Installing your own PXE Server to allow network hosts to boot WINNER

Directory names are given here as samples. Adapt the following according to your specific needs and configuration.
  • If you've got a working RIS Server (like MS Windows Server 2000 or 2003) -- if no Win server, skip :

    1. You probably have a \\server_name\RemInst\Setup\English\Images\ directory, used to share images for the RIS server.

    2. Create the following folders:
      • \\server_name\RemInst\Setup\English\Images\WINNER\
      • \\server_name\RemInst\Setup\English\Images\WINNER\i386\
      • \\server_name\RemInst\Setup\English\Images\WINNER\i386\templates\
      • \\server_name\RemInst\Setup\English\Images\WINNER\i386\templates\pxelinux.cfg\

    3. In the \\server_name\RemInst\...\templates\ directory, download the following files:
      • kernel
      • initrd.gz
      • pxelinux.0

      • Note: in fact, you don't have to download kernel and initrd.gz, because they already are in your C:\OUTPUT folder. Simply copy them from C:\OUTPUT to D:\PXE.

      • Even Better : if you want to save space, and be sure that you don't happen someday to have an older version in D:\PXE than in C:\OUTPUT, download linkd.exe (taken from MS Windows Resource Kit) into your C:\Windows\System32\ folder, then Start / Run the following commands :
        • linkd D:\RemInst\.......\templates\kernel C:\OUTPUT\kernel
        • linkd D:\RemInst\.......\templates\initrd.gz C:\OUTPUT\initrd.gz
        which will create symbolic links: same files appearing twice, but without using more space than it would if it were only in one location. Note that linkd will only work on Windows XP, 2000, and 2003, and that you cannot use it over mapped network shares (local drives only).

    4. In the \\server_name\RemInst\...\templates\ directory, create a text file that you'll name winner.sif, containing:
      [OSChooser]
Description = "WINNER (Windows Is Not Necessary for Everyone's RIS)"
Help = ""
LaunchFile = "Setup\English\Images\WINNER\i386\templates\pxelinux.0"
ImageType = Flat
Version="1.00"
    5. In the \\server_name\RemInst\...\templates\pxelinux.cfg\ directory, create a text file that you'll name default, containing:
      DEFAULT rescue
PROMPT 0
LABEL rescue
KERNEL kernel
APPEND vga=normal devfs=nomount pxe ramdisk_size=70000 load_ramdisk=1 init=/linuxrc prompt_ramdisk=0 initrd=initrd.gz root=/dev/ram0 rw noacpi noapm pci=noacpi lba acpi=off apm=off


  • If you have no working RIS Server and want to build your own easily
    (any Windows flavor, even Win 98) :

    1. Install TFTPD32. Get it either from Ph. Jumin's web site, either directly here

    2. On your future PXE / RIS Server, create the following directory:
      • C:\OUTPUT\pxelinux.cfg\

    3. In the C:\OUTPUT\ directory, download the following file:
      You also need the following files in this directory...
      BUT of course, you don't have to download kernel and initrd.gz again, since they already are in this folder.

  • In the C:\OUTPUT\pxelinux.cfg\ directory, create a text file that you'll name default, (not default.txt) containing:
    DEFAULT rescue
PROMPT 0
LABEL rescue
KERNEL kernel
APPEND vga=normal devfs=nomount pxe ramdisk_size=70000 load_ramdisk=1 init=/linuxrc prompt_ramdisk=0 initrd=initrd.gz root=/dev/ram0 rw noacpi noapm pci=noacpi lba acpi=off apm=off

  • Launch TFTPD and configure it the following way:

    		•  If you've got several network cards in your computer, you'll have to choose in the server interface area the one that communicates with your other LAN hosts.

    Tip : if you close and reopen TFTP32 and the Current Directory defaults to your home directory rather than to C:\OUTPUT, right-click your TFTPD32 shortcut, go to Properties, and set the Start in textbox as C:\OUTPUT.
    		Configure your DHCP Server here. Booting with PXE is not possible unless you define it. A common network configuration is to have addresses like 192.168.0.x with 192.168.0.1 as the router (often a workstation connected both to the internet, both to the LAN, and sharing the internet connection over the LAN).

    In the sample configuration, the 10.1.2.11 IP address has been given to me by my ADSL provider. To get the Router, DNS server and Mask values, I've opened a DOS box and typed the ipconfig /all command. I'm serving a DHCP server on my LAN, giving my clients IP addresses ranging from 10.1.2.200 to 10.1.2.202 (pool = 2).

    Don't forget to save.
    		Settings button... Nothing special here, configure the same way as shown.

    Note : if you don't want to see the application while it's running, check the "Hide Window at startup" checkbox.

  • That's all ! Test your PXE Server: go to a LAN workstation, reboot it, and press F12 to boot on the network. Note: if you don't see the F12 prompt, you might have to modify the BIOS setup and enable PXE.

  • In the following section, we'll be booting from a CD, made by burning the WINNER ISO made with the DVD Generator. And afterwards, we'll be booting from Network, using the PXE architecture we've just done.


    • Consider the installation process is finished. Hurrah!!

    Next steps show the result you can expect from your architecture.
    Please, visit our forum and let us know if everything went OK.

    NEXT  (Using WINNER CD / DVD)

    BACK  (Downloading necessary sources using the DVD Generator)

    Summary


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