[opensuse] autoyast ... can the xml file be used with just a simple dvd install?
I've looked over the basics of autoyast ...and it seems as though for a "one off" situation (a single, or only a few, repeated installations) that it is over-kill. However, I see that at the end of an install, you can select to have the autoyast xml file created. Can I just save that file, and then, when starting a new install, somehow reference it so that the install proceeds from the DVD without needing my intervention? I don't see this mentioned anywhere, but it seems like it would be a "no brainer". Peter -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On 2/1/07, Peter Van Lone <petervl@gmail.com> wrote:
I've looked over the basics of autoyast ...and it seems as though for a "one off" situation (a single, or only a few, repeated installations) that it is over-kill.
However, I see that at the end of an install, you can select to have the autoyast xml file created.
Can I just save that file, and then, when starting a new install, somehow reference it so that the install proceeds from the DVD without needing my intervention? I don't see this mentioned anywhere, but it seems like it would be a "no brainer".
so, does the lack of response to this indicate that it simply can't be done? All I want is functionality similar to an "unattend.txt" to automate a windows install. Or, like a Hed Hat "kickstart". peter -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Sat, 2007-02-03 at 13:08 -0600, Peter Van Lone wrote:
On 2/1/07, Peter Van Lone <petervl@gmail.com> wrote:
I've looked over the basics of autoyast ...and it seems as though for a "one off" situation (a single, or only a few, repeated installations) that it is over-kill.
However, I see that at the end of an install, you can select to have the autoyast xml file created.
Can I just save that file, and then, when starting a new install, somehow reference it so that the install proceeds from the DVD without needing my intervention? I don't see this mentioned anywhere, but it seems like it would be a "no brainer".
so, does the lack of response to this indicate that it simply can't be done? All I want is functionality similar to an "unattend.txt" to automate a windows install. Or, like a Hed Hat "kickstart".
peter
Third hit using Google: http://www.novell.com/products/desktop/features/autoyast.html -- Ken Schneider UNIX since 1989, linux since 1994, SuSE since 1998 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On 2/3/07, Kenneth Schneider <suse-list3@bout-tyme.net> wrote:
Third hit using Google:
http://www.novell.com/products/desktop/features/autoyast.html
I'm sorry, but this tells me nothing. I know that "AutoYaST allows unattended and automated installation" I also know that, "In addition to AutoYaST, other installation methods include PXE Boot, CD-ROM, NFS, CIFS/SMB, HTTP, FTP" etc ... What I DON'T know ... and have yet to find in the docs, is whether I can do a dvd=based "auto" install using the xml file. I guess (since nobody here knows, which is a surprise to me) I will have to dig deeper to find out. You would think this should be simple: 1)save an autoyast xml file from an installation 2)Boot the dvd to start a new installation 3)point the installer to the xml file generated in step 1 Perhaps I just have not found the section of the docs that addresses it. If you know, one way or the other, holler out. Otherwise, I'm off to dig some more. Peter -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Am Samstag, 3. Februar 2007 schrieb Peter Van Lone:
What I DON'T know ... and have yet to find in the docs, is whether I can do a dvd=based "auto" install using the xml file. I guess (since nobody here knows, which is a surprise to me) I will have to dig deeper to find out.
If you know, one way or the other, holler out. Otherwise, I'm off to dig some more.
http://www.instalinux.com/ allows you to create a small boot iso for unattended linux installations. bye, MH -- gpg key fingerprint: 5F64 4C92 9B77 DE37 D184 C5F9 B013 44E7 27BD 763C -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Hi Peter
What I DON'T know ... and have yet to find in the docs, is whether I can do a dvd=based "auto" install using the xml file. I guess (since nobody here knows, which is a surprise to me) I will have to dig deeper to find out.
have you seen http://www.suse.com/~ug/autoyast_doc/bootmedium.html, especially chapter 7:
"7.2.3. Booting via PXE over the network
... Here is a small example of a "/srv/tftp/pxelinux.cfg/default" file: default SLES9 # install SLES9 label SLES9 kernel linux_sles9 append initrd=initrd_sles9 vga=0x0314 install=.... autoyast=... " Seems you can replace the 3 dots behin autoyast= with the path to the control file. " For testing/rescue purposes or because the NIC does not have a PROM or PXE you can build a boot floppy to use with AutoYaST. Using a floppy to initiate an auto-install process is limited due to the size of the data a floppy can hold. However, it is still possible to use floppies when auto-installing a single, disconnected machine. Floppies can be used to store the control file, especially when using the original SuSE CD-ROMs for a single, disconnected machine. Using the kernel command line, you can specify the location of the control file on the floppy. Even without specifying any command line options, it is still possible to initiate the auto-install process by placing a control file on a floppy with a special, pre-defined file name. (autoinst.xml) YaST2 will check for autoinst.xml upon startup and if it was found it will switch from interactive to automated installation." HTH hjb -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Dňa Pi 2. Február 2007 05:59 Peter Van Lone napísal:
I've looked over the basics of autoyast ...and it seems as though for a "one off" situation (a single, or only a few, repeated installations) that it is over-kill.
However, I see that at the end of an install, you can select to have the autoyast xml file created.
