Solaris 8 Advanced Installation Guide

Chapter 21 Performing a Custom JumpStart Installation

This chapter describes how to perform a custom JumpStart installation on a SPARC or an IA based system. You need to follow these procedures on the system on which you intend to install the Solaris 8 software.

Note –

The Solaris 8 Start Here booklet and the Solaris 8 (SPARC Platform Edition) Installation Guide or Solaris 8 (Intel Platform Edition) Installation Guide describe how to install Solaris on a single system from a local CD-ROM. Using the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program to install Solaris 8 software is described in Chapter 11, Using the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program.

Installing Solaris Using Custom JumpStart

SPARC: To Perform a Custom JumpStart Installation

Use Table 21–1 to ensure that the system on which you intend to install Solaris 8 is correctly set up for a custom JumpStart installation.

Table 21–1 SPARC: Task Map: Setting Up a System for a Custom JumpStart Installation


Task	Description	For instructions, go to
Back up existing Solaris 1.`x` (SunOS 4.`x`) files	If a previous Solaris 1.`x` release (SunOS 4.`x`) is installed on the system, you can convert or merge some Solaris 1.`x` files into Solaris 8 files. You can use begin and finish scripts to convert or merge the files.	Solaris Transition Guide

Check if the system is supported	Check the hardware documentation to see if the system is supported in Solaris 8.	Solaris 8 Sun Hardware Platform Guide

Decide how to upgrade the system if a previous version of Solaris installed on it	If a previous release of Solaris is installed on the system, you need to determine how to upgrade the system. Make sure you know what to do before and after you upgrade a system, as planning will help you set up your profiles, begin scripts, and finish scripts.	Chapter 11, Using the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program

Check if the system has enough disk space for the Solaris 8 software	Optional. There are many considerations when planning disk space, such as deciding which software group you want to install.

Preconfigure system configuration information	Optional. You can use the `sysidcfg` file or the name service to preconfigure installation information (for example, `locale`) for a system so you won't be prompted to supply the information during the installation.	Chapter 7, Preconfiguring System Configuration Information

Prepare the system for custom Jumpstart installation	You need to do some initial work to set up the system before you can install Solaris 8 software with custom JumpStart.	Chapter 18, Preparing Custom JumpStart Installations

Set up the system to install over the network	For network installations only To install a system from a remote Solaris 8 Software SPARC Platform Edition CD image, you need to set up the system to boot and install from an install or boot server.	Chapter 8, Preparing to Install Solaris Software From the Network

If the system is part of a network, make sure an Ethernet connector or similar network adapter is plugged into your system.

If you are installing a system connected through a tip(1) line, make sure your window display is at least 80 columns wide and 24 rows long.

Otherwise, the character installation interface displays incorrectly. To determine the current dimensions of your tip window, use the stty(1) command.

If you are using the system's CD-ROM drive to install the Solaris 8 software on the system, insert the CD labeled Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition into that system's CD-ROM drive.

Do you intend to use a profile diskette to perform a custom JumpStart installation?
- If no, go to the next step.
- If yes, insert the profile diskette into the system's diskette drive.

Boot the system.

If the system is new, out–of–the–box, turn on the system.
If you want to install or upgrade an existing system, shutdown the system, then type:
ok boot cdrom:net - install [[url:ask]] [[dhcp]] [[nowin]]

cdrom

Specifies to boot from a CD.

For systems with older EEPROMs, replace cdrom with sd(0,6,2) to boot from the system's CD-ROM.

net

Specifies to boot from an install server on the network.

url

Specifies the location of the custom JumpStart files. You can specify a URL for files located in the following places:

Local media

file://jumpstart_dir_path/compressed_filename

NFS server

nfs://server_name:IP_address/jumpstart_dir_path/compressed_filename

HTTP server

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

If you placed a sysidcfg file in your configuration archive, you must specify the IP address of the server that contains the archive. For example:

http://131.141.2.32/jumpstart/config.tar

If your configuration archive is 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 archive. You must specify an IP address for the proxy server. For example:

http://www.shadow.com/jumpstart/
config.tar&proxy=131.141.6.151

ask

Specify that the installation program prompt you to enter the location of the configuration archive after the system boots and connects to the network.

