Fedora 11 Installation Guide - Chapter 9. Boot Options

Chapter 9. Boot Options

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The Fedora installation system includes a range of functions and options for administrators. To use boot options, enter linux option at the boot: prompt.

If you specify more than one option, separate each of the options by a single space. For example:


linux 
option1
 
option2
 
option3

Anaconda Boot Options

The anaconda installer has many boot options, most are listed on the wiki http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Anaconda/Options.

Kernel Boot Options

The http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/KernelCommonProblems page lists many common kernel boot options. The full list of kernel options is in the file /usr/share/doc/kernel-doc- version /Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt, which is installed with the kernel-doc package.

Rescue Mode

The Fedora installation and rescue discs may either boot with rescue mode, or load the installation system. For more information on rescue discs and rescue mode, refer to Section 9.6.3, “Booting Your Computer with the Rescue Mode”.

9.1. Configuring the Installation System at the Boot Menu

You can use the boot menu to specify a number of settings for the installation system, including:

language
display resolution
interface type
Installation method
network settings

9.1.1. Specifying the Language

To set the language for both the installation process and the final system, specify the ISO code for that language with the lang option. Use the keymap option to configure the correct keyboard layout.

For example, the ISO codes el_GR and gr identify the Greek language and the Greek keyboard layout:


linux lang=
el_GR
 keymap=
gr

9.1.2. Configuring the Interface

You may force the installation system to use the lowest possible screen resolution (640x480) with the lowres option. To use a specific display resolution, enter

resolution=
setting

as a boot option. For example, to set the display resolution to 1024x768, enter:


linux resolution=
1024x768

To run the installation process in text mode, enter:


linux text

To enable support for a serial console, enter serial as an additional option.

Use

display=
ip
:0

to allow remote display forwarding. In this command, ip should be replaced with the IP address of the system on which you want the display to appear.

On the system you want the display to appear on, you must execute the command

xhost +
remotehostname

, where remotehostname is the name of the host from which you are running the original display. Using the command

xhost +
remotehostname

limits access to the remote display terminal and does not allow access from anyone or any system not specifically authorized for remote access.

9.1.3. Updating anaconda

You can install Fedora with a newer version of the anaconda installation program than the one supplied on your installation media.

The boot option

  
linux updates

presents you with a prompt that asks you for a floppy disk containing anaconda updates. You do not need to specify this option if you are performing a network installation and have already placed the updates image contents in rhupdates/ on the server.

To load the anaconda updates from a network location instead, use:

  
linux updates=

followed by the URL for the location where the updates are stored.

9.1.4. Specifying the Installation Method

Use the askmethod option to display additional menus that enable you to specify the installation method and network settings. You may also configure the installation method and network settings at the boot: prompt itself.

To specify the installation method from the boot: prompt, use the method option. Refer to Table 9.1, “Installation methods” for the supported installation methods.

Installation method	Option format
CD or DVD drive	`method= cdrom`
Hard Drive	`method= hd://device/`
HTTP Server	`method= http://server.mydomain.com/directory/`
FTP Server	`method= ftp://server.mydomain.com/directory/`
NFS Server	`method= nfs:server.mydomain.com:/directory/`

Table 9.1. Installation methods

9.1.5. Manually Configuring the Network Settings

By default, the installation system uses DHCP to automatically obtain the correct network settings. To manually configure the network settings yourself, either enter them in the Configure TCP/IP screen, or at the boot: prompt. You may specify the ip address, netmask, gateway, and dns server settings for the installation system at the prompt. If you specify the network configuration at the boot: prompt, these settings are used for the installation process, and the Configure TCP/IP screen does not appear.

This example configures the network settings for an installation system that uses the IP address 192.168.1.10:


linux ip=
192.168.1.10
 netmask=
255.255.255.0
 gateway=
192.168.1.1
 dns=
192.168.1.2,192.168.1.3

Configuring the Installed System

Use the Network Configuration screen to specify the network settings for the new system. Refer to Section 7.15.1, “Manual configuration” for more information on configuring the network settings for the installed system.