Linuxrc "main menu"

Question

Hello again,
For various reasons, sometimes when PXE booting, the "root" archive fails to
download. That's OK, that's not the problem I'm trying to solve.
The problem is that when this happens, the boot process automatically
launches something I don't want. Its title bar starts with "linuxrc v1.6",
the screen is largely blue, but it has a gray menu popped up in the middle
of it, titled "Main Menu" which includes items like:
Settings
System Information
Kernel Modules (Hardware Drivers)
Start Installation or System
I don't want this. Ever. My scripting can handle it if the "root" archive
fails to download, but it can't if this thing launches and prevents the
system from carrying on into the scripts. The last thing I want is
something that requires user interaction. So, my question is, how can I
prevent this thing from ever coming up? Ideally, if the "root" archive
failed to download, I would like it just to carry on as if it had.
Thanks,
Lisa.

Answer 1

Thanks for the comprehensive and highly specific reply!
"Marcus Breiden" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:23:11 GMT, Lisa Nelson wrote:
>
> First, the command TFTPTimeout=(seconds) will increase the default timeout
> from
> 10 seconds to whatever is needed.
What is this number supposed to govern? Is it:
- Number of seconds, total, allowed for attempting to download root?
- Number of seconds allowed in any given retry attempt?
- Something else I haven't thought of?
I ask because it doesn't appear to have any effect whatever value I put
here.
> The initrd and linux tftp download is 40
> seconds, so use this as a guide.
What variable governs this? I don't see anything in linuxrc.config that
appears to be setting this value.
In general, I would very much like to have a list of all the possible
variables I can set in linuxrc.config. I have found some general
linuxrc.config documentation pertaining to SuSE installations, but
annoyingly, the most comprehensive list only gives "typical" variables
people use. As far as I can tell there isn't a full list anywhere. Neither
do examples exist for those that are documented. (E.g. I noticed that there
exists a variable for setting the language and keyboard. They helpfully
give the sole example of setting it to de_DE. Very nice if you happen to be
in Germany. What if you are in some other country? No list of other
possibilities is provided. I'd like one.)
> Second, you can set the KDBTimeout=(seconds) to automatically
> input(simulate
> the enter key) the highlighted item. After a few screens, you will see
> that
> it
> takes the machine automatically to the TFTP server screen. This allows the
> machine to automatically check the TFTP server again for the boot/root
> file,
> download it, and apply any work to do again.
Through trial and error I have found that you probably mean KBDTimeout.
I set this to a value of 5 seconds so that I could see what happens.
When it comes up into that installation menu I get this series of events:
1. that first installation menu appears; it does indeed apparently press
enter automatically.
2. menu "Start Installation or System" appears; it presses enter on "Start
Installation or Update"
3. menu "Choose the Source Medium" appears; it presses enter, but on the
entry "CD-ROM"
4. (it sends a DHCP request again) it then tries to find the root archive on
the CD-ROM drive. But of course, I have booted PXE so there is no CD. It
gives me an error message: "Make sure that CD number 1 is in your drive"
5. it presses enter again on the entry "CD-ROM". (It again sends a DHCP
request) This time it gives me an error message: "Unable to mount the
CD-ROM" (in red)
It then repeats alternating between these last two error messages for as
long as I care to leave it.
In the menu where it is choosing "CD-ROM", "Network" is the second choice in
the menu, not the first.
> This will require to unzip the initrd and edit the linuxrc.conf.
Yes, I'm OK with that. But I think you mean linuxrc.config. Just worth
mentioning in case anybody besides me ever tries to follow these directions.
Thanks,
Lisa.