MultiNetBoot: Difference between revisions
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= Net boot chosing between multiple systems = | = Net boot chosing between multiple systems = | ||
Nowadays, many systems (Kubuntu, SuSE, Fedora, ...) allow network booting or installing. In order to do this, you usually need to copy a subfolder from the installation CD to your tftp server, and set this as your root. | Nowadays, many systems (Kubuntu, SuSE, Fedora, ...) allow network booting or installing. In order to do this, you usually need to copy a subfolder from the installation CD to your tftp server, and set this as your root. | ||
However, until syslinux 3.72 and its | However, until syslinux 3.72 and its <code>pxechain.com</code> module, it was not easily possible to set up a boot menu allowing to chose among one of many systems. | ||
With | With <code>pxechain.com</code>, it has become very simple to set up a global boot menu, as described below. | ||
== Preparation == | == Preparation == | ||
| Line 19: | Line 11: | ||
* Download syslinux-3.72 (or later) from http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/ | * Download syslinux-3.72 (or later) from http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/ | ||
* Compile it | * Compile it | ||
* Copy | * Copy <code>modules/pxechain.com</code>, <code>com32/menu/menu.c32</code> and <code>core/pxelinux.0</code> to your tftproot (usually <code>/var/lib/tftpboot</code>) | ||
* Set up your DHCP server to point to the pxlinux.0 in your tftp root by putting the following into your | * Set up your DHCP server to point to the pxlinux.0 in your tftp root by putting the following into your <code>dhcpd.conf</code>, and restart it: | ||
<code><pre> | |||
filename | filename "pxelinux.0"; | ||
</pre></code> | |||
== Setting up the various systems you want to chose among == | == Setting up the various systems you want to chose among == | ||
Copy the boot environments of the systems that you want to chose amongst as subdirectories of your tftp root : | Copy the boot environments of the systems that you want to chose amongst as subdirectories of your tftp root : <code>/var/lib/tftpboot/udpcast</code> , <code>/var/lib/tftpboot/kubuntu</code>, ... | ||
== Making index file == | == Making index file == | ||
Set up the root level's PXElinux configuration file to be an index. Create the | Set up the root level's PXElinux configuration file to be an index. Create the <code>/var/lib/tftpbot/pxelinux.cfg</code> directory, and store the following in <code>/var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default</code> : | ||
<code><pre> | |||
default menu.c32 | default menu.c32 | ||
prompt 0 | prompt 0 | ||
| Line 47: | Line 39: | ||
kernel pxechain.com | kernel pxechain.com | ||
append ::KubuntuNet/pxelinux.0 | append ::KubuntuNet/pxelinux.0 | ||
</pre></code> | |||
For each system you've got one paragraph, starting with a LABEL line (to give it a unique name), followed by a menu line (to set the name displayed in the menu). | For each system you've got one paragraph, starting with a LABEL line (to give it a unique name), followed by a menu line (to set the name displayed in the menu). | ||
The | The <code>kernel pxechain.com</code> line tells pxelinux to chain another pxe boot loader (the one present in the system's image). The last line (<code>append</code> ...) points towards the boot loader of the system to be loaded. | ||
== How it works / why it is needed == | == How it works / why it is needed == | ||
pxechain.com works by patching the DHCP information received from the server such that the boot filename points into the subdirectory of the chosen system (parameter of the | pxechain.com works by patching the DHCP information received from the server such that the boot filename points into the subdirectory of the chosen system (parameter of the <code>append</code> line), rather than the root. | ||
Directly saying | Directly saying <code>kernel udpcast/pxelinux.0</code> would not work: Although the correct <code>pxelinux.0</code> would be loaded, all dependant files (<code>pxelinux.cfg/default</code>, <code>linux</code>, <code>initrd</code>, ...) would again be loaded relatively to the root. Indeed the boot loader derives its "working directory" from the DHCP packet, which would not be patched using this simplistic approach. | ||
Latest revision as of 19:46, 26 November 2010
Net boot chosing between multiple systems[edit]
Nowadays, many systems (Kubuntu, SuSE, Fedora, ...) allow network booting or installing. In order to do this, you usually need to copy a subfolder from the installation CD to your tftp server, and set this as your root.
However, until syslinux 3.72 and its pxechain.com module, it was not easily possible to set up a boot menu allowing to chose among one of many systems.
With pxechain.com, it has become very simple to set up a global boot menu, as described below.
Preparation[edit]
- Download syslinux-3.72 (or later) from http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/
- Compile it
- Copy
modules/pxechain.com,com32/menu/menu.c32andcore/pxelinux.0to your tftproot (usually/var/lib/tftpboot) - Set up your DHCP server to point to the pxlinux.0 in your tftp root by putting the following into your
dhcpd.conf, and restart it:
filename "pxelinux.0";
Setting up the various systems you want to chose among[edit]
Copy the boot environments of the systems that you want to chose amongst as subdirectories of your tftp root : /var/lib/tftpboot/udpcast , /var/lib/tftpboot/kubuntu, ...
Making index file[edit]
Set up the root level's PXElinux configuration file to be an index. Create the /var/lib/tftpbot/pxelinux.cfg directory, and store the following in /var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default :
default menu.c32
prompt 0
menu title Hitchhiker PXE boot menu
LABEL udpcast
menu label Udpcast
kernel pxechain.com
append ::udpcast/pxelinux.0
LABEL KubuntuNet
menu Kubuntu network install
kernel pxechain.com
append ::KubuntuNet/pxelinux.0
For each system you've got one paragraph, starting with a LABEL line (to give it a unique name), followed by a menu line (to set the name displayed in the menu).
The kernel pxechain.com line tells pxelinux to chain another pxe boot loader (the one present in the system's image). The last line (append ...) points towards the boot loader of the system to be loaded.
How it works / why it is needed[edit]
pxechain.com works by patching the DHCP information received from the server such that the boot filename points into the subdirectory of the chosen system (parameter of the append line), rather than the root.
Directly saying kernel udpcast/pxelinux.0 would not work: Although the correct pxelinux.0 would be loaded, all dependant files (pxelinux.cfg/default, linux, initrd, ...) would again be loaded relatively to the root. Indeed the boot loader derives its "working directory" from the DHCP packet, which would not be patched using this simplistic approach.