Can I just save that file, and then, when starting a new install, somehow reference it so that the install proceeds from the DVD without needing my intervention? I don't see this mentioned anywhere, but it seems like it would be a "no brainer".
http://www.suse.de/~ug/ You can specify a kernel boot parameter at start up, autoyast=<URL> Or grab YaST CD creator, that is capable to put the profile on a CD, including a boot menu entry: http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/10.2/repo/oss/suse/noarch/yast2-cd... Stano -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On 2/5/07, Stanislav Visnovsky <visnov@suse.cz> wrote:
You can specify a kernel boot parameter at start up, autoyast=<URL>
Or grab YaST CD creator, that is capable to put the profile on a CD, including a boot menu entry: http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/10.2/repo/oss/suse/noarch/yast2-cd...
I have not been able to look at this since last week ... but I did read through the manual, and it seemed as though perhaps the boot parameter option would work, but I thought it said that the autoyast=url was to specify the "control file", which I think is different from the autoyast.xml that is created at install time? Are you saying that I can put the autoyast.xml on a floppy, then boot the system from the dvd, and in the boot parameters put autoyast=(url to floppydrive/filename) and it will work? If so, THANK YOU! and ... why can't it ever just say that, in the documentation? Gees! :-) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Dňa Po 5. Február 2007 15:52 Peter Van Lone napísal:
On 2/5/07, Stanislav Visnovsky <visnov@suse.cz> wrote:
You can specify a kernel boot parameter at start up, autoyast=<URL>
Or grab YaST CD creator, that is capable to put the profile on a CD, including a boot menu entry: http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/10.2/repo/oss/suse/noarch/yast2 -cd-creator-2.14.0-20.noarch.rpm
I have not been able to look at this since last week ... but I did read through the manual, and it seemed as though perhaps the boot parameter option would work, but I thought it said that the autoyast=url was to specify the "control file", which I think is different from the autoyast.xml that is created at install time?
Yes, control file is the XML file generated by AutoYaST or by the cloning at the end of the installation.
Are you saying that I can put the autoyast.xml on a floppy, then boot the system from the dvd, and in the boot parameters put autoyast=(url to floppydrive/filename) and it will work?
Yes.
If so, THANK YOU! and ... why can't it ever just say that, in the documentation? Gees!
Looks like the documentation needs some cleanup. Stano -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On 2/5/07, Stanislav Visnovsky <visnov@suse.cz> wrote:
Yes, control file is the XML file generated by AutoYaST or by the cloning at the end of the installation.
that is very good, thank you. Now, one or two more "can it do this" questions, and if the answer is yes, I'll go to the docs to figure out the HOW: 1)if I want to do a basic install, then set some environment values perhaps, or add in a package or two that were forgotten in the original install, can I create the autoyast.xml at this point so that it captures these changes? (again, I don't want or need all the complexity of an install source on the network, etc ... I just want to be able to duplicate and automate a few installs using the xml file on a floppy and the dvd installation method) 2)will this procedure still "identify" hardware? So, for example, if I want an exact duplicate package selection and disk partitioning, but the monitor is different, or the system board is different, etc ... will the auto installs using autoyast.xml work for this? Thank you Stanislov, I appreciate your assistance! Peter -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Dňa Po 5. Február 2007 17:03 Peter Van Lone napísal:
On 2/5/07, Stanislav Visnovsky <visnov@suse.cz> wrote:
Yes, control file is the XML file generated by AutoYaST or by the cloning at the end of the installation.
that is very good, thank you.
Now, one or two more "can it do this" questions, and if the answer is yes, I'll go to the docs to figure out the HOW:
1)if I want to do a basic install, then set some environment values perhaps, or add in a package or two that were forgotten in the original install, can I create the autoyast.xml at this point so that it captures these changes? (again, I don't want or need all the complexity of an install source on the network, etc ... I just want to be able to duplicate and automate a few installs using the xml file on a floppy and the dvd installation method)
You can always edit the autoyast.xml file by hand. In fact, it was designed from the beginning to support hand-editting.
2)will this procedure still "identify" hardware? So, for example, if I want an exact duplicate package selection and disk partitioning, but the monitor is different, or the system board is different, etc ... will the auto installs using autoyast.xml work for this?
Yes. That's the real beauty of AutoYaST and also its curse. Because you need testing to see if everything went fine - just to warn you beforehand. Stano -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On 2/6/07, Stanislav Visnovsky <visnov@suse.cz> wrote:
On 2/5/07, Stanislav Visnovsky <visnov@suse.cz> wrote:
Yes, control file is the XML file generated by AutoYaST or by the cloning at the end of the installation.
I found the final, what appears to be definitive statement buried in the doc link that Stanislov sent: 7.3.2. Auto-installing a Single System The easiest way to auto-install a system without any network connection is by using the standard CD-ROMs that come in the SuSE Linux box. Using the CD-ROMs in combination with a floppy disk lets you getting started with AutoYaST very fast and without spending much time configuring installation server and network environments. Create the control file and name it autoinst.xml. Copy the file autoinst.xml to a floppy by either mounting the floppy or by using the mtools. mcopy autoinst.xml a: Here is the link: http://www.suse.de/~ug/autoyast_doc/index.html Perfect ... thank you all! Peter -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
participants (5)
-
Hermann J. Beckers -
Kenneth Schneider -
Mathias Homann -
Peter Van Lone -
Stanislav Visnovsky