Question:

I followed the Red Hat documentation to create a Kickstart (ks) file located in the root directory of the installation image. The documentation I referred to is: Red Hat Installation Guide. I am using the rhel-server-6.9-x86_64-dvd.iso image.

Problem:

After modifying and generating the image according to the steps, I mounted it via HTTP to an HP server. Upon rebooting the server into the installation steps, it did not use the ks file for installation. Instead, it entered the media test option. After manually selecting “skip”, it went into the graphical installation interface, and the ks file did not seem to take effect.

My Server Configuration:

Server Model: HP
Boot Mode: UEFI
ISO Image: rhel-server-6.9-x86_64-dvd.iso

Steps I Have Tried:

Followed the steps in the Red Hat documentation: Installation Guide
Modified and generated the image as per the guide.
Mounted the image via HTTP to the server.

Actual Result:

Upon rebooting the server, it enters the media test option.
After manually selecting “skip”, it enters the graphical installation interface.
The ks file is not used.

Expected Result:

The server should automatically use the ks file for installation upon reboot, instead of entering the media test option.

Relevant Code or Configuration Files:

isolinux/isolinux.cfg

# isolinux/isolinux.cfg
default vesamenu.c32
#prompt 1
timeout 600

display boot.msg

menu background splash.jpg
menu title Welcome to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.9!
menu color border 0 #ffffffff #00000000
menu color sel 7 #ffffffff #ff000000
menu color title 0 #ffffffff #00000000
menu color tabmsg 0 #ffffffff #00000000
menu color unsel 0 #ffffffff #00000000
menu color hotsel 0 #ff000000 #ffffffff
menu color hotkey 7 #ffffffff #ff000000
menu color scrollbar 0 #ffffffff #00000000

label linux
  menu label ^Install or upgrade an existing system
  menu default
  kernel vmlinuz
  append initrd=initrd.img inst.ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg
label vesa
  menu label Install system with ^basic video driver
  kernel vmlinuz
  append initrd=initrd.img nomodeset
label rescue
  menu label ^Rescue installed system
  kernel vmlinuz
  append initrd=initrd.img rescue
label local
  menu label Boot from ^local drive
  localboot 0xffff
label memtest86
  menu label ^Memory test
  kernel memtest
  append -

ks.cfg

#ks.cfg
#platform=x86, AMD64, or Intel EM64T
#version=DEVEL

# Install OS instead of upgrade
install

# Use CDROM installation media
cdrom

# Use text mode install
text

# Keyboard layouts
keyboard --vckeymap=us --xlayouts='us'

# System language
lang en_US.UTF-8 --addsupport=zh_CN.UTF-8,zh_TW.UTF-8

# System authorization information
auth --useshadow --passalgo=sha512

# Root password
rootpw --iscrypted $1$1gxQXmsEo$VxO.PGlcdpalNRcxYbansxzxxv.9.

# System timezone
timezone Asia/Shanghai --isUtc --nontp

# SELinux configuration
selinux --disabled

# Network configuration
network --onboot yes --bootproto=static --device=9c:dc:71:b5:a4:b8 --ip=10.15.29.10 --netmask=255.25.25.0 --gateway=10.15.29.1 --noipv6
network --hostname=temptest

# Additional repository configuration
repo --name="Server-HighAvailability" --baseurl=file:///run/install/repo/addons/HighAvailability
repo --name="Server-ResilientStorage" --baseurl=file:///run/install/repo/addons/ResilientStorage

# Firewall configuration
firewall --disabled

# Firstboot configuration
firstboot --disable

# System bootloader configuration
bootloader --location=mbr --boot-drive=sda

# Partition clearing information
clearpart --all --initlabel --drives=sda

# Disk partitioning information
part /boot/efi --fstype="efi" --ondisk=sda --size=2048 --fsoptions="umask=0077,shortname=winnt"
part /boot --fstype="xfs" --ondisk=sda --size=2048
part / --fstype="xfs" --ondisk=sda --size=102400
part /oracle --fstype="xfs" --ondisk=sda --size=102400
part /Data --fstype="xfs" --ondisk=sda --size=902921
part swap --fstype="swap" --ondisk=sda --size=16384
part swap --fstype="swap" --ondisk=sda --size=16384


# Package installation
%packages
@^graphical-server-environment
@base
@core
@desktop-debugging
@dial-up
@fonts
@gnome-desktop
@guest-agents
@guest-desktop-agents
@hardware-monitoring
@input-methods
@internet-browser
@multimedia
@print-client
@x11
%end

# Service configuration
services --disabled="chronyd"

# Kdump configuration
%addon com_redhat_kdump --disable --reserve-mb='auto'
%end

# Anaconda password policy
%anaconda
pwpolicy root --minlen=6 --minquality=1 --notstrict --nochanges --notempty
pwpolicy user --minlen=6 --minquality=1 --notstrict --nochanges --emptyok
pwpolicy luks --minlen=6 --minquality=1 --notstrict --nochanges --notempty
%end

# Reboot after installation
reboot

Command to generate a new image

mkisofs -U -r -v -T -J -joliet-long -V "RHEL-6" -volset "RHEL-6" -A "RHEL-6" -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -eltorito-alt-boot -e images/efiboot.img -no-emul-boot -o /Data/http/os/rhel-6.9-new.iso .
implantisomd5 /Data/http/os/rhel-6.9-new.iso

Question:

Could the issue be related to the UEFI boot mode of my server? Do I need to add specific options to the boot parameters to ensure the ks file is used?