✎ sanboot:centos_iscsi_install - Etherboot/gPXE Wiki

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.

====== Installing CentOS to an iSCSI target ======

The CentOS installation process is somewhat fragile, and the built-in support for iSCSI installation does not function properly except in very limited circumstances.  However, it is possible to work around this limitation and install to an iSCSI target.

===== Starting the installation =====

Start a CentOS installation in the usual way, and proceed up to the point of the partitioning screen:

{{ screenshots:centos_iscsi_install_partitioning.png?400x300 |CentOS partitioning screen}}

Click on //Advanced storage configuration//, and add an iSCSI target.  For the target IP address, enter //127.0.0.1//:

{{ screenshots:centos_iscsi_install_gui_add_target.png?400x300 |CentOS iSCSI installation GUI}}

You will see the message "Initializing iSCSI initiator" appear for several seconds, then the display will return to the partitioning screen.

{{ screenshots:centos_iscsi_install_connect.png?320x200|CentOS iSCSI installation connection to disk}}

===== Connecting to the iSCSI target =====

Press //Ctrl-Alt-F2//.  This should take you to a root shell prompt.  Connect to the iSCSI target to be used for installation:

    sh-3.2# iscsiadm -m discovery -t sendtargets -p my.target.dns.name:3260

where //my.target.dns.name// is the DNS name (or IP address) of your iSCSI target.  You will see a list of available target IQNs.  Log in to the installation target:

    sh-3.2# iscsiadm -m node -T iqn.2007-08.name.dns.target.my:iscsiboot -l

where //iqn.2007-08.name.dns.target.my:iscsiboot// is the IQN of the target that you want to install to.

You are now logged in to the installation iSCSI target.

===== Completing the installation =====

Press //Ctrl-Alt-F6// to return to the graphical installation process, and click on //Next// to proceed to the disk selection screen:

{{screenshots:centos_iscsi_install_select_drive.png?400x300|CentOS iSCSI installation disk selection}}

You must tick the "Review and modify partitioning layout" box before proceeding to the disk partitioning screen:

{{screenshots:centos_iscsi_install_remove_swap.png?400x300|CentOS iSCSI installation swap removal}}

Select and delete the swap partition.  This is required for two reasons: firstly, swap over iSCSI (or over any network device) is generally a bad idea; secondly, doing so works around a bug in the CentOS installer which would otherwise result in the partition table never being written to disk.

Make a note of the iSCSI target IQN that you installed to (//iqn.2007-08.name.dns.target.my:iscsiboot// in the above example).  You are now ready to

  * [[sanboot:iscsi_boot|Boot from your iSCSI target image]]

Trace: • oremanj • contributing • winpe • packages • aoe • aoebootprepdebianetch • compaq-armada-flashing • usermanual • romdumping • gpxeonvmware • usbwithstorage • openwrt • project_plan • derekpryor • gdbstub • cow • gpxememlayout • srp_install • windows_xp_iscsi • nikhilcrao