[SunHELP] Installing solaris 8 from freebsd server

[James Lockwood]

On Sun, 23 Sep 2001, Mike wrote:

> I have downloaded the 3 files from sun's website for installing
> solaris 8 (installation CD , 2 software CD's). These files are in ISO
> 9660 format, which means I have to burn these to CD's. Is there anyway
> I can convert these ISO's back to UFS format? Burning CD's is
> possible, but I am having compatibility problems with 2000 and my HP
> burner.

FreeBSD should be able to mount 9660 images directly.  Solaris can as
well.

If you're using Solaris 8, man lofiadm.  This will let you make a loopback
raw device association that can then be mounted in a normal way.

If you're using 7 or older, get the "fbk" (file simulates block driver)
driver by Joerg Schilling of cdrecord fame:

ftp://ftp.fokus.gmd.de/pub/unix/kernel/fbk/

> I assume once I get the CD rom mounted, I can share the CD rom and
> boot the sun with "boot net --install" or something similar. I would
> appreciate any steps and clarification given!

Go to docs.sun.com and look in the Advanced Installation Guide.  On a
Solaris machine you would run Solaris_8/Tools/setup_install_server and
add_install_client, since you'll be booting off of a non-Solaris box
you'll have to examine these scripts and set things up appropriately.  In
a nutshell, what you need to do is:

Export the CDROM filesystem, either directly or from a copy you've made.

Put the appropriate netboot loader in your TFTP server area and make a
symlink to it from the IP address of the machine you'll boot in hex.

rarp for the Sun's MAC address with the appropriate IP.

Set up bootparams for the Sun (key fields are root, install, boottype and
rootopts).

There are other ways to do things these days with OBP DHCP support, but
this is the usual Sun netboot technique.

-James