> The revisions on a working smp machine which used the kickstart install process is as follows:
> Bios version: 1.04
> Intel Boot Agent version: 3.0.03
> PXE version: 2.0 078
> This is on an IBM x342 with dual 1.133 GHz processors.
>
> The problematic setup is
> Bios version: 1.02
> Intel Boot Agent version: 3.0.03
> PXE version: 2.0 078
> This is on an IBM x330 with dual 1.2 GHz processors.
>
> I am going to try to flash the bios on the x330 once I find the correct bios upgrade on IBM's site (If you know where I can find it, that would be greatly appreciated)
>
> Now, what we're doing:
>
> We're attempting an automatic pxe-boot/kickstart installation of redhat 7.3. The process is as follows:
>
> 1) x330 posts, does its hardware initialization, and gets to the point where it wants to boot up.
> 2) searches for a bootable cdrom, floppy, and hard-drive. Finding none, it initiates the Intel Boot Agent which in turn uses PXE to network boot.
> 3) The Intel Boot Agent/PXE searches for a dhcp server on what the bios calls Ethernet1 (what linux would call eth0)
> It sends out what is called a DHCP DISCOVER packet.
> 4) The dhcp server notices the DHCP DISCOVER packet and responds with a DHCP OFFER packet.
> 5) The Boot Agent/PXE notices the DHCP OFFER packet and responds with a DHCP REQUEST packet.
> 6) The dhcp server notices the DHCP REQUEST packet and responds with a DHCP ACK packet which includes some information necessary
> to PXE boot the server. This information includes an IP address, the default gateway for the client to use, the netmask of the network
> that the client will exist on, the broadcast address that the client will use, the filename that the PXE client is to access to boot, and the
> IP address of the tftp server on which the aforementioned file exists. In our case we have configured our dhcp server to send a specific
> IP address to the client dependant upon the MAC address of the client, which the dhcp server ascertains from the DHCP REQUEST
> packet.
> 7) The client applies the IP information, and initiates a tftp session with the tftp server and requests the PXE boot file which in our case is a
> component of Pxelinux. We are using the newest version of Pxelinux, 1.75 release date 2002-06-14.
> 8) The tftp server executes the pxelinux binary which searches for a configuration file that would dictate what boot kernel and init image to send
> to the client. The tftp server converts the IP address of the client to hexadecimal notation, and looks for a file using that hex number as its
> name. It then reads that file which has a syntax similar to a standard lilo.conf file. In that file is the location of the kernel used to boot the
> client. The server then sends the indicated kernel and init image to the client.
> 9) The client accepts the compressed init image and kernel.
> 10) The client uncompresses the init image and kernel.
> 11) The client boots the kernel.
> 12) The client creates a ramdisk
> 13) The client places the contents of the init image in the ramdisk.
> 14) The aforementioned configuration file has a bit of information which allows the kernel to initiate a kickstart installation, pointing the client to a
> remote server which contains a kickstart configuration file. The client accesses that configuration file which in turn points the client to
> redhat's installation media. The install progresses automatically, because the kickstart configuration file works with redhat's anaconda
> installation mechanism to answer all questions that a person would normally answer. Once the kickstart process is complete, the client
> reboots and is ready to be used.
>
> Now, that is what is supposed to happen, and that is what happens on all of the x330's and x340's and x342's I've worked with until now.
> It has worked on both single and dual proc x342's, it has worked on single proc x330's and x340's. I have not tried a pxe/kickstart install>
> on a dual proc 340. This is the first time I am attempting a pxe/kickstart install on a 330.
>
> When I attempt a pxe/kickstart install on a dual proc x330, the system hangs after step 10. The last message I see is:
> Uncompressing linux... Ok, booting the kernel.
> When ordinarily I get a lot of messages from the kernel telling me what it's doing. The only way to bring the machine out
> of this state is a hard reset.
>
> The kernel/init images I use are on the redhat install CD's in the /images/pxeboot directory.
> I have tried using the kernels released on both the 7.2 CD, and the 7.3 CD. I have previously
> used the 7.2 CD's kernel/init image in the aforementioned directory to successfully pxeboot
> /kickstart install a dual processor x342, so the kernel does have all the support needed to
> get this working.
>
> I have also taken the redhat SMP kernel and init image that is installed by redhat 7.2 on SMP machines by default with no luck.
>
> If I place these kernels on boot disks, the system boots.
> If I place the standard bootnet.img taken from the /images directory of the distribution CD on a boot disk, I can manually install
> the operating system.
>
> If I take the second processor out of the x330, and replace it with a terminator card, I can pxeboot/kickstart install the system.
>
>
> --is there anything else I can possibly do? If so, chances are I did it and its slipped my mind while typing this out.
> Thanks.
>
> Here is a snippet of our /etc/dhcpd.conf on our dhcp server:
>
> #/etc/dhcpd.conf
>
> default-lease-time 259200;
> max-lease-time 691200;
> option routers 192.168.0.1;
> option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
> option broadcast-address 192.168.0.255;
> next-server 192.168.0.2;
>
> group {
> #PXE Boot Information
> filename "pxelinux.0";
> use-host-decl-names on;
> host x330client {
> hardware ethernet 00:09:6B:58:00:00;
> fixed-address 192.168.0.136;
> }
> #range
> # 129-252 is the complete range. I'm keeping 129-135 dynamic
> # and using 136-252 for kickstart machines which will be entered
> # as is seen above.
> subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
> range dynamic-bootp 192.168.0.129 192.168.0.135;
> #range dynamic-bootp 192.168.0.129 192.168.0.252;
> }
>
> Here is a sample pxelinux configuration file:
>
> default linux
> prompt 1
> timeout 30
> label linux
> kernel /vmlinuz-73
> append load_ramdisk=1 ramdisk_size=32768 initrd=/initrd-73.img ks=nfs:192.168.0.2:/kickstart/kickstart.cfg
>
> Here is a sample of the kickstart configuration file:
>
> install
> text
> lang en_US
> langsupport --default en_US.iso885915 en_US.iso885915
> keyboard us
> mouse generic3ps/2 --device psaux
> skipx
> network --device eth0 --bootproto dhcp --nameserver 0.0.0.0 --hostname x330client
> rootpw --iscrypted ###REMOVED FOR SECURITY REASONS####
> firewall --disabled
> authconfig --enableshadow --enablemd5
> timezone America/New_York
> bootloader
> nfs --server 192.168.0.2 --dir /kickstart/redhat73install/
> zerombr yes
> clearpart --linux
> part / --fstype ext3 --size 10000
> part swap --size 2000
> %packages
> @ Network Support
> %post
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to
which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged
material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or
taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received
this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any
computer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
