Installing Solaris via network

A few days ago I have got an old Sun server (Netra 1125).
I am fairly new to Sun hardware and I wonder if there is a way to install Solaris via serial cable and a TCP/IP network (I don't have a cdrom and I don't have vga or floppies).
I have a Linux machine nearby. Can I use BOOTP or something like that?
Can anybody point me to some documentation?

solaris' network install is called "jumpstart"
searching for "solaris jumpstart linux" on google provides some pages, in particular is this one that is pretty old (references sunos4) but should work... http://www.unixpeople.com/HOWTO/jumpstart_on_linux.html

Similar Messages

Install solaris via jumpstart with 2 network interfaces

Hi guys,
I'm trying to deploy Solaris 10 on a LDOM , using Jumpstart server. The LDOM must have 2 network interfaces and 2 default routes. Here's the relevant part of sysidcfg file:
network_interface=vnet0 {primary
                hostname=aaaaaaaaa
                ip_address=aaa.aaa.aaa.aaa
                netmask=255.255.240.0
                protocol_ipv6=no
                default_route=bbb.bbb.bbb.bbb
network_interface=vnet1 {
                hostname=bbbbbbbbbbb
                ip_address=ccc.ccc.ccc.ccc
                netmask=255.255.248.0
                protocol_ipv6=no
                default_route=ddd.ddd.ddd.ddd
}After {ok} boot net - install, I get these messages:
Using RPC Bootparams for network configuration information.
Attempting to configure interface vnet1...
Skipped interface vnet1
Attempting to configure interface vnet0...
Configured interface vnet0
USB keyboard
Reading ZFS config: done.
Setting up Java. Please wait...
Serial console, reverting to text install
Beginning system identification...
Searching for configuration file(s)...
Using sysid configuration file xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:/sysidcfg
Search complete.
Discovering additional network configuration...
Completing system identification...and then unattended install stops and goes into interactive menu:
Default Route     Error for vnet1     ────────────────────────────────────────────────
The route ddd.ddd.ddd.ddd could not be added at this time. If you     wish to     accept
the route provided, the route     will be     added to the /etc/defaultrouter     file
to be     used at     reboot.     If you choose not to accept your choice, you will be
asked     to enter network information again for this interface.
      Accept Route
      ────────────
      [X] Yes
      [     ] NoAfter I choose "yes" , the installation goes back to unattended (automated) state.
Any ideas why installation breaks when adding second default route?
If I delete the line default_route=ddd.ddd.ddd.ddd, the installation is not interrupted.
Many thanks,
kido
Edited by: kido on Dec 29, 2010 6:10 PM

Hello again,
First of all, if I delete the second default route from sysidcfg, the installation performs uninterrupted, but vnet1 is not brought up after reboot. I get a message like: vnet1 is not a valid interface name...or something similar...
Regarding multiple default routes now... As long as "man defaultrouter" and "man sysidcfg" state that multiple routes are supported, I would expect this to work...or at least I need a way of installing 2 NICs without human intervention...
I will try to use some post install script instead ( will create /etc/hostname.vnet1 and add second route to /etc/defaultrouter) and will let you know the results.

Install solaris via hyper terminal

Hi,
I just got my new ultra 5 box and I was wondering what type of cable and hyper terminal settings I need in order to get this thing rolling.
The type of cable I used before was a null modem cable db9F --> db9F. Then I read I needed db9 --> db25. So I went out and look for db9 --> db25 only to find that there wasn't any male to male cables ... any suggestions would be great!
Thanks,
IPv6

Dear friends,
I have the same problem...
I have a VGA adapter in my sparc 5, but my 14" monitor doesn't show nothing (only a new MAG 17" but it's not mine).
So, I switched to HyperTerminal.
I made more than 10 Null modem cables, with all the options, but I could not see nothing and I cannot install my mchine.
The explanation of the cable here, I didn't understand so good, albeit that, I make the cable but it didn't work.
Does anybody knows what to do, step by step, or where can I read it?
Thank you very much!
Ilan.

