HELP -- Kickstart does not run...

[phonebuff]

NOTE: Reposting under new Title in the hopes of getting some help --
----------------------------

Boot the 1.2 ISO and get the Kickstart Error
ALT =F3
NO CDROM Devices (Even thought it booted from CD)
So select cancel, follow prompts to select a driver.
Select the USB Mass Storage Driver for Linux ....
It installs, asks if I want to verify the CD.
So NO and it starts the CentOS install NOT the PBXINAFlash Install.

I now have a good CentOS box, but I would prefer a PBXINAF box....

Anyone know how to get the Kickstart file to run now ?

Can I run it manually from the Command Line after the OS install completes ?

TIA,

 

[wardmundy]

Sounds like your hardware isn't compatible with CentOS 5.1. Not much we can do there.

 

[jroper]

Hi

I'm not sure, you have got to the point of installing centOS, so it cannot all be wrong.

All the symptoms are pointing to a bad burn or bad ISO of some sort. It should not be asking you whether you want to check the media.

Just to confirm, can you do the following

Can you list the files and directories in the root of the CDROM

Can you post the contents of the the file ks.cfg which should be in root

When the CD boots, run linux mediacheck

Check the md5 checksum matches

Check the size correlates with the download.

This should confirm to us that you have the right CD, that it has the right stuff on it.

Joe

 

[phonebuff]

No that's the pont --

Ward,

No I did a poor job of writing the question if that's what you are thinking.

The Cent OS installs from the ISO CD fine and the system works perfectly as a CentOS box.

The issue is that Kickstart is not getting a Kick in the .... after the USB driver is selected and installed, instead it just installs the normal CentOS base with all of it's packages.

I need a way to run Kickstart from the cmd line or someway to tell the ISO install to use the Kickstart instead of the base OS.

TIA,

PS: This is not a Blue Light Special.

 

[phonebuff]

Joe,

Out of the office now, but I will go through these steps tonight and let you know the results.

But, I did use this CD on another box (Dell) with no problems.

Thanks.

 

[jroper]

OK, if that is the case, then we know that it is a proven working CD - I'd have said to do an install on VMWare just to rule out that possibility.

So we have established that you can load Centos, so it is fair to assume that the hardware is compatible.

We have established that the CD is good, because you have done a successful install before with it.

So unless anyone else has any suggestions, only two options remain:-

1. The CD has been damaged between the last install and this one - check for scratches and damage on the CD.

2. Your CDROM device is gubbed - The CDs you burn at home are not as shiny as shop brought CD's so it is important that you get ones of good quality. Also using a head cleaner on the CDROM device may make a difference - the CDROM device can appear to work correctly with shop brought disks, but can fail with disks you have burnt yourself.

Joe

 

[darmock]

Hi

1. What flavor of PIAF are you attempting to boot? 32 or 64 bit?

2. What hardware are you attempting to install to?

3. Reading beween the lines you are attempting to install from a USB CDROM is this correct?

4. If so what USB connections do you have on your MB and on your external CD? i.e. 1.1 or 2.0.

5. It sounds like it is defaulting to the default install. I can only assume it is due to the external cdrom you are using. (if that is what you are saying) I would recommend opening up the case and temporarily dropping in an internal cdrom and see if that makes a difference.

Realistically if I read your initial statements correctly it sounds like you are suffering from a bad cdrom disc or drive, flakey external usb cdrom drive, or a dirty cdrom or drive. I have seen this problem before but only in conjunction with broken/dirty cdroms/drives.


Tom

 

[phonebuff]

Joe,

-bash-3.1# cd /media/cdrom
-bash-3.1# ls -la
total 168
drwxr-xr-x 8 root root 4096 Apr 22 22:27 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 May 16 04:31 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 102 Apr 22 22:26 .discinfo
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:26 docs
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 212 Apr 22 22:26 EULA
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 18009 Apr 22 22:26 GPL
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:26 images
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:26 isolinux
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1294 Apr 22 22:26 ks16alt.cfg
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1091 Apr 22 22:26 ks16.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1627 Apr 22 22:26 ks16-sataraid.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1312 Apr 22 22:26 ksalt.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1510 Apr 22 22:26 ksauto.cfg
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1120 Apr 22 22:26 ks.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1046 Apr 22 22:26 ksminimal.cfg
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1664 Apr 22 22:26 ksnet.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1642 Apr 22 22:26 ks-sataraid.cfg
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 106496 Apr 22 22:26 pbx
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:27 repodata
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1512 Apr 22 22:26 RPM-GPG-KEY-beta
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1504 Apr 22 22:26 RPM-GPG-KEY-CentOS-5
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:26 source
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4425 Apr 22 22:27 TRANS.TBL
--------------

-bash-3.1# cat ks.cfg

install
cdrom
lang en_US.UTF-8
network --device eth0 --bootproto dhcp --hostname pbx.local
firewall --enabled --port=22:tcp
authconfig --enableshadow --enablemd5
selinux --disabled


