automatic Install of ESX 3

[ekrejci]

Hello,

I'm trying to install with kikstart file install of ESX 3.

My idea is to have ks.cfg located on a web server (IIS6) and the install files on normal CD.

Unfortunately I'm not able to use a PXE server.

To resume, I tried to boot with the normal install CD of ESX.

Install prompt I tried several command:

esx ks=http://servername.domain.com/esx3/ks.cfg ksdevice=eth0

no result, the ks file is not read

I tried:

esx ip=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx netmask=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx gateway=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx dns=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx ks= http://servername.domain.com/esx3/ks.cfg ksdevice=eth0

still no result, the ks file is not read

can someone help me with kind of installation method?

To resume, http is the only network protocol I can use.

In advance thank you

Eric

[virtech]

Am i able to add a static ip address, mask, gateway to my isolinux.cfg?

Just discovered there is no dhcp available.

[virtech]

After some searching I think I have it.

[MarkBK]

Thanks skearney, setting the MIME type was part of it.

IIS also had to be on port 80--the linux loader did not like a custom port in the URL.

I think this answers the original question.

This command succeeds for me now installing from cdrom and using the web server to fetch the KS file.

esx ks=http://172.24.17.27/ks08.cfg ksdevice=eth0 method=cdrom

KS file

cdrom

rootpw --iscrypted $1$h...............

auth --enableshadow --enablemd5

bootloader --location=mbr --driveorder=cciss/c0d0

timezone US/Central

skipx

install

text

network --bootproto static --ip 172.24.12.8 --netmask 255.255.255.0 --gateway 172.24.12.1 --nameserver 172.24.1.16 --hostname esx.domain --addvmportgroup=0 --vlanid=0

lang en_US

langsupport --default en_US

keyboard us

mouse none

reboot

firewall --disabled

clearpart --all --initlabel --drives=cciss/c0d0

part /boot --fstype ext3 --size 102 --ondisk cciss/c0d0

part / --fstype ext3 --size 4997 --ondisk cciss/c0d0

part swap --size 544 --ondisk cciss/c0d0

part /tmp --fstype ext3 --size 1000 --ondisk cciss/c0d0

part None --fstype vmkcore --size 94 --ondisk cciss/c0d0

part /var/log --fstype ext3 --size 1992 --ondisk cciss/c0d0

part /home --fstype ext3 --size 1000 --ondisk cciss/c0d0

part /opt --fstype ext3 --size 1000 --grow --ondisk cciss/c0d0

vmaccepteula

vmlicense --mode=server server=27000@licenseserveredition=esxFull

%packages

@base

%post

%vmlicense_text

[swiftangelus]

Can I ask what MIME type you used in the IIS6 server?

Thanks

[MarkBK]

MIME Type:

.* ‘application/octet-stream’

This I got from the instructions at http://virtrix.blogspot.com/2007/03/vmware-autopatching-your-esx-host.html

[MarkBK]

No no no that was for the patching website.

For the ks.cfg I just added text/plain.

[swiftangelus]

Thanks MarkBK,

This works a treat, on to adding the updates via the web server as part of the post install scripts:)