Re: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core?
I was just trying this out on FC4 and system-config-netboot didn't work out all that well for me. It wasn't NFSRooting properly. After a bit of googling I saw other people were having similar problems. The maintainer of that util was working on it, but even after upgrading to his newest package it still wasn't working right. Some of the threads I saw suggested that perhaps the Fedora kernels broke some of the netbooting stuff, and in my experimenting I had more luck with a vanilla kernel than I did recompiling any of the kernels with the Fedora patches applied. I did finally get a kernel booting, but didn't really have the filesystem set up for all the dynamic stuff /dev etc.. After screwing with it for a couple days I decided that my time was worth more than just throwing a spare 40gig in it. I couldn't find a good howto that was current and applied to what I was trying to do, although the one posted in this thread looks good after a glance, I may look into it further and give it another shot. Bottom line, if the system-config-netboot worked right, it would be pretty slick as it basically does everything for you, if it doesn't and you're new to linux, it might not be worth the effort involved. The PXE boot, tftp, dhcp part was easy, it was the kernel image and NFSroot that was difficult. I'm no Linux guru, but I've been using it for a number of years, and even though I could tell it was clearly possible, the additional time investment to get it working right just didn't seem worth it to me. Also as far as installing packages on the diskless, from what I understand it's not too hard, you just chroot to your diskless root and go to town. On 7/7/05, Brian Webb [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Fedora Core 3 includes a GUI utility called system-config-netboot that simplifies creating diskless clients. The basic procedure is: I was able to get this working, for one diskless client, and it works very well. The only thing that I'm not sure about is what happens if one wants to upgrade any packages on the diskless clients. ___ mythtv-users mailing list mythtv-users@mythtv.org http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
Re: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core?
Fedora Core 3 includes a GUI utility called system-config-netboot that simplifies creating diskless clients. The basic procedure is: 1) Install Fedora on a temporary hard disk on your (soon to be) diskless client. 2) Copy the installation into an NFS mountable directory on your server. 3) Fire up system-config-netboot on your server, fill in some basic information about the diskless install directory. system-config-netboot creates a kernel and initrd image that you then boot using PXE boot. 4) Setup dhcpd/tftp boot for netbooting and point your diskless client at the created kernel/initrd. On first boot of each diskless client Fedora creates a directory structure that contains the client specific files and the rest of the files are shared. I was able to get this working, for one diskless client, and it works very well. The only thing that I'm not sure about is what happens if one wants to upgrade any packages on the diskless clients. Brian On 7/7/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi, I'm getting ready to split my current Myth box (a combined frontend/backend) into two separate machines. As part of the split, I'm planning to move to a diskless front-end configuration where it boots over the network from the server. I've checked in the BIOS and my soon-to-be frontend does indeed have PXE, and LAN is an option for boot device. So, on that front, I think I'm in pretty good shape. However, I'm not much of a Linux expert, and the distro I'm most comfortable with is Fedora Core. I used Jarod's guide to get my current setup running, and I would probably follow it (or use FC4) when I split to the client/server model. My question is: Does anyone know how to setup a network boot using Fedora Core? From the client's perspective, I'd like to have it start up and fetch grub or something to allow further booting. From what I understand, I can specify a NFS location in grub for the kernel and such. What I'm not clear on is how to install all the Fedora Core stuff in such a way as to support 2 machines (the client and server) from a single HDD. Ideally, I'd like a way to share certain things (window manager, applications like mysql, etc) between the different machines. However, there will also be things that could be distinct (kernel, modules, X-windows settings, /proc filesystem, and such) since the 2 machines will not be the same hardware. A second and less ideal approach is to have nothing shared. In this case, both installations reside on the same partition but are completely distinct. The easiest, but least ideal, approach (that I know of) is to have separate partitions for each machine. In this setup, I could take the HDD and partition it with multiple separate partitions representing each machine. Then I could physically connect the HDD to the client and install FC on one partition. I could transfer the HDD to the server and install FC again on the other partition. At that point I've got 2 fully functional FC installations and I could use grub to choose which to go to. Am I making this too hard? Is there an easier way that I'm just not seeing? Thanks, Micah ___ mythtv-users mailing list mythtv-users@mythtv.org http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users -- Brian Webb [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ mythtv-users mailing list mythtv-users@mythtv.org http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
Re: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core?
