I would like to how how I can take the CentOS 4.4 Server Cd for example and modify the ISO to put on my anaconda-ks.cfg file and then modify the kernel parameters to automatically load the anaconda-ks.cfg file so that I can create a CD that I just stick into my machine it will format the drive, install the basic configuration I like without asking any questions. I need to install like 20 machines and I wanted to basically just stick a CD in the drive and let it do it's thing. Any help on how to accomplish this would be appreciated. Devin Atencio
Benjamin Malynovytch
2007-May-17 14:47 UTC
[CentOS] Getting CentOS Server CD w/kickstart config
Hi Devin, I have no idea how it is possible using the ISO, but I know it would be really easy using PXE/DHCP and LAN installation with NFS share on the CD. Hope it will help. Benjamin.
Devin Atencio wrote:> I would like to how how I can take the CentOS 4.4 Server Cd for > example and modify the > ISO to put on my anaconda-ks.cfg file and then modify the kernel > parameters to automatically > load the anaconda-ks.cfg file so that I can create a CD that I just > stick into my machine it will > format the drive, install the basic configuration I like without > asking any questions. I need to > install like 20 machines and I wanted to basically just stick a CD in > the drive and let it do it's thing. > > Any help on how to accomplish this would be appreciated. >Here's how I did it for RHEL CD's -------------------------------------------------- Construct a single DVD from the four RHEL CDRom's Insert & mount CD1 # mkdir /DVD # mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrecorder Copy cd1 to /DVD # cd /media/cdrecorder # tar cf - . | (cd /DVD ; tar xvf - .) # cd / # eject cdrom Carry out the above action for CD 2-4 After all CD's have been copied. Correct the .discinfo file to reference all four disks. # cd /DVD # vi .discinfo Ensure line 4 has 1,2,3,4 A working .discinfo should be as follows. # cat .discinfo 1141417589.425945 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 i386 1,2,3,4 RedHat/base RedHat/RPMS RedHat/pixmaps Create the bootable ISO file. (all on one line) # mkisofs -A "RHEL/4.3 i386 3AS" -o DVD.iso -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -R -J -v -T /DVD Burn the DVD.iso as an image not a file. References http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/RHEL-4-Manual/x8664-multi- install-guide/s1-steps-install-cdrom.html Modify the DVD to include custom kickstart scripts. Create the /DVD tree as per the previous steps. The default files read on boot up of an RH install CDRom are located in /isolinux/ To run custom kickstart scripts we need to modify the /isolinux/isolinux.cfg and add the kickstart file to the boot process. See here for kickstart script generation. For each kickstart install we need to add 3 lines to the isolinux.cfg file. A label line - This is the identifier you type at the linux boot prompt A kernel line - This does not change A append line - This is where we tell the boot process to use a kickstart file. Firstly backup the original file. # cp /DVD/isolinux/isolinux.cfg /DVD/isolinux/isolinux.cfg.orig Now edit and add our custom kickstart file. # vi /DVD/isolinux/isolinux.cfg Add label myboot1 kernel vmlinuz append initrd=initrd.img ramdisk_size=8192 ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg This will enable you to type myboot1 at the boot prompt which will call the ks.cfg located in the / of the DVD disk. Multiple kickstart files can be added by using different label and append lines. For Example: label myboot1 kernel vmlinuz append initrd=initrd.img ramdisk_size=8192 ks=cdrom:/ks1.cfg label myboot2 kernel vmlinuz append initrd=initrd.img ramdisk_size=8192 ks=cdrom:/ks2.cfg -------------------------------------------------- Have fun. Dean