I've gotten so far as actually getting a client to boot by using PXELinux.
Since the client is actually diskless, the boot process stops when the kernel tries to mount a filesystem - that results in a kernel panic as expected.
I'm considering using a RAM disk image or NFS to remotely mount the filesystem. If anybody has any tips on this, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks ... Salman
On Jul 12, 2004, at 12:16 PM, Patrick Ouellette wrote:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Hi All,
I am trying to build a network of Debian PCs which must be diskless. The idea is that every once in a while the clients can be booted (may be remotely?) to download an upgraded kernel. Previously, we have used removable hard drives - very time consuming.
From browsing around, I've come to learn that there are a number of ways that this can be achieved, eg: TCP/IP PXE (hard pxe for intel nics), Etherboot (soft pxe), etc.
I would like to hear from people who have attempted this before and have some useful tips to offer. May be some one could weigh-in with advantages/disadvantages of using one option over another.
I anticipate that our client PCs will be based on Intel motherboards.
If you have access to boot media on the client (a floppy, usb boot device, CF card, etc.)
you have many options. My favorite is to create boot media with GRUB. You can then
chose to present a boot menu (or not) to the user.
If all you have is a boot PROM on the NIC, PXE is not too difficult to set up (assuming
the boot PROM supports PXE).
Most useful tip: Make sure syslog is running on your server and use a network sniffer
(packet capture) to monitor the boot process if things are not working properly.
Good Luck,
Pat
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