IBM blade center HS20 server) with Redhat Enterprise Linux 4

[Eric "Shubes"]

Dan Lund wrote:
> Has anyone ever ran an IBM blade server (HS20 model) with Redhat
> Enterprise Linux 4 or CentOS 4.2?
> 
> I've been tasked with getting RHEL4 on our new blade server, and it
> doesn't want to cooperate.  I've already installed Gentoo on it, so I
> know it works with Linux.
> The problem I'm having is during the hardware probing, it blacks the
> screen.  I'm using the remote control java console which works really
> nicely.
> I've used the following commands:
> linux
> linux text
> linux text noprobe  (this one actually got the console but the
> keyboard was not functional)
> 
> I have a sneaky suspicion that since the cdrom is USB, the probing is
> reinitializing the cdrom subsystem.  I know Gentoo has a feature
> during boot where you send the parameter "bladecenter" or something
> like that at boot and it slows down the USB transfer a little due to a
> slow cdrom. (or something along those lines)
> 
> Anyway, I'd appreciate any experiences anyone has had with this
> hardware.  Worst case, I'll install RHEL4 through Gentoo by throwing a
> tarball down, but I'd really rather have a clean install straight from
> CD.
> 
> --Dan Lund
> 
Good for you Dan, getting Gentoo running on it.
I presume you know a lot more about Linux than I (who hasn't done Gentoo 
yet) do.
Have you installed RHEL/CentOS/Fedora on other boxen before?
If so, I'm afraid I can't be of much help.
If not, possibly.
I've not yet seen a box that boots from a USB CD drive. Is that the 
case? I'm guessing not.
Is there any interface on the box which will boot a CD?
Is there network boot capability?

I guess what I'm asking is, what devices can that box boot from?
Explore those possibilities, and I think you'll find your answer to 
how-to load linux on it. I find it hard to believe that your box can't 
be loaded with RHEL/CentOS, either from CD or a network boot/install.

-- 
-Eric 'shubes'
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