Quick Start Guide

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This guide helps you install Red Hat Enterprise Linux on a Linux on POWER9 server.

Overview

Use this information to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x on a non-virtualized or bare metal IBM Power System server.

For a list of supported distributions, see Supported Linux distributions for POWER8 and POWER9 Linux on Power systems.

Completing the prerequisites and booting your firmware

Before you power on the system, ensure that you have the following items:

  • Ethernet cable
  • VGA monitor. The VGA resolution must be set to 1024x768-60Hz.
  • USB Keyboard
  • Power cords and outlet for your system.
  • Bootable USB device
Note: You can also connect to the firmware using a serial connection.
  1. Attach the USB to serial (RS232) adapter cable to the IPMI serial 9-pin D-shell connector on the Power system.
  2. Attach USB connection to USB port on either PC or notebook.
  3. Open a terminal emulator program such as PuTTY or minicom.
  4. Set the communications to use the following options:
    • 115200 baud rate
    • Data bits of 8
    • Parity of None
    • Stop bits of 1

Complete these steps:

  • If your system belongs in a rack, install your system into that rack. For instructions, see IBM® Power Systems™ information at https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/POWER9/p9hdx/POWER9welcome.htm.
  • Connect an Ethernet cable to the embedded Ethernet port next to the serial port on the back of your system. Connect the other end to your network.
  • Connect your VGA monitor to the VGA port on back of system and your USB keyboard to an available USB port.
  • Connect the power cords to the system and plug them into the outlets.

At this point, your firmware is booting. Wait for the green LED on the power button to start flashing, indicating that it is ready to use. If your system does not have a green LED indicator light, then wait 1 to 2 minutes.

Configuring Petitboot

After the system powers on, the Petitboot bootloader scans local boot devices and network interfaces to find boot options that are available to the system.
  1. Insert your bootable USB device into the front USB port. Petitboot displays the following option:
    Note: Select Rescan devices if the USB device does not appear. If your device is not detected, you may have to try a different type.
  2. Record the UUID of the USB device. For example, the UUID of the USB device in the following example is 2015-10-30-11-05-03-00.
    [USB: sdb1 / 2015-10-30-11-05-03-00]
            Rescue a Red Hat Enterprise Linux system (64-bit kernel)
            Test this media & install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x  (64-bit kernel)
         *  Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x (64-bit kernel)
  3. Select Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x (64-bit kernel) and press e (Edit) to open the Petitboot Option Editor window.
  4. Move the cursor to the Boot arguments section and add the following information: 
    inst.text inst.stage2=hd:UUID=your_UUID
    where your_UUID is the UUID that you recorded.
    Petitboot Option Editor
              qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq

              Device:    ( ) sda2 [f8437496-78b8-4b11-9847-bb2d8b9f7cbd]
                              (*) sdb1 [2015-10-30-11-05-03-00]
                              ( ) Specify paths/URLs manually

              Kernel:         /ppc/ppc64/vmlinuz
              Initrd:         /ppc/ppc64/initrd.img
              Device tree:
              Boot arguments: ro inst.text inst.stage2=hd:UUID=2015-10-30-11-05-03-00    

                 [    OK    ]  [   Help   ]  [  Cancel  ]
  5. Select OK to save your options and return to the Main menu.
  6. Verify that Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x (64-bit kernel) is selected and then press Enter to begin your installation.

More information

For more information, see the following resources:

Notices

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