Install Linux Remotely???

pmcdonnell · #1 07-07-2005, 12:24 PM

Is it possible to install Linux remotely? I have a Win2K3 machine at a colo facility and I would like to install Linux instead of Win2K3 on the machine. Is it possible to do this? If so how? I have Timbuktu installed which is like VNC for remotely accessing the server.

If anyone has any ideas or knows how to do it I would love to hear from you. I possibly could pay you to install it for me. I have RH9 but would consider Centos....

Thanks,
Phil

classics · #2 07-07-2005, 01:07 PM

I think you would need to look for a distro that supported a completely unattended installation, plus supported launching the install from a already running host OS.

dollar · #3 07-07-2005, 01:22 PM

You would need at the minimum kvm/ip access I believe.

classics · #4 07-07-2005, 01:23 PM

Heres something crazy that might actually work.

Install Partition Magic on the host windows machine. Then re-partition the hard drive so you have enough free space for a Linux partition.

Install VMWare on the target machine and make a new Linux virtual machine. Set the linux virtual machine to use a physical partition instead of a virtual disk, set that partition to the new empty partition on your hard disk.

Restart the virtual linux machine and make sure it boots, configure it so that it will be able to 'come up' normally when booted as the host OS. Make sure you include support for both your real disk controller and the vmware virtual disk controller.

Then close VMWare and use a boot manager like BootMagic to finalize the dual-boot installation, with Linux set as the default OS.

Then pray a little and reboot your machine.

dollar · #5 07-07-2005, 01:24 PM

That's actually crazy enough to work classics

Cheers for the good idea!

AhmedFouad · #6 07-09-2005, 09:13 PM

Crazy!

But I run VMWARE at home and it's a great experiance.

eth00 · #7 07-09-2005, 11:17 PM

There was a guide to that effect on the ev1 forums awhile back. You CAN do it but be prepared with the fact you may screw up your machine if you screw up.

linux-tech · #8 07-10-2005, 02:39 AM

Installing your OS remotely won't work, because you've actually got to control the OS and reboot it into the setup at least once.
UPGRADING your OS remotely will indeed work, that's done easily enough, and usually (if you know what you're doing), it's pretty painless

firestarter · #9 07-10-2005, 06:02 AM

Ask the DC to install the OS for you and just pay them, if they ask

pmcdonnell · #10 07-10-2005, 11:50 AM

Firestarter - This is what I wound up doing. My colo provider did the instal of Fedora Core3 for me for a minimal charge.

Thanks all,
Phil

pnorilsk · #11 07-10-2005, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by linux-tech
Installing your OS remotely won't work, because you've actually got to control the OS and reboot it into the setup at least once.
UPGRADING your OS remotely will indeed work, that's done easily enough, and usually (if you know what you're doing), it's pretty painless

Of course, it does work - for diffeent systems with different degree of success.
see,
KickStart - RedHat
ALICE - SuSe
Three for Debian - FAI, Progeny, Replicator

UNIX system as well,
NIM (my favored) - IBM AIX
JumpStart - Solaris

In fact now there is a way to run few operating systems on the same machine at the same time.

Peter Kinev.

daylightnetworks · #12 04-09-2006, 10:00 AM

what do you think about using NOC monkey ?

Steven · #13 04-09-2006, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linux-tech

Installing your OS remotely won't work, because you've actually got to control the OS and reboot it into the setup at least once.
UPGRADING your OS remotely will indeed work, that's done easily enough, and usually (if you know what you're doing), it's pretty painless

dont forget about http://www.daemonology.net/depenguinator/

:-)

pnorilsk · #14 04-09-2006, 11:41 AM

I never used it. Looks like it extends the original concept of BOOTP / TFTP by extension of firmware with an PXE server information. Thus, if you want to try it,

1. you have to have a dedicated PXE server on network (I am not sure how it will work with subnets)
2. your clients (computers you want to recover someday) should have an PXE enabled firmware - could be a new NIC (adapter) card PXE enabled.

So, imho it should do the trick.

Peter.