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Article Reference

Article ID: 5263
Last update: 04-19-05
Issue:
I want to do a serial installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux using the BIOS feature of my system to redirect all console output to the serial port. If the installation program begins in frame buffer mode how do I change the installation media to use the serial console?
Resolution:

Both Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 Update 3 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 Initial release both start the installation program in frame buffer mode. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 Updates 1, 2 and 4 do not start in frame buffer mode.

To get around this you can modify the installation boot disk to create an auto-starting serial install.

Either make a copy of the downloaded .iso file of the first disk of the installation media or extract an ISO image from the CD using the following command: 

dd if=/dev/<cdrom> of=boot.iso

Replacing <cdrom> with the device name of your CD drive.

Mount the ISO image. e.g.: mount -o loop boot.iso /mnt/image.

Edit the file /isolinux/isolinux.cfg. Delete the "timeout" line and change the default line to read: 

linux nofb console=ttyS0

Save this file and then unmount the iso file e.g.: umount /mnt/image.

Burn this ISO image to a CD and boot from it. The installation program should now begin without using frame buffer mode and with all output redirected to the first serial port.


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Red Hat Enterprise Linux > AS/ES/WS v. 3 > Issue <<   381  of  594  >>