Bug 521418

Summary: nfs network install does not work unless the ISO image on the server is mounted
Product: [Fedora] Fedora Documentation Reporter: John Dubery <jdubery>
Component: install-guideAssignee: David Nalley <david>
Status: CLOSED NEXTRELEASE QA Contact: Ruediger Landmann <rlandman+disabled>
Severity: medium Docs Contact:
Priority: low    
Version: develCC: eric, jgranado, kwade, vanmeeuwen+fedora
Target Milestone: ---   
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: i686   
OS: Linux   
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version: Doc Type: Bug Fix
Doc Text:
Story Points: ---
Clone Of: Environment:
Last Closed: 2009-11-25 01:25:31 UTC Type: ---
Regression: --- Mount Type: ---
Documentation: --- CRM:
Verified Versions: Category: ---
oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team: --- Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description John Dubery 2009-09-05 17:05:36 UTC 
Description of problem:
Trying to perform a network install of F11; the target machine was booted using a F11 network install CD, added parameters "linux askmethod".

* the installation guide (website current version) says "3.5.2. Preparing for an NFS install / For NFS installation it is not necessary to mount the iso image. It is sufficient to make the iso image itself available via NFS."

* I tried to do this:
  - the target indicated it could not find the install image (precise message not copied)
  - the target had appended "/images/install.img" to the NFS directory path I provided (as if expecting the contents of the ISO, not the ISO itself)
  - the server log indicated that the client had tried to stat the ".../install.img" file, and that it had (of course) failed

* I tried loop mounting the ISO, and exporting the mount point:
  - the target now finds the install image and proceeds with the installation

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
- anaconda - as current download ISO images
- F11 DVD ISO image (exported by the server) - current download
- target is running a CD with the F11 network install image - current download

How reproducible:
100%

Steps to Reproduce:
1. (as above)
2.
3.
  
Actual results:
F11 install fails

Expected results:
F11 install OK

Additional info:
not sure exactly what to assign this to (may actually be an installation guide problem); used anaconda as an "install problem catcher" and likely suspect
Comment 1 Joel Andres Granados 2009-09-08 14:58:05 UTC 
Can you pls attach the anaconda log files  : /tmp/*log*.  These files must be accessed during installation.

Additionally, can you pls test with latest rawhide.  Given the development cycle in the installer, we can't do much of anything for f11, but we are working very hard to create a rock solid f12 installer.  Your issue might already be solved in rawhide.  If so, pls close this bug.
Comment 2 Chris Lumens 2009-09-08 19:02:30 UTC 
In addition to the directory with the ISO images, you also need to make an images/ directory and put install.img in it.  The anaconda loader is really looking for this file (which is the second stage of the installer), and only incidentally the ISO files.  If you follow that layout and don't have the ISO images mounted, it should all work fine.

This really should be explained in the installation guide.  I thought it already was.
Comment 3 David Nalley 2009-11-25 01:25:31 UTC 
Yep apparently we fixed this for hard drive installs, but not for NFS installs. I have updated this section in the install guide. I appreciate the report. 


commit 020d4ca9d6038e02e92210415133855e5259af87
Author: David Nalley <david>
Date:   Tue Nov 24 20:25:18 2009 -0500

    hopefully fixing NFS install documentation per 531241 and 521418