Phil Oester wrote:
Any ideas on whether it is possible to use a FC3 kernel and/or
anaconda to load FC1? I've got hundreds of boxes on FC1 so
don't really want to upgrade, but just recently we've received
some Dell Optiplex 280 boxes which only support USB keyboards,
which won't work with the FC1 kickstart. In addition, they
use ICH6 SATA, which FC1 doesn't recognize.
Sure, I could try to update all the necessary drivers to support
this hardware in modules.cgz, but was hoping there was an 'easier'
way by just using the FC3 boot kernel.
Thoughts?
In theory, I think you are correct. Anaconda is just an installer.
There may be some pitfalls you will have to work around. I have not
installed FC3 yet. I hope to do that this weekend. There may be some
policy changes in anaconda from FC1 to FC3. I think LVM may be required
now. I don't know if you can get around it. FC2 went to the ALSA sound
system. On a server you may not care or even have sound to worry about.
I don't know how the FC3 anaconda will leave an FC1 box. Speaking of
sound FC2 and on use a 2.6 kernel. The 2.6 kernel uses a modprobe.conf
file for kernel modules now. 2.4 used a modules.conf file. You may be
completely out of luck if the 2.4 kernels don't have support for SATA
devices. If a later version does, then you'd have to rebuild both the
anaconda kernel and remaster the installer so that it has a later kernel
rpm.
You could try say the FC3 2.6 kernel with the FC1 anaconda installer to
avoid some of these problems. I am just guessing here as I have never
tried something like that. However, in your circumstance it may be a
sane thing to try. ;-)
Good luck. It would be interesting to hear the results of your
experiment. It sounds like you my have a snake with bolts coming out of
its neck. We'll see you with whacked out hair saying, "It's alive". LOL
Greg
