Hello,
i need to setup a compile cluster for our cross platform software. We
have one master computer and 2 background compiler that do daily builds
on other platforms. The systems are quad boot systems
(Linux/Windows/Free/Solaris) one time with 32bit and the other as a
64bit system.

If one compile is finished the computer should modify the default boot
option in grub and then restart the system, booting into the next
system compile there, change default boot option, restart computer,
booting into the next system compile there .....

>From Linux its easy. There is a /boot/grub/menu.lst file where i can
change the settings. But once it boots into another OS for example
windows or solaris, then i don't know what to do.
Please give me some hints.

llothar wrote:
> Hello,
> i need to setup a compile cluster for our cross platform software. We
> have one master computer and 2 background compiler that do daily
> builds on other platforms. The systems are quad boot systems
> (Linux/Windows/Free/Solaris) one time with 32bit and the other as a
> 64bit system.
>
> If one compile is finished the computer should modify the default boot
> option in grub and then restart the system, booting into the next
> system compile there, change default boot option, restart computer,
> booting into the next system compile there .....
>
>> From Linux its easy. There is a /boot/grub/menu.lst file where i can
> change the settings. But once it boots into another OS for example
> windows or solaris, then i don't know what to do.
> Please give me some hints.

If Solaris can read ext2 file systems, you can change the editable files for
grub even from Solaris. If not, can you use LILO and use the "lilo -D" and
"lilo -R" options to reset the boot options for one-time only but leave the
default set to Linux?

Don't know if there is a lilo on solaris, it's the one that is not yet
installed. But if you have a solution for the other 3 please tell me.

Is it possible to attach a seriell null modem cable so that grub waits
for inputs there and i write a program on the server that reads/writes
to the seriell ? This seems to be the easiest way and it avoids the
need to boot into a wrong system first.

llothar wrote:
> Don't know if there is a lilo on solaris, it's the one that is not yet

No, no, you do it on the Linux side. Set the default to be a Linux with
"lilo -D", then set the next reboot to be a Solaris with "lilo -R". In order
to switch to other boot selectiions, you can always reboot once to get to
the default Linux, then again to get to the OS you want.

> Is it possible to attach a seriell null modem cable so that grub waits
> for inputs there and i write a program on the server that reads/writes
> to the seriell ? This seems to be the easiest way and it avoids the
> need to boot into a wrong system first.

You need something to *write* to the serial port. That's certainly feasible.
If your controller machine is a Linux box, both serial ports should be
available. If it's a Sun box, Sun has historically done some odd things with
their first serial port: I'd suggest attaching your serial connections to
the *second* serial port on any Sun box.

Unfortunately LILO is not installed with SUSE 10.0.
I must say i don't want to take the risk to ruin my installation by
using another boot loader. In the past (very past) i had many bad
experiences with LILO. Not that GRUB is much better but it is working
now.

And yes the controller would be an Ultra10. I don't see problems with
the Serial Port as long as there is a keyboard attached to the machine.
The question is how can i put gub into a seriell console mode ?

On Sun, 05 Mar 2006 17:24:37 -0800, llothar wrote:

> Hello,
> i need to setup a compile cluster for our cross platform software. We
> have one master computer and 2 background compiler that do daily builds
> on other platforms. The systems are quad boot systems
> (Linux/Windows/Free/Solaris) one time with 32bit and the other as a
> 64bit system.
>
> If one compile is finished the computer should modify the default boot
> option in grub and then restart the system, booting into the next
> system compile there, change default boot option, restart computer,
> booting into the next system compile there .....
>
>>From Linux its easy. There is a /boot/grub/menu.lst file where i can
> change the settings. But once it boots into another OS for example
> windows or solaris, then i don't know what to do.
> Please give me some hints.
>
I read the thread with Q&A with Nico Kadel-Garcia and lilo advice.
I only have time to give you a hint for using grub right now, but perhaps
an expansion on the idea presented here:
http://groups.google.com/group/comp....acd2dc446d4a3e

--
And you let him in...
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/quotes

llothar wrote:
> Hello,
> i need to setup a compile cluster for our cross platform software. We
> have one master computer and 2 background compiler that do daily builds
> on other platforms. The systems are quad boot systems
> (Linux/Windows/Free/Solaris) one time with 32bit and the other as a
> 64bit system.
>
> If one compile is finished the computer should modify the default boot
> option in grub and then restart the system, booting into the next
> system compile there, change default boot option, restart computer,
> booting into the next system compile there .....
>
>>From Linux its easy. There is a /boot/grub/menu.lst file where i can
> change the settings. But once it boots into another OS for example
> windows or solaris, then i don't know what to do.
> Please give me some hints.
>
I haven't tried this, but I've often read that a FAT partition is pretty
much universally readable. Now if the boot partition was FAT based, that
would mean that ever system could read and write to any files on it.
I'd try that, but I'd back up the partition. I'd try dd'n the partition
to a file. Then copy the files to a safe place. Then change the
partition type, and format as FAT. Then copy back the files, and run
grub to make sure it works with the new file system. If it doesn't work,
I'd then boot up (probably with a rescue disk), and change back the
partition type, and dd the backup back into place.