Chapter 13. Starting Kickstart installations
You can start Kickstart installations in multiple ways:
- Automatically by editing the boot options in network boot configuration.
- Automatically by providing the file on a volume with a specific name.
- Manually by providing inst.ks= kernel command line option in bootloader menu.
You can register RHEL using the Red Hat Content Delivery Network (CDN). CDN is a geographically distributed series of web servers. These servers provide, for example, packages and updates to RHEL hosts with a valid subscription.
During the installation, registering and installing RHEL from the CDN offers following benefits:
- Utilizing the latest packages for an up-to-date system immediately after installation and
- Integrated support for connecting to Red Hat Insights and enabling System Purpose.
13.1. Starting a Kickstart installation automatically by using PXE or UEFI HTTP boot
AMD64, Intel 64, and 64-bit ARM systems and IBM Power Systems servers have the ability to boot by using a PXE server. When you configure the PXE server or UEFI HTTP boot, you can add the boot option into the boot loader configuration file, which in turn lets you start the installation automatically. By using this approach, it is possible to automate the installation completely, including the boot process.
This procedure is intended as a general reference; detailed steps differ based on your system’s architecture, and not all options are available on all architectures (for example, you cannot use PXE boot on 64-bit IBM Z).
Prerequisites
- You have a Kickstart file ready in a location accessible from the system to be installed.
- You have a PXE server that can be used to boot the system and begin the installation and/or an HTTP server configured for UEFI HTTP boot.
Procedure
Open the boot loader configuration file on your PXE server, and add the
inst.ks=
boot option to the appropriate line. The name of the file and its syntax depends on your system’s architecture and hardware:On AMD64 and Intel 64 systems with BIOS, the file name can be either default or based on your system’s IP address. In this case, add the
inst.ks=
option to the append line in the installation entry. A sample append line in the configuration file looks similar to the following:append initrd=initrd.img inst.ks=http://192.168.124.2/kickstarts/ks.cfg
append initrd=initrd.img inst.ks=http://192.168.124.2/kickstarts/ks.cfg
Copy to Clipboard Copied! On systems using the GRUB2 boot loader (AMD64, Intel 64, and 64-bit ARM systems with UEFI firmware and IBM Power Systems servers), the file name will be
grub.cfg
. In this file, append theinst.ks=
option to the kernel line in the installation entry. A sample kernel line in the configuration file will look similar to the following:linuxefi /redhat/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz inst.ks=http://192.168.124.2/kickstarts/ks.cfg
linuxefi /redhat/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz inst.ks=http://192.168.124.2/kickstarts/ks.cfg
Copy to Clipboard Copied!
If you want to configure an automated Kickstart installation by using UEFI HTTP boot, locate the bootloader configuration file (grub.cfg) served by the HTTP server and edit it in a similar way as in step 1.b:
linuxefi /redhat/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz inst.ks=http://192.168.124.2/kickstarts/ks.cfg
linuxefi /redhat/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz inst.ks=http://192.168.124.2/kickstarts/ks.cfg
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Boot the installation from the network server.
The installation begins now by using the installation options specified in the Kickstart file. If the Kickstart file is valid and contains all required commands, the installation is completely automated.
If you have installed a Red Hat Enterprise Linux Beta release, on systems having UEFI Secure Boot enabled, then add the Beta public key to the system’s Machine Owner Key (MOK) list.
13.2. Starting a Kickstart installation automatically by using a local volume
You can start a Kickstart installation by putting a Kickstart file with a specific name on a specifically labeled storage volume.
Prerequisites
-
You have a volume prepared with label
OEMDRV
and the Kickstart file present in its root asks.cfg
. - A drive containing this volume is available on the system as the installation program boots.
Procedure
- Boot the system by using a local media (a CD, DVD, or a USB flash drive).
At the boot prompt, specify the required boot options.
-
If a required repository is in a network location, you may need to configure the network by using the
ip=
option. The installer tries to configure all network devices by using the DHCP protocol by default without this option. In order to access a software source from which necessary packages will be installed, you may need to add the
inst.repo=
option. If you do not specify this option, you must specify the installation source in the Kickstart file.For more information about installation sources, see Kickstart commands for installation program configuration and flow control.
