Pxe server setup from a usb: Updated howto?
by iluvatar1 from LinuxQuestions.org on (#4ZZGV)
Hi,
I need to install slackware (current) onto several computers connected to a single server, so I want to use the pxe method to serve the clients, from the server.
From the pxe howto (here) it seems that installing from a usb is supported (instead that from dvd). I have followed all steps, but it has been impossible to setup the source directory.
To burn the usb I used either one of the following two commands:
dd if=pathtothe.iso of=/dev/sdX
or the recommended (iso image mounted on /mnt/tmp)
bash /mnt/tmp/usb-and-pxe-installers/usbimg2disk.sh -f -i /mnt/tmp/usb-and-pxe-installers/usbboot.img -o /dev/sdX -s /mnt/tmp/slackware64/
Then I start the server from the usb (in both cases it starts) and then use the command pxesetup to setup the pxe server. I cannot configure the source option. First, and contrary to what the manual linked above says, there is no /usbinstall directory automonted. I can either use a device or a previously mounted directory, and I specify any of them and the pxesetup is never able to find what it is looking for.
For instance, if I mount the usb device (let's say /dev/sdc) on /usbinstall, and then I select either the option use a hard drive partition (in this case /dev/sdc1) or a premounted directory (i this case /usbinstall or /usbinstall/slackware64), the program cannot find the kernel sources or the packages or says that the directory is invalid.
It seems that I am doing something wrong/stupid and/or the instructions are outdated. Does anyone knows how to correctly setup the pxe server from a usb?
I know there is another guide like this but I really hope not to need to setup from zero the dhcp server, tftp, etc.
Thanks in advance
I need to install slackware (current) onto several computers connected to a single server, so I want to use the pxe method to serve the clients, from the server.
From the pxe howto (here) it seems that installing from a usb is supported (instead that from dvd). I have followed all steps, but it has been impossible to setup the source directory.
To burn the usb I used either one of the following two commands:
dd if=pathtothe.iso of=/dev/sdX
or the recommended (iso image mounted on /mnt/tmp)
bash /mnt/tmp/usb-and-pxe-installers/usbimg2disk.sh -f -i /mnt/tmp/usb-and-pxe-installers/usbboot.img -o /dev/sdX -s /mnt/tmp/slackware64/
Then I start the server from the usb (in both cases it starts) and then use the command pxesetup to setup the pxe server. I cannot configure the source option. First, and contrary to what the manual linked above says, there is no /usbinstall directory automonted. I can either use a device or a previously mounted directory, and I specify any of them and the pxesetup is never able to find what it is looking for.
For instance, if I mount the usb device (let's say /dev/sdc) on /usbinstall, and then I select either the option use a hard drive partition (in this case /dev/sdc1) or a premounted directory (i this case /usbinstall or /usbinstall/slackware64), the program cannot find the kernel sources or the packages or says that the directory is invalid.
It seems that I am doing something wrong/stupid and/or the instructions are outdated. Does anyone knows how to correctly setup the pxe server from a usb?
I know there is another guide like this but I really hope not to need to setup from zero the dhcp server, tftp, etc.
Thanks in advance