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BootHelperCD Ignite

The document describes how to create a bootable CD using the make_media_install script to boot systems to the Ignite menu in order to pull images from servers on other subnets. The script creates an ISO image less than 300MB that can be burned to CD or DVD. It is recommended to use the free ImgBurn software on Windows to burn the image without corrupting it. The bootable CD provides an alternative to network booting and can be used to select the desired MAC address.

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Bill Hassell
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37 views

BootHelperCD Ignite

The document describes how to create a bootable CD using the make_media_install script to boot systems to the Ignite menu in order to pull images from servers on other subnets. The script creates an ISO image less than 300MB that can be burned to CD or DVD. It is recommended to use the free ImgBurn software on Windows to burn the image without corrupting it. The bootable CD provides an alternative to network booting and can be used to select the desired MAC address.

Uploaded by

Bill Hassell
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ignite Boot Helper CD

Q: I need an alternative to setting up a boot helper system on another subnet. How can I boot a system to be
able to pull the Ignite image from another network?

A: Starting with the C version of Ignite, a method to create a boot helper CD was created. make_media_install
is a script that will create a bootable CD with a kernel running the Ignite menu program. Because the kernel has
networking available, pulling images from servers on other subnets is not a problem. Note that this is not a
method to create a complete restore disc. This procedure just gets your system booted to the Ignite menu. The
resultant ISO image is less than 300 MB so it easily fits on a CD. You can also store the image on a DVD if CD
media is not available.

The commands are:

/opt/ignite/data/scripts/examples/make_media_install -r B.11.11 -m /var/tmp/boot11.11


/opt/ignite/data/scripts/examples/make_media_install -r B.11.23 -m /var/tmp/boot11.23
/opt/ignite/data/scripts/examples/make_media_install -r B.11.31 -m /var/tmp/boot11.31

The -r option specifies the version of HP-UX for the CD. This task should be run on the Ignite server used to
manage the backup images. This ensures that the Ignite version on the CD matches the server. Otherwise, you
may get a compatibility error message when you start to restore. Anytime you upgrade the Ignite version on the
server, all clients must be upgraded and a new set of bootable CDs created. Make sure you run all 3 commands
and build all 3 CDs for the different versions of HP-UX that you are backing up.

Here is a sample of what the script displays when it runs:


# /opt/ignite/data/scripts/examples/make_media_install -r B.11.11 -m /var/tmp/boot11.31
WARNING: Non-default -m option value specified along with default -p option value; the default directory
could run out of disk space, should both options be given?
=== Step 1: Make Ignite-UX config files for golden image archive(s) ===
=== Step 2: Copy SD depot(s) and make config files for them ===
=== Step 3: Make a boot-image (LIF volume) ===
=== Step 4: Make ISO media image ===
=== Step 5: Combine LIF volume and media image ===
=== Step 6: Write image file to tape/CD/DVD media ===
... ERROR: /opt/ignite/lbin/growisofs failed.

(ignore the Step 6 error messages)

There will be a single ISO file (image.iso) and directory called cfgs. Although the end shows an error
message at the end, it can be ignored as the script unconditionally tries to write the ISO image to a CDROM
device. Note also that the -m <destination_directory> is created automatically if not already there.

To burn the ISO image file, copy the image file to a PC to burn the disc. Be sure to use BINARY mode if you
use ftp to transfer the file. VERY IMPORTANT: Many of the popular PC burning programs (such as Roxio
including built-in Windows tools) will translate the image for use with Windows. This corrupts the image,
making the CD unbootable. The recommended free software to use is ImgBurn which can be downloaded from:

http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

After installing, run the program, select "Write image file to disc", then browse for the ISO file from the
HP-UX system. This is by far the best way to reliably burn an ISO image on a PC. You can then test the image
on any HP-UX system that can be rebooted. Just interrupt the reboot process (where it says you have 10 seconds
to interrupt...) and select the CD/DVD player attached to your system. When you get to the main menu, most of
the CD's contents have been used and therefore tested. You don't have to complete the install, just see that the
CD will boot.

NOTE:
The bootable CD is also a way to use a LAN card that does not support LAN booting. The CD brings in a mini-
kernel that uses standard communication methods for the LAN cards and will show a selection menu to pick the
desired MAC address.

A note about burning on HP-UX:


The make_media_install script has cdrecord imbedded in it to write to a CD/DVD connected to the
HP-UX system, but the steps needed to get cdrecord and a working SCSI pass-through device file are
quite cryptic and often do not work. That's why using a PC to burn the CD is recommended.

A note about Ignite versions:


Ignite can be seamlessly upgraded to a newer revision without a reboot and without losing any
configuration or image stores. The caveat is that the version (A, B or C) must be the same. Versions A and
B are obsolete so an upgrade to C will require removing all the Ignite bits with swremove. Note also that
a really old C version may not upgrade due to conflicts in the packaging with the newer versions. In this
case, complete removal of all Ignite filesets (swremove) and reinstall will work OK, and will still
preserve the settings and images.

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