fai next level WAS: apt-get failures -- blah!

[Geert Stappers]

At 18:32 +0100 11/9/01, Chad Walstrom wrote:
>I have an installation failure in rcS_fai that has been bugging me for
>some time.  It happens when apt cannot find an install candidate for a
>listed package.  Apt fails out and FAI continues on as if nothing
>happened.  Of course, we do have a base install from which to recover,
>but it's often easiest to look back at the log files and find out which
>package failed to remove it.  Then go back and restart the computer to
>rerun rcS_fai.
>
>To make the process a little easier, I changed the mounted disk check to
>continue on if the mirror is already mounted instead of fail.  I then
>simply rerun rcS_fai from the shell on on the workstation.  Repeat until
>I get a successful install.
>
>What I'd like to know is what can we do to make apt-get failures less
>damaging to the install process.  How can we insert a bit more
>fault-tolerance to the process so that we can get a "mostly-installed"
>system instead of a "base" system?  Do we need to patch apt to provide
>the option to continue on in these cases?  Or, should we write a helper
>app that breaks the package list into smaller useable chunks?  If we run
>into a failure, it only affects those in packages in the smaller chunk.
>
>Feedback?

I'm thinking  about a "next level FAI"

The ideas:
The computer is already installed with base stuff and up & running.
So no problems with filesystems mounted at strange places.

The "nlfai" is script like "rcS_fai" and asks also a bootpserver for info
Then it knowns about a NFS mount, where it can find classes and scripts.

The nfsshare can be the same as regular install,
bootpserver entry FAI_ACTION should differ from "install"

The script should be installed as /usr/sbin/fainl at first level install

Make a class to determ if next level is desired.

A symbolic link /etc/rc2.d/S99fainl to /usr/bin/fainl will start the
script at boot.

A "rm -f /etc/rc2.d/S99fainl" in the script will prevent next run

Sysadmins can start /usr/sbin/fainl when ever they like

There is no need the tweak the default FAI install



>
>I'm willing to help develop this, as my job will be made much easier if
>we can get a solution to this. ;-)
>

Your and our job will be much easier with a next level fai.
Mostly because you don't need to reboot, it can also be used on already
installed computers. ( think many machines to maintain )



Geert

P.S.
with "fai next level" it makes more sence to make backup routines in FAI,
due the "no reboot"

Geert