Installation CDs down to One

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hello I have a server that used to run SuSE 10.1.

Now the installation got corrupted and I wanted to install a newer version on the server, but I’m seeing that since version 10.3 the installation CDs are down to one Base CD.

I assume that everything is downloaded directly from the internet on a need basis.

Now what I’m afraid of is that this CD will not contain all of the necessary requirements to run WebSphere portal, and it’ll turn into requirement Hell for me.

The issue is that this server doesn’t have a DVD-ROM.

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

2

Why don’t you buy a DVD reader ?They are incredibly cheap. How much is your time worth to you?

3

Oh I’m definitely with you on that, but the problem is that it’s not up to me to authorize the budget.

4

Any other machine on the LAN have a DVD drive? You could do a network install from a NFS exported DVD image I believe.

5

That sounds good
Could someone point me to somewhere where this process is documented or demonstrated

6

It’s been a long since I did one of those, before there was opensuse, but you just get another machine to export the ISO image by NFS and then in the installer you choose NFS as the install source. It’s a pretty standard NFS setup.

7

Hi,

Two issues are being dealt with in this thread:

  1. Single CD not having all the software you need for your server.
    Well, that´s not a problem anymore with on line repositories.
    You first perform the base installation, then configure your system to point to the repositories of your liking, and from that install whatever software package your selected mirrors have available.

  2. Installing from the network, via one of the supported protocols: nfs, http, ftp and smb.
    This is quite easy. Assuming you have at least other Linux system available that happens to be (preferably) located in the same subnet of the target system (that you want to install Open Suse to) you only need to create a directory in the remote system where you will dump or mount the contents of the source dvd.
    The content of this directory will be made available (exported) by the process corresponding to the protocol selected, that must be running and configured accordingly. All of them work quite smoothly, nfs being a bit more quick, although, the time it will take you to fetch and install all the packages will depend in the long run on the current network traffic.

At boot time, press F4 and type the address where your remote installation sources are located. You have to type the complete path, not only the protocol + address.

The path syntax depends on the protocol being used. Refer to details to be on the safe side.

Find here the details:
Novell Documentation

Go to the section ‘Advanced Deployment Scenario’, and then to ‘Remote Installation’.

Hope this helps.

8

Thanks for the information Iĺl try that.