If you try to do a network install using a 32–bit version of the Solaris OS on the Sun Fire X4800 server, it might fail. It might panic or hang during installation.
32–bit versions of the Solaris OS are not supported. When you install the Solaris OS from a PXE server, the netboot environment must be configured to use the 64–bit kernel.
When a 32–bit install environment is used, it displays a message similar to the following:
SunOS Release 5.10 Version Generic 141445-09 32-bit Copyright 1983-2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved
Workaround
You can fix this by changing the PXE boot menu to include amd64 on the kernel and module lines.
The following displays show examples of the lines before and after this change. The lines have been wrapped to make the display fit the page.
Before (incorrect):
kernel /I86PC.Solaris_10-16/multiboot kernel/unix install -B install media=10.6.78.11:/images/s10u8_08a,console=ttya,install_ config=10.6.78.11:/images/s10u8_08a/jumpstart,sysid_ config=10.6.78.11:/images/s10u8_08a
module /I86PC.Solaris_10-16/x86.miniroot
After (correct):
kernel /I86PC.Solaris_10-16/multiboot kernel/amd64/unix install -B install_ media=10.6.78.11:/images/s10u8_08a,console=ttya,install_ config=10.6.78.11:/images/s10u8_08a/jumpstart,sysid_ config=10.6.78.11:/images/s10u8_08a
module /I86PC.Solaris_10-16/amd64/x86.miniroot