Problems installing Solaris 10 on Dell PowerEdge 800

Hi,
I am experiencing some trouble when I attempt to install Solaris 10 on a Dell PowerEdge 800. It is equipped with two RAID disks controlled by a Dell CERC SATA 1.5/6ch (according to the BIOS).
The installation program reports that it cannot write to the disk. This happens when it is about to start installing files. Tried setting it to a single volume and disable RAID. Same thing. Read another article saying something about disabling IDE, well it doesn't seem to help ...
Any hints?

I have the same problem on a dell 750 with the SERC controller. I can add some more information but if you get a solution I would appreciate the detail.
1) If I install Solaris via the SERC in RAID 1 mode then the alarm on the SERC goes off as soon as I start to write to the disk.
2) I bypassed the SERC and installed on a single disk straight off the motherboard. Time the install crashed at the same point but this time the error message told me that the first available cylinder was number 3! Ah
3) I reconnected the disk via the SERC, rebuilt the RAID array and made a mistake. I created a RAID 0 (striped) array and installed the software starting from cylinder 3. I got a complete solaris install that rebooted fine and is fully working.
BUT I NEED A MIRRORED SYSTEM SO
4) I rebuild the machine again this time RAID 1 and again the crash occured at exactly the same point i.e. as soo as I start to write to the disk.
Whether or not DELL / Adaptec support Solaris should not be an issue. This is a BIOS configurable RAID controller that can be fully serviced (e.g. disks replaced) from the BIOS. The system sees the array as a disk via the controller and indeed it is seeing it.
The SERCs own data configuration data should be on sectors which are not visible to solaris VIA the SERC so we shouldnt be able to damage them but I suspect that this may not be the case.
I suspect that the answer is in the partition layout and who or what creates them (I dont mean the Solaris slices but the FDISK partitions)
To make matters worse, since I need the machine working I went back to disks straight of the motherboard and configured again and used metadevices to set up a fully mirrored systemas I have done many times before on sparc (but never on Solaris x86)
This worked fine but I thought that I would test bootability in the event of disk failure. There isnt any!
if disk 1 fails then the motherboard wont accept disk 2 unless you swap the cables and move it do disk 1 and by then the boot sectors are wrong for the address of the device. I can probably solve this by building both disks in slot one but who wants a mirrored server that you have to open up and move a cable when the disk fails. I think I may have to ditch SATA and go back to SCSI !

Install Solaris10 over network.

I have one sinfire v245 box which is in remote location (DR site). I want to install Solari10-u5 on it.
I can't travel to remote site due to some restriction.
Presently Solaris10-U1 is installed in the box.
I have telnet/SSH access to Solaris-OS, and i have SSH access to it's "Advanced Lights Out Manager".
There is no one in remote location who can insert Solaris10-u5 media.
In this situation, is there anyway that i can freshly install Solaris10-u5 on it ?

Ok. I learned the way how to install Solaris over network.
I have created a install server on another solaris box, the client and this box are in the same network.
I am trying to install the client, i am getting this error on the client continuously . Any idea how to solve this ?
ar_entry_query: Could not find the ace for source address <IP_Address>
ar_entry_query: Could not find the ace for source address <IP_Address>

