Setting up a PXE Boot Server

(:title Setting up a PXE Boot Server:)

For a recent SLED (SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop) rollout, I created a PXE Boot server. PXE (or Pre-eXecution Environment) Booting is where a machine BIOS uses DHCP and TFTP information to boot into an environment independent of the media on the server

To create a PXE Boot Server you need four things:
# A properly configured DHCP server.
# A properly configured TFTP server.
# A PXELINUX install properly setup.
# [[Projects/LinuxLocalRepository | A Local Network Repository]]


[++ Creating a properly configured DHCP server. ++]

So, the first thing that needs to be done is to create a properly configured DHCP server for PXE booting. This is normally not too hard, however for PXE booting, you need to make sure that in addition to the normal IP information you also send the PXE boot information to the workstation as well.
To do this using a Netware DHCP server, following the steps below:
# On the Subnet Options Tab of the Subnet object property page, check the "Set Boot Parameter Option"
# Add the IP Address and Server Name of the TFTP server
# Add the filename of the PXELINUX.0 configuration file

On a Linux DHCP server you need to add three options to the dhcpd.conf file (either through YaST or manually). I recently found myself in a position where I needed to setup a PXEBoot Server on a client site where use of DHCP was forbidden. Fun! So in order to solve this problem I needed to create a DHCP server that would only respond to PXE requests but not normal DHCP requests. Below is the dhcpd.conf file I used:
(:div style="border-style:ridge; border-width:2px; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-left:50px; overflow:auto; width:650px; height:250px;":)
[@
# Custom dhcpd.conf file
#
# This configuration will only respond to PXE requests

default-lease-time 14400;
max-lease-time 7200;
ddns-update-style none;
ddns-updates off;
allow booting;
option domain-name "domain.name";
option domain-name-servers 192.168.99.40, 192.168.99.41;
option routers 192.168.0.1;

# Define rules to identify DHCP Requests from PXE devices
class "pxe" {
match if substring(option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = "PXEClient";
}

subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.0.0 {
pool {
default-lease-time 180; # no long lease time required for booting
max-lease-time 360; # booted system does its own dhcp request
server-name "repository.domain.name";
next-server repository.; # in case your local DNS only handles
# unqualified domains keep trailing '.'
filename "pxelinux.0";
allow members of "pxe"; # only allow pxe class
range 192.168.99.30 192.168.99.39;
}
}
@]
(:divend:)


[++ Creating a properly configured TFTP server. ++]

Once you have a DHCP server that is providing the PXE Boot information, you need to insure that the specified server is responding to TFTP (Trivial FTP) requests. Setting up a TFTP server on SLES10 is almost too simple!
# Make sure you have the TFTP package installed:
->[@yast2 -i tftp@]
#%item value=2% Configure the server
->[@yast2 tftp-server@]
#%item value=3% Make sure that the service is Enabled and that the "Boot Image Directory" is [@/tftpboot@]. The default is [@/srv/ftp@].


[++ Setting up a PXELINUX install properly. ++]

PXELinux is a package include in the SYSLinux suite. (The web documentation can be found at %newwin% [[http://syslinux.zytor.com/]].) PXELINUX is a SYSLINUX derivative, for booting Linux off a network server, using a network ROM conforming to the Intel PXE specification. The process of installing SYSLinux and configuring it to work with the TFTP server we setup above is detailed below:
# Make sure that you have the SYSLINUX package installed
->[@yast2 -i syslinux@]
#%item value=2% Copy the default PXE files to the Boot Image Directory specified above
->[@cp /usr/share/syslinux/pxelinux.0 /tftpboot@]
#%item value=3% Copy the kernel and initrd files from your SLED10 installation media to the Boot Image Directory directory:
->[@
cp /(path to SLED10 media)/boot/i386/loader/linux /tftpboot/sled10.linux
cp /(path to SLED10 media)/boot/i386/loader/initrd /tftpboot/sled10.initrd
cp /(path to SLED10 media)/boot/i386/loader/memtest /tftpboot/memtest
@]
#%item value=4% Create a pxelinux.cfg subdirectory under the tftp directory:
->[@mkdir /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg@]
#%item value=5% Copy the isolinux.cfg file from the installation media to this subdirectory and renaming it to default:
->[@cp /(path to media)/boot/i386/loader/isolinux.cfg /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default@]
#%item value=6% Copy the message file from the installation media to the pxelinux.cfg directory:
->[@cp /(path to media)/boot/i386/loader/message /tftpboot/boot.msg@]

The isolinux.cfg and message files were copied over so we can use them as a template, but since we have renamed some of the files while they were copied across it is necessary to modify these new files.
[@
gedit /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default /tftpboot/boot.msg &
@]

When editing the /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default be sure to make the following changes:
# Modify the display line to reflect the new [@message@] filename [@boot.msg@]
# Modify all the kernel lines to reflect the new [@linux@] filename [@sled10.linux@]
# Modify all the append lines to reflect the new [@initrd@] filename [@sled10.initrd@]
# Comment out the gfxboot line. This command is part of a SuSE patch to the ISOLinux package. It is not part of the normal suite and is not available within PXELinux. If leave it in you get an error.
# You can also create/modify new sections as you please.
However if you change or add any of the labels within the default file, be sure to modify the boot.msg file as well.

