RE: Hacking anaconda

[Glenn Bailey <gbailey terremark com>]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I think I can accomplish what I want by
creating a 'base' build, then modify the stage2 with a updates.img file to
allow for variations in hardware, and then perform the rest of my config
needs with a first boot type script that would query the database for the
rest of the config info ..

Thanks again!

-----Original Message-----
From: anaconda-devel-list-bounces redhat com [mailto:anaconda-devel-list-bounces redhat com] On Behalf Of Martin Sivak
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 2:41 AM
To: Discussion of Development and Customization of the Red Hat Linux Installer
Subject: Re: Hacking anaconda

> Hello all,
>
> I'm gonna be looking to modify Anaconda to allow it to fit more snugly
> in the current environment I work in and had a couple of questions
> where to start. I browsed through the Wiki the best I could, but
> couldn't really find the best place to start. So I'll just start
> listing ;-)
>
> 1) In my current environment we do not track machines by MAC
> addresses, but rather by chassis serial #. I'm wanting to modify
> Anaconda to be able to pull this serial # via dmidecode, and then use
> that # as the kickstart file name. Can this be done in the stage 2, or
> does it have to know what KS file to use in stage 1? In either case, can I be pointed in the right direction for making such modifications?

As far as I remember, the stage1 is responsible for downloading the kickstart file, because it can contain instalation source information needed for stage2 download.

> 1) If I roll my own Anaconda from the latest source provided can I use
> the same source tree for RHEL 3, 5, and 5 as long as I create the
> proper stage1 boot? Or would it be easier to just modify the existing
> source trees for each distro? Lookin to do this RHEL distros only (RHEL and CentOS).

Unfortunately not. You have to modify all the versions in separate (and sometimes very different) way.
Anaconda is not product independent yet...

Have a nice day

--
Martin Sivak
msivak redhat com

Red Hat Czech s.r.o.
http://cz.redhat.com
Purkynova 99/71, 612 45 Brno, Czech Republic Registered in Brno under #CZ27690016