Arch Linux

hokasch

Member

Registered: 2007-09-23

Posts: 1,461

Arch Linux PXE-Server LiveCD

Hello everyone,

after having a hard time figuring out how to set up PXE for installing Arch on my no-cd, non-usb-bootable laptop, I made a LiveCD containing the needed files and configs.

It is made with larch 5.3, the installer image comes from archboot-iso 2009.05-2, ftp-installation only.

I have only tested booting the extracted iso from a seperate partition so far, due to lacking cd-drive in my laptop. With that setup, the destination machine boots up fine and runs the installer. I did not try a complete install, due to lacking hd in destination pc...

After boot you will be dropped to a root shell. You have to start dhcpd (/etc/rc.d/dhcpd start), and eventually adjust some settings. That's it! Remember to turn of any other dhcp servers in the network (e.g., in the router) and use wired connections.

Default configuration:

- network device eth0
- 192.168.0.2 as IP address, 192.168.0.1 as router and OpenDns for nameservers
- dhcpd lends out adresses from 192.168.0.10 to 192.168.0.49
- network managed with netcfg (/etc/network.d/default)
- tftp is started at boot

Stuff To Fix:
- dhcpd has to be started manually (due to use of net-profiles)
- unneeded packages on cd (will rebuild without them)
- please tell me!

Get it here.

CodeBlock

Member

From: Ohio, USA

Registered: 2008-06-13

Posts: 76

Website

Re: Arch Linux PXE-Server LiveCD

OOH nice! I might try this. We've played with PXE a bit in my Cisco class, but I haven't done much with it. Would be interesting to try!

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I'm a block of code, and I approve this message.

leo72

Member

Registered: 2009-05-28

Posts: 16

Re: Arch Linux PXE-Server LiveCD

Excuse my intrusion but I would talk to Codeblock about Netbeans-ruby pkgbuild in Aur.. I've tried to send you an e-mail but your address seems unreachable.

alexondi

Member

Registered: 2008-06-06

Posts: 8

Re: Arch Linux PXE-Server LiveCD

Can you provide some more detailed instruction?

hokasch

Member

Registered: 2007-09-23

Posts: 1,461

Re: Arch Linux PXE-Server LiveCD

Hmm, my very aged laptop finally died, I have a modern one now and therefore not looked into this since I wrote the post...

Basically, the iso is a live core install prepared with the steps outlined in the PXE-Wiki. You may also just follow the wiki on this (mkpxelinux can apparently substituted by syslinux, check the discussion page) if you have another computer with arch or any other linux.

What exactly do you want to know?

alexondi

Member

Registered: 2008-06-06

Posts: 8

Re: Arch Linux PXE-Server LiveCD

I want build image for client (about 20-30 PC) which must load arch->startx->special application. I don't wont use rw root filesystem for clients and so try build some variant of livecd which is loaded from nfs-server. Now I can do this (build pxe image and load client) using live-helper from debian. But I like arch and try to do such variant with arch.