Linux Installation Workflow

Perform the following procedure to prepare your system and perform a fresh install of the customized distribution of Red Hat Enterprise Linux or of CentOS.

To install Linux:

1. Locate the installation media.

   For Burn nodes that were not purchased from Autodesk, use the CentOS disc that you added the Autodesk kickstart file to.

   For Burn nodes purchased from Autodesk, the DVD containing the customized Autodesk distribution of Red Hat Enterprise Linux is included with your shipment. The customized Autodesk distribution installs certain Linux packages that are required by Autodesk applications but are not installed by the commercial distribution of Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

   WarningEven though your shipment may also include the disc set for the commercial distribution of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, DO NOT install the commercial distribution. Your software only works on the custom Autodesk distribution of Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
2. Make sure your system is in the following state:
   • Mouse, keyboard and graphics monitor are connected, and the graphics monitor is powered on.
   • The DVD or CDROM drive is set as the primary boot device in the workstation BIOS.

     For information on configuring your workstation BIOS, refer to the documentation for your hardware.

   • If you are using a KVM switch, it is switched to the system on which you want to install Linux.
3. Insert the disc of the Autodesk distribution of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, or of the CentOS distribution. This is the disc you added the Autodesk kickstart file to in the previous procedure.
4. Restart the system.

   The system should boot to the Linux installation disc. If it does not, review your BIOS settings to make sure the DVD / CDROM drive is set as the primary boot device.

5. At the boot prompt in the Red Hat Linux or CentOS installation menu, type one of the following commands and then press Enter to launch the Linux installation.

   Type:	To install on:
   burn	A Burn node using the Autodesk custom DVD of Red Hat Enterprise Linux
   linux ks=cdrom	A Burn node using CentOS with the Autodesk kickstart file

   WarningYou must use this exact command to start the Linux installation. If you use the default options presented by the Linux installation prompt, the installation proceeds, but the Autodesk kickstart file is not read by the installer, and some important packages required by Autodesk software are not installed.

   The command launches the Linux installation. The system spends several minutes loading drivers. The installer guides you through the rest of the process.

   NoteIf you experience problems with the graphical Linux installer, reboot your computer and run the installer in low resolution VESA mode by typing linux ks=cdrom xdriver=vesa. If you still experience problems, reboot again and start the installer in text-only mode by typing linux ks=cdrom text at the Linux installation prompt.
6. The installation process may ask you to initialize the system disk. Follow the prompts to initialize the disk, if necessary.
7. Insert the remaining Linux distribution discs if prompted.
8. The remainder of the installation process is automated.

   When the installation completes, you are prompted with “Congratulations, the installation is complete”.

   NoteIf the installation drops into text mode or to a blank screen just before completing, press CTRL+ALT+F6 to return to graphical mode. At this point, the installation should be finished, and you should see the “Congratulations...” message and the Reboot button.
9. Eject the disc and click Reboot to reboot the system. After the system reboots, perform the post-installation tasks in the following section.
   NoteIf after rebooting, Linux fails to start in graphical mode on the node, log in as root at the text mode login prompt, and install the DKU. See Installing the DKU. The default root password for a fresh Linux installation on a Burn node is password.