[WBEL-users] Like a rescue CD, . but not really - to load various distributions from Network

[Alon]

Hi Will,

I have a KVMoverIP so all I need is the actual install process, no need for 
defaulting to boot from HD, as I have
BIOS level access, which means I can change the 'First Boot Device' order on 
the BIOS itself.
Yes,. the FTP server is at my full control, it is in the same cabinet (and 
more than likely will even be in the same
class/network).
My problem is that I'm a novice user (sounds nicer than a newbie :)) ) and 
my experience with Linux was
vanilla installs with no actuall modifications for the install process.

I believe the process itself is fairly simple, as it only requires setting 
up a boot menu and then run the
boot images of the distribution selected.
When I start the linux install, I choose "linux askmethod" and then being 
prompted for the install method FTP, HTTP, CD or NFS Image.
I have no need for an auto install beyond that part.
All I need is to reach this screen, and I'll populate the values manually.
I just need a simple menu at the onset of the boot that will ask me:  "Which 
flavour of linux do you want to install" and thereafter
the selected distribution will initiate the install process of the selected 
distribution.

That's all I need to have,. and I'm stuck here!
This is just a simple boot menu configuration.. (I think),. isn't it, and 
upon selection,. it just pull the install boot image of the
distribution selected.

Any pointers on this?


- Alon
js at wsco.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Will McDonald" <wmcdonald at gmail.com>
To: <whitebox-users at beau.org>
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2006 11:45 AM
Subject: Re: [WBEL-users] Like a rescue CD,. but not really - to load 
various distributions from Network


> On 22/01/06, Alon <js at wsco.com> wrote:
>> I have a server that I want to load 5 Clean OS install on it.
>> It is an OnDemand OS install.
>>
>> My end user can ask me to install:
>>
>> WBEL 3.0
>> WBEL 4.0
>> CentOS 3.6
>> CentOS 4.2
>> Windows 2003 Server
>>
>> Each one of these installs should wipe the IDE HD clean and start a fresh
>> install, or load an image of pre-installed setup.
>>
>> At my disposal are the following:
>>
>> 1 USB Disk On Key with 250MB with Write Protection after configuration.
>> 1 IDE 80GB HD
>> 1 Repository FTP Server with plenty of room for ISO's , Images etc (about
>> 30GB of available space).
>
> If the repository FTP server's under your control you could set that
> up as a TFTP server for PXE and Kickstart (at least for the RHEL-like
> systems) boot/install. You could have this configured so the machine
> PXE boots every time, presents the user with a menu with install
> options but defaults to booting from local disk after a set time.
>
> I posted this last year with some content from our wiki on PXE and 
> Kickstart...
>
> http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos/2005-August/009524.html
>
> (You'll need to cut 'n paste the attachment content into a new file.)
>
> Have a read through these links too...
>
> http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q04-028.pdf
>
> http://syslinux.zytor.com/pxe.php#config
>
> http://www.unixpeople.com/HOWTO/pxe.html
>
> https://www.redhat.com/archives/nahant-list/2005-May/msg00064.html
>
> And a quick Google on PXE and Windows impies it'd be possible to build
> Windows boxes from the Linux boot server too.
>
> Will.
>
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