The benefit of renaming the files allows you to copy additional kernels and make then available for booting. For instance, I created a PXE Boot server that allowed booting of the SLED and SLES installation programs (even thought they really aren't that different), Windows OS installations as well as a DSL (Damn Small Linux) distribution. The DSL distribution allows administrators to boot a machine directly into DSL much as they would with a Live CD. Allowing them to perform maintenance on the machine without booting the physical hard drive.
How I created my machine was:
# Follow the directions above.
# Copy the [@linux@] and [@initrd@] files from the SLES10 installation media.
# Download %newwin% [[ http://unattended.sourceforge.net/ | Unattended ]] and follow the instructions The %newwin% [[ http://unattended.sourceforge.net/step-by-step.php | step-by-step guide]] is very well written. [--(Note: I have not been able to get the windows virtual boot disks to run without the use of DHCP)--]
# Obtain and copy the DSL [@linux24@] and [@minirt24.gz@] from the current dsl initrd.iso (This version has Knoppix pre-loaded into the [@minirt24.gz@] file). While there are many mirrors which can be found at %newwin% [[http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/download.html]] I downloaded my iso from %newwin% [[http://ftp.belnet.be/packages/damnsmalllinux/current/dsl-3.4-initrd.iso]]
# Create/modify custom [@default@] and [@boot.msg@] files using the documentation found at %newwin% [[http://syslinux.zytor.com/faq.php]].

Below are my custom files:

->[+[@/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default@]+]
(:div style="border-style:ridge; border-width:2px; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-left:50px; overflow:auto; width:650px; height:250px;":)
[@
# Custom default file for PXELinux

default harddisk
implicit 1
#gfxboot bootlogo
display boot.msg
f1 boot.msg
f2 f2.msg
f3 f3.msg
f4 f4.msg
f5 f5.msg
f6 f6.msg
prompt 1
timeout 400



# Boot to the local disk
label harddisk
localboot 0x80

# Boot the SLED10 Desktop Linux install program
label desktop
kernel sled10.linux
append initrd=sled10.initrd splash=silent showopts instmode=http

label sled10
kernel sled10.linux
append initrd=sled10.initrd splash=silent showopts install=http://repository.opw.ie/SLED10sp1-DVD autoyast=http://repository.opw.ie/autoyast/linux.xml

label sled10ip
kernel sled10.linux
append initrd=sled10.initrd splash=silent showopts install=http://repository.opw.ie/SLED10sp1-DVD autoyast=http://repository.opw.ie/autoyast/linux.xml hostip=19.200.99.60/16 nameserver=19.200.99.40 gateway=19.200.1.0

label sled10dual
kernel sled10.linux
append initrd=sled10.initrd splash=silent showopts install=http://repository.opw.ie/SLED10sp1-DVD autoyast=http://repository.opw.ie/autoyast/dualboot.xml

label sled10ipdual
kernel sled10.linux
append initrd=sled10.initrd splash=silent showopts install=http://repository.opw.ie/SLED10sp1-DVD autoyast=http://repository.opw.ie/autoyast/dualboot.xml hostip=19.200.99.60/16 nameserver=19.200.99.40 gateway=19.200.1.0

label noacpi
kernel sled10.linux
append initrd=sled10.initrd splash=silent showopts acpi=off

label nolapic
kernel sled10.linux
append initrd=sled10.initrd splash=silent showopts nolapic

label failsafe
kernel sled10.linux
append initrd=sled10.initrd splash=silent showopts apm=off acpi=off mce=off barrier=off ide=nodma idewait=50 i8042.nomux psmouse.proto=bare irqpoll pci=nommconf

label sled10rescue
kernel sled10.linux
append initrd=sled10.initrd splash=silent rescue=1 showopts



# Boot the SLES10 Server Linux install program
label server
kernel sles10.linux
append initrd=sles10.initrd splash=silent showopts instmode=http

label sles10
kernel sles10.linux
append initrd=sles10.initrd splash=silent showopts install=http://repository.opw.ie/SLES10sp1-DVD

label sles10ip
kernel sles10.linux
append initrd=sles10.initrd splash=silent showopts install=http://repository.opw.ie/SLES10sp1-DVD hostip=19.200.99.60/16 nameserver=19.200.99.40 gateway=19.200.1.0

label sles10rescue
kernel sles10.linux
append initrd=sles10.initrd splash=silent rescue=1 showopts