If you bypass the prompt by pressing enter, the installation program interactively configures the network paramaters. The installation program then prompts you for the location of the configuration archive. If you bypass the prompt by pressing enter, the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program begins.

dhcp

Specify to use a DHCP server to obtain network installation information needed to boot the system..

If you do not specify to use a DHCP server, the system uses the /etc/bootparams file or the name service bootparams database.

nowin

Specifies not to begin the X program. You do not need to use the X program to perform a custom JumpStart installation, so you can save time by using the nowin option.

SPARC only –

The system checks hardware and system components and your SPARC based system boots. Booting lasts several minutes.

For more information about displaying the ok prompt, refer to System Administration Guide, Volume I.

Have you preconfigured the system configuration?
- If yes, go to the next step.
- If no, when prompted, answer the questions about system configuration.
After booting, the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program might prompt you to provide configuration information about the system.

Follow the instructions on the screen to install the software.

After the installation is finished, a log of how the Solaris 8 software was installed on the system is saved in a file, as shown in Table 21–2.

Table 21–2 SPARC: Installation Log Locations


If the system was installed using the	The location of the log file is
Initial installation option	Before the system reboots: `/a/var/sadm/system/logs/install_log` After the system reboots: `/var/sadm/system/logs/install_log`
Upgrade option	Before the system reboots: `/a/var/sadm/system/logs/upgrade_log` After the system reboots: `/var/sadm/system/logs/upgrade_log`

Do you want to add packages to the Solaris 8 software you already installed?
- If no, stop, you're done.
- If yes, go to the next step.

Insert the CD that contains the packages you want to add into the system's CD-ROM drive.

Solaris Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

Use the pkgadd(1M) command to add the package or packages you want:
# /usr/sbin/pkgadd -d device_name pkgid
where device_name is the path to the CD that contains the software you want to add to the installed system and pkgid is the name of the software package you want to add to the installed system (SUNWaudio, for example).

Verify that the package was installed correctly:
# /usr/sbin/pkgchk -v pkgid
If the package was installed correctly, a list of installed files is displayed. If not, an error message is displayed.

SPARC: When Does a System Match a Rule?

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

x86: To Perform a Custom JumpStart Installation

Use Table 21–3 to ensure that the system on which you intend to install Solaris 8 is correctly set up for a custom JumpStart installation.

Table 21–3 x86: Task Map: Setting Up a System for a Custom JumpStart Installation


Task	Description	For instructions, go to
Determine if you need to preserve an existing operating system and user data	If the existing operating system on the system uses the entire disk, you must preserve the existing operating system so it can co-exist with the Solaris 8 software. This decision determines how to specify the fdisk(1M) keyword in the system's profile.	“Preserving Existing Operating Systems and User Data” in the Solaris 8 (Intel Platform Edition) Installation Guide

Check if the system is supported	Check the hardware documentation to see if the system is supported in Solaris 8.	Solaris 8 (Intel Platform Edition) Hardware Compatibility List

Decide how to upgrade the system if a previous version of Solaris is installed on it	If a previous release of Solaris is installed on the system, you need to determine how to upgrade the system. Make sure you know what to do before and after you upgrade a system, as planning will help you set up your profiles, begin scripts, and finish scripts.	Chapter 11, Using the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program

Check if the system has enough disk space for the Solaris 8 software	Optional. There are many considerations when planning disk space, such as deciding which software group you want to install.

Preconfigure system configuration information	Optional. You can use the `sysidcfg` file or the name service to preconfigure installation information (for example, `locale`) for a system so you won't be prompted to supply the information during the installation.	Chapter 7, Preconfiguring System Configuration Information

Prepare system for custom JumpStart installation	You need to do some initial work to set up the system before you can install Solaris 8 software with custom JumpStart.	Chapter 18, Preparing Custom JumpStart Installations

Set up the system to install over the network	For network installations only To install a system from a remote Solaris 8 Software Intel Platform Edition CD image, you need to set up the system to boot and install from an install or boot server.	Chapter 8, Preparing to Install Solaris Software From the Network

If the system is part of a network, make sure an Ethernet connector or similar network adapter is plugged into your system.

