bruce woodley wrote:
I am a newbie to Linux on z, but I have been given the go-ahead to install a
linux on z system subject to the constraints:
I thought you were making fine music!
1) I keep it quiet to avoid offending our Solaris admins
2) do not invite fee-charging external consultants
3) not not install z/VM
4) do not compromise the integrity of existing Mainframe-based systems
I work for a retail company in England, and I have proposed making use of
our normally idle Disaster Recovery mainframe (a z990 3-x model) to install
either Suse or Red Hat Linux distributions.
I/we elected to use the Native LPAR install method, using the tape loader
and install DVD inserted into the HMC.
Native LPAR because we do not (currently!) have z/VM, and
tape loader (tapeipl.ikr, parmfile, etc on a cart), followed by installing
packages on the DVD within the HMC, because our D/R network is isolated so
that I can't access a suitable server.
(The Suse SLES10 SP1/SP2 install failed because of mismatch between the
TAPEIPL modules and the memory resident INITRD file system. I guess no one
at Suse/Novell thought anyone would install via a TAPEIPL in an native LPAR,
so did not test it... :-( )
So I tried RHEL 5.2 which looked much more promising...
RHEL 5.2 booted off the tape, and I specified the configuration paramteer
values, and then Anaconda install intialised itself.
However during the very first rpm package install of
system-config-services-0.9.4-1.e15.noarch.rpm, the following error message
dialog box is displayed:
Package Installation
Error
The file system-config-services-0.9.4-1.e15.noarch.rpm cannot be opened.
This is due to a missing file, a corrupt package, or a missing header
Please verify your installation source..
etc.
<REBOOT> <RETRY>
Now, I regestered myself on the Red Hat site, and downloaded a trial copy
of their distro.
I have noted the Installation Number, and I believe I have entered it in
correctly when I tried the install.
I have also been meticulous in checking the accurary of the DVD image when I
downloaded it (to a Windows Vista PC)
MD5 Verification:Run md5sum *.iso
I used Windows-Vista Roxio CD/DVD burner to burn the ISO image to a DVD..
I have tried running through the RHEL 5.1 install several times, specifying
different install packages, but rpm validity checking always fails when
attempting to install system-config-services (which I guess is always the
1st package to install).
I am at a loss to work out what the most likely cause of this error is:
1) invalid entering of Instalation Number (does rpm use this unique key?),
rpm does not, but Anaconda does.
2) invalid or corrupt DVD (I would have thought unlikely, given that I
successfully extracted tapeipl.ikr and Initrd etc off it).
3) newbie ingnorance (a most likely cause?!)
I have *not* contacted Red Hat support directly, because I may get billed,
or an enterprising salesman may come knocking on my Department Managers
door.
I don't know, but I would expect some level of free support for
prospective customers. However, keeping it quiet becomes more difficult.
In order to generate some interest in Linux on a Mainframe, I have to
demonstrate what is possible without resorting to:
additional software (z/VM), or
additional costs (experienced consultants).
Both software and consultants can come later - once I have generated
sufficient interest by demonstrating a real system.
I am submitting this post in the hope that a more experienced individual may
provide me with some pointers that will help me make a success of Linux on
Mainframe!
I like to install Linux over a network. If you can get a PC close enough
(on the wire) that is a good start.
I've recently been deploying Windows using Linux. I downloaded the
systemrescuecd and followed obstructions to create a bootable USB drive.
There are instructions for doing this on Widows and on Linux. I used a 1
Gbyte USB disk, five bucks from the local officeworks.
I found once I have the USB booting, I can customise it further as I go.
All that's needed is a script or ten in the USB disk's root directory,
and vim is one of the text editors included.
One of the boot options it to cache itself in RAM, so as soon as it's
going I can pull the USB drive and put it safely in my pocket.
It includes an NFS server (that's what you need to serve up the install
image), ssh client and server, and if you must, a GUI.
The other possibility for practice, is to download hercules (I think
it's included in Fedora) and emulate a zSeries at home. It's not as
fast, but it is _very_ quiet.
--
Cheers
John
-- spambait
1aaaa...@coco.merseine.nu z1aaaa...@coco.merseine.nu
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