Re: Replicating Linux?

[Bruce Smith <bruce@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Does anyone know of a way to install Linux on many machines?  I have about 50
> Compaq Presarios that I need to bring online,  but certainly don't want to go
> through the install and config procedure on every one?  I had an e-mail from
> someone at SUN who had come up with a way to do this by doing a "hard drive
> copy",  but I seem to have misplaced it.  Does SUN use Linux??

I found a new option that sounds promising for what you want to do.

I just downloaded Redhat 5.0 off the net (using my companys T1 line).
During the install procedure I noticed a new install option called
kickstart mode.  Here is a little blurp about it from Redhat:

  1.1.3 Kickstart Installation Mode
  
  It's possible to automate Red Hat Linux installations by using kickstart 
  mode. Instead of asking the user questions during the installation, 
  kickstart mode reads a file that contains all the information necessary 
  to install Red Hat Linux. This is handy when installing many similarly-
  configured systems.  For more information on kickstart mode, 
  please read /doc/README.ks on the Red Hat Linux CD-ROM. 

It also said something about getting network info from bootp,
and doing the install over the network.

Sounds almost exactly what you want to do!

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Bruce Smith                bruce@armintl.com
System Administrator / Network Administrator
Armstrong International, Inc.
Three Rivers, Michigan  49093  USA
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