RHEL rescue mode via PXE boot

[wolf2k5]

Hi,

I can start RHEL 3 or 4 in rescue mode from the first installation CD
by typing 'linux rescue' at the boot prompt.

Is there any way to start RHEL in rescue mode via PXE boot?

I boot RHEL via PXE for new installation, that works fine.

But I am not able to boot it in rescue mode via PXE, since there is no
boot prompt to typy 'linux rescue'.

Thanks.

[Jussi Silvennoinen]

Post by wolf2k5
I can start RHEL 3 or 4 in rescue mode from the first installation CD
by typing 'linux rescue' at the boot prompt.
Is there any way to start RHEL in rescue mode via PXE boot?
I boot RHEL via PXE for new installation, that works fine.
But I am not able to boot it in rescue mode via PXE, since there is no
boot prompt to typy 'linux rescue'.

But of course there is. Have a look at pxelinux.

[Robinson, Andrew W.]

Post by wolf2k5
Is there any way to start RHEL in rescue mode via PXE boot?

Yes you can. Here's how I do it.

These are the pertinent lines from my
/tftpboot/linux-install/pxelinux.cfg/default file. Note the "rescue"
directive.

label 7
kernel rhel4r1/vmlinuz
append initrd=rhel4r1/initrd.img \
ramdisk_size=10000 \
rescue \
ks=http://10.20.2.3/kickstart/ks_rescue.cfg

(Note: the line continuations for readability. They are
not allowed in the actual file.)

This is the corresponding section in the
/tftpboot/linux-install/msgs/boot.msg file:

Rescue Modes:

5. RHEL 2.1 ES U4 Rescue Mode
6. RHEL 3 ES U4 Rescue Mode
7. RHEL 4 ES R1 Rescue Mode

Using the kickstart file is not required. It is for
convenience, answering most of the questions that get
asked:

# Kickstart configuration file RHEL 3 EL U4 Rescue Mode
#
#System language
#
lang en_US
#
#Language modules to install
#
langsupport --default=en_US
#
#System keyboard
#
keyboard us
#
#System mouse
#
mouse genericwheelusb
#
#Retrieve rescue system from NFS
#
nfs --server=10.20.2.3 --dir=/var/kickstart/RHEL/4/ES/r1
#
#Network information
#
network --bootproto=dhcp

Andrew Robinson

[Joshua Jensen]

*anything* that can get you do anaconda (the installer) can get you to
rescue mode. Rescue mode is *part of* anaconda.

Joshua

Post by wolf2k5
Hi,
I can start RHEL 3 or 4 in rescue mode from the first installation CD
by typing 'linux rescue' at the boot prompt.
Is there any way to start RHEL in rescue mode via PXE boot?
I boot RHEL via PXE for new installation, that works fine.
But I am not able to boot it in rescue mode via PXE, since there is no
boot prompt to typy 'linux rescue'.
Thanks.
--
Taroon-list mailing list
http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/taroon-list

[wolf2k5]

Post by Joshua Jensen
*anything* that can get you do anaconda (the installer) can get you to
rescue mode. Rescue mode is *part of* anaconda.

Then, how can I switch from anaconda install mode to rescue mode?

Thanks.

[Tom Diehl]

Post by wolf2k5

Post by Joshua Jensen
*anything* that can get you do anaconda (the installer) can get you to
rescue mode. Rescue mode is *part of* anaconda.

Then, how can I switch from anaconda install mode to rescue mode?

I do not think you can. As someone else suggested use pxelinux. That
way you can simply add rescue to the command line.

HTH,

Tom Diehl tdiehl-Vm+IDG5ujV1Wk0Htik3J/***@public.gmane.org Spamtrap address mtd123-Vm+IDG5ujV1Wk0Htik3J/***@public.gmane.org

[nathan r. hruby]

Post by wolf2k5

Post by Joshua Jensen
*anything* that can get you do anaconda (the installer) can get you to
rescue mode. Rescue mode is *part of* anaconda.

Then, how can I switch from anaconda install mode to rescue mode?

At boot time:
linux rescue

-n

[Robinson, Andrew W.]

Post by Joshua Jensen

Post by Joshua Jensen
*anything* that can get you do anaconda (the installer) can

get you to

Post by Joshua Jensen
rescue mode. Rescue mode is *part of* anaconda.

Then, how can I switch from anaconda install mode to rescue mode?

Once you have started booting into install mode, you cannot switch to rescue
mode. You specify the "rescue" at the boot prompt.

The original question was how to do this with pxe boot. The answer is to
have a second (or separate) entry in the
/tftpboot/linux-install/pxelinux.cfg/default file that specifies the
"rescue" option and have a corresponding entry in the
/tftpboot/linux-install/msgs/boot.msg file so you have a menu entry to
activate the rescue mode. My boot.msg and default files are setup so I can
select to install from one of four versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux or
boot into rescue mode from three of those versions:

/tftpboot/linux-install/pxelinux.cfg/default:

default local
timeout 100
prompt 1
display msgs/boot.msg
F1 msgs/boot.msg
F2 msgs/general.msg
F3 msgs/expert.msg
F4 msgs/param.msg
F5 msgs/rescue.msg
F7 msgs/snake.msg

label local
localboot 1

label 0
localboot 1

label 1
kernel rhel21/vmlinuz
append initrd=rhel21/initrd.img ramdisk_size=10000

label 2
kernel rhel3/vmlinuz
append initrd=rhel3/initrd.img ramdisk_size=10000

label 3
kernel rhel3u4/vmlinuz
append initrd=rhel3u4/initrd.img ramdisk_size=10000

label 4
kernel rhel4r1/vmlinuz
append initrd=rhel4r1/initrd.img ramdisk_size=10000

label 5
kernel rhel21/vmlinuz
append initrd=rhel21/initrd.img ramdisk_size=10000 rescue
label 6
kernel rhel3u4/vmlinuz
append initrd=rhel3u4/initrd.img ramdisk_size=10000 rescue
label 7
kernel rhel4r1/vmlinuz
append initrd=rhel4r1/initrd.img ramdisk_size=10000 rescue

/tftpboot/linux-install/msgs/boot.msg:

09Welcome to 0cRed Hat Network09 Installer!07
0a
.-=-. .--.
__ .' '. / " )
_ .' '. / .-. \ / .-'0c\0a
( \ / .-. \ / / \ \ / / 0c^0a
\ `-` / \ `-' / \ `-` /
`-.-` '.____.' `.____.'
07

Enter number of the Operation System you wish to install:

0. Local Machine

Interactive Installations:

1. RHEL 2.1 Update 4
2. RHEL 3 Update 3
3. RHEL 3 Update 4
4. RHEL 4 Release 1

Rescue Modes:

5. RHEL 2.1 ES U4 Rescue Mode
6. RHEL 3 ES U4 Rescue Mode
7. RHEL 4 ES R1 Rescue Mode


Andrew