Question FOG - PXE trouble

[Bj]

Anyone ever heard of FOG?

http://sourceforge.net/projects/freeghost/

FOG is a free open-source cloning/imaging solution/rescue suite. A alt. solution used to image Windows XP, Vista PCs using PXE, PartImage, and a Web GUI to tie it together. Includes featues like memory and disk test, disk wipe, av scan & task scheduling.

Alrighty then, I have it installed on Ubuntu 9.04, and I can access the server via web browser just fine. I get my MAC address, add it and try to run a Mem test. Now this is where I ran into some trouble.

I tried booting over LAN via. PXE on my laptop first using the wireless (assuming that would work) when it didn't I connected CAT5e connection but that again didn't work.

Stumped, I looked around and figured that my router, which is also the DHCP, doesn't support PXE.

So it comes to this; Bootable Media
http://www.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Bootable_Media


The three methods outlined are;

• Bootable USB Stick
• Isolinux
• GPXE

Does anyone have any experience with this? I want to make a bootable disk, but not sure how to use Isolinux or GPXE. I tried a binary for GPXE and that didn't work either, though I didnot try compiling the source.

The USB method seems doable but the big caution sign is making me think I should try the other methods first.


Oh also I should mention, I tried using a cross-over cable I made but it still did not work. I am (though not 100%) sure that it is working correctly because;

Windows <-> Windows : works
Computer(PXE) <-> Ubuntu (FOGserver) : doesn't

I also during installation of FOG didnot enable DHCP, because I assumed that the DHCP from the router would have worked fine.



If anyone has any experience making Isolinux CD's can they please share? Thanks.

 

[Hielor]

Not exactly your answer, but related tips and a question:

When you attempted to use the crossover cable to boot the thing, did you enable the DHCP server on your Ubuntu box?

I've set up a net-boot system a couple times in my network here at home, and when I do I disconnect the boot server and client from the router, and have the boot server act as the DHCP for that network. With netbooting, you need a DHCP server as the first step in the process.

 

[TSPenguin]

I am playing with Debian Live (or rather their tools) to make a netload system. Suffice to say, I used PXE a lot the past days Some tips:

WLAN will not work. Ever.
Your DHCP server needs to support giving client the path to the boot file. Routers usually can not do that.
You need to run a DHCP server and a tFTP server on your working machine. The bootloader and the kernel are fetched via tFTP. Most routers DHCP server is in an auto mode, it will not answer DHCP requests if there is another DHCP server on the network. If this is the case with yours then there is no need to connect the laptop directly to the host machine. But the connection has to be a wired one! I am pretty sure FOG takes care of setting up the servers correctly.

From my experience, this stuff is really easy once you know where the traps are.

 

[Bj]

With netbooting, you need a DHCP server as the first step in the process.

No I didn't re-enable it before I tried it. I actually looked for, but never found a way to re-enable it except for re-installing FOG. Since I already have all the dependencies, I think I will try that.

 

[Bj]

-Fixed-

Well uninstalling turned out to be a hassle, so I started over with a fresh install of Ubuntu.

Anyway, it works now. Enabling the DHCP fixed it. I still will guess the connection will not work through the router, but using a crossover cable worked perfectly. Not exactly the best method when you want to multicast but then again, if you are in the situation to multicast I think you would probably have the necessary hardware.

Thanks Hielor and TS, now I have the little job of creating a clean install...

 

[Hielor]

Well uninstalling turned out to be a hassle, so I started over with a fresh install of Ubuntu.

Anyway, it works now. Enabling the DHCP fixed it. I still will guess the connection will not work through the router, but using a crossover cable worked perfectly. Not exactly the best method when you want to multicast but then again, if you are in the situation to multicast I think you would probably have the necessary hardware.

Thanks Hielor and TS, now I have the little job of creating a clean install...

It may be possible to set up your router's DHCP to ignore the MAC addresses of the specific computers you want to net boot, so it won't interfere with your netbooting

 

[Bj]

It may be possible to set up your router's DHCP to ignore the MAC addresses of the specific computers you want to net boot, so it won't interfere with your netbooting

I have a wireless WRT54G.

Quickly glancing through, I did not see anything that may work. Though I am not sure exactly what I am looking for. Ill keep looking though.

 

[TSPenguin]

You can tomato the WRT, you'd have all the options in the world then.