# Boot Damn Small Linux
label dsl
kernel dsl.linux24
append ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=dsl.minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix


# Boot unattended Windows Install - Linux Boot Disk

label windows

kernel unattended.bzImage

# Add options (z_user=..., z_path=..., etc.) to this line.

append initrd=unattended.initrd z_path==//repository.opw.ie/Windows




# Boot unattended Windows Install - Dos Boot Disk


label dos
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/undis3c.imz keeppxe

label undis3c
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/undis3c.imz keeppxe

label b44
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/b44.imz

label b57
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/b57.imz

label dc21x4
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/dc21x4.imz

label dp83815
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/dp83815.imz

label e100b
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/e100b.imz

label e1000
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/e1000.imz

label elpc575
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/elpc575.imz

label el556
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/el556.imz

label el90x
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/el90x.imz

label el94x
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/el94x.imz

label fetnd
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/fetnd.imz

label ngrpci
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/ngrpci.imz

label pcntnd
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/pcntnd.imz

label rtsnd
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/rtsnd.imz

label rtgbnd
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/rtgbnd.imz

label sis900
kernel unattended.dos/memdisk
append initrd=unattended.dos/sis900.imz



# Memory Test
label memtest
kernel memtest

@]
(:divend:)


->[+[@/tftpboot/boot.msg@]+]
(:div style="border-style:ridge; border-width:2px; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-left:50px; overflow:auto; width:650px; height:250px;":)
[@

09OPW PXE Installations:07

0aAvailable Options:07
harddisk - Boot from Harddisk (this is default)

desktop - Boot the standard desktop linux install
sled10 - OPW Desktop Installation
sled10ip - OPW Desktop Installation (19.200.99.60)
sled10dual - Dualboot Desktop Installation
sled10ipdual - Dualboot Desktop Installation (19.200.99.60)
server - Boot the standard server linux install
sles10 - OPW Server Installation
sles10ip - OPW Server Installation (19.200.99.60)

dsl - DSL Live Distribution (will not affect current installation)

windows - Install Windows Operating Systems (z_path=//myserver/myshare)
dos - Install Windows Operating Systems using DOS Boot Disk

memtest - Memory Test


05[F1-Main] [F2-SuSE Options] [F3/F4-DOS Options] [F5/F6-DSL Options]07
@]
(:divend:)


->[+[@/tftpboot/f2.msg@]+] (provides information on how to modify the SLE installation kernel)
(:div style="border-style:ridge; border-width:2px; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-left:50px; overflow:auto; width:650px; height:250px;":)
[@

09SuSE Linux Enterprise07

0aSuSE Linux Enterprise 10 accept the following options:07
kernel can be {desktop | sled10 | server | sles10}

desktop is the basic desktop kernel without options
sled10 is desktop with install and autoyast options already set
server is the basic server kernel without options
sles10 is server with install and autoyast options already set

kernel hostip=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/yy IP Address and Mask
kernel netmask=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx Mask if not specified above
kernel gateway=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx Default Route
kernel nameserver=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx Domain Name Server
kernel insmod= Additional Kernel modules to load
kernel install=http://server/folder Network Repository
kernel instmode=http Installation Mode if install is missing
kernel autoyast=http://server/xml Autoyast control file

noacpi or nolapic based on the desktop kernel
failsafe (Almost) no hardware-detection

05[F1-Main] [F2-SuSE Options] [F3/F4-DOS Options] [F5/F6-DSL Options]07
@]
(:divend:)


->[+[@/tftpboot/f3.msg@]+] (Just a slightly modified version of the unattended DOS f2 file)
(:div style="border-style:ridge; border-width:2px; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-left:50px; overflow:auto; width:650px; height:250px;":)
[@

09Additional DOS Network Drivers07

0aThese are additional network drivers that you can choose:07
undis3c Universial DOS driver
b44 Broadcom BCM440x family
b57 Broadcom BCM57xx "Tigon3" family
dc21x4 DEC/Intel 2104x/2114x "Tulip" family
dp83815 Natsemi 83815 "MacPHYTER" family (e.g., Netgear FA311/FA312)
e100b Intel Pro/100 family of PCI and CardBus adapters
e1000 Intel Pro/1000 family of gigabit adapters
elpc575 3com 3c575 family of CardBus adapters
el556 3com 3c556 family of mini-PCI adapters
el90x 3com 3c59x/3c90x family of PCI and CardBus adapters
el94x 3com 3c94x/3c2000 family of gigabit adapters
fetnd VIA VT86C100A/6102/6105 "Rhine" family (e.g., D-Link DFE-530TX)
ngrpci Netgear FA310
pcntnd AMD PCNet family (also VMWare)
rtsnd Realtek RTL8139 family (e.g., D-Link DFE-530TX+)
rtgbnd Realtek RTL8169/8110S Gigabit family
sis900 SiS 900 family


