Why does RHEL7 kickstart installation fail to install using anaconda root=live network location ?
Environment
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.1
- Kickstart
Issue
-
Since the deprecation of the
asknetworkoption inanaconda, experiencing issues installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 using a network located root (append root=live:http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/rhel7/LiveOS/squashfs.img) when the first network port (decided bydracut) is not connected. -
This means even if the first network interface worked and downloaded the
squashfs.img, it would move on to the second interface and fail and kill the install. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.0 at least worked if the first interface was able to connect to the network. If there is only one network interface, and it is able to connect to the network, it will download and continue the install. This is replicated across physicals and virtual infrastructure. - Old way of doing it pre Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.1 (making sure
eth1was being used)
label custom
kernel vmlinuz
append root=live:http://test/rhel7/LiveOS/squashfs.img inst.ks=cdrom:/kickstart.cfg ip=192.168.0.100 gateway=192.168.0.254 netmask=255.255.255.0 initrd=initrd.img text"
- With the multi NIC format
label custom
kernel vmlinuz
append root=live:http://test/rhel7/LiveOS/squashfs.img inst.ks=cdrom:/kickstart.cfg ip=192.168.0.100::192.168.0.254:255.255.255.0:networktest.example::off initrd=initrd.img text
- Both these examples fail.
Resolution
- Provide
bootdev=linkshould activate the first working NIC and start downloading from it. - Try the following
anacondaboot parameters.
append inst.stage2=http://test/rhel7/ inst.ks=cdrom:/kickstart.cfg ip=192.168.0.100::192.168.0.254:255.255.255.0:networktest.example::off initrd=initrd.img text biosdevname=0 net.ifnames=0 bootdev=link
- Or
append inst.stage2=http://test/rhel7/ inst.ks=cdrom:/kickstart.cfg ip=192.168.0.100 gateway=192.168.0.254 netmask=255.255.255.0 initrd=initrd.img text bootdev=link biosdevname=0 net.ifnames=0
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