Installing Solaris 10 on Sunfire V120 via network boot from Linux

I have been given a free SunFire V120 server loaded with and old copy of Solaris 9. The problem is that this server no longer has the internal DVD/CDRom drive any more. Google'd for finding a replacement CD-Rom drive show cost more than the SunFire V120 unit itself.
The plan: Install Solaris 10 for SPARC on Sunfire V120 Server
Available:
-- Sun Microsystems SunFire V120 Server (1GB of Ram and 2x 36GB 10K RPM SCSI3 drives)
-- CentOS 5.1 Linux Server
-- Solaris 10 SPARC DVD ISO Image
-- DB25 to RJ45 Serial Cable accessing V120 LOM via Minicom application on CentOS 5 server
Via the http://www.docbert.org/Solaris/Jumpstart/linux.html site, I have configured the following:
* NFS Server (nfs-utils under RedHat)
* bootparams server (bootparamd under RedHat)
* rarpd server (rarpd under RedHat)
* tftp server (tftp-server)
CentOS Server Settings:
[root@jsserv ~]# cat /etc/ethers
0:3:ba:36:34:48 jsclient
[root@jsserv ~]# cat /etc/bootparams
jsclient root=jsserv:/jumpstart/sol10/Solaris_10/Tools/Boot install=jsserv:/jumpstart/sol10 boottype=:in
[root@jsserv ~]# cat /etc/exports
/jumpstart *(ro,no_root_squash)
[root@jsserv ~]# cat /etc/hosts
192.168.0.20 jsserv
192.168.0.22 jsclient
[root@jsserv ~]# ls -l /tftpboot
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 20 Mar 7 13:35 C0A80016 -> inetboot.sol10.sun4u
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 20 Mar 7 13:35 C0A80016.SUN4U -> inetboot.sol10.sun4u
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 217016 Mar 7 13:34 inetboot.sol10.sun4u
On CentOS Linux server -- under /var/log/messages, the rarpd shows this message:
Mar 7 14:24:41 jsserv rarpd[3516]: RARP request from 0 on eth0
Mar 7 14:24:41 jsserv rarpd[3516]: RARP response to 0 192.168.0.22 on eth0
On the SunFire V120 server, the console displays:
Sun Fire V120 (UltraSPARC-IIe 648MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 4.0, 1024 MB memory installed, Serial #53883976.
Ethernet address 0:3:ba:36:34:48, Host ID: 83363448.
Executing last command: boot net -v - install
Boot device: /pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/network@c,1 File and args: -v - install
38e00 Using RARP/BOOTPARAMS...
Internet address is: 192.168.0.22
hostname: jsclient
domainname: (none)
Found 192.168.0.20 @ 0:13:d3:9a:9e:98
root server: jsserv (192.168.0.20)
root directory: /jumpstart/sol10/Solaris_10/Tools/Boot
boot: cannot open kernel/sparcv9/unix
Enter filename [kernel/sparcv9/unix]: /platform/sun4u/kernel/sparcv9/unix
boot: failed to allocate 8192 bytes from scratch memory
panic - boot: boot: scratch memory overflow.
Program terminated
So now what do I do?
-- Michael

Anyone know where I can get the firmware (OBP) update / upgrade version 4.22 for the SunFire V120 server?
There is an old thread (http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5137796) that talks of having to update your firmware 4.22.x, but I have looked through the SunSolve site and I cannot find a reference to this firmware any place for the SunFire V120 servers.

Installing Solaris 10 via external CD drive on Dell Latitude D800 Laptop

Hello all, I am trying to install Solaris 10 via external CD drive on Dell Latitude D800 Laptop. After the GRUB menu it begins to load, displaying the " . . . . . ." and hangs about 1/4 way accross the screen. When attempting the install from a DVD instead of a CD the installation hangs on the same screen even sooner. Has anyone encoutered this problem?

Hello Alex,
no, you can't use USB devices on SPARC as boot device.
The OBP (even updated ones) contains only support for the USB keyboard, but none for USB mass storage (which requires a device driver). The integrated USB ports are for slow devices like keyboard and mouse.
Using an external SCSI DVD-ROM works. Another choice is an installation via network.
Michael

Unable to install solaris 9 on via pt800 mainboard with Celeron 2.13 Ghz pr

Hi everybody
This is sharavan .I have a desktop with VIA PT800 Mainboard ,512 MB DDR SDRAM,Celeron 2.13 Ghz processor ,80 GB ATA HDD installed with Windows 2000 on one partition occupieng 20 GB and Red hat linux ES3 on another partition of 30 GB. I want to install SOLARIS 9 (X86 Version) on remaining unpartitioned free space 30GB. The installation is being sruckedup at the stage "Boot Solaris kernel from any of the identified devices 1)CDROM 2)HARD DISK ,I have choosen CDROM But the System is being hanging up there,no further action" I have restarted the system manually and tried many times without success. How to complete the installation ,Please suuggest me ,help me.........
Thanking u
[email protected]

