[How To] PXE install server with ProxyDHCP

[sjhupp]

Ok, tried with Ubuntu 10.04 and still the same error. Grr!!

Here's a long dump of what I assume is relevant - anyone able to spot the issue please? Assume something really simple...

So, following:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PX...iDistro#Ubuntu
I fixed up my DHCP server (DD-WRT modem 192.168.1.1) as per:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/PXE

I left my server (192.168.1.250) name blank, as the lookup doesn’t always work on my LAN (prob messed around with NICs too often). I chose /raid5/PXEboot/ to hold my cd files and menus etc.

Anyway, I must get DHCP fine, as I get the multiboot menu as per the PXE link above, and can navigate through it. But when I try to select something to actually install, I always get the “Loading” shown for a while, then the same error “Boot failed: press a key to retry, or wait for reset...” which supposedly means “A configuration file was not found and the boot process halts with this error. Check your config file(s). Otherwise, a configuration file is located and the commands within it will be executed (e.g. a boot menu will be displayed and the default option executed when selected).”

I did also change permissions on my dir, as got file not found errors and google said I should 
sudo chmod -R 777 /raid5/PXEboot/

So here’s my default config:
simon@starbug:~$ ls /var/lib/tftpboot
Clonezilla memdisk pxelinux.0 Ubuntu Xubuntu
dos Puppy pxelinux.cfg vesamenu.c32

and other configs that must be wrong…

simon@starbug:~$ ls -R /var/lib/tftpboot/Ubuntu/
/var/lib/tftpboot/Ubuntu/:
i386 Ubuntu.menu

/var/lib/tftpboot/Ubuntu/i386:
initrd.lz vmlinuz
simon@starbug:~$

simon@starbug:~$ ls /raid5/PXEboot/
Clonezilla Puppy Ubuntu Xubuntu
simon@starbug:~$ ls /raid5/PXEboot/Ubuntu/
i386
simon@starbug:~$ ls /raid5/PXEboot/Ubuntu/i386/
autorun.inf dists isolinux pics preseed ubuntu
casper install md5sum.txt pool README.diskdefines wubi.exe
simon@starbug:~$

and the final config of the Ubuntu menu (where it must fail)

simon@starbug:~$ cat /var/lib/tftpboot/Ubuntu/Ubuntu.menu
LABEL 1
MENU LABEL Ubuntu 10.04 (32-bit)
KERNEL Ubuntu/i386/vmlinuz
APPEND boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=192.168.1.250:/raid5/PXEboot/Ubuntu/i386 initrd=Ubuntu/i386/initrd.lz
TEXT HELP
Boot the Ubuntu 10.04 32-bit CD
ENDTEXT

Any suggestions??

[vikjon0]

Ubuntu/i386/vmlinuz and initrd is copied from Casper on the CD?
You can mount 192.168.1.250:/raid5/PXEboot/Ubuntu/i386 from another PC?
You have the folder .disk in :/raid5/PXEboot/Ubuntu/i386?

I cant see anything wrong with the setup.

[sjhupp]

Thanks for the comments.

Ubuntu/i386/vmlinuz and initrd is copied from Casper on the CD?

Yep, as per instructions.

You can mount 192.168.1.250:/raid5/PXEboot/Ubuntu/i386 from another PC?

can browse the dir from the LAN on other PCs ok (with permission).

You have the folder .disk in :/raid5/PXEboot/Ubuntu/i386?

Um ... no!? Can see this:
simon@starbug:~$ ls -l /raid5/PXEboot/Ubuntu/i386
total 1484
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 143 2010-10-28 10:11 autorun.inf
drwxrwxrwx 2 root root 4096 2010-10-28 10:14 casper
drwxrwxrwx 3 root root 4096 2010-10-28 10:14 dists
drwxrwxrwx 2 root root 4096 2010-10-28 10:14 install
drwxrwxrwx 2 root root 4096 2010-10-28 10:14 isolinux
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4530 2010-10-28 10:14 md5sum.txt
drwxrwxrwx 2 root root 4096 2010-10-28 10:14 pics
drwxrwxrwx 4 root root 4096 2010-10-28 10:14 pool
drwxrwxrwx 2 root root 4096 2010-10-28 10:14 preseed
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 225 2010-10-28 10:14 README.diskdefines
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 1 2010-10-28 10:14 ubuntu -> .
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 1469477 2010-10-28 10:14 wubi.exe

So not all copied?
The guide I followed used the DVD, but I have the CD. Different file structure?

[vikjon0]

.disk is a hidden directory. Do ls -a (or whatever it is)

Turns out copying a folder structure including hidden is the hardest thing you can do in linux. (please tell me I am wrong)

/* does not take it.

[sjhupp]

Ah, right, thanks.
Did copy that across (only ~5 small files?) but same error.
This might be beyond me :\

[vikjon0]

I made a live CD with a pxe installer.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/qfpxeinstaller

user/pwd qfpxe/pxeme

Working:

• LivePXECD
• mini install
• gparted (http)
• Clonezilla (http)

Nfs does not work on the liveCD and I deleted the ubuntudesktop to save space. If you install it to disk you can add the content of ubuntudesktop cd (including hidden files) and it should work again.

Known problems:
The error handling in the script does not work, the script abort if there is a problem. If it is working you should see: " wait 15s or press any key"
It happens once that tftp hanged. sudo service tftpd-hpa restart
Perhaps a performance problem but gparted sometimes have to be booted twice.

!!** Don't install on dual boot or anything like that if you dont know what you are doing. I have not tested the installer on a physical machine.

[sjhupp]

Awesome, thanks. Will grab it and try.
So I can just use my desktop PC for this live PXE cd?
And I assume I then just change my DNSmasq details in my DD-WRT router to point to the desktop instead of my server?
Will check out your config files too.
Really would love to get this working on my server...
Thanks for all the help!

Are you the 1 seeder?

[vikjon0]

And I assume I then just change my DNSmasq details in my DD-WRT router to point to the desktop instead of my server?

I guess that will work..turning PXE in it off would work for sure since the cd have everything needed built in.

[vikjon0]

Ok, since people seem to struggle with the torrent I have uploaded the full iso.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/qfpxeinstaller/

[sjhupp]

Torrent was no probs for me - just took a few hours to download.
But booting the CD, I got the menu, but the live CD boot didn't work for me - general error and command prompt.
Second time it just seemed to hang at the purple 10.04 loading screen for over 5 mins.
Might go fetch some more media this week and burn again and see if that helps.
Cheers.