This section describes how to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux v.4 Update 3 or later from an established PXE-based network environment using a customer-provided KickStart image.
KickStart is Red Hat's automated installation method. It enables a system administrator to create a single image containing the settings for some to all installation and configuration parameters that are normally provided during a typical Red Hat Linux installation. Typically, a KickStart image is placed on a single network server and read by multiple systems for installation.
The following procedure documents the initial steps you must perform to install RHEL4 over the network. Specifically, this procedure explains the steps for selecting the Sun Blade Server Module PXE network interface card that has been configured to communicate over the same network as the KickStart installation server.
If you are installing RHEL4 and using Sun-provided RHEL4 CDs, you must upgrade the RHEL4 operating system to Update 3 immediately after completing the installation.
The following procedure to install RHEL4 from a KickStart file requires you to have:
Already prepared a valid KickStart file with the Red Hat 4.0 operating system and Update 3 files.
The KickStart file should be preconfigured with the ACPI driver entabled to support hot plug operations. For more information, see POST Linux Installation Requirement For Hot Plug.
The KickStart file should be preconfigured to support the required 1024 X 768 display resolution.
For RHEL4: Use the following kernel argument: resolution=1024x768 to set the proper resolution.
For RHEL5: Use the following kernel argument: vesa to set the required resolution to 1024x768.
Information concerning how to properly set up and deploy a KickStart installation environment is outside the scope of this installation topic. Setting up a KickStart environment typically involves: creating a KickStart image, creating a boot diskette that contains the KickStart image or placing the Kickstart image on a shared-network location, and making the installation tree available. For complete details, see Red Hat's KickStart documentation
Follow this procedure to install RHEL4 or RHEL5 via PXE:
Reset the Sun Blade Server Module, for example:
From the ILOM web interface, select Reset on the Remote Power Control tab.
or
Press the Power button (momentary, 1 second) on the front panel of the blade to turn off the blade, then press the Power button (momentary, 1 second) to turn on the blade.
The BIOS screen appears
Press
F8
to specify a temporary boot device.
The Please Select Boot device menu appears listing the available boot device.
In the Please Select Boot menu, select the appropriate PXE install boot device. The PXE install boot device is the physical network port configured to communicate with your network install server.
You can determine the PXE interface boot device by (1) matching the
PXE:Slot#
(listed on the Please Select Boot Device menu) with the physical labeled NEM or EM slot number on the chassis, and (2) matching the
F#
(listed on the Please Select Boot Device menu) with the physical labeled NIC port number on the NEM (0.0 to 9.1) or EM (1 or 0). For more
information about chassis slot locations and connections, see About External I/O Ports and Power Inlets
The Please Select Boot device menu shown below is an example. This menu shown may not match the configuration listed on your menu.
The network bootloader loads and a boot prompt appears. After a few or more seconds the installation kernel will begin to load.
After a few seconds, the splash screen for the Red Hat installation appears. The bottom half of the splash screen lists instructions, function keys, and the boot prompt.
At the boot prompt, press Enter to initiate the installation process.
As the Red Hat installation program initializes, a series of messages appear. After about 20 to 40 seconds, a message appears about running Anaconda, the Red Hat Enterprise Linux system installer. After a few more seconds the Red Hat splash screen appears displaying the Welcome Installer screen.
In the Red Hat Welcome screen, press Next to continue the installation.
When the Disk Partitioning screen appears, do the following
Select the Manual Disk Partitioning
option.
Partition the disk as appropriate.
Refer to the instructions presented on the Red Hat disk partitioning screen for details.
Continue the basic Red Hat installation setup.
Upon completing the basic Red Hat installation setup, refer to the Red Hat installation documentation and perform the following post-installation tasks:
Configure network settings for Internet access.
Register for the Red Hat Network Service and activate the service.
Configure your system for automatic updates.
Automatically download and install the RHEL4-U3 or later files.