Arch Linux

Edder

Member

Registered: 2010-10-10

Posts: 14

Install Arch using PXE

Hello community on this 10/10/10

my question is, howto install arch with PXE and only with PXE, I got a running tftp server and dhcp server and succesfully installed ubuntu with this netboot archive (http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dis … oot.tar.gz).
Is there an archive for arch existing to do it the same way?
And if not, howto do it properly, the wiki article to that case is more than old.

Thanks and have a nice sunday...

Dieter@be

Forum Fellow

From: Belgium

Registered: 2006-11-05

Posts: 2,001

Website

Re: Install Arch using PXE

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arc … pxe_server

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< Daenyth> and he works prolifically
4 8 15 16 23 42

Edder

Member

Registered: 2010-10-10

Posts: 14

Re: Install Arch using PXE

Thank you, but little problem:

Waiting 30 seconds for device /dev/nbd0 ...
ERROR: /dev/nbd0 found, but the filesystem type is unknown.
...

And then I got access to the ramfs console...

PwrOverwhelming

Member

Registered: 2010-10-12

Posts: 2

Re: Install Arch using PXE

Hm.   I can't actually solve your problem, but I think I've managed to get a step further.. doing some reading, I came across some posts about the boot order for archiso, and an old problem with a missing symbolic link.

If you symlink /dev/archiso --> /dev/nbd0 , you'll boot.  But then it'll throw you back a moment later because it didn't manage to mount /bootmnt onto /new_mount ...

Like I said, not helpful.  But different.

The wiki also has a completely different page on how to do this, an entirely different way:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ins … rk_via_PXE

Sadly, the "required files" that it references don't seem to be built the way they say they are.. missing directory structure, etc.

Last edited by PwrOverwhelming (2010-10-12 04:12:51)

djgera

Developer

From: Buenos Aires - Argentina

Registered: 2008-12-24

Posts: 723

Website

Re: Install Arch using PXE

Hi

nbd in 2010.05 images is old
nbd in your system is new
archiso-pxe-server script try to keep compatible with old (untested) and new nbd.

Try this on ramfs prompt:

nbd-client the-server-ip -N archiso /dev/nbd0 -presist
mount -r -t udf /dev/nbd0 /bootmnt
logout

Download a recent update archiso-pxe-server-20101012 (just now)

If does not work, try to build your archiso up-to-date using my branch that have the fix[#1].  See here how http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Use … lean_build

[#1] http://github.com/djgera/archiso/commit … 9bc219ee30

Good Luck.

Last edited by djgera (2010-10-12 04:50:33)

djgera

Developer

From: Buenos Aires - Argentina

Registered: 2008-12-24

Posts: 723

Website

Re: Install Arch using PXE

will not work solution with 2010.05

This work (I downloaded 2010.05 and tested). On server after execute archiso-pxe-server, execute:

# killall nbd-server
# nbd-server 9040 /tmp/archlinux-2010.05-netinstall-i686.iso -r

ignore the WARNIGS, depecated options still works. Now boot via network.

PwrOverwhelming

Member

Registered: 2010-10-12

Posts: 2

Re: Install Arch using PXE

Excellent.  Thanks for your help.  Works like a charm.

Was trying to work through the NBD not available messages when you posted.  Perfect timing.

Thanks again.

Edder

Member

Registered: 2010-10-10

Posts: 14

Re: Install Arch using PXE

Same here, works just fine, thanks.

djgera

Developer

From: Buenos Aires - Argentina

Registered: 2008-12-24

Posts: 723

Website

Re: Install Arch using PXE

Very good You are welcome.

Edder

Member

Registered: 2010-10-10

Posts: 14

Re: Install Arch using PXE

But I just dont got an internet connection (network only), I think its because of the dhcp server...

Anyway, I mounted the package file from a core disc and feeded pacman with it and upgraded the system later.

djgera

Developer

From: Buenos Aires - Argentina

Registered: 2008-12-24

Posts: 723

Website

Re: Install Arch using PXE

yes, about network access. Think that there are two dhcp in the same network!, One from your router (i guess) and one for PXE that assing default gw route to PXE machine.

What you can do is: stop dnsmasq in PXE server, and in "client" machine relaunch dhcpcd (Do not stop nbd-server, if no copytoram option was used on boot, hehe)

Ggood weekend!