Hello!
There is one simple method also..
Instead of Installation disk of Solaris, insert the Software 1/2 Disk, and try to follow the actuall Suninstall method of installing Solaris. Here you will get the option that how to utilize the free space.
I myself have installed more 5 OS on a single Hard disk :) this way. Try this method

Linux guy wants to install solaris 10 via nfs using centos as nfs server

well in linux when installing this way I simply copy the dvd install image to an nfs share (or do mount -o loop "isoimage" /nfsmountdir), copy the boot.iso so a cdrom and do a "linux askmethod" during install and then specify the nfs server and dir.
I want to learn sun and want to start by really understanding the install and how to set up slices etc. I would really like to do this using nfs using my centos box as the server as this method at least when installing linux is much mush faster.
so can I do this and if so what are the commands. I did see some documentation but it was for installing from a sun nfs server. but I need to install from the centos as the server. I already have the iso's for the 5 cdroms as well as the dvd image. if possible I would obviously like to use the dvd image.
thanks and remember I am a sun newbie (just bought my first solaris book this week so the more dummied down answer would be the best one for me). if it can be done could you give me the exact process.
thanks a million (and one).

The Sun network installer scripts only work on Solaris. So there's no instructions from Sun for configuring the daemons on Linux necessary to do the configuration.
There are some guides on the net, but I don't know of one that tells the whole story.
You might consider installing Solaris in a VM on the linux box, then configuring jumpstart on that. You could then see how the daemons on it are configured and replicate that configuration on the Linux machine.
Darren

Solaris 10 Network Install on Netra t1.

I'm trying to install Solaris on several Netra machines that I have. None of them have CD-ROMs and none of them have an OS installed. I've been trying to setup an Ultra 80 as an install server per the instructions found in "Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations" part number: 817-5504. The boot image is on the hard drive, but from there the instructions don't seem to apply to my case. These instructions seem to assume you have running machines that have a hostname and all the network settings configured. I've been looking all over the place to see if there are instructions to setup a hostname/ip config in openboot or in lom, but I haven't seen anything. The installation instructions just tell you to type "boot net - nowin" at the ok prompt, but I don't know if it searches for a DHCP server for IP config or if I have to set it myself. And with no OS installed, I can't just log in and set all these options up in Solaris. Typing "boot net" just returns the message "Timeout waiting for ARP/RARP packet" over and over again.
If I have to setup the Ultra 80 as a DHCP server I'll probably have to have a little instruction on that as well, if anyone knows docs for that. The Netra setup guides also seem to focus more on initial setup with an OS already installed rather than resetting or starting from scratch.

If you have no plans to install Solaris 10 on recent X86 hardware you might try running Solaris 8 or 9 as your install server, configuration for the legacy bootparamd-based Jumpstart is pretty straightforward, well documented and doesn't require DHCP.
The Netra T1s do not use DHCP to obtain boot parameters. I don't even know if the Solaris DHCP server can be configured to emulate legacy Jumpstart raprd/bootparamd. IIRC there was a way but it was not well documented, or maybe one just runs rarpd, rpc.bootparamd, and dhcpd at the same time.