%packages
@admin-tools
@base
@base-x
@core
@development-libs
@development-tools
@dns-server
@ftp-server
@mail-server
@mysql
@network-server
@server-cfg
@smb-server
@sound-and-video
@system-tools
@web-server
@x-software-development
webmin
kernel-devel
php-mysql
php
php-gd
php-mbstring
php-pear
php-mysql
php-pear-DB
perl
perl-libwww-perl
perl-DateManip
perl-DBD-MySQL
perl-DBI
perl-Net-DNS
perl-suidperl
perl-XML-Parser
audiofile-devel
dhcp
gd
lm_sensors
mc
mysql-devel
gcc-c++
flite
flite-devel
automake
piafdl
xinetd
t*f*t*p-server
joe




%post
/usr/sbin/ntpdate -su pool.ntp.org

mkdir -p /etc/pbx
date --iso-8601=minutes > /etc/pbx/install-date
echo "ISO=1.2.0" > /etc/pbx/ISO-Version


mkdir /etc/pbx
date --iso-8601=minutes > /etc/pbx/install-date
echo "method=pbx=1.2.0 revision=3 ks" > /etc/pbx/install-method

echo "/usr/local/sbin/piafdl 14" >> /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/S99local

eject



-bash-3.1#

-------------------------------------------------------------------

-bash-3.1# cat anaconda-ks.cfg
# Kickstart file automatically generated by anaconda.

install
cdrom
lang en_US.UTF-8
keyboard us
network --device eth0 --bootproto static --ip 172.16.200.50 --netmask 255.255.255.0 --gateway 172.16.200.20 --nameserver 172.16.200.11 --hostname ipbx
rootpw --iscrypted $1$bFg1kA9M$CQ.5waOhY8.HRzbbC77om/
firewall --enabled --port=22:tcp
authconfig --enableshadow --enablemd5
selinux --enforcing
timezone --utc America/New_York
bootloader --location=mbr --driveorder=sda
# The following is the partition information you requested
# Note that any partitions you deleted are not expressed
# here so unless you clear all partitions first, this is
# not guaranteed to work
#clearpart --all --drives=sda
#part /boot --fstype ext3 --size=100 --ondisk=sda
#part pv.2 --size=0 --grow --ondisk=sda
#volgroup VolGroup00 --pesize=32768 pv.2
#logvol swap --fstype swap --name=LogVol01 --vgname=VolGroup00 --size=496 --grow --maxsize=992
#logvol / --fstype ext3 --name=LogVol00 --vgname=VolGroup00 --size=1024 --grow

%packages
@office
@editors
@text-internet
@legacy-network-server
@dns-server
@gnome-desktop
@dialup
@core
@base
@ftp-server
@network-server
@games
@base-x
@graphics
@web-server
@smb-server
@printing
@kde-desktop
@mail-server
@server-cfg
@sound-and-video
@admin-tools
@news-server
@graphical-internet
device-mapper-multipath
-bash-3.1#

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

linux mediacheck is running

---------------------------------------------------------

MD5 is correct on ISO File.

----------------------------------------------------------

If you still feel it's a CD I can burn a new one using the External CD VS the internal on my Windows box that I usally use. Maybe the writing CD VS the Reading CD hardware is causing the issue, but it's very strange.

------------------------------------------------------

TIA..

PS: Getting a server is to busy from the Web site fairly often lately.

 

[jroper]

Hi
As both Tom and i said, we can say with confidence that it is either a damaged CD or a broken or breaking USB CD Reader.




Joe

 

[phonebuff]

Tom,

1. 32Bit . Standard KS and KS-alt

2. It a high end machine built by Kohlar and using the MSI motherboard.

3. Yes an External USB Samsung SE-S204N/AMBN Super-Witemaster.

4. Both side are USB 2.0

5. NOPE, this needs to work if at all possible with the external CD.

** Going to reburn the CD on this drive. As the ISO MD5 is good.

 

[darmock]

Well if you won't isolate the problem as being with the external cdrom then you are on your own.

The method I outlined will demonstrate if your external cdrom is having problems.


You can have good media with a good md5 checksum but still have a bad install if there are drive problems.

Write back if you decide to follow our advice and drop in an internal drive.


Tom

 

[phonebuff]

Okay,

New ISO download --

Verify MD5 --

New copy of Nero 7 installed.

Burn & Verify CD.

Boot new Box w/external USB 2.0 Samdsung drive

Linux mediacheck

Kickstart error can not find.

Cancel..

Walk down through menus add driver USB Stroage.

Verify CDRom as Good. Proceed.

