RHBA-2010:0185 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated booty package that fixes a bug and adds an enhancement is now
available.

Description

The booty package contains a python library which provides an interface for
the creation of boot loader configuration files and the addition of stanzas
to said configuration files. These boot loader configuration files are used
by the anaconda installer.

This updated booty package fixes the following bug:

• early in the installation process, anaconda creates a ramdisk to hold

files that it will need to complete the installation. Previously, when
installing the debug kernel for Red Hat Enterprise Linux on IBM System z,
the ramdisk was larger than the default memory address that ZIPL allocated
to hold the ramdisk. Installation would therefore fail. The /etc/zipl.conf
file that booty creates for anaconda now explicitly specifies a suitable
address for the ramdisk so that ZIPL does not rely on the insufficient
default address. With enough space to create the ramdisk, installation
succeeds. (BZ#429906)

In addition, this updated package provides the following enhancement:

• previously, there was no way to configure hypervisor parameters during

a kickstart installation. Therefore, these parameters would have to be
configured manually after installation. Red Hat Enterprise Linux now
includes a new option for the "bootloader" command in kickstart,
"--hvargs", which sets hypervisor parameters in grub.conf during
installation. It is now possible to automate this part of the
installation process. Refer to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Installation
Guide for a description of the "--hvargs" option. (BZ#552957)

Users of booty are advised to upgrade to this updated booty package, which
resolves this issue and adds this enhancement.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure all previously-released errata
relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via the Red Hat Network. Details on how to
use the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)