Re: killing my last NT4 server, but don't wanna drive there...

[Nick Holland <nick_(_at_)_holland-consulting_(_dot_)_net>]

Chuck Yerkes wrote:
> 
> New disk.
> Fedex.
> Guy there to swap disks.
> 
> Quoting Brian K. Hershey (admin_(_at_)_lanwatchsecurity_(_dot_)_net):
> > Greetings All-
> >
> > I'd like to ask for help with a remote blind install-
> > I have 1 NT4 server left, and I want to get rid of it.
> > However, I don't care to drive there. (2 hours away)
> > I'm very comfortable with a standard in-person install,
> > But this has got me stumped.

Or...

have someone insert a floppy or bootable CD, walk them through the
setup of a simple (small) / and swap partition, doing an FTP or CD
install of the very basic system.  (It helps if you have a machine to
"play along with" locally, though FAQ4 might be sufficient).  The
reason I would recommend a / and swap only system initially is that
partitioning is probably the hardest step to do by remote, ("ok, now
type 'd a', then enter.  now, 'a a', enter, '300M', enter, enter,
forward slash enter.  'a b' enter, 300m enter") but if you have all
the info you need, go for it, have 'em partition the thing out all the
way. 8)

BTW, it helps to have someone who has NO IDEA what they are doing,
much better than working with someone who thinks they understand what
is going on, those people tend to skip steps or only tell you some of
the things they are doing.  ALL you want them to do is follow your
instructions and report back what is on the screen...


>From there, you can ssh into the box from remote, partition it as you
wish, copy over the existing directories into their new partitions
(assuming you didn't walk them through a complete partitioning),
reboot, and start final configuration on the system.

It works.  I did this with a client on a couple occasions, it was
kinda freaky seeing a machine several months later that I had setup
but never actualy seen in person. 8)


A remote machine has to have some way to maintain it if it
breaks...that same method can be used to insert the boot media and
follow your instructions through a basic install.


Chuck's method is very effective, but it helps to make sure the
machine in the field and your machine in the lab have the same disk
geometry (not too big a deal now -- almost everything is LBA, though
you can have related issues with SCSI, too), and REALLY kick-butt if
the machine in the field has front accessable, rapid replacement HDs,
might keep your downtime to a few minutes if you completely preload
the drive you send out. Of course, you could send them a new drive,
then walk 'em though the install process. 8)

Or...just ship out a whole new machine... at current HW costs, may be
quite a reasonable solution...  Or, rotate out your pre-configured
spare into the field, make the field machine your new spare (you DO
have spares, right?).

Nick.
-- 
http://www.holland-consulting.net