Installing the NetWare operating system software can be easier and more flexible when you use a response file. When used with the graphical server installation program, a response file lets you do several things:
Set and display specific server defaults.
Bypass sections of the installation or upgrade.
Automate the entire server installation or upgrade process.
Using a response file to install NetWare can be useful to a variety of customers and vendors. Novell customers who have established server hardware standards in their enterprise can use the response file to rapidly deploy multiple NetWare servers. The response file is also useful for preconfiguring some of the NetWare installation, while leaving other parameters to the local administrator.
Resellers and OEMs can use response files to preinstall NetWare prior to shipping servers to their customers (a “factory” install).
A response file is a text file containing sections and keys (similar to a Windows.ini file). Each section heading is enclosed in square brackets ([ ]) and is followed by the keys and key values for that section, with each key listed on a separate line.
If you use a response file, the NetWare server install program reads the installation parameters directly from the response file, replacing the default installation values with response file values. The installation program accepts the values as they appear in the response file and continues to the next installation screen. By placing the required installation information in a response file, you can bypass sections of the installation program or even skip the entire sequence of installation screens.
Whenever you run the NetWare installation program, the installation parameters you select are saved in a response file named response.rsp in the sys:ni\data directory. This file can then be used as a template or it can be modified for use with future server installations.
In NetWare, a custom response file needs to contain only the entries that vary from those found in the generic response.txt file provided on NetWare 6.5 SPx CD 1 (Operating System) or the NetWare 6.5 SP8 DVD. The response file parser merges these two files, and duplicate entries in the custom response file replace those found in the default file.
Be sure to check the log files after competing a response file installation to ensure that no errors were reported. The error log is located at sys:\ni\data\nierrors.log. The complete log (errors and successes) is located at sys:\ni\data\ni.log.
You can create a new response file or edit one from a previous server installation.
Although you can create a response file using any ASCII editor, Novell recommends using the NetWare Response File Utility in YaST or the Response File Generator in Deployment Manager to automatically create your response files. This eliminates the chance of entering the wrong text into the response file.
To create a new response file using the NetWare Response File Utility in YaST, follow the instructions in Section A.3, Using the NetWare Response File Utility in YaST.
To create a new response file using the Response File Generator in Deployment Manager, follow the instructions in Section A.4, Using the Response File Generator in the Deployment Manager.
To create a response file manually, use an ASCII editor such as EDIT and input parameters as described in Section A.5, Response File Syntax.
You can generate a response file from a server installation and then use it as input for additional server installations. Using the response file from another server installation works best when both servers have the same hardware configuration.
IMPORTANT:You should take care when using a response file from a previous installation because it can contain advanced or specialized configuration options that you don’t want for your current installation.
Perform the first server installation, then reboot the server by clicking on the closing screen of the installation.
Log in to the new server after it has been rebooted.
Copy response.rsp from the sys:ni\data directory to either a diskette or the new server.
Modify the file by adjusting the parameters and removing unwanted sections.
See Section A.5.3, Response File Sections and Keys for a description of the parameters.
You can specify which response file you want to be used during a server installation or upgrade in either of two ways:
You can also use CD Boot instead of specifying a response file name.
Copy the response file to a diskette, hard disk, or network directory accessible by the server that you are installing NetWare on.
Insert NetWare 6.5 SPx CD 1 (Operating System) into the server’s CD drive and boot the computer.
Press any key before the installation program begins, press P, then specify the path to the response file using this syntax:
[inst: /rf=DOS_path\response_file_name]
Replace DOS_path with the path to the response file and response_file_name with the name of the response file. For example, if the response file is named response.txt and it is located on a diskette, you would enter
[inst: /rf=a:\response.rsp]
Continue with the rest of the server installation.
Copy the response file to a diskette, hard disk, or network directory accessible by the PC that you are installing NetWare on.
Insert NetWare 6.5 SPx CD 1 (Operating System) into the CD drive and reboot the machine to start the server installation.
On the Welcome to the NetWare 6.5 Server Installation screen (the first screen after the JReport Runtime License Agreement screen), press F3 for the response file window.
Type the path for the response file, then press Enter.
Continue with the rest of the server installation.
Some installers prefer not to specify a response file name either at the server console or during the NetWare install program. They want to simply insert NetWare 6.5 SPx CD 1 (Operating System), boot the machine, and have the installation program proceed on its own.
To make this work, name your response file response.txt and copy it to a directory named c:\nwupdate on the server’s hard drive. When the machine boots with the NetWare CD, the startup utility checks for a response.txt file in the c:\nwupdate directory. If such a file exists, the installation program bypasses the DOS partitioning utility (using the default partition size) and uses response.txt as the input response file for the rest of the installation.