how to network install using NFS server

[parkarnoor]

hi, i want to do linux installation on client machine from server.

i configured NFS server. i actually installed all 5 CD's to one directory. these are not iso images.

i created directory /serverimage and inside this i created directory for each linux cd. i.e linuxcd1, linuxcd2 and so on ..

now my directory structure is :
cd /serverimage
ls
linuxcd1
linuxcd2
linuxcd3
linuxcd4
linuxcd5

now i exported /serverimage in /etc/exports

but when i boot my client machine with the first linux cd. and using linux askmethod

i selected NFS. i entered ip address for nfs server and directory as /serverimage

but it is not taking. saying unable to mount.

shall i create .iso images. i dont want to use .iso images since i want to configure yum repository later once client is installed. i dont know if yum repository can be installed using iso images on the server.
so i just copied cdrom to directories to share it via nfs.

but it is not taking.

what additional steps required????

thanks
parkar UAE

[henrikau]

Hi,

first off, could you explain what you mean about "not taking"?

Secondly, could you paste your /etc/exports ?

[parkarnoor]

hi

i will explain you once again.

i removed all the directories under /serverimage
linuxcd1
linuxcd2
linuxcd3
linuxcd4
linuxcd5

and i copied .iso images to /serverimage. and i am able to install operating system on the client side.

once installed. i also succesfully mounted nfs share.

i can see all .iso images on the client side also.

earlier above directories were not .iso images.

now i removed .iso images and copied all 5 CD's to above directories. i dont want to export all linuxcd* on seperate line in /etc/exports file

i just want to export /serverimage under which all these directories exists.

under /etc/exports, i exported as /serverimage only.

thanks

[henrikau]

ok,so the ptoblem is not strictly NFS, but rather the installer that's unable to read the exported directory properly?

When you export a folder via NFS, all subdirectories will also be exported.

Does the client successfully mount the NFS-share (even if the content is not the way you want it)?

[parkarnoor]

yes, i able to mount /serverimage share on the client and able to see all 5 directories inside. but it is showing empty.

but why it is empty.

i exported /serverimage which is parent dir. that may be the reason.

in that case i need to export all 5 dir's seperately. which shouldnot the way.

now i want to configure yum repository on the client from the .iso images on the server.

so i created loop dir's and created repo using createrepo(.). it created repodata under /serverimage and then configured yum repository locally on the server, the local repository is working fine. and able to install package. it is working because it has access to those loop dir's.

but on the client side the loop directories are showing empty.

here is once again summary of my directory structure.

/serverimage
ls
repodata (for local yum repository on the server)
linuxcd1
linuxcd2
linuxcd3
linuxcd4
linuxcd5
linuxcd1.iso
linuxcd2.iso
linuxcd3.iso
linuxcd4.iso
linuxcd5.iso

thats it.

i can see on the client side all directores including repodata but only loop directories are empty.

now i created repository on the client side.
and then yum install kernel*
it is counting all packages. (2544/2544)
but when the prompt appears press y to install. i pressed y

it is showing error. saying unable to read linuxcd1/server/....(since loopdir's linuxcd1 is empty).

note: initially my first question was : how to install OS on the client side using those loop directories. since it is showing empty after mounting it(after linux installation using .iso images). that was the reason why it was not taking on the linux askmethod and using NFS installation. i.e the message was unable to mount.

now the question is how to configure repository from those loop dir's or .iso images.

thanks
parkar