When attempting to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 from local CD or DVD media in a logical partition on an IBM JS21 Blade server running VIOS, the installation fails shortly after starting Anaconda. What should I do to be able to successfully inst ...
When attempting to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 from local CD or DVD media in a logical partition on an IBM JS21 Blade server running VIOS, the installation fails shortly after starting Anaconda. What should I do to be able to successfully install from CD or DVD media?
Some problems have been reported and reproduced with installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 from local CD or DVD media to a logical partition (LPAR) on IBM JS21 Blade servers.
The installation methods observed to be affected include booting from either CD1 or DVD, and netbooting via the ppc64.img netboot file provided on the install media -- if local optical media is used as the source for the installation files. Installation succeeds when booting from the boot.iso, CD1 or DVD if network installation methods (NFS, HTTP, etc.) are used instead.
Kernel driver errors
One problem reported is a kernel device driver-related error seen shortly after booting the LPAR into the install kernel. The following output is an example:
Unable to Read Package Metadata
Another problem seen farther into the initial installation configuration (if the above problem is not encountered first) is an error message during the processing of the repodata file primary.xml.gz from the CD or DVD in the optical drive. The following error message occurs after the "Retrieving Installation Information..." installation status message is displayed:
Both of these problems were resolved by updating the IBM Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM) VIOS on the Blade server to the latest version.
The first error message shown above occured in testing with a JS21 blade running IVM VIOS version 1.2.1.0. The second error message shown above has been reported and reproduced in testing on JS21 blades running IVM VIOS version 1.3.0 and prior (although the device driver error will usually occur first, precluding occurrence of the second).
At the time of this writing, the most recent VIOS version available was 1.4.1.2-FP-9.2. VIOS software updates are available from IBM. One IBM URL where VIOS updates are available is:
http://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/vios/download
It is also possible to check for updates from within the IVM web interface using the Updates link located under Service Management.
For further information regarding update of the IBM IVM VIOS software version, please contact your IBM support representative.
PROBLEMS SEEN
One problem reported is a kernel device driver-related error seen shortly after booting the LPAR into the install kernel. The following output is an example:
Running anaconda, the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server system installer - please wait...
/dev/mapper/control: matchpathcon 0020000 failed: No such file or directory
Failure to communicate with kernel device-mapper driver.
dm.c: 1565
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/anaconda", line 574, in ?
import signal, traceback, string, isys, iutil, time
File "/usr/lib/anaconda/isys.py", line 32, in ?
import block
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/block/__init__.py", line 6, in ?
from device import MultiPath, RaidDev, RaidSet, BlockDev, DeviceMaps, \\
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/block/device.py", line 190, in ?
class MPNameCache(_IUD):
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/block/device.py", line 195, in MPNameCache
for map in _dm.maps():
MemoryError
install exited abnormally [1/1]
sending termination signals...done
sending kill signals...done
disabling swap...
unmounting filesystems...
/mnt/runtime done
disabling /dev/loop0
/proc done
/dev/pts done
/sys done
/tmp/ramfs done
/mnt/source done
/selinux done
you may safely reboot your system
Another problem seen farther into the initial installation configuration (if the above problem is not encountered first) is an error message during the processing of the repodata file primary.xml.gz from the CD or DVD in the optical drive. The following error message occurs after the "Retrieving Installation Information..." installation status message is displayed:
┌──────────────────────────────┤ Error ├───────────────────────────────?
│ │
│ Unable to read package metadata. This may be due to a missing │
│ repodata directory. Please ensure that your install tree has been │
│ correctly generated. failure: repodata/primary.xml.gz from │
│ anaconda-base-200708171319.ppc: [Errno 256] No more mirrors to try. │
│ │
│ ┌───────? │
│ │ Abort │ │
│ └───────┘ │
│ │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Comments