HTTP or FTP Install via a PXE boot with the LSI drivers from the ISO download?

[Ritmo2k]

How would one do this? I need to PXE boot my install but have it load the newer LSI drivers off the iso available for download. How can I add these into the distribution source on the http/ftp server?

Thanks!

[Ritmo2k]

Anyone at least have any ideas? My test system was recently running on HP hardware that was supported but that machine is now being used elsewhere and I am back to using a whitebox. As it doesnt have a supported IDE controller I cant boot from the iso, I must boot via PXE. I tried adding the RPM's into the source folder on my ftp server and editing the xml to match the update cd's but it didnt work.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks

[Texiwill]

Hello,

WHat are you trying to install? ESX or the VMs? I use a Linux PXEboot server that also does HTTP installs. There is the UDA Virtual Machine appliance that does the same thing.

THis is also a Linux question more than an ESX question. You will need to modify the files appropriately, as well as create the proper kickstart file that contains all the necessary RPMs including the new drivers.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky, author of the forthcoming 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', publishing January 2008, (c) 2008 Pearson Education. Available on Rough Cuts at http://safari.informit.com/9780132302074

Message was edited by: Texiwill

[Ritmo2k]

Hi, I am trying to install ESX. Problem is I don't have access to a CD-ROM at the console to switch discs. I must PXE boot then use either ftp or http to finish the install. This is possible by automating the install via kickstart? What other files need modification?

If you can point me to where and what I should I read I would be grateful!

Thanks

[Texiwill · Accepted solution]

Hello,

The best guide is:

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/RHEL-3-Manual/sysadmin-guide/ch-kickstart2.html. Using this you can specify a remote driver disk floppy image as well. I would go with the most basic kickstart script you can use... perhaps something like the following:

url --url http://hostip/ESX302

driverdisk --source http://hostip/driverdisk.img

install

Then everything is setup using standard install screens, once you install once machine you can take the /root/anaconda-ks.cfg file and edit it to reflect the url and driverdisk lines and have a kickstart file that can reproduce your ESX server. You may have to uncomment the partition table lines however.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky, author of the forthcoming 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', publishing January 2008, (c) 2008 Pearson Education. Available on Rough Cuts at http://safari.informit.com/9780132302074

[Ritmo2k]

Thank you very much!

I'll test that this weekend.