Using the self-serve net installer/CentOS Stream: Difference between revisions
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It is possible to make your install entirely automated if you're willing to put (crypted) password information in your kickstart file. | It is possible to make your install entirely automated if you're willing to put (crypted) password information in your kickstart file. | ||
==CentOS 7.x's text mode installer== | ==CentOS 7.x's text mode installer== | ||
On CentOS 7.x the default kickstart sets all defaults and leaves you to set your own root password. If you wish it is then possible at this point for you to alter most settings apart from disk partitioning. The initial installer screen will look something like the following: | On CentOS 7.x the default kickstart sets all defaults and leaves you to set your own root password. If you wish it is then possible at this point for you to alter most settings apart from disk partitioning. The initial installer screen will look something like the following: | ||
<syntaxhighlight> | <syntaxhighlight lang="text"> | ||
Starting automated install...... | Starting automated install...... | ||
Generating updated storage configuration | Generating updated storage configuration | ||
| Line 158: | Line 60: | ||
</syntaxhighlight> | </syntaxhighlight> | ||
You will need to select | You will need to select {{Key press|9}} to set a root password. | ||
In what appears to be a bug, after setting the root password the installer will insist now that "3) Software selection" now needs completing. Select | In what appears to be a bug, after setting the root password the installer will insist now that "3) Software selection" now needs completing. Select {{Key press|3}} and then make your selection (e.g. just {{Key press|1}} for a minimal install), then {{Key press|c}} to continue. | ||
The installer screen will now resemble: | The installer screen will now resemble: | ||
<syntaxhighlight> | <syntaxhighlight lang="text"> | ||
1) [x] Language settings 2) [x] Timezone settings | 1) [x] Language settings 2) [x] Timezone settings | ||
(English (United Kingdom)) (Etc/UTC timezone) | (English (United Kingdom)) (Etc/UTC timezone) | ||
| Line 179: | Line 81: | ||
</syntaxhighlight> | </syntaxhighlight> | ||
{{Key press|r}} to refresh until it changes to: | |||
<syntaxhighlight> | <syntaxhighlight lang="text"> | ||
1) [x] Language settings 2) [x] Timezone settings | 1) [x] Language settings 2) [x] Timezone settings | ||
(English (United Kingdom)) (Etc/UTC timezone) | (English (United Kingdom)) (Etc/UTC timezone) | ||
| Line 196: | Line 98: | ||
</syntaxhighlight> | </syntaxhighlight> | ||
and then you are ready to use | and then you are ready to use {{Key press|b}} to begin the installation. There will be no further questions until the installation is completed. | ||
If you desire an entirely automated installation then: | If you desire an entirely automated installation then: | ||
| Line 206: | Line 108: | ||
The addition of a '''rootpw''' command to the default kickstart will result in an entirely automated install that will not pause for input at all. | The addition of a '''rootpw''' command to the default kickstart will result in an entirely automated install that will not pause for input at all. | ||
==CentOS 8.x's text mode installer== | |||
The CentOS 8.x installer with the default kickstart is very similar to the CentOS 7 version above, except: | |||
* '''It doesn't have an option to set root password'''. Instead there is only option {{Key press|8}}, to create a user. You should give that user administrator privileges, then it will be able to use '''sudo'''. The root password is locked. | |||
* '''The bug where you have to set some other things again is fixed'''. After adding an admin user you'll use {{Key press|b}} to begin and then the install will be entirely automated. | |||
===The ElRepo kernel-ml will be automatically installed=== | |||
{{warning|As of CentOS 8, Red Hat removed the ability to boot their kernels under Xen PV and [[PVH]] mode, even though the upstream Linux kernel enables this by default. Therefore BitFolk's CentOS 8 installer will automatically switch you to the [http://elrepo.org/tiki/kernel-ml kernel-ml] mainline kernel from [http://elrepo.org/tiki/HomePage the ElRepo project].}} | |||
===SELinux relabel=== | |||
Upon first boot the first thing your install will do is an [https://www.redhat.com/en/topics/linux/what-is-selinux SELinux] relabel so that SELinux functions correctly. If you're watching on the console it will tell you it's doing this, and then after a minute or so it will reboot. You can then use the Xen Shell '''console''' command to again connect to its console and see the subsequent normal boot. | |||
Revision as of 15:57, 2 February 2021
Installing CentOS or Scientific Linux using the BitFolk installer.
Supported distributions
- CentOS 7.x
- CentOS 8.x
Supported install methods
CentOS 7.x
- Semi-interactive text mode (automated partitioning)
- Custom kickstart URL
CentOS 8.x
- Semi-interactive text mode (automated partitioning)
- Custom kickstart URL
About kickstart
All RHEL-like installs use a kickstart profile.
