kickstart file cannot be found during a network installation
Hi,
I'm trying to kickstart install several Red Hat Enterprise Server 5 on several computers--their configuration is identical.
I have set up the RHES5 installation tree by copying the contents of an ES5 DVD (made from an ISO file) into an NFS installation directory, in this case /distrib/RH51ES.
I then ran the system-config-netboot utility to set up PXE booting. The PXE booting itself goes fine and the installation proceeds until I choose the correct network interface. The install continues a bit after that and then pops up an error message: "Unable to download the kickstart file. Please modify the kickstart parameter below..." The line below is usually filled with "garbage" such as !H##<CC><CC><CC> ...etc. This can be erased and a new parameter entered, so I've tried "ks.cfg", "/distrib/RH51ES/ks.cfg" "nfs:192.168.0.116:/distri
Here is the /etc/dhcpd.conf file that is used:
# DHCP Server Configuration file.
# see /usr/share/doc/dhcp*/dhcpd
#
ddns-update-style interim;
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option broadcast-address 192.168.0.255;
option domain-name-servers 192.168.0.242;
group {
# option vendor-class-identifier "PXEClient";
next-server 192.168.0.116;
filename "linux-install/pxelinux.0"
# filename "/distrib/RH51ES/ks.cfg";
host bcc30 {
hardware ethernet 00:0E:0C:AB:AE:2C;
fixed-address 192.168.0.30;
#option host-name "bcc30";
filename "/distrib/RH51ES/ks.cfg";
}
}
}
# End
Some of these lines may be incorrect or meaningless--I'm trying a number of things to try to get this working!
I've tried putting the ks.cfg file into the installation directory and also into the /tftpboot directory with no results.
I'd appreciate any practical experience anyone has had doing network kickstart installs or with this particular error.
Thank you!
Don P.
I'm trying to kickstart install several Red Hat Enterprise Server 5 on several computers--their configuration is identical.
I have set up the RHES5 installation tree by copying the contents of an ES5 DVD (made from an ISO file) into an NFS installation directory, in this case /distrib/RH51ES.
I then ran the system-config-netboot utility to set up PXE booting. The PXE booting itself goes fine and the installation proceeds until I choose the correct network interface. The install continues a bit after that and then pops up an error message: "Unable to download the kickstart file. Please modify the kickstart parameter below..." The line below is usually filled with "garbage" such as !H##<CC><CC><CC> ...etc. This can be erased and a new parameter entered, so I've tried "ks.cfg", "/distrib/RH51ES/ks.cfg" "nfs:192.168.0.116:/distri
Here is the /etc/dhcpd.conf file that is used:
# DHCP Server Configuration file.
# see /usr/share/doc/dhcp*/dhcpd
#
ddns-update-style interim;
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option broadcast-address 192.168.0.255;
option domain-name-servers 192.168.0.242;
group {
# option vendor-class-identifier "PXEClient";
next-server 192.168.0.116;
filename "linux-install/pxelinux.0"
# filename "/distrib/RH51ES/ks.cfg";
host bcc30 {
hardware ethernet 00:0E:0C:AB:AE:2C;
fixed-address 192.168.0.30;
#option host-name "bcc30";
filename "/distrib/RH51ES/ks.cfg";
}
}
}
# End
Some of these lines may be incorrect or meaningless--I'm trying a number of things to try to get this working!
I've tried putting the ks.cfg file into the installation directory and also into the /tftpboot directory with no results.
I'd appreciate any practical experience anyone has had doing network kickstart installs or with this particular error.
Thank you!
Don P.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Actually BOTH of the comments put me on the right track and the PXE/Kickstart installation completed successfully!
The dhcpd.conf file worked as configured in the question, although I did remove the commented out lines.
What really solved the issue was entering the correct URL for the kickstart file in the system-config-netboot configurator. The entry here needed to be: "nfs:129.197.0.116:/distri
A note: strangely, the "nfs:129.197.0.116:/distri
In any case, thank you!
Don P.
The dhcpd.conf file worked as configured in the question, although I did remove the commented out lines.
What really solved the issue was entering the correct URL for the kickstart file in the system-config-netboot configurator. The entry here needed to be: "nfs:129.197.0.116:/distri
A note: strangely, the "nfs:129.197.0.116:/distri
In any case, thank you!
Don P.
ASKER
I will try your "default" suggestion first. Yes, when I ran the system-config-netboot, it did prompt for the ks file name. Don't have the server available at the moment, so don't remember exactly what my entry was. Probably something like "/distrib/RH51ES/ks.cfg"
Yes, it could be something about the NFS configuration, but successfully mounted the NFS share on another system with no problem. I did specify the nfs:192.168.0.116:/distrib
If NFS just will not work, I'll do the http method; had not considered that http will be a lot easier to troubleshoot--that is a good suggestion...
I'll post again when I have some results...
Thanks again,
Don P.