Box get's clean CentOS5 no PBX........
--------------------------------------------------------
-bash-3.1# cat anaconda-ks.cfg
# Kickstart file automatically generated by anaconda.

install
cdrom
lang en_US.UTF-8
keyboard us
network --device eth0 --bootproto static --ip 172.16.200.150 --netmask 255.255.255.0 --gateway 172.16.200.20 --nameserver 172.16.200.11 --hostname IPPBX
rootpw --iscrypted $1$5nAWUtcR$nKto9r3v0AnKgqxkgLlBb/
firewall --enabled --port=22:tcp
authconfig --enableshadow --enablemd5
selinux --enforcing
timezone --utc America/New_York
bootloader --location=mbr --driveorder=sda
# The following is the partition information you requested
# Note that any partitions you deleted are not expressed
# here so unless you clear all partitions first, this is
# not guaranteed to work
#clearpart --linux --drives=sda
#part /boot --fstype ext3 --size=100 --ondisk=sda
#part pv.6 --size=0 --grow --ondisk=sda
#volgroup VolGroup00 --pesize=32768 pv.6
#logvol swap --fstype swap --name=LogVol01 --vgname=VolGroup00 --size=496 --grow --maxsize=992
#logvol / --fstype ext3 --name=LogVol00 --vgname=VolGroup00 --size=1024 --grow

%packages
@office
@editors
@text-internet
@gnome-desktop
@dialup
@core
@base
@games
@base-x
@graphics
@printing
@sound-and-video
@graphical-internet
device-mapper-multipath
-bash-3.1#

 

[phonebuff]

Since I can get the Centos5. Is there some way to manually run the ks.cfg from a command line.

----

-bash-3.1# mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom
mount: block device /dev/cdrom is write-protected, mounting read-only
-bash-3.1# cd /media/cdrom
-bash-3.1# ls -la
total 168
drwxr-xr-x 8 root root 4096 Apr 22 22:27 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 May 16 11:37 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 102 Apr 22 22:26 .discinfo
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:26 docs
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 212 Apr 22 22:26 EULA
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 18009 Apr 22 22:26 GPL
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:26 images
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:26 isolinux
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1294 Apr 22 22:26 ks16alt.cfg
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1091 Apr 22 22:26 ks16.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1627 Apr 22 22:26 ks16-sataraid.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1312 Apr 22 22:26 ksalt.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1510 Apr 22 22:26 ksauto.cfg
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1120 Apr 22 22:26 ks.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1046 Apr 22 22:26 ksminimal.cfg
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1664 Apr 22 22:26 ksnet.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1642 Apr 22 22:26 ks-sataraid.cfg
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 106496 Apr 22 22:26 pbx
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:27 repodata
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1512 Apr 22 22:26 RPM-GPG-KEY-beta
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1504 Apr 22 22:26 RPM-GPG-KEY-CentOS-5
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 2048 Apr 22 22:26 source
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 4425 Apr 22 22:27 TRANS.TBL

 

[phonebuff]

Tom,

The problem has to do with what happens in the process after I load the USB Driver from the list of drivers.

But, on Sunday I will tear down an old box and pull a CDRom from it and attach it and try it.

The reason I said this is not a long term solution is if I get the demo / test box working, and based on getting it working offer a competitive enough quote. I may need to do a dozen or more of these, and tearing them down to add the CDRom each time I need to install / reinstall is just not cost effective.

Will let you know on Sunday what I find.

 

[wardmundy]

Repeat after me... WalMart Special $199. It just works. Early next week, we will have a 2-CD ISO bundle that installs in 15 minutes flat. Everything is preconfigured. A monkey could do it... blindfolded.

Here are current links for purchasing:

WalMart

NewEgg

Add a gig of RAM for $25 and you're off to the races.

 

[phonebuff]

Sorry,

I don't ask anyone to use X-Mart specials for anything. Not my wife on my home system or a volunteer in a disaster relief camp where the PBX and a VSAT link might be the only solid link to help and needed supplies.

---------------------

 

[wardmundy]

Funny. Everex has been making standards-based, IBM-compatible PCs almost as long as IBM and Compaq. Ooops. Almost forgot. They both retired from the PC business.

 

[phonebuff]

Tom,

Sorry, had an emergency come up and have not gotten back to the box, hope to try the IDE CD-Rom option tomorrow. Till then the box is happy running CentOS5 as installed from the ISO, just not the PBX stuff.


-------

 

[TomS]

Same problem

I tried to load an HP Porliant DL360 5G with 4G Ram.
It did not have an internal CDROM so we used a known working USB CDROM unit (TB was loaded on the system using it.)
I experienced the exact same problem it would begin to load using the USB CDROM but would then not find the unit for the complete load.
They are ordering an internal CDROM so that we can try it when I return from the LV training class.
I loaded the same CDROM disk onto a desktop HP with 2G Ram and it worked with no problem.
32 bit Asterisk 1.4 from PiaF 1.2.
Trying to replace a 180 User Asterisk 1.2.9 Dell 1650 with the new HP 1U server.
Thanks
TomS

 

[darmock]

Well just to test it I ran it from my old sony external cd/dvd drive (DRU510) and it installed just fine. Not sure where the problem lies. The PIAF disk is the standard disk 1 of the centos 5.1 install set. It installs the standard files that are on disk one and 2 or 3 extras like webmin. There is no change to the base files so it won't support this or that. The other guys are still using 5.0 I believe. Try installing a freshly downloaded copy of centos disk 1 and see if you get any further.

For example I just moved a walmart special over to a 1U rackmount case with a 90 watt power supply and no cd. I used my sony external cd/dvd to install the minimal install of centos 5.1 all went as expected. I now use the box for a number of things such as centos repo/dns/openfire/fax/et al. Everything worked just fine with the sony external usb drive.
When I need to install something from CD I just plug the sony back in and away it goes.


Tom