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NEED HELP (iKoula server) - Trying to setup unattendent installation but failed
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NEED HELP (iKoula server) - Trying to setup unattendent installation but failed

jvnadrjvnadr Member
edited May 2015 in Help

Hello all!

Need some help, here: I am trying to replace in an ikoula's server the original OS (Centos7) with a pervious version of Centos (6).
I'm trying to do a network PXE install.
Most of tutorials describe the procedure with grub legacy (title entry).
I have grub2, so, I enter this menuentry to my grub config:

menuentry "Centos6" {
        set root=(hd0,0)
        linux /boot/vmlinuz.cent.pxe repo=http://ftp.hosteurope.de/mirror/centos.org/6.6/os/x86_64/ 
vnc vncpassword=123456 ip=213.246.xxx.xxx netmask=255.255.255.0 
gateway=213.246.xxx.1  nameserver=213.246.33.228 
ksdevice=eth0 noselinux headless xfs panic=60
initrd /boot/initrd.img.cent.pxe
}

I let this entry in "40" section as only entry (I removed all other entries in grub2), so, there is no way of mistake on witch entry will chose grub to start.

Of course, I saved vmlinuz to /boot/vmlinuz.cent.pxe and initrd.img to /boot/initrd.img.cent.pxe from the original repo I used in grub2.

But the server never comes online or, at least, pingable...

Any help appreciated!

Comments

  • jvnadrjvnadr Member

    PS. It's a pitty that in iKoula have decided to deliver those new 4core servers in the LET offer with 2 very new editions of OS, Centos7 and Debian 8. Both of those OS are lacking in critical elements for a dedicated server, as OpenVZ compatible kernel and others. They should give them with installation of a better maintened OS witch are still supported (e.g. Centos 6 will be supported till 2020 and it is fully compatible with OVZ kernels)

  • AnthonySmithAnthonySmith Member, Patron Provider

    I have hit that brick wall in the past iirc I ended up reverting to legacy but it was not CentOS 7 and I am not even sure if you can do it with CentOS 7 tbh.

    I honestly cant remember what I did to get it working but should repo= not be method= ?

    Thanked by 1jvnadr
  • jvnadrjvnadr Member
    edited May 2015

    AnthonySmith said: I honestly cant remember what I did to get it working but should repo= not be method= ?

    I am not familiar at all with grub2. I did in the past some configs on legacy-grub, and now I found out that the new grub is too mutch changed and compliacted for a simple default boot loader...
    Anyway, in a couple of tutorials I found on web, they mentioned the repo's url to be grabbed with repo= and not method=, as in old grub.
    I'll give a try with method, but I'm not so optimistic...
    As of Centos 7, it cannot be reverted to legacy grub - at least, I have not found a way to do it.

  • AnthonySmithAnthonySmith Member, Patron Provider

    I assume you are updating grub before reboot?

    anyway I know this is a LONG winded way of doing it but you could always bootstrap debian 6 in over the live system: http://daemonkeeper.net/668/how-to-bootstrap-debian-over-another-running-linux-system/ which will give you grub legacy and then install CentOS 6 via that :)

    Thanked by 1jvnadr
  • AnthonySmithAnthonySmith Member, Patron Provider

    Also I just noticed they describe a rescue system feature for their dedi's cant you just boot in to that and dd an image over?

  • jvnadrjvnadr Member
    edited May 2015

    AnthonySmith said: Also I just noticed they describe a rescue system feature for their dedi's cant you just boot in to that and dd an image over?

    I tried that with no luck. Maybe I am doing something wrong, there, but I never managed to install or configured it properly to have ssh access after reboot...

    Anyway, thanks for the suggestion and the tutorial on yoyr previous comment. I will definitely try it!

    Again, it is not good for iKoula to deliver those extremely good for the price servers, but with only one OS that is not common and mature enough for a server usage...

  • mikhomikho Member, Host Rep

    Have you asked support to reinstall for you?

  • jvnadrjvnadr Member
    edited May 2015

    mikho said: Have you asked support to reinstall for you?

    Why should? If I want just a reinstallation of the server, I can do it via the panel of my account (in fact, I did it several times during my try to do a bootstrap installation or a network installation).

    The thing is that ikoula does not offer free change of an operating system (installation of another OS costs 19€) and, in this particular offer, there is not even an option to reinstall another OS, but you have only the choise to have installed one of those two OS: Centos 7 or Debian 8.

    I asked support to reinstall theri previous offer from Ubuntu 14 to Debian 7 ( @ikoula rep here, Thomas, have said in a previous thread that this operation is free of charge between those two OS), but their technical dpt. denied it and lead me to ask for it to their sales dpt. (I opened a ticket and now waiting for the answer.

