How to Install RHEL When PReP is not 4 or 8 MiB In Size

What is PReP Size in RHEL

In Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), PReP (PowerPC Reference Platform) size refers to the amount of disk space reserved at the beginning of a disk for the PReP boot partition. The PReP boot partition is a small partition that is required for booting PowerPC-based systems. It contains the boot loader and other firmware required for the system to start up.

The size of the PReP partition varies depending on the system architecture and the specific requirements of the boot loader and firmware. In RHEL, the default PReP size is 8 MB for 32-bit PowerPC systems and 32 MB for 64-bit PowerPC systems. It is important to ensure that the PReP size is sufficient for the boot loader and firmware used in the system. If the PReP size is too small, the boot loader may not be able to load the necessary files, resulting in boot failure.

In some cases, it may be necessary to manually adjust the PReP size during the installation process, depending on the specific hardware and boot loader requirements. This can be done using the RHEL installation program or by manually editing the partition table. Overall, understanding the importance of PReP size and ensuring that it is set correctly is essential for ensuring proper system boot-up on PowerPC-based systems running RHEL.

How to Install RHEL When PReP is not 4 or 8 MiB In Size

Installing RHEL when PReP is not 4 or 8 MiB in size requires a slightly different approach than a typical installation. Here are the steps to follow for how to install RHEL when PReP is not 4 or 8 MiB in size:

1. Download the RHEL ISO from the Red Hat website and burn it to a DVD or USB drive.
2. Boot your system from the DVD or USB drive and select “Troubleshooting” from the boot menu.
3. Select “Rescue a Red Hat Enterprise Linux system” and press Enter.
4. Choose the appropriate language and keyboard layout.
5. Select “Skip” when asked to mount the file system.
6. Type the following command to mount the root file system:

chroot /mnt/sysimage

7. Type the following command to create a new directory for the EFI boot partition:

mkdir /boot/efi

8. Type the following command to mount the EFI boot partition:

mount /dev/sda1 /boot/ef

Note: Replace /dev/sda1 with the appropriate partition on your system.

9. Type the following command to install the grub2-efi package:

yum install grub2-efi

10. Type the following command to install the bootloader:

grub2-install /dev/sda

Note: Replace /dev/sda with the appropriate disk on your system.

11. Type the following command to generate the grub.cfg file:

grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/efi/EFI/redhat/grub.cf

12. Type the following command to exit the chroot environment:

exit

13. Reboot the system and the RHEL installation should now be complete.

These steps should help you install RHEL when PReP is not 4 or 8 MiB in size.