1. Automated installations
Objectives
Creatinig a kickstart file to make automated installations from
Contents
Creating a new kickstart file
Copy kickstart file to boot diskette
Copy kickstart file to kickstart server
Booting with kickstart files on floppy, cdrom, http and nfs
DHCP bootstrap configuration
Practicals
Perform one kickstart installation
Summary
This chapter show howto make totally unattended installation, well almost unattended.
RedHat Linux saves all the parameters you used during installation in the /root/anaconda-ks.cfg kickstart configuration file. You can use this file to create an automated installation of a duplicate system which can be useful if you have a large number of servers to install.

2. Creating A New Kickstart Configuration File
You create your own brand kickstart configuration file by using the "ksconfig" command from a GUI console in x-windows.
Ksconfig brings up your first manual installation selections
Once you have created the kickstart configuration file you can copy it to:
A directory on the server which has your network installation files
A boot diskette
A regular Linux diskette
You can create your own brand new kickstart configuration file by using the "ksconfig" command from a GUI console. It will bring up a menu from which you can select all your installation options. When finished, you save the configuration with the filename of your choice.
Note: During the Kickstart process you will be prompted for any of the options you didn't specify with "ksconfig". Prompting could be useful if you want to change things like IP addressing and disk partitioning with each installation.
Note: Do not change the order of the entries in the kickstart configuration file.

3. Copying The File To A Linux Boot Diskette
The file should have the name "ks.cfg"
Should be placed in the top directory of the diskette.
As Linux boot diskettes are in MSDOS format you will have to use the "mcopy" command to copy the file:
The kickstart process will fail to read your configuration file if you just use the regular "cp" command.
Copying the file to a Regular Linux diskette
This is sometimes needed when you install from CDROMs and need to get the kickstart configuration file from another device. As in the case of the Linux Boot diskette method, the file should be named "ks.cfg".
# mcopy ks.cfg a:ks.cfg
# cp ks.cfg /mnt/floppy/ks.cfg

4. Copying The File To Your Kickstart Server
Whether you are using NFS, HTTP or FTP for your network installation it is best to place your kickstart files in a subdirectory under the RedHat directory.
The examples below assume the subdirectory is called RedHat/kickstart.
A Note About Using anaconda-ks.cfg
It is possible to use the /root/anaconda-ks.cfg file as a template for future installations. RedHat comments out the partitioning information in this file, so you will either have to uncomment it and then make your partitioning modifications or be prepared to be prompted for your portioning information.
This is sometimes needed when you install from CDROMs and need to get the kickstart configuration file from another device. As in the case of the Linux Boot diskette method, the file should be named "ks.cfg".

5. Booting With Your Kickstart Files
Boote from your boot device, a floppy or CDROM.
You'll need to use the following commands at the lilo boot: prompt to continue with the installation.
Floopy Boot, ks.cfg On Boot Floppy
boot: linux ks=floppy
CDROM Boot, ks.cfg On Floppy
boot: linux ks=hd:fd0/ks.cfg
The HTTP Server Has ks.cfg
boot: linux ks=

6. Booting With Your Kickstart Files, cont.
The NFS Server Has ks.cfg
Explicitly Stating the Configuration Filename
You can configure kickstart to use a particular file under the /export/RedHat/ directory that our NFS configuration on the installation server makes available.  
boot: linux ks=nfs: :/kickstart/ks.cfg
Implicit Configuration Filename
boot: linux ks ps
Kickstart will use NFS to get the configuration file, but the file name used will depend on the settings of the DHCP server used on the kickstart network. In all the cases below, the NFS server IP address is assumed to be, The "next-server" isn't necessary if the DHCP and NFS servers are the same box
 >      If the network's "filename" setting in the dhcpd.conf file begins with a "/", kickstart will interpret this as the full path to the configuration file.
filename "/usr/new-machine/kickstart/ks.cfg";
next-server
 >      If the network's "filename" setting in the dhcpd.conf file does not begin with a "/" kickstart will interpret this as a file in the /kickstart directory.
filename "ks.cfg";
 >      If there is no filename specified in the dhcpd.conf file, kickstart will expect the file name to be /kickstart/ipaddress-kickstart. For example:
  kickstart

7. DHCP with bootfile DHCP needs more
DHCP now need to be able providing boot file
host client {
hardware ethernet 00:50:DA:38:CE:23;
fixed-address ;
server-name ”master";
filename "/export/client/kickstart/ks.cfg";
next-server ;
option domain-name-servers ;
option log-servers ;
option broadcast-address ;
option domain-name ”client.ikea.se";
option root-path "/tftpboot/client2"; }