[How to] PXE boot Server

[gouryella]

[How to] PXE boot Server (compressed guide) updated 29.3.2010

expectations:

• PXE boot friendly net card / virtualbox with bridged adapter in network config (for testing)
• asus in router operation mode with active DHCP
• tested on wl500gp-1.9.2.7-d-r1222.trx after finished wengi guide

install xinetd (if you don't have)

ipkg update
ipkg upgrade
ipkg install xinetd

install tftp-hpa Trivial File Transfer Protocol Server

ipkg install tftp-hpa

add extra dnsmasq.conf, it will append to /etc/dnsmasq.conf during boot (thanks Sid)

nano /usr/local/etc/dnsmasq.conf

contents of dnsmasq.conf:

dhcp-boot=pxelinux.0,asus,192.168.1.1

asus=replece to your Host Name, 192.168.1.1=tftp server ip adress (may run outside asus for fastest transfer)
save:

flashfs save && flashfs commit && flashfs enable && reboot

example of config files (check Attached Files i'm providing all needed files for Windows 7 PE Boot and memtest x86)

mkdir /opt/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg
nano /opt/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default
nano /opt/tftpboot/boot.txt

contents of default:

display boot.txt
prompt 1
timeout 0
default winpe

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=dsl/knoppix

label dos
  kernel memdisk
  append initrd=dos/Dos6.22.img

label memtest
  kernel memdisk
  append initrd=memtest/memtest.img

label winpe
  kernel Boot/startrom.0

label gparted
  kernel gparted/vmlinuz
  append initrd=gparted/initrd.img boot=live union=aufs noswap quickreboot noprompt vga=788 fetch=http://192.168.1.1:81/filesystem.squashfs

label pmagic
  kernel pmagic/bzImage
  append initrd=pmagic/initramfs load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 rw sleep=10 livemedia

contents of boot.txt:

Boot menu: gparted | dos | dsl | winpe | memtest | pmagic

get the pxelinux.0 and memdisk kernel from syslinux (or everything is in Attach Files)
put both files to /opt/tftpboot/
get the dos bootdisk image

mkdir /opt/tftpboot/dos
cd /opt/tftpboot/dos
wget http://www.allbootdisks.com/downloads/Disks/MS-DOS_Boot_Disk_Download47/Diskette%20Images/Dos6.22.img

you may need chmod, thanks wpte for checking my tutorial

chmod +x  /opt/tftpboot/*.*
chmod +x  /opt/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/*.*

It's all, try to boot dos from network...

[Sid]

Thanks for this guide !
There's simple way to store changes in dnsmasq.conf.
According to one of Oleg's posts /etc/dnsmasq.conf generates at every boot. To make any permanent changes you must create /usr/local/etc/dnsmasq.conf file, edit it as you wish and flashfs it. After that system will generate /etc/dnsmasq.conf as usual at every boot, but any lines stored in /usr/local/etc/dnsmasq.conf will be automatically appended to /etc/dnsmasq.conf

[gouryella]

Sid, thanks i update the guide.

[wpte]

wow... it actually boots dos without an emulator?
or is it a special compiled version?

never did any pxe booting, but it sure does looks interesting

[gouryella]

wow... it actually boots dos without an emulator?
or is it a special compiled version?

never did any pxe booting, but it sure does looks interesting

just read something about PXE, BOOTP, DHCP BOOT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preboot...on_Environment
it' s not boot dos inside router, it's service for loading Operationg System or Routine to standart x86 PC(maybe other platform) over network card without needing hard drive, for an example.

[wpte]

just read something about PXE, BOOTP, DHCP BOOT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preboot...on_Environment
it' s not boot dos inside router, it's service for loading Operationg System or Routine to standart x86 PC(maybe other platform) over network card without needing hard drive, for an example.

hmm...
just a bit like connecting a pc to the router via ssh
only then the opposite way and with some boot I guess

I might try it out, thanks for the how-to