redhat "rescue mode"?

David Lee David.Lee at ecmwf.int
Thu Dec 15 17:53:21 UTC 2011


Jörgen Maas wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 15, 2011 at 6:23 PM, Mann, Owen
> <Owen.Mann at interactivedata.com> wrote:
>> My 2cents: I never had a problem with switching profiles. But I thought - and correct me if I'm wrong - rescue-mode for RHEL is just a matter of adding "rescue" to the " Kernel Options " field.
>>
> 
> You are right.
> 

If that is right, then it is only partially right.  It is sometimes 
(including our site) not right.

Our cobbler set-up (2.0.11) has a couple of distros and a couple of 
profiles.  In normal operation we explicitly add each and every system, 
and the network install goes straight through, without prompting for 
anything anywhere.  That's good for normal re-install operations.  But 
not for rescue!

Putting "rescue" in the "Kernel Options" field doesn't seem to have any 
effect at all: it re-installs.  Ouch!  I've even tried (as a test) going 
to "/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/" and editing the file corresponding to the 
MAC address, changing "prompt 0" to "prompt 1", replacing most of 
"append initrd=..." so it only has the "initrd" clause and a "rescue". 
No... it still boots straight through (i.e. installs) and doesn't go to 
rescue and doesn't give any prompts.

I see that the "kickstarts" directory contains a "pxerescue.ks".  That 
looks promising.  But if it is part of the answer, what are the missing 
parts of the answer?  And where is the documentation that fully 
describes the complete answer?

Could those voting against the proposed "--rescue-mode=true" provide a 
working, and tested, recipe of the steps to achieve this, please?

Please, please, can we think "beginner"; think "simple"; think 
"documentation".

Thanks.


-- 
: David Lee
: ECMWF (Data Handling System)
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: Reading  RG2 9AX
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: tel:    +44-118-9499 362
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