USB devices not being seen in anaconda during RHEL4 kickstart

[Ben]

On Fri, 13 Mar 2009, Al Alder wrote:

> Had a very similar problem with some HP servers and RHEL 4.  RHEL 4 did 
> not recognize the disk controller in the newer HP machines.  Our solution 
> was to go to RHEL 4.6 which had the driver for the newer disk controllers. 
> So you are running into a similar problem with your USB stick.  RHEL5.3 
> works because its initrd image has the driver for the USB.  You can
>
> 1) rebuild your initrd image with the USB driver
> 2) just use RHEL 5.3
>
> I investigated number 1, but couldn't find any documentation that 
> explained how to that for the initial install boot initrd.  Am sure I 
> could have monkeyed with it and gotten it to work if I had had the time.

I'm not sure I want to get into rolling my own special initrd, but needs 
must and all that.


> We went with our option 2 and had to upgrade everything to RHEL 4.6.

I can't use RHEL5.x I'm afraid.  The software that goes on top of the OS is 
currently only certified for RHEL4.  And as it is I'm using RHEL4 update 7, 
so theoretically I've got the most up-to-date support for devices that the 
RHEL4 stream offers.

I wonder what's different about this USB controller Vs all USB controllers 
before it...

My current plan on Monday is to try Chip Shabazian's suggestion of wrapping 
the ks.cfg up in the initrd.img and seeing if that works.  I'm still 
listening out for suggestions and experience of other people with RHEL4 and 
Sun x4X40 servers.  In case it matters x4100M2, x4200M2 and x4600M2 servers 
work perfectly well with USB kickstarted RHEL4 (-:

Ben
-- 
Unix Support, MISD, University of Cambridge, England
Plugger of wire, typer of keyboard, imparter of Clue
         Life Is Short.          It's All Good.