Solaris 8 Advanced Installation Guide

x86: Performing an Installation or Upgrade With the Solaris Web Start Program

You can install the Solaris operating environment on your IA system by using the Solaris Web Start program on the Solaris 8 DVD or on the Solaris 8 Installation CD.

x86 only –

You cannot use the Solaris Web Start program to upgrade to Solaris 8 from the Solaris 2.5.1, Solaris 2.6, or Solaris 7 operating environments. The Solaris Web Start program requires a separate 10 Mbyte IA boot partition that was not required in previous Solaris releases. You must use the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program upgrade. For details about the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program, refer to Chapter 15, Using the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program.

You can use the Solaris Web Start program to upgrade from the Solaris 8 release to a Solaris 8 Update release.

Note –

If you are installing from the Solaris 8 Installation CD, for special requirements see Requirements When Using the Solaris 8 Installation CD.

Ensure that you have the following:

If you are installing from a DVD, the Solaris 8 Intel Platform Edition DVD
If you are installing from CD media, use the following:
- Solaris 8 Installation Intel Platform Edition CD
- Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 Intel Platform Edition CD
- Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 Intel Platform Edition CD – The installation program prompts you for this CD if necessary.
- Solaris 8 Languages Intel Platform Edition CD – The installation program prompts you for this CD if necessary to support languages for specific geographic regions.

x86: Task Map: Performing a Solaris Web Start Installation

Table 14–2 x86: Task Map: Performing a Solaris Web Start Installation


Task	Description	For Instructions, Go To
Verify system requirements	Verify that your system meets the requirements to install or upgrade with the Solaris Web Start program.	System Requirements
Gather the necessary information.	Follow the checklist and complete the worksheet to be sure that you have all of the information you need to install the Solaris software.	Chapter 6, Gathering Information Before Installation or Upgrade
(Optional) Preconfigure system configuration information.	You can use the `sysidcfg` file or the name service to preconfigure installation information, for example, `locale`, for a system so that the installation program does not prompt you to supply the information during the installation.	Chapter 7, Preconfiguring System Configuration Information
(Upgrade only) Prepare to upgrade the system.	Back up the system.	System Administration Guide, Volume 1
(Optional) Set up the system to install from the network.	To install a system from a remote Solaris 8 Intel Platform Edition DVD or a Solaris 8 Software Intel Platform Edition net installation image, you must set up the system to boot and install from an install server or a boot server.	Chapter 12, Preparing to Install Solaris Software From the Network With CD Media
Install or upgrade.	Boot the system and follow the prompts to install or upgrade the Solaris software.	x86: To Perform an Installation or Upgrade With the Solaris Web Start Program
(Upgrade only) Perform post-upgrade task.	Correct any local modifications that were lost during the upgrade.	To Correct Local Modifications After Upgrading

x86: To Perform an Installation or Upgrade With the Solaris Web Start Program

Decide if you want to install the software by using the DVD-ROM or the CD-ROM drive or by using a net installation image.
- If you're using a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive, insert the Solaris 8 Intel Platform Edition DVD or the Solaris 8 Installation Intel Platform Edition CD.
- If you are using a net installation image, change directories to where the installation media is located. You might need to contact your network administrator for the location. The following command is an example.
  % cd /net/install-svr/export/s8/ia

Decide how to boot the system.
- If you boot from the Solaris 8 DVD or the Solaris 8 Installation CD, insert the disc. Your system's BIOS must support booting from a DVD or CD.
- If you boot from the network, use Pre-boot eXecution Environment (PXE) network boot. The system must support PXE. Enable the system to use PXE by using the systems's BIOS setup tool or the network adapter's configuration setup Tool.
- If you boot from a diskette, insert Solaris 8 Device Configuration Assistant Intel Platform Edition diskette into the system's diskette drive.
  
  x86 only –
  You can access the boot diskette software by downloading and copying the software to a diskette from the Solaris Developer Connection at http://soldc.sun.com/support/drivers/dcs_diskettes.

Boot the system by shutting it down and then turning it off and on.

A memory test and hardware detection are executed. The screen refreshes.

When the Solaris Device Configuration Assistant screen is displayed, press F2_Continue.

The Bus Enumeration screen appears with the message:
Determining bus types and gathering hardware configuration data ...
The Scanning Devices screen appears. System devices are scanned. When scanning is complete, the Identified Devices screen appears.

Decide if you need to make any changes.
- Press F2_Continue to make no changes.
- Select changes and press F4.
The Loading screen is displayed with messages about drivers that are loaded to boot your system. After a few seconds, the Boot Solaris screen appears.

On the Boot Solaris screen, select DVD, CD, Net, or Disk and press F2_Continue.

The Solaris Web Start program checks the default boot disk for the requirements to install or upgrade the system.

