Anaconda Installer

The Red Hat Installation Program, Anaconda, is the installation program for Red Hat Linux distributions. These distributions include both Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. During installation, a target computer's hardware is identified and configured, and the appropriate file systems for the system's architecture are created. Finally, Anaconda allows the user to install the operating system software on the target computer. Optionally, Anaconda can upgrade existing installations. Anaconda can run in a fully interactive mode (text or graphical), or in a kickstart mode that allows the installation to be scripted for unattended operation. Kickstart files make deploying hundreds or thousands of systems very cost effective especially when network installation techniques are used.

Anaconda is written primarily in the Python language. The snake paradigm of Python provided the perfect name for the installer, Anaconda. The graphical front-end of Anaconda is written with pyGtk library. Using the Python scripting language for the majority of the installer code allows for easy distribution of updates and the quick development of new features. The C programming language is used for some special functionality in the bootloader subsystem. In addition, the BASH shell scripting language is used for some administrative scripting duties. The entire Anaconda package is distributed under the GPL.

Mailing Lists

There are two mailing lists that support the Anaconda Installer. The first is the development mailing list. This list is used to discuss the Anaconda Installer development issues, submit patches, and to discuss other activities related to extending Anaconda. The sign up for the development list is located at anaconda development list site. Past discussions can be found in the anaconda development archives.

The second list is a user oriented list of how to create kickstart files. One of the features of the Anaconda Installer is an installation automation mechanism. This is the roll of a kickstart file. Moreover, the kickstart list is the place to discuss issues automation installation issues. The sign up for the kickstart list is located at anaconda kickstart list site. Past discussions can be found in the anaconda kickstart archives.

Anaconda Vision

There are many ways that the Anaconda installer can be expanded. Please visit the Anaconda Vision page to see if there is something that would interest you.

I. Anaconda Introduction

Anaconda - is the installer used for Fedora(and also Red Hat Enterprise Linux)
The Anaconda installation procedure (from a bootable CD)
- Boot process (from a CD-ROM)
- Anaconda process

II. Anaconda Customization Vs Fedora Customization

Clarification
- Customizing Anaconda
- Customizing Fedora

III. Anaconda Preparing The Build Environment

System Requirements

Operating System
Free Disk Space
Build Times
RPM Packages
Patches

Create the Build Environment
Set environment variables
Create working directories

IV. Anaconda Customization

Install Anaconda source
Apply pre-existing patches
Modify Anaconda source
Test changes made to Anaconda
Create a patch file for your custom Anaconda modifications
Rebuild Anaconda RPM with the custom patch
Install newly rebuilt Anaconda RPMs on the build machine
Copy newly rebuilt Anaconda RPMS to build tree
Run createrepo and pkgorder
Run buildinstall

V. Anaconda Customizing Fedora

Add/Remove/Update RPM packages
Edit comps.xml
Check all dependencies are met with getfullcomps
Rebuild repository metadata
Integrate Custom Fedora into different media (CD/CDs/DVD)
- Single CD
- Multiple CDs
- DVD
splittree and create CD specific metadata
Create .iso with mkisofs
Implant md5sum with implantisomd5
Burn .iso to CD/DVD with wodim

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