Help install CentOS for cPanel

[mm1250]

Hello, I have a new server and I plan on putting CentOS 5.1 and cPanel. The thing is I never installed Linux before as I have had Dedicated servers since day 1 and never done linux install. I figured out the paritions part but I need to know when I am in the CentOS intall GUI it brings me the list of options to install.

I am so lost at this part becuase I was told you have to install certain things. I don't think I did it right the first time because after I ran cPanel install the web server never came up for me to goto WHM. So I am starting fresh again and need to know exactly what options to uncheck and check. I appriate the help.

[mm1250]

Ok guys, now i'm getting a little worried, I formated and install CentOS twice already and ran through the cPanel install but after it says "Complete" I can't get access to the WHM to finish the websetup. It is like port 80 and the other WHM ports don't work. Fresh new CentOS 5.1 machine and ran the

wget http://layer1.cpanel.net/latest
sh latest

let install

Finshed and no WHM.. I can SSH just fine. Anyone know what could be the issue?

[hydra]

Hi,

I think you have a firewall blocking that port.
Try disable the firewall temporary to test this.
/etc/init.d/iptables stop
try to connect to WHM. If you can connect now you know its your firewall rules that is blocking you.
Try opening up the ports u need with the command system-config-securitylevel
Also make sure SELinux is off.

Please read http://www.cpanel.net/security/firewalls.html

Also consider installing CSF.
This script takes care off all your security needs (well most of them anyway) and it will open the ports needed for cpanel.

General info CSF : CSF
Install information : Install CSF

Ronald.

[mm1250]

Hello,

It works now, I guess it was iptabales, and also SELinux was set to permissive. Should I uninstall iptables and use another one? is there a better one to use besides IPtables?

[hydra]

Hello,

It works now, I guess it was iptabales, and also SELinux was set to permissive. Should I uninstall iptables and use another one? is there a better one to use besides IPtables?

No need to uninstall iptables, you can open up ports with the command i gave you
Proceed by installing CSF.
This script takes care off all your security needs (well most of them anyway) and it will open the ports needed for cpanel. (uses iptables i think)

General info CSF : CSF
Install information : Install CSF

Ronald.

[serversphere]

Ronald is correct, CSF (and it's older, balding uncle APF for that matter) is a front-end controlling script that makes it easy to configure iptables. The second part of the CSF 1-2 punch is LFD, which acts as a monitor for several things system wide and alerts you if things go amiss. It's definitely the most CPanel friendly of the iptables config scripts.

[mm1250]

I wanted to double-check with everyone if I correctly installed my CentOS and cPanel. This will be my first time so I really want to know if I did it correctly before I ship the server out to the Colo facility. I spent the time and went step by step everything I did.

1. Loaded CentOS 5.1 32bit CD

2. Run setup in GUI mode

3. Choose English for install laung

4. Choose US English for keyboard type

5. In partitions area, choose "Create custom layout" and clicked next

6. Created the following partitions based of 1TB HD space and 8GB RAM.

swap 8GB
ext3 /boot 512MB
ext3 /tmp 2GB
ext3 /usr 50GB
ext3 / 2GB
ext3 /var 60GB
ext3 /home fill to max 820~GB

??? I was wondering, can I just create a 100GB "/" partition and allow /var & /usr to share it vs. create 3 of them? So I'd just have /home, /boot, /tmp and /. Is there any issues with doing it this way? Cons vs. the above?

7. Taken to boot loader screen and choose default option of using GRUB boot loader. It installs under /dev/sda

?? do I need boot loader, and should I have installed it under the /boot parition not the default /dev/sda???

8. Taken to network config screen and configured eth0 IP/netmask and hostname and gateway and 2 isp dns servers.

???? Should I keep IPV6 enabled?

9. Taken to timezone screen and configure correct zone.

10. Taken to root password config screen and configure root password

11. Taken to install options screen which has a list of general install packages to choose from they are:

Desktop GNOME, Desktop KME, Server, Server GUI, (I unchecked Desktop GNMOE) I also choose "Customize now" and clicked next

12. Taken to screen that has install options in more detail and has categories on left and details on the right side. The selection is as follows:

Desktop Environment - Left all uncheked
Applications - Editors and Text Based internet was checked (left both options checked).
Development - Left all unchecked (should I have checked anything in this one???)
Server - LEft all unchecked
Base System - Base and Dial up networking was checked, I unchecked Dialup networking.
Virtualization - left all unchecked
Clustering - Left all unchecked
language - left all unchecked.