05[F1-Main] [F2-SuSE Options] [F3/F4-DOS Options] [F5/F6-DSL Options]07
@]
(:divend:)


->[+[@/tftpboot/f4.msg@]+] (Just a renamed version of the unattended DOS f3 file)
(:div style="border-style:ridge; border-width:2px; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-left:50px; overflow:auto; width:650px; height:250px;":)
[@

09General DOS Information07

This is a system for fully automating the installation of Windows 2000,
Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.

Features include:

* Automated install of OS, hotfixes, and applications
* Full documentation and source code
* Support for floppy, CD-ROM, and "nothing but net" installs
* True unattended installation, 0cnot07 disk imaging
* No Windows servers required; use your Unix servers instead
* No Unix servers required; use your Windows servers after all
* Completely free

When you are finished setting up Unattended, you will be able to boot
any PC from a floppy, from a CD-ROM, or directly from the network,
answer a few questions, and come back an hour or two later to a
fully-installed Windows workstation.



05[F1-Main] [F2-SuSE Options] [F3/F4-DOS Options] [F5/F6-DSL Options]07
@]
(:divend:)

->[+[@/tftpboot/f5.msg@]+] (Just a renamed version of the DSL f2 file)
(:div style="border-style:ridge; border-width:2px; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-left:50px; overflow:auto; width:650px; height:250px;":)
[@

09DSL Options07

0aDSL accepts the following boot time options:07
fb1280x1024 | fb1024x768 | fb800x600 Framebuffer mode (for notebooks)
dsl vga=normal Safest video mode (see F6 for more)
dsl xsetup Prompt user for X setup
dsl noicons If booting to X use plain desktop
dsl mydsl={hda1|sda1} Restore myDSL apps (default to cdrom)
dsl base Skip myDSL load only the base system
dsl norestore Turn off the automatic restore
dsl restore={hda1|sda1|floppy} Specify saved configuration location
dsl toram Load CD into RAM and run (128+ MB)
dsl tohd=/dev/hda1 Copy CD to HD partition and run
dsl fromhd=/dev/hda1 Boot from previously copied CD-Image
dsl {ssh|lpd|cron|fuse|nfs|syslog|monkey|ftp} Start various daemons at boot
dsl lang=us (cs da de es fr nl it pl ru sk ...) Choose Language/Keyboard
dsl no{scsi|pcmcia|usb|agp|swap|apm|apic|mce|ddc} Disable HW-detection
dsl dma Turn on DMA accel. for all drives
dsl 2 Runlevel 2, Textmode only
failsafe (Almost) no hardware-detection
expert Interactive startup/setup

05[F1-Main] [F2-SuSE Options] [F3/F4-DOS Options] [F5/F6-DSL Options]07
@]
(:divend:)

->[+[@/tftpboot/f6.msg@]+] (Just a renamed version of the DSL f3 file)
(:div style="border-style:ridge; border-width:2px; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-left:50px; overflow:auto; width:650px; height:250px;":)
[@

09DSL Options07

0aDSL accepts the following boot time vga options:07
Color 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024
256 8 bit 769 771 773 775
32000 15 bit 784 787 790 793
65000 16 bit 785 788 791 794
16.7M 24 bit 786 789 792 795

dsl vga=7xx 7xx from table above
dsl secure Prompt for root and dsl passwords
dsl protect Password encrypted backup
dsl host=xxxx Set hostname to xxxx
dsl minimal Starts X with Minimal theme
dsl desktop={fluxbox|jwm} Starts with fluxbox or Joe's WM
dsl waitusb Waits for slow USB devices
dsl legacy Boots without unionfs
dsl dosswapfile{=hda1} Scan or Specify dosswapfile
dsl checkfs fscks unmounted filesystems
lowram Starts X, Minimal, noicons, nousb, noscsi, noideraid, etc.
install No X, CLI installation menu for hard drive, frugal, floppy.

05[F1-Main] [F2-SuSE Options] [F3/F4-DOS Options] [F5/F6-DSL Options]07
@]
(:divend:)


References:
* %newwin% [[http://en.opensuse.org/SuSE_install_with_PXE_boot | SuSE install with PXE boot]]
* %newwin% [[http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/17719.html |Setting Up a SUSE PXE Installation Server in an Existing NetWare Environment by Bryan Keadle]]