Error Downloading KickStart File

Question

Folks,
I am trying to install OEL5 using KickStart.
1. I have kickstart file on my USB
2. I boot HP 580 system from CD Room
3. On booted first screen I have typed following commands,
a. linux ks=hd:/dev/sda1:/ks.cfg
b. linux ks =hd:sda1/ks.cfg
c. linux ks =file:/sda1/ks.cfg
d. linux ks=hd:/dev/sda1/ks.cfg
Nothing works for me , i tryed changing "sda1" to "sdb1"
I tryed all the front and back usb ports. I got an error that Error Downloading KickStart File or some time it said file doesnt exit.
Second option:
I tryed was that I put the Kickstart File and OEL iso's on windows box and installed the NFS share and use following URL.
I booted the system from CD rom and on first screen , i typed following
linux ks =nfs://10.32.14.46:KS/ks.cfg ksdevice=eth0 ip=10.32.200.3 gateway= 10.32.200.1 netmask=255.255.255.0
From Second option, it gave me error that error downloading KickStart file.
Third Option
==========
I tried both of the following,same Error ..Unable to download Kickstart file"
linux ks =hd:/dev/cciss:/ks.cfg
linux ks =/dev/cciss/ks.cfg
Anyhelp would be appreciated.
Edited by: user8979739 on Mar 2, 2010 6:28 AM

Answer 1

You can do it with a windows DHCP server. The article doesn't detail how but here is one that does. I haven't done it personally but it should work.
http://joystickjunkie.blogspot.com/2009/02/configuring-windows-2003-dhcp-for-pxe.html
You only need the script if you want to automatically get the MAC address to dynamically add leasing information to the DHCP server. In other words, You have alot of servers you want to do at one time. You can pull the MAC address from the switches and add leases to DHCP server based on those MAC's. The DHCP server then would server the boot file you want them to have. You can still manually add the MAC reservation in DHCP. You should be able to go into the BIOS and pull the MAC address of the Ethernet adapter to set the reservation in DHCP.
I don't know of a way to do this in windows. In Linux it is rather easy.
The way I do it is just add the reservation and then only have one setting in netboot services for 0.0.0.1. I then add the different OS's and given them a name. I can then just boot the server to PXE and then select the OS I want to load. You can get fancy and add the IP in the reservation to netboot. You can then tie that IP to get a specfic OS load. The problem I have with that is there is no warnings given and boom your server is toast if someone does it unintentionally.
One other thing to consider is if you have multiple nics. If you do. The kickstart loader will prompt you which one to use. So you will have to answer that prompt or you can disable all but the one you want in the BIOS. That way you just have one prompt. The one that chooses the OS. I know I have simplified it somewhat. You should be able to read the articles and get it up and running without much effort.