Attempting to install Solaris 10 on Netra t1 via external DVD-Rom

Hello Experts,
I am trying to install Solaris 10 on my Netra t1 via external DVD. I connected the DVD-ROM to the scsi port on the back. System recognized the DVD but does not allow me to boot from it. I have done many things without any success. Following are the details:
System info:
Netra t1 (UltraSPARC-IIi 440MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.10.25 ME, 1024 MB memory installed,
Ran the scsi test and it doesn't report any issues:
ok test scsi
Probe-scsi-all shows the drive:
ok probe-scsi-all
/pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/scsi@2
Target 0
Unit 0 Disk SEAGATE ST318404LSUN18G 4207
Target 1
Unit 0 Disk SEAGATE ST318404LSUN18G 4207
Target 4
Unit 0 Removable Read Only device TOSHIBA DVD-ROM SD-M14011009
devalias also shows as cdrom1:
ok devalias
cdrom1 /pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/scsi@2/disk@6,0:f
cdrom /pci@1f,0/pci@1/pci@1/ide@e/cdrom@2:f
ide-disk /pci@1f,0/pci@1/pci@1/ide@e/disk@0:f
ide-cdrom /pci@1f,0/pci@1/pci@1/ide@e/cdrom@2:f
ide /pci@1f,0/pci@1/pci@1/ide@e
I created devalias manually also with no help. Following is what I get when I try to boot from it:
ok boot cdrom1
Resetting ...
Netra t1 (UltraSPARC-IIi 440MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.10.25 ME, 1024 MB memory installed,
Executing last command: boot cdrom1
Boot device: /pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/scsi@2/disk@6,0:f File and args:
Drive not ready
Evaluating: boot cdrom1
Can't open boot device
I verified the DVD and it works just fine. I install the OS with the same DVD on Netra-440 system without any issues.
Please tell me what am I missing here or doing wrong. Please help.

Sun-worshiper,
Thank you so much for pointing that out. I was loosing it.
Just in case someone else runs into this type of issue:
When you run probe-scsi-all please pay attention to the target. In order to boot from the DVD, I executed the following commands from the ok prompt:
ok nvalias dvd /pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/scsi@2/disk@4,0:f
ok boot dvd

Can not setup a network connection when I re-install Solaris

Hi,
I got a problem during the Solaris 7 installation in an Intel Platform. At the 1st time of installation, after I finished the Host Name window, the installation program would popup a "Network Connectivity" window to ask me "Networked: Yes/No". I chose No. The installation continued. Finally, the installation finished successfully. Then I realize I may need the network support. So I formatted the Solaris partition and started the installation from beginning. However, at this time, the "Network Connectivity" window never popup. After I finished the Host Name window, the installation program immediately switches to the "Time Zone" window. I tried several times. No chance to set up the network again. I guess the installation program may save some flags in some place (floppy disk?, CD?, NT partition?). Those flags can not be removed by formatting the Solaris partition. I searched around but could not find out anything. Can you help?
Thanks,
Kevin

Kevin:
I can think of a few things that may have gone wrong.
i) Do you have a supported network card. See the following site.
http://soldc.sun.com/support/drivers/hcl/
ii) When you start installing Solaris. There is an option to install from different Media (Harddrive, CDROM and network). During this time did Solaris give you an option to install of the network. This is a sign that Solaris is able to see the network card.
iii) You do not need to re-install if you need to add networking to Solaris. There are many ways to add the networking feature. The simplest is to use the sys-unconfig command. Please NOTE THIS WILL REMOVE ALL CONFIG INFO ON YOU SYSTEM.
Hope you get the network working, 'Cos "Network is the Computer" :-)
Angelo
Sun Developer Tech Support.

