SUMMARY: Dependency difficulties with SUNWCreq install on Solaris 10

Thank you to DK, Winter, and Damian West for their responses.  They
didn't really address the meat of my problem... but their advice was
compelling nevertheless.

> My ultimate question is this:  What is the minimum dependency
> requirement to augment a Solaris 10 SUNWCreq install with packages
> from disks 2 through 4?

The Solaris 10 Webstart installation is a breeze...  until you get the
software selection screens.  After all these years, Sun has yet to
inject this part of the installation with much flexibility,
automation, or user-proofing.  All I wanted to do was start with a
minimum SUNWCreq cluster and then add only what packages I expected to
use.  Each customization, however, triggers dependency warnings that
number from one to over twenty other packages *per addition*.  And
then those dependencies have dependencies... and so on.  Ignoring
these warnings - particularly those for Java VM, will prevent the
install program from passing the baton to Disks 2, 3, and 4.

My question, rephrased: what packages are needed to allow a custom
SUNWCreq install to continue past the first disk?  Here is the answer:

Java VM
  JDK 5.0 Runtime (SUNWj5rt)
Motif Runtime Kit (SUNWmfrun)
X Runtime Environment
  X Windows System & Graphical Runtime Library Links in /usr/lib (SUNWxwrtl)
  X ICE Components (SUNWxwice)
  X System Platform Software (SUNWxwplt)
  X System Platform Software Configuration (SUNWxwplr)
Font Server Cluster
  X Window System platform required fonts (SUNWxwfnt)
Portable layout services for Complex Text Layout support (SUNWctpls)

Seems a bit much, considering the fact that installation beyond disk
one is entirely text-based.  But if you want, say "core + online man
pages", you will also need these.  Depending on what other package
additions you make, you can safely remove these after the install
completes.

If you have the patience - which I did not during the first go-around
- this knowledge can be easily gained by carefully reading each
dependency warning and understanding that most packages are selected
inside a nested group.    To that extent, I confess to having been a
bit of a baby about this.

ORIGINAL POST follows.

On 12/25/05, Greg Chavez <greg.chavez@gmail.com> wrote:
> My ultimate question is this:  What is the minimum dependency
> requirement to augment a Solaris 10 SUNWCreq install with packages
> from disks 2 through 4?  The background follows.
>
> When I attempt a core install - SUNWCreq - on Solaris 10 (sparc) and
> add packages via the custom install option, I find that I am unable to
> add services, man pages, and other packages essential to the functions
> for which the system is required to perform without running into
> debilitating dependency problems.  I haven't had to do a core install
> in many years - the last time, I was working with Solaris 8 and none
> of this was an issue then.
>
> Clearly, the install program requires some java (the "VM" - SUNWj3r
> and/or SUNWj5t) - if you don't include them, you are not prompted for
> CDs 2 and 4, which contain virtually all of the extras you might want,
> things like Bind and Apache.  But the java packages cry out for many
> other packages like X11, Motif, and other seemingly unnecessary
> software.  I end up with over 30-40 packages I don't want and have to
> remove later.  A minor annoyance, perhaps, but by eliciting the
> opinions and experiences of other Sun admins, I hope to describe a
> more efficient, deterministic path to a core-plus installation.
>
> Please help to ensure a seminal and enduring holiday summary.
>
> --Greg Chavez
_______________________________________________
sunmanagers mailing list
sunmanagers@sunmanagers.org
http://www.sunmanagers.org/mailman/listinfo/sunmanagers