In Ard Righ's email, 02-12-2000: > ([<> On 1 Dec 2000, some witty mortal wrote: <>]) > > > RedHat has kickstart which greatly simplifies the install process. > > Currently users here can fill out a webform and get a customized boot > > disk that will do the right thing, just boot from it go to lunch and > > when you come back the machine is partitioned, installed and configured, > > just just type your NIS password and go. > > I must say, scripted installs of OSes are such a great thing, I'm > suprised the Linux distributions haven't done similar to this earlier. > > NT4, while not the greatest operating system, has one saving grace in > it's unattended installs run from a boot floppy. You boot from the > disk, wait until the files are installing (from network for most > installs I've done like this), then take the disk out and walk away. > When you return, the install is complete, and you can get about > installing software (and rebooting a few times ;o)). > > I think the package layout of Linux would be ideal for this sort of > installation. Especially with the ability to install an OS from an FTP. > > Of course, it wouldn't be the easiest thing to setup, and like NT4, > configuring the unattended install files would take some time and > research. But the end result would mean easier installation, if you for > example, reinstalled from scratch. > > If the Debian folks have the inclination to look at this sort of > thing, I'm sure it would add so much more to Debian's already great > list of benefits to users (especially the corporate ones). [bobbit .sig]
AFAIK, the debian boot-floppies team is already looking into this issue for their next version - there has been a innumerable amount of emails to boot-floppies about unattended installs. Also, what's really nice about the kickstart-like utiilities for linux is that if you have a large amount of systems, configured to network by DHCP, you don't even need monitors for the install. It will install the OS and any packages that you need (from a specific host, if needed), without even needing a keyboard. This simplifies setting up beowulf clusters immensely(sp). Michael Janssen CNS Lab Administrator [EMAIL PROTECTED]
