remote redhat installation

Hi guys! I have fedora6 on server and i want redhell5 to be on it. The problem is that the server is located from me several hundred kilometers away. So the only access i have is ssh. On my notebook i have iso-image with redhell5.

How can install redhell5 on it and deinstall fedora6? Thanks in advance.

in solaris there is jumpstart and wanboot to install the os via network. this also works on x86 mashines with pxeboot. i've never installed linux over network...

btw. what is "redhell"?

I assume that it is RHEL. There are ways this can be done, but you would need at least to have console access.

What do you mean by 'console access'? Yes, i have root access using putti.

P.S. Yes it is rhel, not redhell, sorry my english isn't as good as native speaker's.

console = access to the server to boot it remote and see what happens...

if you do a shutdown via putty, the server is off... how will you power it on again and see whats going on?

i can call by phone a guy and ask him to power it on if necessary. Tell me please your idea for installing rhel in my situation. Thanks in advance.

I think it is possible to install the ISO distribution remotely is there are disks and partitions available for the install, and then manually configure the installation to properly reboot. However, this is technically challenging and risky, therfore not recommended. To do as you are asking, you would need to be "perfect" and "very skillful and experienced" in you remote install and configuration. One highly possible mistake or omission and you will need physical access to rebuild.

There are simply too many things to configure that could go wrong and cause the remote box not to boot properly or permit remote access upon reboot.

Possible? Yes. Advisable? No.

Go to the box and do the install from the console!!

smallman,

Neo is correct. But if you wanna try and you have personnel to standby at the server you can do it. YOu can install via kickstart(ks.cfg). If you want the setup as the same as the fedora6 installed. You can copy the kickstart file of the fedora6 (ks.cfg). You can copy the ks.cfg to a FTP server the fire the install with the kickstart option.

Cheers!

I agree, console access is essential. I would have no problem doing this remotely but I have done it many, many times before but I would only do so if I had console access. In that respect a local or remote install is no different. Even when doing a kickstart installation I would always have a console connection available.