Chapter 11. Creating Kickstart files
You can create a Kickstart file using the following methods:
- Use the online Kickstart configuration tool.
- Copy the Kickstart file created as a result of a manual installation.
- Write the entire Kickstart file manually.
Convert the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Kickstart file for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 installation.
For more information about the conversion tool, see Kickstart generator lab.
- In case of virtual and cloud environment, create a custom system image, using Image Builder.
Some highly specific installation options can be configured only by manual editing of the Kickstart file.
11.1. Creating a Kickstart file with the Kickstart configuration tool
Users with a Red Hat Customer Portal account can use the Kickstart Generator tool in the Customer Portal Labs to generate Kickstart files online. This tool will walk you through the basic configuration and enables you to download the resulting Kickstart file.
Prerequisites
- You have a Red Hat Customer Portal account and an active Red Hat subscription.
Procedure
- Open the Kickstart generator lab information page at https://access.redhat.com/labsinfo/kickstartconfig.
- Click the Go to Application button to the left of heading and wait for the next page to load.
- Select Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 in the drop-down menu and wait for the page to update.
Describe the system to be installed using the fields in the form.
You can use the links on the left side of the form to quickly navigate between sections of the form.
To download the generated Kickstart file, click the red Download button at the top of the page.
Your web browser saves the file.
Install the pykickstart package.
# dnf install pykickstart
Run
ksvalidatoron your Kickstart file.$ ksvalidator -v RHEL9 /path/to/kickstart.ksReplace /path/to/kickstart.ks with the path to the Kickstart file you want to verify.
The validation tool cannot guarantee the installation will be successful. It ensures only that the syntax is correct and that the file does not include deprecated options. It does not attempt to validate the
%pre,%postand%packagessections of the Kickstart file.
11.2. Creating a Kickstart file by performing a manual installation
The recommended approach to creating Kickstart files is to use the file created by a manual installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. After an installation completes, all choices made during the installation are saved into a Kickstart file named anaconda-ks.cfg, located in the /root/ directory on the installed system. You can use this file to reproduce the installation in the same way as before. Alternatively, copy this file, make any changes you need, and use the resulting configuration file for further installations.
Procedure
Install RHEL. For more details, see Interactively installing RHEL from installation media.
During the installation, create a user with administrator privileges.
- Finish the installation and reboot into the installed system.
- Log into the system with the administrator account.
Copy the file
/root/anaconda-ks.cfgto a location of your choice. The file contains information about users and passwords.To display the file contents in terminal:
# cat /root/anaconda-ks.cfg
You can copy the output and save to another file of your choice.
- To copy the file to another location, use the file manager. Remember to change permissions on the copy, so that the file can be read by non-root users.
Install the pykickstart package.
# dnf install pykickstart
Run
ksvalidatoron your Kickstart file.$ ksvalidator -v RHEL9 /path/to/kickstart.ksReplace /path/to/kickstart.ks with the path to the Kickstart file you want to verify.
The validation tool cannot guarantee the installation will be successful. It ensures only that the syntax is correct and that the file does not include deprecated options. It does not attempt to validate the %pre, %post and %packages sections of the Kickstart file.
11.3. Converting a Kickstart file from previous RHEL installation
You can use the Kickstart Converter tool to convert a RHEL 7 Kickstart file for use in a RHEL 8 or 9 installation or convert a RHEL 8 Kickstart file for use it in RHEL 9. For more information about the tool and how to use it to convert a RHEL Kickstart file, see https://access.redhat.com/labs/kickstartconvert/.
Procedure
After you prepare your kickstart file, install the pykickstart package.
# dnf install pykickstart
Run
ksvalidatoron your Kickstart file.$ ksvalidator -v RHEL9 /path/to/kickstart.ksReplace /path/to/kickstart.ks with the path to the Kickstart file you want to verify.
The validation tool cannot guarantee the installation will be successful. It ensures only that the syntax is correct and that the file does not include deprecated options. It does not attempt to validate the %pre, %post and %packages sections of the Kickstart file.
11.4. Creating a custom image using Image Builder
You can use Red Hat Image Builder to create a customized system image for virtual and cloud deployments.
For more information about creating customized images, using Image Builder, see the Composing a customized RHEL system image document.