-
If a required repository is in a network location, you may need to configure the network by using the
Start the installation by confirming your added boot options.
The installation begins now, and the Kickstart file is automatically detected and used to start an automated Kickstart installation.
If you have installed a Red Hat Enterprise Linux Beta release, on systems having UEFI Secure Boot enabled, then add the Beta public key to the system’s Machine Owner Key (MOK) list. For more information about UEFI Secure Boot and Red Hat Enterprise Linux Beta releases, see the UEFI Secure Boot and Beta release requirements.
13.3. Booting the installation on IBM Z to install RHEL in an LPAR
13.3.1. Booting the RHEL installation from an SFTP, FTPS, or FTP server to install in an IBM Z LPAR
You can install RHEL into an LPAR by using an SFTP, FTPS, or FTP server.
Procedure
- Log in on the IBM Z Hardware Management Console (HMC) or the Support Element (SE) as a user with sufficient privileges to install a new operating system to an LPAR.
- On the Systems tab, select the mainframe you want to work with, then on the Partitions tab select the LPAR to which you wish to install.
- At the bottom of the screen, under Daily, find Operating System Messages. Double-click Operating System Messages to show the text console on which Linux boot messages will appear.
- Double-click Load from Removable Media or Server.
In the dialog box that follows, select SFTP/FTPS/FTP Server, and enter the following information:
- Host Computer - Host name or IP address of the FTP server you want to install from, for example ftp.redhat.com
- User ID - Your user name on the FTP server. Or, specify anonymous.
- Password - Your password. Use your email address if you are logging in as anonymous.
- File location (optional) - Directory on the FTP server holding the Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM Z, for example /rhel/s390x/.
- Click Continue.
- In the dialog that follows, keep the default selection of generic.ins and click Continue.
13.3.2. Booting the RHEL installation from a prepared DASD to install in an IBM Z LPAR
You can install Red Hat Enterprise Linux into an LPAR using an already prepared DASD.
Procedure
- Log in on the IBM Z Hardware Management Console (HMC) or the Support Element (SE) as a user with sufficient privileges to install a new operating system to an LPAR.
- On the Systems tab, select the mainframe you want to work with, then on the Partitions tab select the LPAR to which you wish to install.
- At the bottom of the screen, under Daily, find Operating System Messages. Double-click Operating System Messages to show the text console on which Linux boot messages will appear.
- Double-click Load.
- In the dialog box that follows, select Normal as the Load type.
- As Load address, fill in the device number of the DASD.
- Click the OK button.
13.3.3. Booting the RHEL installation from an FCP-attached SCSI disk to install in an IBM Z LPAR
You can install Red Hat Enterprise Linux into an LPAR using an already prepared FCP attached SCSI disk.
Procedure
- Log in on the IBM Z Hardware Management Console (HMC) or the Support Element (SE) as a user with sufficient privileges to install a new operating system to an LPAR.
- On the Systems tab, select the mainframe you want to work with, then on the Partitions tab select the LPAR to which you wish to install.
- At the bottom of the screen, under Daily, find Operating System Messages. Double-click Operating System Messages to show the text console on which Linux boot messages will appear.
- Double-click Load.
- In the dialog box that follows, select SCSI as the Load type.
- As Load address, fill in the device number of the FCP channel connected with the SCSI disk.
- As World wide port name, fill in the WWPN of the storage system containing the disk as a 16-digit hexadecimal number.
- As Logical unit number, fill in the LUN of the disk as a 16-digit hexadecimal number.
- Leave the Boot record logical block address as 0 and the Operating system specific load parameters empty.
- Click the OK button.
13.4. Booting the installation on IBM Z to install RHEL in z/VM
When installing under z/VM, you can boot from:
- The z/VM virtual reader
- A DASD or an FCP-attached SCSI disk prepared with the zipl boot loader
13.4.1. Booting the RHEL installation by using the z/VM Reader
You can boot from the z/VM reader.