The default kickstart profile
The default kickstart profiles for CentOS 7.x and beyond perform a mostly automatic install. In particular, the default installer kickstart has automated partitioning and package selection.
If you're curious about what the default kickstart profile contains, use the kickstart Xen Shell command to see the URL to the file. You can just view it in your web browser.
Briefly, the default kickstart does this:
- Automatically blanks your xvda disk then puts a single partition across the whole of it for a root filesystem.
- Automatically blanks your xvdb disk then puts a single partition across the whole of it for a swap partition.
- Installs a minimal package selection.
- Leaves you to interactively set up a user account as the only manual step.
Selecting a different kickstart profile
Since version v1.48bitfolk16 you can use the kickstart Xen Shell command to choose from some alternate kickstart profiles, or (from version v1.48bitfolk18) to specify a URL to your own custom profile.
You should use BitFolk's default kickstart file as a template for making your own modifications.
It is possible to make your install entirely automated if you're willing to put (crypted) password information in your kickstart file.
CentOS 7.x's text mode installer
On CentOS 7.x the default kickstart sets all defaults and leaves you to set your own root password. If you wish it is then possible at this point for you to alter most settings apart from disk partitioning. The initial installer screen will look something like the following:
Starting automated install......
Generating updated storage configuration
Checking storage configuration...
================================================================================
================================================================================
Installation
1) [x] Language settings 2) [x] Timezone settings
(English (United Kingdom)) (Etc/UTC timezone)
3) [x] Software selection 4) [x] Installation source
(Custom software selected) (http://lon.static.bitfolk.com/
5) [x] Network settings centos/7/os/x86_64)
(Wired (eth0) connected) 6) [x] Install Destination
7) [x] Kdump (Custom partitioning selected)
(Kdump is enabled) 8) [!] Create user
9) [!] Set root password (No user will be created)
(Password is not set.)
Please make your choice from above ['q' to quit | 'b' to begin installation |
'r' to refresh]:
You will need to select 9 to set a root password.
In what appears to be a bug, after setting the root password the installer will insist now that "3) Software selection" now needs completing. Select 3 and then make your selection (e.g. just 1 for a minimal install), then c to continue.
The installer screen will now resemble:
1) [x] Language settings 2) [x] Timezone settings
(English (United Kingdom)) (Etc/UTC timezone)
3) [!] Software selection 4) [!] Installation source
(Processing...) (http://lon.static.bitfolk.com/
5) [x] Network settings centos/7/os/x86_64)
(Wired (eth0) connected) 6) [x] Install Destination
7) [x] Kdump (Custom partitioning selected)
(Kdump is enabled) 8) [x] Create user
9) [x] Set root password (No user will be created)
(Password is set.)
Please make your choice from above ['q' to quit | 'b' to begin installation |
'r' to refresh]:
r to refresh until it changes to:
1) [x] Language settings 2) [x] Timezone settings
(English (United Kingdom)) (Etc/UTC timezone)
3) [x] Software selection 4) [x] Installation source
(Minimal Install) (http://lon.static.bitfolk.com/
5) [x] Network settings centos/7/os/x86_64)
(Wired (eth0) connected) 6) [x] Install Destination
7) [x] Kdump (Custom partitioning selected)
(Kdump is enabled) 8) [x] Create user
9) [x] Set root password (No user will be created)
(Password is set.)
Please make your choice from above ['q' to quit | 'b' to begin installation |
'r' to refresh]:
and then you are ready to use b to begin the installation. There will be no further questions until the installation is completed.
If you desire an entirely automated installation then:
- Take a copy of the default kickstart file.
- Add an appropriate rootpw command.
- Host your kickstart file on some web server.
- Select your kickstart file from BitFolk's Xen Shell.
The addition of a rootpw command to the default kickstart will result in an entirely automated install that will not pause for input at all.
CentOS 8.x's text mode installer
The CentOS 8.x installer with the default kickstart is very similar to the CentOS 7 version above, except:
- It doesn't have an option to set root password. Instead there is only option 8, to create a user. You should give that user administrator privileges, then it will be able to use sudo. The root password is locked.
- The bug where you have to set some other things again is fixed. After adding an admin user you'll use b to begin and then the install will be entirely automated.
The ElRepo kernel-ml will be automatically installed
 Warning: | As of CentOS 8, Red Hat removed the ability to boot their kernels under Xen PV and PVH mode, even though the upstream Linux kernel enables this by default. Therefore BitFolk's CentOS 8 installer will automatically switch you to the kernel-ml mainline kernel from the ElRepo project. |
SELinux relabel
Upon first boot the first thing your install will do is an SELinux relabel so that SELinux functions correctly. If you're watching on the console it will tell you it's doing this, and then after a minute or so it will reboot. You can then use the Xen Shell console command to again connect to its console and see the subsequent normal boot.