Note –
If you are installing using the Solaris 8 Installation CD, your system must meet several requirments. If the system does not meet the requirements, you must use the Solaris Web Start program from the Solaris 8 DVD or a network installation image, the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program, or the custom JumpStart method. The requirements are the following:
- The BIOS and SCSI driver for the default boot disk must support logical block addressing (LBA).
- If the default boot disk does not have a Solaris fdisk partition, you are prompted to create one. The partition is created on 100 percent of the disk. If you do not want the Solaris fdisk partition to use the entire disk, answer No and the fdisk user interface launches so that you can manually partition the disk.
- If the default boot disk does not have an x86 boot partition, the Solaris Web Start program creates one for you from a portion of the Solaris fdisk partition. Any data on the Solaris fdisk partition is destroyed. You cannot create this partition maually. The program asks permission to create the x86 boot partition. If you answer No, you must choose another installation method.
- Later in the installation, you can create, modify, or delete partitions through format panels. But, after the Solaris fdisk partition and x86 boot partition are created, the disk is frozen and you cannot edit the disk. If you have multiple disks, you can edit those disk at the format panels.
The Solaris Web Start program detects each requirement on the default boot disk and prompts you for configuration information that was not found.

If you are prompted, answer the system configuration questions.
- If you preconfigured all of the system configuration information, proceed to Step 8.
- If you did not preconfigure the system configuration information use the Worksheet for Installation or the Worksheet for Upgrading to help you answer the system configuration questions.
After a few seconds, the Solaris Installation Program screen appears.

On the Solaris Installation Program screen, press F2_Continue.

The kdmconfig – Introduction screen appears.

Decide if you have enough memory to run the GUI.
- Press F2_Continue if you have enough memory to display the GUI.
- Press F4_Bypass if you don't have enough memory and the CLI displays.
The kdmconfig - View and Edit Window System Configuration screen appears.

If the kdmconfig utility cannot detect the video driver, the kdmconfig utility selects the 640x480 VGA driver. The Solaris Web Start GUI cannot display with the 640x480 VGA driver. As a result, the Solaris Web Start CLI displays. To use the Solaris Web Start GUI, use the kdmconfig utility to select the correct video driver for your system.

(Optional) Examine the configuration information on the kdmconfig - View and Edit Window System Configuration screen and make any changes you need.

If the kdmconfig utility cannot detect the video driver, the kdmconfig utility selects the 640x480 VGA driver. The Solaris Web Start GUI cannot display with the 640x480 VGA driver. As a result, the Solaris Web Start CLI is displayed. To use the Solaris Web Start GUI, use the kdmconfig utility to select the correct video driver for your system.

When you are finished, select No changes needed - Test/Save and Exit, and press F2_Continue.

The kdmconfig Window System Configuration Test screen appears.

Press F2_Continue.

The screen refreshes and the kdmconfig Window System Configuration Test palette and pattern screen appears.

Move the pointer and examine the colors that are shown on the palette to ensure that they are displayed accurately.
- If the colors are not displayed accurately, click No if possible, press any key on the keyboard, or wait until kdmconfig exits the kdmconfig Window System Configuration Test screen automatically. Repeat Step 10 through Step 13until the colors are displayed accurately and you can move the pointer as expected.
- If the colors are displayed accurately, click Yes.
The Solaris Web Start Welcome screen appears.

If you are prompted, answer any remaining system configuration questions.

The Installer Questions screen appears.

Decide if you want to reboot the system automatically and if you want to automatically eject the disc. Click Next.

Note –
If you are using PXE to boot from the network, select manual reboot. You must ensure that the system does not boot from the network when it reboots. To disable network boot, during the reboot use the system's BIOS setup tool or network adapter's configuration setup tool.

The Specify Media screen appears.

Specify the media you are using to install, DVD or CD, Network, HTTP, or Local Tape.

The Solaris Web Start Installation Kiosk and Welcome to Solaris dialog box appear. If your system has insufficient memory, the Kiosk does not display.

You can click on any link in the Kiosk menu.

Note –
In some situations, the Kiosk might cover a dialog box. To display a hidden dialog box, from the Kiosk menu, choose Send Kiosk to Background.

If you want to use the Kiosk after you install the Solaris software, see To Save And Access the Kiosk.

Decide if you want to perform an initial installation or an upgrade.

The Solaris Web Start program determines if the system can be upgraded. You must have an existing Solaris root (/) file system and if you are upgrading using the Solaris 8 Installation CD, you must have a 512 Mbyte slice. The Solaris Web Start program detects the necessary conditions and then upgrades the system.

Follow the instructions on the screen to install the Solaris software and any additional software on the system.

When the Solaris Web Start installation program is finished installing the Solaris software, the system reboots automatically or prompts you to reboot manually.

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

If you are upgrading the Solaris software, you might need to correct some local modifications that were not preserved. For detailed instructions, refer to To Correct Local Modifications After Upgrading.