Solaris Installation Changes Including Installation Unification

Introduced in the Solaris Express 6/04 release, several changes in the installation of the Solaris OS provide a more simplified and unified installation experience.

The changes include the following:

• This release has one installation DVD and several installation CDs. The Solaris 10 Operating System DVD includes the content of all the installation CDs.

  • Solaris Software 1 – This CD is the only bootable CD. From this CD, you can access both the Solaris installation graphical user interface (GUI) and the console-based installation. This CD also enables you to install selected software products from both the GUI and the console-based installation.

  • Other Solaris Operating System CDs – These CDs contain the following:

    • Solaris packages that the software prompts you to install if necessary

    • ExtraValue software that includes supported and unsupported software

    • Installers

    • Localized interface software and documentation

• The Solaris Installation CD no longer exists.

• For both CD and DVD media, the GUI installation is the default (if your system has enough memory). However, you can specify a console-based installation with the text boot option.

• The installation process has been simplified, enabling you to select the language support at boot time, but select locales later.

The (noninteractive) Solaris custom JumpStart installation method has not changed.

To install the OS, simply insert the Solaris Software - 1 CD or the Solaris Operating System DVD and type one of the following commands.

• For the default GUI installation (if system memory permits), type boot cdrom.

• For the console-based installation, type boot cdrom - text.

For instructions about how to install the Solaris OS by using CD or DVD media with the new text boot option, see Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Basic Installations. For changes to setting up an installation server with CD media, see Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations.

Accessing the GUI or Console-based Installations

You can choose to install the software with a GUI or with or without a windowing environment. Given sufficient memory, the GUI is displayed by default. If the memory is insufficient for the GUI, other environments are displayed by default. You can override defaults with the nowin or text boot options. But, you are limited by the amount of memory in your system or by installing remotely. Also, if the Solaris installation program does not detect a video adapter, the program is automatically displayed in a console-based environment. The following table describes these environments and lists minimal memory requirements for displaying them.

Detailed descriptions for each installation option are as follows:

Installation with 128–383 MB minimal memory

This option contains no graphics, but provides a window and the ability to open other windows. This option requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, video adapter, keyboard, and monitor. If you install by using the text boot option and have enough memory, you are installing in a windowing environment. If you are installing remotely through a tip line or by using the nowin boot option, you are limited to the console-based installation.

Installation with 384 MB memory or greater

This option provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images. A GUI requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, video adapter, keyboard, and monitor.