13. Install starts format of partitions and installs OS. Out of all 6 CDs, only #1 was used.

14. When system boot for first time I am taken to a bluescreen DOS-Like GUI interface titled "Setup Agent" It had 4 config areas in which to setup. I only made changes to 1 of them.

1 Authentication
2. Firewall Configuration - I went in and disabled Firewall and disabled SELinux.
3. Network Configuration
4. System Services

15. Taken to command prompt.

16. I type "yum update" and system updates kernal and packages.

17. I than do:

# /home
# wget http://layer1.cpanel.net/latest
# sh latest

cPanel installs and finishes

Log into web interface to finish setup.

Configure CSF.

OK, so My question is, did I miss anything from the installing of CentOS upto the cPanel install, such as missing install packages from centos or not running other commands on system before I install. I ask this because I have 4 more servers to setup and don't want to be configuring these boxes wrong.

[mm1250]

Can anyone confirm the above for me please?

[dragon2611]

Hello, I have a new server and I plan on putting CentOS 5.1 and cPanel. The thing is I never installed Linux before as I have had Dedicated servers since day 1 and never done linux install. I figured out the paritions part but I need to know when I am in the CentOS intall GUI it brings me the list of options to install.

I am so lost at this part becuase I was told you have to install certain things. I don't think I did it right the first time because after I ran cPanel install the web server never came up for me to goto WHM. So I am starting fresh again and need to know exactly what options to uncheck and check. I appriate the help.

No idea but i'm about to be in a simular situation myself shortly.
I have installed Linux before but i've only ever used Ubuntu/Debian as a Linux server and it was on a home machine.

I've installed Fedora on A desktop before.

[daveformerlyof]

OK, so My question is, did I miss anything from the installing of CentOS upto the cPanel install, such as missing install packages from centos or not running other commands on system before I install. I ask this because I have 4 more servers to setup and don't want to be configuring these boxes wrong.

Don't worry, we'll add any package, modules, software that we need during the install. As long as your package management system works (yum, up2date, etc), your hostname is a valid FQDN and you have the proper ports open on your firewall, you'll be good to go.

After installing, set your updates to automatic in WHM and we'll take care of making sure your system packages are up to date (minus kernel upgrades).

Alternatively, we offer a kickstart DVD image on layer1.cpanel.net for centos that allows you to skip a lot of the installation steps.

[dragon2611]

I plan to do some of my Inital setup before the server gets placed in the datacenter, I hope to have the basics setup before then So that when I install the server in the datacenter so I'll have a minimum of things to whilst onsite.

Although Cpanel installation will probably have to wait untill i'm onsite due to the Licencing being tied to the IP address.

[mm1250]

Thanks Dave,

I just wanted to make sure I am not installing to much stuff.

Can you verify if CentOS 5.1 x64 is fully compatible with cPanel and that there isn't any known issues that will crop up on me with regards to Apache/PHP or Perl etc. I see allot of hosts still installing 4.6 which makes me think there might be an issue running 5.1 x86

[gorilla]

Thanks Dave,

I just wanted to make sure I am not installing to much stuff.

Can you verify if CentOS 5.1 x64 is fully compatible with cPanel and that there isn't any known issues that will crop up on me with regards to Apache/PHP or Perl etc. I see allot of hosts still installing 4.6 which makes me think there might be an issue running 5.1 x86

Yes, CentOS 5.1 x64 is fully compatible with cPanel

[mm1250]

Yes, CentOS 5.1 x64 is fully compatible with cPanel

Ok, just curious becuase I was searching around in the threads and saw older posts with people complaiming about x64 instllations. Just wanted to make sure all the packages and such will not have issues. I can't afford moving 200 sites than to find out later all these problems crop up

[gorilla]

we have been running 64 bit on all our servers for the last few years, there were issues in the beginning , but nowadays everything is ironed out.
New default Centos 5.1 x64 setups are straightforward without any problems.