Installing Solaris 10 on VIA EPIA PE10000G mobo + VIA C3 Nehemiah processor

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone could help me out. I recently purchased a VIA EPIA PE10000G motherboard with a VIA C3 Nehemiah 1.0GHz EBGA processor (http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/mainboards/motherboards.jsp?motherboard_id=451).
I am trying to install Solaris 10 08/07 and running into problems with the processor being recognized. In my research, I've found some posts, but alas, I seem to have come to a dead end. Here's what I've done:
Downloaded Solaris, fired up the installation. When the kernel starts booting I get:
"486 processor detected this processor not supported by solaris"
After searching on this error, I conculded that by doing the following, I should be able to get around this problem:
perl -pi -e 's#GenuineIntel#CentaurHauls#g' solaris_cd_1.iso
in order to swap out the vendor string for the processor.
Next, I booted with b -kv to see what would happen. While it seems that I got further along, I now get the following:
"processor does not support cmpxchg8b instruction"
and I get dropped into the kernel debugger which I am not familiar with.
I looked for an exact match for this error in Google and came up with this page as the only hit:
http://fxr.watson.org/fxr/source/i86pc/vm/hat_i86.c?v=OPENSOLARIS
Even though it says OPENSOLARIS in the URL, I bet it's the same piece of code that I'm hitting when I try to install Solaris 10:
if ((x86_feature & X86_CX8) == 0)
panic("Processor does not support cmpxchg8b instruction");
So my guess is that either x86_feature or X86_CX8 is false, I'm figuring it's the latter since the error message has looks similar to that variable.
Furthermore, I see that the error message exists in several places on the original installation CD:
strings solaris_cd_1.iso |grep cmpxchg8b
Processor does not support cmpxchg8b instruction
Processor does not support cmpxchg8b instruction
Processor does not support cmpxchg8b instruction
Processor does not support cmpxchg8b instruction
cmpxchg8b
cmpxchg8b
cmpxchg8b
cmpxchg8b
I'd really like to get Solaris 10 on this motherboard because I'd like to use it as a small firewall where space is at a premium.
Might anyone have some further suggestions as to what I can do to get this to work? From what I've seen, I think it is possible, it's just a matter of changing something more to the disk image.
thanks,
Geoprge

I did some more research and found a pdf on my processor and here's what I came up with:
0 = The CPUID instruction does not report the presence of the CMPXCHG8B instruction
(CX8 = 0). The instruction actually exists and operates correctly, however.
1 = The CPUID instruction reports that the CMPXCHG8B instruction is supported
(CX8 = 1).
From what I read here http://www.via.com.tw/download/mainboards/6/13/VIA_C3_EBGA%20datasheet110.pdf it would seem that the default is CX8=0 and I'm guessing that if it were 1, then I'd at least get past this error message.
Maybe there's a way to trick the installation image by changing the code that checks for this value similar to what I did for the vendor processor ID string? Seems to me that if I find where it checks for the CX8 value and reverse the logic, the installation would continue...

Installing solaris from a windows xp computer over a network

Hi, I just received the solaris 10 dvd from sun. I have the sparc and the x86 versions. The problem I have now is that I need to install it onto a computer that does not have a dvd drive. Here is the current set up of the network:
I have three computers connected by a switch. Then I also have a laptop which has a wireless connection to the internet. The laptop also has a cable connection to the switch which allows me to share the internet connection to the other three computers. Not the best setup, because when I leave with the laptop the desktops have no internet. Anyway, the laptop has Windows XP microsoft internet connection sharing enabled so it acts as the router. The desktops, one has FreeBSD with DHCP enabled, another has windows xp and the third has Ubuntu. The LAN is working well so far as all can connect to the net.
So now I would like to know if I can and how to install solaris onto the Ubuntu desktop with the dvd inserted into my windows xp laptop over the network. This will be my first Solaris install so I really appreciate all the help and pointers to any tutorials on the net.
Thanks!

hi RTCXiR
recently I installed Solaris 10 11/06 dual boot with Win XP on a single hard drive & as a newbie it took me a while so I posted detailed steps on this same forum afterwards:
http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5137822&tstart=0
hope it might help u... Jags Desai

How to install Solaris 9 connected via Hyper Terminal

Hi All ,
We have planned to Install Solaris 9 in E250. We have connected the console throgh Hyper Terminal.
We are not able to see the options clearly in the console. The options are not in clear way. It is very difficult to install.
Please advice how to install Solaris 9 in Text mode and terminal type for installing the solaris 9 via Hyper Terminal.
I am awaiting for your reply.
Regards,
R. Rajesh Kannan.

When the install starts, select a terminal type of VT100
The screens should display correctly then.

Installing Solaris via network

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