Solaris 10 Network Install on Netra t1.

I'm trying to install Solaris on several Netra machines that I have. None of them have CD-ROMs and none of them have an OS installed. I've been trying to setup an Ultra 80 as an install server per the instructions found in "Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations" part number: 817-5504. The boot image is on the hard drive, but from there the instructions don't seem to apply to my case. These instructions seem to assume you have running machines that have a hostname and all the network settings configured. I've been looking all over the place to see if there are instructions to setup a hostname/ip config in openboot or in lom, but I haven't seen anything. The installation instructions just tell you to type "boot net - nowin" at the ok prompt, but I don't know if it searches for a DHCP server for IP config or if I have to set it myself. And with no OS installed, I can't just log in and set all these options up in Solaris. Typing "boot net" just returns the message "Timeout waiting for ARP/RARP packet" over and over again.

If I have to setup the Ultra 80 as a DHCP server I'll probably have to have a little instruction on that as well, if anyone knows docs for that. The Netra setup guides also seem to focus more on initial setup with an OS already installed rather than resetting or starting from scratch.

[1362 byte] By [Lee_B_Ha] at [2007-11-26 16:16:42]
# 1

If you have no plans to install Solaris 10 on recent X86 hardware you might try running Solaris 8 or 9 as your install server, configuration for the legacy bootparamd-based Jumpstart is pretty straightforward, well documented and doesn't require DHCP.

The Netra T1s do not use DHCP to obtain boot parameters. I don't even know if the Solaris DHCP server can be configured to emulate legacy Jumpstart raprd/bootparamd. IIRC there was a way but it was not well documented, or maybe one just runs rarpd, rpc.bootparamd, and dhcpd at the same time.

wsandersa at 2007-7-8 22:39:49 > top of Java-index,Sun Hardware,Servers - General Discussion...
# 2

I just went through this with a batch of netra's and found that Open Boot firmware <=3.10.24 could only do rarp, but >=3.10.25 can do dhcp using:

boot net:dhcp

http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-21-108673-02-1

In the Fixed Since 3.10.24 section, item #6 shows dhcp added, but only working with a solaris 8 install server.

I have used the dhcp to netboot a gentoo tftp boot image from a linux dhcp server though.

sdnamea at 2007-7-8 22:39:49 > top of Java-index,Sun Hardware,Servers - General Discussion...