RHCE - Part 1

Red Hat Installer (Anaconda) (4)

• Serial console Install
  • Automaticaly invoked on "head-less ssytems"
  • Requires 'dumb terminal' or Linux + minicom or ...
  • May be used on normal system using customized installation
  • Can be combined with Kickstart and rescue modes
  • Steps:
    • Create boot.img / bootnet.img diskette
    • If there's graphic subsystem: edit syslinux.cfg on diskette:
      - delete the lines 'prompt' and 'delay'
      - change 'default linux' to 'default linux console=ttySx'
    • Set serial communication parameters on the terminal to 9600,8,N,1
    • Boot target machine with modified bootdisk
    • Install from 'dumb terminal'
  • Notes:
    - There will be no debugging terminals
    - Cannot suspend isntallation process from 'dumb terminal'
• Running system as a serial console
  • Modify /etc/inittab to provide a minigetty line for /dev/ttySx
  • Modigy /etc/inittab to delete superfluous minigetty lines for virtual consoles
  • edit /etc/lilo.conf:
    • add lines for liloitself (serial=0,38400N8)
    • add an 'append' entry for the kernel image: (append="console=ttyS0,38400")
    • Run /sbin/lilo to enable changes
  • Add ttyS0 to /etc/securetty to enable root access through serial console
• Other install stuff
  • Expert: linux expert
    lets specify wich drivers to load, and which parameters use on them.
    Usualy, Anaconda probes and detects all the hardware but...
  • Drivers disks: linux dd
    Check http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/