2.1.2. Booting the iSeries Installation Program

Insert the installation CD into the CD-ROM drive. Determine the volume name by which OS/400 refers to the CD. This can be found by executing the command wrklnk '/qopt/*' at the OS/400 command line. WRKOPTVOL gives more information on the optical media. Unless there is another CD with the same label in another drive, the volume name is Red_Hat. Note, if the volume name includes a timestamp (as it does when there are name conflicts), ejecting and re-inserting the CD causes the volume name to change and you must determine what it is again.

Ensure that your Network Server (NWS) is varied off using the OS/400 WRKCFGSTS (*nws) command.

Edit the Network Server Description (NWSD). Set the IPL source field to *STMF.

Set the IPL stream file field to /QOPT/RED_HAT/PPC/ISERIES/BOOT.IMG (case is not significant), where Red_Hat is the name of the CD volume as it appears under /QOPT.

Set the IPL parameters option to 'dd' (including quotes) if you are using a driver. Otherwise, set the option to *NONE.

Note

Red Hat recommends using the vnc or display=<workstation> boot commands to begin a graphical installation. Otherwise, set the field to *NONE to perform a text mode installation. On your workstation, be sure to set the xhost+ command to the hostname of the system being installed. For more information on available boot commands, refer to Appendix E, Additional Boot Options.

Use a Telnet client to connect to the virtual console of the OS/400 partition hosting your Linux partition using a command like telnet <hosting partition> 2301. Refer to Section 2.1.4, “Using the iSeries Virtual Console” for more details on using the virtual console.

Vary on the NWS. The boot sequence begins on the virtual console in a few seconds. The installation program begins automatically. If you are performing a VNC or X-Host based installation, network information can be configured via a virtual console.