Smarter install - Headless

[Lamont Peterson]

On Monday 15 January 2007 09:58pm, Jerry Williams wrote:
> I have noticed that when you boot from the DVD that if you don't do
> anything it acts like you hit enter.
>
> How hard would it be to change that to do the following.
>
> Check to see if the system has a keyboard.
> If not look for a floppy with ks.cfg on it.
> If it finds it act like the user typed: linux ks=floppy
>
> If no floppy, look for usb device and do the same.
> Linux ks=usb/ks.cfg kind of thing.
>
> If no usb start network with dhcp and look for
> Web server linux ks=http://fedora7.<domain from dhcp>/ks.cfg
> Or maybe linux ks=http://fedora7.<domain from dhcp>/<mac address>.cfg

Why?  Why not just use DHCP "nextserver" and "filename" options to get the 
kickstart file via NFS?

> If no web server then run:
> Linux vnc vncpassword=Fedora7
>
> If it has a keyboard just do the normal thing.
>
> This would make it so you don't really have to change the dhcp server.

What's the advantage of that?  Adding "nextserver" and "kickstart" lines is 
easy.  They can even be placed within VCI conditionals or with "static" IP 
assignments if you need different kickstart files for different boxes.

> Maybe add an alias for a web server.
> Then the install would happen and when completed would eject DVD.
> Take out the DVD and power cycle the box and be done.

I would be interested in seeing anaconda present some kind of selection "menu" 
of available kickstart files if "linux ks=whatever:/some/dir/" were specified 
(or via DHCP "filename"), pointing to a directory with several kickstart 
files in it.
-- 
Lamont Peterson <lamont at gurulabs.com>
Senior Instructor
Guru Labs, L.C. [ http://www.GuruLabs.com/ ]

NOTE:  All messages from this email address should be digitally signed with my
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