Procedure
If necessary, add the device containing the z/VM TCP/IP tools to your CMS disk list. For example:
cp link tcpmaint 592 592 acc 592 fm
cp link tcpmaint 592 592 acc 592 fm
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Replace fm with any
FILEMODE
letter.For a connection to an FTPS server, enter:
ftp <host> (secure
ftp <host> (secure
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Where
host
is the host name or IP address of the FTP server that hosts the boot images (kernel.img
andinitrd.img
).Log in and execute the following commands. Use the
(repl
option if you are overwriting existingkernel.img
,initrd.img
,generic.prm
, orredhat.exec
files:cd /location/of/install-tree/images/ ascii get generic.prm (repl get redhat.exec (repl locsite fix 80 binary get kernel.img (repl get initrd.img (repl quit
cd /location/of/install-tree/images/ ascii get generic.prm (repl get redhat.exec (repl locsite fix 80 binary get kernel.img (repl get initrd.img (repl quit
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Optional: Check whether the files were transferred correctly by using the CMS command
filelist
to show the received files and their format. It is important thatkernel.img
andinitrd.img
have a fixed record length format denoted by F in the Format column and a record length of 80 in the Lrecl column. For example:VMUSER FILELIST A0 V 169 Trunc=169 Size=6 Line=1 Col=1 Alt=0 Cmd Filename Filetype Fm Format Lrecl Records Blocks Date Time REDHAT EXEC B1 V 22 1 1 4/15/10 9:30:40 GENERIC PRM B1 V 44 1 1 4/15/10 9:30:32 INITRD IMG B1 F 80 118545 2316 4/15/10 9:30:25 KERNEL IMG B1 F 80 74541 912 4/15/10 9:30:17
VMUSER FILELIST A0 V 169 Trunc=169 Size=6 Line=1 Col=1 Alt=0 Cmd Filename Filetype Fm Format Lrecl Records Blocks Date Time REDHAT EXEC B1 V 22 1 1 4/15/10 9:30:40 GENERIC PRM B1 V 44 1 1 4/15/10 9:30:32 INITRD IMG B1 F 80 118545 2316 4/15/10 9:30:25 KERNEL IMG B1 F 80 74541 912 4/15/10 9:30:17
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Press PF3 to quit filelist and return to the CMS prompt.
Customize boot parameters in
generic.prm
as necessary. For details, see Customizing boot parameters.Another way to configure storage and network devices is by using a CMS configuration file. In such a case, add the
CMSDASD=
andCMSCONFFILE=
parameters togeneric.prm
.Finally, execute the REXX script redhat.exec to boot the installation program:
redhat
redhat
Copy to Clipboard Copied!
13.4.2. Booting the RHEL installation by using a prepared DASD
Perform the following steps to use a Prepared DASD:
Procedure
Boot from the prepared DASD and select the zipl boot menu entry referring to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux installation program. Use a command of the following form:
cp ipl DASD_device_number loadparm boot_entry_number
cp ipl DASD_device_number loadparm boot_entry_number
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Replace DASD_device_number with the device number of the boot device, and boot_entry_number with the zipl configuration menu for this device. For example:
cp ipl eb1c loadparm 0
cp ipl eb1c loadparm 0
Copy to Clipboard Copied!
13.4.3. Booting the RHEL installation by using a prepared FCP attached SCSI Disk
Perform the following steps to boot from a prepared FCP-attached SCSI disk:
Procedure
Configure the SCSI boot loader of z/VM to access the prepared SCSI disk in the FCP Storage Area Network. Select the prepared zipl boot menu entry referring to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux installation program. Use a command of the following form:
cp set loaddev portname WWPN lun LUN bootprog boot_entry_number
cp set loaddev portname WWPN lun LUN bootprog boot_entry_number
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Replace WWPN with the World Wide Port Name of the storage system and LUN with the Logical Unit Number of the disk. The 16-digit hexadecimal numbers must be split into two pairs of eight digits each. For example:
cp set loaddev portname 50050763 050b073d lun 40204011 00000000 bootprog 0
cp set loaddev portname 50050763 050b073d lun 40204011 00000000 bootprog 0
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Optional: Confirm your settings with the command:
query loaddev
query loaddev
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Boot the FCP device connected with the storage system containing the disk with the following command:
cp ipl FCP_device
cp ipl FCP_device
Copy to Clipboard Copied! For example:
cp ipl fc00
cp ipl fc00
Copy to Clipboard Copied!