If you are installing a system connected through a tip(1) line, make sure your window display is at least 80 columns wide and 24 rows long.

Otherwise, the character installation interface displays incorrectly. To determine the current dimensions of your tip window, use the stty(1) command.

Do you intend to use a profile diskette to perform a custom JumpStart installation?
- If yes, insert the profile diskette into the system's diskette drive (usually the A: drive).
  
  Note –
  The profile diskette contains a copy of the Solaris 8 Device Configuration Assistant in addition to profile information.
- If no, insert the diskette labeled Solaris 8 Device Configuration Assistant Intel Platform Edition into the system's diskette drive (usually the A: drive).

If you intend to use the system's CD-ROM drive to install the Solaris 8 software on the system, insert the CD labeled Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 Intel Platform Edition into the system's CD-ROM drive.

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

The Device Configuration Assistant identifies the system's devices.

When the Boot Solaris screen is displayed, select the device from which to boot the system (either the system's CD-ROM drive (CD) or an install server on the network (NET)).

At the prompt:

Select the type of installation you want to perform:
 
         1 Solaris Interactive
         2 Custom JumpStart
 
Enter the number of your choice followed by the <ENTER> key.
 
If you enter anything else, or if you wait for 30 seconds,
an interactive installation will be started.

To select the custom JumpStart method, perform one of the following actions:

Note –

If you do not type 2 or type a boot command within 30 seconds, the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program begins. You can stop the timer by typing any key on the command line.

Type 2 and press Enter.

To specify the location of the custom JumpStart configuration files, type:

b install [[url:ask]] [[dhcp]] [[nowin]]

url

Specifies the location of the custom JumpStart files. You can specify a URL for files located in the following places:

Local media

file://jumpstart_dir_path/compressed_filename

NFS server

nfs://server_name:IP_address/jumpstart_dir_path/compressed_filename

HTTP server

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

If you placed a sysidcfg file in your configuration archive, you must specify the IP address of the server that contains the archive. For example:

http://131.141.2.32/jumpstart/config.tar

http://www.shadow.com/jumpstart/
config.tar&proxy=131.141.6.151

ask

Specify that the installation program prompt you to enter the location of the configuration archive after the system boots and connects to the network.

dhcp

Specify to use a DHCP server to obtain network installation information needed to boot the system..

If you do not specify to use a DHCP server, the system uses the /etc/bootparams file or the name service bootparams database.

nowin

Specifies not to begin the X program. You do not need to use the X program to perform a custom JumpStart installation, so you can save time by using the nowin option.

Have you preconfigured the system configuration?
- If yes, go to the next step.
- If no, when prompted, answer the questions about system configuration.

Follow the instructions on the screen to install the software.

After the installation is finished, a log of how the Solaris 8 software was installed on the system is saved in a file, as shown in Table 21–4.

Table 21–4 x86: Installation Log Locations


If the system was installed using the	The location of the log file is
Initial installation option	Before the system reboots: `/a/var/sadm/system/logs/install_log` After the system reboots: `/var/sadm/system/logs/install_log`
Upgrade option	Before the system reboots: `/a/var/sadm/system/logs/upgrade_log` After the system reboots: `/var/sadm/system/logs/upgrade_log`

Do you want to add packages to the Solaris 8 software you already installed?
- If no, stop, you're done.
- If yes, go to the next step.

Insert the CD that contains the packages you want to add into the system's CD-ROM drive.

Solaris Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

Use the pkgadd(1M) command to add the package or packages you want:
# /usr/sbin/pkgadd -d device_name pkgid
where device_name is the path to the CD that contains the software you want to add to the installed system and pkgid is the name of the software package you want to add to the installed system (SUNWaudio, for example).

Verify that the package was installed correctly:
# /usr/sbin/pkgchk -v pkgid
If the package was installed correctly, a list of installed files is displayed. If not, an error message is displayed.

x86: When Does a System Match a Rule?

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