Kickstart Files; Setting Up The Pxe Server - Compaq BL10e - HP ProLiant - 512 MB RAM Troubleshooting Manual

Kickstart files

An automated installation of Red Hat Linux is performed through a process called kickstart. A kickstart
file is a collection of instructions and keywords that the Red Hat Linux installer, called anaconda, uses
to perform an unattended install.
Often a kickstart file is created by using the program called redhat-config-kickstart or ksconfig which is
used by older versions of Red Hat Linux. Anaconda also places a kickstart file in the /root directory
upon installation completion.
Note
For more information about anaconda, visit
http://rhlinux.redhat.com/anaconda/.
A kickstart file, commonly labeled ks.cfg, may be placed in several locations so that anaconda can
find it. These locations include being placed on an NFS server, FTP server, HTTP server, floppy, CD-
ROM, or hard drive. The method described in this HOWTO places the ks.cfg file on an NFS server.
The method described in this HOWTO assumes that the syslinux/pxelinux package will be used on
Red Hat Linux 8.0 to allow the clients to boot to PXE.

Setting up the PXE server

Follow these steps to set up the PXE server:
Install Red Hat Linux 8.0 on a suitable HP ProLiant server.
1.
Note
Refer to the ProLiant server certification matrix,
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/servers/linux/
hpLinuxcert.html, to determine a suitable server for Red Hat Linux 8.0.
Install the following packages:
2.
Table 1. Recommended packages
Package name
dhcp-3.0pl1-9.i386.rpm
tftp-server-0.29-3.i386.rpm
tftp-0.29-3.i386.rpm
Set up the date and time on the PXE server.
3.
Set up the PXE server hostname.
4.
Use this method for a static IP address when modifying /etc/hosts:
•
127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost
172.48.0.1 pxe1.pxe.net pxe1
Use this method for a dynamic IP address when modifying /etc/hosts:
•
127.0.0.1 pxe1.pxe.net localhost.localdomain localhost pxe1
After updating /etc/hosts, run the hostname command to change the hostname:
•
hostname pxe1.pxe.net
Requirements
Required
Required
Optional
4