    Even if those server offers are very cheap for the specs they offer, IMHO it is a shame that iKoula does not allow / offer operating systems you can chose to reinstall, like all major providers (from Hetzner to OVH and Online etc.) or, a KVM access for free to be able to mount any ISO you want to your dedi...
    Those strict policies will disencourage me for doing further purchases from iKoula...

  • jamzedjamzed Member
    edited May 2015

    How long you waited for NetBoot? For me it took ~15 minutes and server was pingable. Did you even try it?

    Thanked by 1jvnadr
  • ArchieArchie Member

    ksdevice=link

    Thanked by 1jvnadr
  • jvnadrjvnadr Member

    jamzed said: How long you waited for NetBoot? For me it took ~15 minutes and server was pingable. Did you even try it?

    Do you meen netboot from iKoula's client area, or netbood with bootstrap method or PXE Install method? If you meen to reboot it in rescue mode (netboot mode), it did start but I couldn't manage to deploy with dd an image and make it pingable after reboot.
    If you meen PXE Install, I didn't wait 15 minutes after reboot but 5-10 minutes. I think that it should be start in that long. Anyway, I will try to wait more...

    Archie said: ksdevice=link

    You meen that the repo should be placed after ksdevice? In old grub, ksdevice was the net device of the physical server...

    @Archie I tried to grab your script for unattendent install on ikoula server (this thread http://lowendtalk.com/post/quote/46539/Comment_970575) but the server or script seem down. Is there any way to have this script? Thanks!

  • mikhomikho Member, Host Rep

    @jvnadr said:
    Why should? If I want just a reinstallation of the server, I can do it via the panel of my account (in fact, I did it several times during my try to do a bootstrap installation or a network installation).

    You gave the answer here

    ( @ikoula rep here, Thomas, have said in a previous thread that this operation is free of charge between those two OS),

    I remembered the post but couldn't find it with a wuick search. You already asked and got denied.

    but their technical dpt. denied it and lead me to ask for it to their sales dpt. (I opened a ticket and now waiting for the answer.

    I can't see a reason not to change OS version but I'm not the one to tell ikoula how to run their business. ;)

  • jvnadrjvnadr Member
    edited May 2015

    @mikho You are getting in conclusions without having any details.

    mikho said: I remembered the post but couldn't find it with a wuick search. You already asked and got denied.

    Well, the post is here: http://lowendtalk.com/discussion/comment/1005387/#Comment_1005387

    And after a conversation with iKoula support, Thomas (the rep in LET) did answer me saying that he will handle it and tell them to proceed the change of the OS:

    And I didn;t got denied. Technical support said that they won't do it if the invoice is not paid, but another rep of them had told me before that they will do it for free.

    This is the conversation I had in my email (their support is email based, not in a WHMCS or similar ticketing system). I wrote them to support (among others) this:

    Your representative in Low End Talk have said that changing from Ubuntu to Debian
    and vice versa does not cost. The only option I see in your website is the one with
     charging 19€. I am asking for this change to be with no charge. Is this possible? 
    Thank you.
    

    Then, Thomas answered me this:

    Hello, It is Thomas (the guy writing on LET) for some technical reasons when 
    you order an os changed it is charged by default. If you order an os change 
    i will ask sales to process the order since it is to change from one linux to 
    another linux (ubuntu to debian).
    

    mikho said: You gave the answer here

    Where exactly is the answer? I didn't ask for a reinstallation with the same OS (Ubuntu 14) but a reinstallation with the other OS (Debian 7) that Thomas ( @ikoula ) said here and in support that is free of charge. He told me to do the order with the price and he will inform the tech. dpt. to do it for free.

    mikho said: I can't see a reason not to change OS version but I'm not the one to tell ikoula how to run their business. ;)

    I respect their type of bussiness and it is not any of my bussiness to tell them how to do it. I just mentioned here my opinion, that such a restrict type of availabe OS's, is a minus for a potential buyer.
    As of my case, I ordered after I read here that this server can have any of those two OS (Ubuntu 14 or Debian 7) with no extra charge for reinstallations, and some other OS for a fee of 19€.

    Anyway, this thread was not for this issue, but asking help for a net or PXE install of another server I bought with them and is loaded with Centos 7. I do not complain about this server, I knew when I bought it that I can have it with either Centos 7 or Debian 8 (in their panel, the change between those two OS is for free, but there is no any option to order, even for a fee, another OS).

  • ArchieArchie Member

    ksdevice=link
    Specifies that network installation should use the first active network interface found on the system. For systems with multiple interfaces, this option prevents the installation prompting you to choose a network interface.

