Automated install with kickstart

[maialen]

I am trying to install ESXi 6 on Workstation 8 with a kickstart file that I have in my FTP server. My FTP server is Filezilla in windows and my firewall is completely disabled, so FTP server is running and I am able to download the file correctly from another linux box. I have previously install ESXi on Workstation 8 without kickstart file without any problem.

When I boot my ESXi installation I specify from the console the boot options

> mboot.c32 -c boot.cfg ks=ftp://ftp_pass:ftp_user@ftpserver_ip/ks.cfg ip=192.168.242.47 netmask=255.255.255.0 gateway=192.168.242.1

My ESXi fails and the message claims that there is no network interface card plugged. I access /var/log/esxi_install.log and I can see how the boot options are mapped properly but after "Setting network options for media downloads" the installation is aborted. I think I must specify more options but I don't know which one.

Have been checking FTP server log and it doesn't even make any attempt to get the file.

My kickstart file it is just as simple as this:

vmaccepteula

rootpw $up3rPa$$

install --firstdisk --overwritevmfs

network --bootproto=dhcp --device=vmnic0

reboot

I also tested exactly the same with ESXi 5.5 installation and it worked perfectly. Difference are that after all files have been loaded to memory and installation process starts, on ESXi 5.5 installation kernel logs I can see that network modules are loaded while in ESXi 6.0 they are not.

Is there a way to specify in the bootline the order in which kickstart files and modules should be loaded?

Any hint would be appreciated, thanks.

[aaron416]

Have you tried it with adding "--device=vmnic0" to your kickstart lines so that it selects the first NIC? Assuming of course that vmnci0 is the one to use.

[maialen]

It doesn't even request for the kickstart file to the ftp server, so whatever I set in the kickstart file at the moment it is not very important.

[aaron416]

I should've read a little more carefully. I think this might fix your problem:

> mboot.c32 -c boot.cfg ks=ftp://ftp_pass:ftp_user@ftpserver_ip/ks.cfg --device=vmnic0 ip=192.168.242.47 netmask=255.255.255.0 gateway=192.168.242.1

If it doesn't know what NIC to use or isn't able to detect one, that would explain why it's not able to get online.

Also, the difference between the device/ip/netmask/gateway arguments and what I've used before is the lack of a DNS server (with --nameserver=8.8.8.8) and the --device=vmnic0.

So if neither of those fix it, then I'm not sure what else is going on.

[maialen]

No luck. I am using boot options specified in vSphere 6.0 Documentation Center.

I have tried several combinations and none of them worked and always fails setting up the network configuration to request for the kickstart file:

> mboot.c32 -c boot.cfg ks=ftp://ftp_pass:ftp_user@ftpserver_ip/ks.cfg nameserver=192.168.202.11 ip=192.168.242.47 netmask=255.255.255.0 gateway=192.168.242.1 netdevice=eth0

> mboot.c32 -c boot.cfg ks=ftp://ftp_pass:ftp_user@ftpserver_ip/ks.cfg nameserver=192.168.202.11 ip=192.168.242.47 netmask=255.255.255.0 gateway=192.168.242.1 netdevice=vmnic

> mboot.c32 -c boot.cfg ks=ftp://ftp_pass:ftp_user@ftpserver_ip/ks.cfg nameserver=192.168.202.11 ip=192.168.242.47 netmask=255.255.255.0 gateway=192.168.242.1 ksdevice=eth0

> mboot.c32 -c boot.cfg ks=ftp://ftp_pass:ftp_user@ftpserver_ip/ks.cfg nameserver=192.168.202.11 ip=192.168.242.47 netmask=255.255.255.0 gateway=192.168.242.1 ksdevice=vmnic0

> mboot.c32 -c boot.cfg ks=ftp://ftp_pass:ftp_user@ftpserver_ip/ks.cfg nameserver=192.168.202.11 ip=192.168.242.47 netmask=255.255.255.0 gateway=192.168.242.1 device=vmnic0

Screen of the console:

Screen of /var/log/esxi_install.log

I actually have a DHCP server on the network and i shouldn't be setting the IP settings. If I don't set network configuration in the boot line fails either way.

I am wondering why same configuration and same boot line works perfect with ESXi 5.5

[CoolRam]

In Place of trying this way can you mount the ISO in any linux machine and give that entry in the ks file.

example:

install url ftp://10.112.238.246/pub/esxmnt43

vmaccepteula

rootpw $up3rPa$$

install --firstdisk --overwritevmfs

install url ftp://10.x.x.x/pub/esxmnt43

network --bootproto=dhcp --device=vmnic0

reboot

in the boot screen you just need to give

ks = https://10.x.x.x/ks.cfg file .

I tried this way its always works.

[maialen]

CoolRam wrote:

In Place of trying this way can you mount the ISO in any linux machine and give that entry in the ks file.

example:

install url ftp://10.112.238.246/pub/esxmnt43

vmaccepteula

rootpw $up3rPa$$

install --firstdisk --overwritevmfs

install url ftp://10.x.x.x/pub/esxmnt43

network --bootproto=dhcp --device=vmnic0

reboot

in the boot screen you just need to give

ks = https://10.x.x.x/ks.cfg file .

I tried this way its always works.

Have you tried it with ESXi 6.0? I have tried what you say in ESXi 5.5 with no problem but with 6.0 I am not able to make it work

[CoolRam]

Can you tell me what is error message you are getting in this. Like command is depreciated or ????

[maialen]

CoolRam wrote:

Can you tell me what is error message you are getting in this. Like command is depreciated or ????

I posted some screenshoots a couple of posts ago. There is no deprecated error the message is "This system does not have a network interface card that is plugged in"

[maialen · Accepted solution]

I haven't managed to make it work with kickstart on a network location. However I have placed my kickstart file on the bootable USB device that I am using for the installation by stopping the installation before it starts with SHIFT + O and adding:

> runweasel ks=usb:/ks.cfg

I know it's not the answer to the question but it's an alternative path to the same place.