Create a new Kickstart Installation (for Fedora 10)
===================================================

This document describes the setup of a new kickstart installation at
PSI taking Fedora10 as an example.


Introduction
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some NICs include the ability to boot using a Pre-Execution
Environment (PXE). It works by sending out a broadcast request for a
DHCP server on the network. If the DHCP server is configured to send
the client the IP address or hostname of a tftp server and the
location on that tftp server of the files needed to start the Linux
installation, the client can start a network installation without
having to boot from local media such as a CD.

This method can also be used with kickstart to perform an automated
network installation.

To perform a network installation using PXE boot, use the following
steps:

- Create an installation tree for the network install and make it
  available to the systems being installed.

- Configure the tftp server.

- Configure the DHCP server.

- Boot the system to start the installation.


Procedure
~~~~~~~~~

Preparation of the PXE Boot Installation
........................................

Go to the `tftp` top directory::

    # cd /afs/psi.ch/service/linux/tftpboot/
    # cd pxelinux.cfg/
    # cp -a default.testing{,-20081211}

Now edit the file `default.testing`. Add a new entry for Fedora10.

    # vi default.testing

    # cd ..
    # mkdir -p fedora/10
    # cd fedora/10
    # mkdir i386 x86_64
    # cd i386/
    # pwd
    /afs/psi.ch/service/linux/tftpboot/fedora/10/i386/
    # wget ftp://sunsite.cnlab-switch.ch/mirror/fedora/linux/releases/10/Fedora/i386/os/isolinux/vmlinuz
    # wget ftp://sunsite.cnlab-switch.ch/mirror/fedora/linux/releases/10/Fedora/i386/os/isolinux/initrd.img


After having performed a first test installation, the kickstart file
`testhost:/root/anaconda-ks.cfg` based on that installation was
written. This kickstart file was copied to
`/afs/psi.ch/software/linux/kickstart/configs/fedora10-ks.cfg`. Then
`fedora10-ks.cfg` was edited.

`File: fedora10-ks.cfg Version 1`

- Note:

  For testing the kickstart installations the root password is given,
  see line starting with `rootpw`.  In the final version it will be
  removed::


    ##################################
    #  fedora10-ks.cfg   32-bit
    ##################################

    install
    url --url=ftp://sunsite.cnlab-switch.ch/mirror/fedora/linux/releases/10/Fedora/i386/os
    lang en_US.UTF-8

    network --device eth0 --bootproto dhcp
    rootpw  --iscrypted $6$dzHkd6Tb5OuEd92w$1mFgHdoRA9JnIeTz7lq8tvh8Gu1DJPWQyV7LyLGGTEE27ORgF6rYLPDc5nRZRMzoX8Zpasg5UFy4T7jOYyWa50
    authconfig --enableshadow --passalgo=sha512
    selinux --disabled
    timezone --utc Europe/Zurich
    bootloader --location=mbr 

    ### PARTITION
    # The following is the partition information you requested
    # Note that any partitions you deleted are not expressed
    # here so unless you clear all partitions first, this is
    # not guaranteed to work
    #part /boot --fstype ext3 --size=100 --asprimary
    #part swap --size=500 --asprimary
    #part / --fstype ext3 --size=200 --grow --asprimary

    %packages
    @admin-tools
    @base
    @core
    @editors
    @hardware-support
    @text-internet

    %end


Kickstart Pre Installation Scripts:

- /afs/psi.ch/software/linux/dist/scientific/5/kickstart/pre
- /afs/psi.ch/software/linux/dist/scientific/5/kickstart/pre/set_partition
- /afs/psi.ch/software/linux/dist/scientific/5/kickstart/pre/pre_custom
- /afs/psi.ch/software/linux/dist/scientific/5/kickstart/pre/ask_ip
- /afs/psi.ch/software/linux/dist/scientific/5/kickstart/pre/pre_custom
- /afs/psi.ch/software/linux/dist/scientific/5/kickstart/pre/ask_ipaddr