View Source: TFTPInstallHowto - Waikato Linux Users Group

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''Note: this page was previously way outdated. Now it is merely incomplete, inconsistent and untested. Uh, yeah.''

!!! How to install [Linux] by booting it from [TFTP]

* The client should have a [PXE] boot-[ROM]. If it doesn't, it might still be possible to do this – read the notes at the [PXE] page about booting [PXE] off a FloppyDisk. Otherwise, ~EtherBoot is very widely supported, but the install process for ~EtherBoot is slightly different and not documented here.

  Set up the client's [BIOS] to boot from the [LAN]. How to do this depends on your [BIOS] and [NIC].

* Then, of course, you need a [TFTP] server:

  # Install the [TFTP] [Package]s, such as <tt>tftpd-hpa</tt> or <tt>atftpd</tt> on [Debian].

  # Create a directory for the tftpboot files. <tt>/tftpboot</tt> is the standard location.

    ''See the [PXELINUX homepage | http://syslinux.zytor.com/pxe.php] for which files to copy here.''

  # Edit <tt>/etc/inetd.conf</tt> and change the <tt>tftpd</tt> line to something like this:

    <verbatim>
    tftp dgram udp wait root /root /usr/sbin/in.tftpd in.tftpd -vvv -p -u nobody -s /tftpboot
    </verbatim>

    Then restart inetd(8): <tt>killall -HUP inetd</tt>

* As with any network-based boot, you will also need a [DHCP] server:

  # Edit <tt>/etc/dhcpd.conf</tt>. Here is a sample:

    <verbatim>
    option domain-name "example.com";
    option domain-name-servers ns1.example.com;
    option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
    default-lease-time 600;
    max-lease-time 7200;

    subnet 192.168.1.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
        range 192.168.1.200 192.168.1.253;
        option routers 192.168.1.1;
    }

    host clientname {
        hardware ethernet 01:23:45:67:89:AB;
        fixed-address 192.168.1.90;
        filename "bpbatch.P";
        option option-135 "debian";
    }
    </verbatim>

    Then restart dhcpd(8): <tt>/etc/init.d/dhcp restart</tt>

* Finally, you need to share the install media somehow. Set up an [NFS], [FTP] or [HTTP] server, depending on your preferences. This is left as an exercise for the reader. :)

Now boot the client and you should get the [OS] installer.

!! If you can't use the network to continue with a [TFTP] install…

…then you probably didn’t supply the [Kernel] with a DeviceDriver for your [NIC]. The [PXE] [ROM] can happily download your [Kernel] and InitialRamDisk, but once it gives control over to the [Kernel], the [Kernel] needs to know about your network card. In that case, just pick a different kernel image with a wider range of drivers compiled in. (Remember, this is ''only to boot the install''. Once that comes up, you can always install whichever other [Kernel] you like.) Or else you can build your own boot [Kernel].

!! See also

* [PXE]
* LinuxInstallationNotes

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Part of CategoryHowto, CategoryNetworking
No page links to TFTPInstallHowto.
Last edited on Friday, July 7, 2006 11:58:46 am by AristotlePagaltzis
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