    Thanked by 1jvnadr
  • jvnadrjvnadr Member

    Finaly, I've managed to install centos 6 with a wonderful script and image @edan provided. I think it is @Archie 's script, very good centos image, the installation was smooth and fully automatic!

    Thanks, gyus

  • dgprasetyadgprasetya Member
    edited May 2015

  • @jvnadr i'm sure if you ask the support nicely they will do it for you for free.
    they did it for me on my 1st server.

  • NeoonNeoon Community Contributor, Veteran

    Yeah ask them, i you give them a reason why you need it. They will do it for free.

  • jvnadrjvnadr Member

    @Scottsman @Infinity580 I did ask it nicely and Thomas (the LET rep.) said that they will do it. I do not have any problems with them, the support is nice, the price is... well, what can I say? 4 cores/8 threads, a cpu benchmark of 4224 (!) and 8GB memory for 10€ per month, is a steal! The only minus (and for that price, it is not even a minus) it the lack of be able to install by yourself for free via their panel, some popular linux os. But, even for that, there are ways to reinstall it by yourself. That's why I opened this thread, asking for help on how to do it.

    Thanked by 1Scottsman
  • NeoonNeoon Community Contributor, Veteran

    Yeah, 12EUR and 4200 bench, is really a deal.

  • jvnadrjvnadr Member
    edited May 2015

    And you to not think that I am complaining, an update about support of iKoula:
    Today afternoon both of my servers became unreachable. First one (as I realised when it became online again) was stuck in shutting down during a reboot. The second server was totally unreachable to normal boot and reachable only with rescue system, without HDD.
    I opened a ticket at 9.10 local time in Greece (GMT+3) on Saturday night. France is one hour behind (GMT+2). They resolved both issues after just one hour (10.03).
    Though, the problem of the second server was serious. The 1TB HDD died (even if it was not so old, less than 3 years checked when I bought the server some weeks ago and PASSED thru tests of smart). They replaced it immediatelly with a brand new one (10 hours power cycle).
    So, in less than an hour, they did a hard reboot of one server and replaced the HDD on the second.
    Kudos, iKoula support!

    (This incident reminds me to always keep fresh backups in another location because shit happens! Thank god, I did not have any data on it, so, no issue this time)

  • NeoonNeoon Community Contributor, Veteran

    1 Hour? neat, Online.net needed 4 Hours to enable the option that i can replace my Dedi.

  • FrankZFrankZ Veteran

    jvnadr said: Finaly, I've managed to install centos 6 with a wonderful script and image @edan provided. I think it is @Archie 's script, very good centos image, the installation was smooth and fully automatic!

    I have seen this script talked about in a couple of threads, but have not seen a working link. :(
    Care to share?

  • @jvnadr said:
    And you to not think that I am complaining, an update about support of iKoula:
    Today afternoon both of my servers became unreachable. First one (as I realised when it became online again) was stuck in shutting down during a reboot. The second server was totally unreachable to normal boot and reachable only with rescue system, without HDD.
    I opened a ticket at 9.10 local time in Greece (GMT+3) on Saturday night. France is one hour behind (GMT+2). They resolved both issues after just one hour (10.03).
    Though, the problem of the second server was serious. The 1TB HDD died (even if it was not so old, less than 3 years checked when I bought the server some weeks ago and PASSED thru tests of smart). They replaced it immediatelly with a brand new one (10 hours power cycle).
    So, in less than an hour, they did a hard reboot of one server and replaced the HDD on the second.
    Kudos, iKoula support!

    (This incident reminds me to always keep fresh backups in another location because shit happens! Thank god, I did not have any data on it, so, no issue this time)

    Regardless of what DC is your server located in or how good their service is, you should always have some self-backup.

  • edanedan Member
    edited May 2015

    @jvnadr said:
    Finaly, I've managed to install centos 6 with a wonderful script and image edan provided. I think it is Archie 's script, very good centos image, the installation was smooth and fully automatic!

    Thanks, gyus

    Credit to @sc754 and @Archie. So using @sc754 image and @Archive script, I just add some details to the scripts.

    @FrankZ said:
    Care to share?

    Check your PM.

    Thanked by 1FrankZ
  • IkoulaIkoula Member, Host Rep

    Hello everybody i discover the discussion this morning.

    First i'd like to know if everything is ok with your server @jvnadr ?

    Secondly, As it is a promo offer please be understanding when there's some restrictions.

    Thirdly, following what i just said when one of our customer ask for something we try everything we can to please him. So support team does its best and when it is stuck i can intervene and report (in this case to sales which obsiously can't refuse a change os from linux to linux).

    jvnadr you can respond here or by pm talk to you soon.

    And thank you everybody for the comments and the support you gave jvnadr

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