/06 Installation Guide: Basic Installations.