This is for Gentoo, but might help get you started... http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Install_Mythtv_With_Diskless_Workstations_in_an_OpenMosix_Cluster Dave On 7/7/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi, I'm getting ready to split my current Myth box (a combined frontend/backend) into two separate machines. As part of the split, I'm planning to move to a diskless front-end configuration where it boots over the network from the server. I've checked in the BIOS and my soon-to-be frontend does indeed have PXE, and LAN is an option for boot device. So, on that front, I think I'm in pretty good shape. However, I'm not much of a Linux expert, and the distro I'm most comfortable with is Fedora Core. I used Jarod's guide to get my current setup running, and I would probably follow it (or use FC4) when I split to the client/server model. My question is: Does anyone know how to setup a network boot using Fedora Core? From the client's perspective, I'd like to have it start up and fetch grub or something to allow further booting. From what I understand, I can specify a NFS location in grub for the kernel and such. What I'm not clear on is how to install all the Fedora Core stuff in such a way as to support 2 machines (the client and server) from a single HDD. Ideally, I'd like a way to share certain things (window manager, applications like mysql, etc) between the different machines. However, there will also be things that could be distinct (kernel, modules, X-windows settings, /proc filesystem, and such) since the 2 machines will not be the same hardware. A second and less ideal approach is to have nothing shared. In this case, both installations reside on the same partition but are completely distinct. The easiest, but least ideal, approach (that I know of) is to have separate partitions for each machine. In this setup, I could take the HDD and partition it with multiple separate partitions representing each machine. Then I could physically connect the HDD to the client and install FC on one partition. I could transfer the HDD to the server and install FC again on the other partition. At that point I've got 2 fully functional FC installations and I could use grub to choose which to go to. Am I making this too hard? Is there an easier way that I'm just not seeing? Thanks, Micah ___ mythtv-users mailing list mythtv-users@mythtv.org http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users -- -- My MythTV Box: http://www.dynamicis.com/~superdave/mythtv/ -- Are Your Friends Lemmings? -- http://www.lemmingshirts.com ___ mythtv-users mailing list mythtv-users@mythtv.org http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
RE: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core?
Great! This is pretty much what I was looking for. I agree that it might be difficult to upgrade stuff on the diskless client, but it will still probably be easier than the solutions I proposed. Does anyone know if it's possible to set up a hardware router (Linksys BEFSR41) to interact correctly with PXE and direct the diskless client in the right direction for downloading the boot files? I know I can do it using dhcpd, but I'd prefer to keep using my Linksys router instead of using routing software on the computer. This is mainly due to the fact that I'm pretty clueless with networking and don't feel like learning. Micah -Original Message- From: Brian Webb [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 4:36 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Discussion about mythtv Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core? Fedora Core 3 includes a GUI utility called system-config-netboot that simplifies creating diskless clients. The basic procedure is: 1) Install Fedora on a temporary hard disk on your (soon to be) diskless client. 2) Copy the installation into an NFS mountable directory on your server. 3) Fire up system-config-netboot on your server, fill in some basic information about the diskless install directory. system-config-netboot creates a kernel and initrd image that you then boot using PXE boot. 4) Setup dhcpd/tftp boot for netbooting and point your diskless client at the created kernel/initrd. On first boot of each diskless client Fedora creates a directory structure that contains the client specific files and the rest of the files are shared. I was able to get this working, for one diskless client, and it works very well. The only thing that I'm not sure about is what happens if one wants to upgrade any packages on the diskless clients. Brian On 7/7/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi, I'm getting ready to split my current Myth box (a combined frontend/backend) into two separate machines. As part of the split, I'm planning to move to a diskless front-end configuration where it boots over the network from the server. I've checked in the BIOS and my soon-to-be frontend does indeed have PXE, and LAN is an option for boot device. So, on that front, I think I'm in pretty good shape. However, I'm not much of a Linux expert, and the distro I'm most comfortable with is Fedora Core. I used Jarod's guide to get my current setup running, and I would probably follow it (or use FC4) when I split to the client/server model. My question is: Does anyone know how to setup a network boot using Fedora Core? From the client's perspective, I'd like to have it start up and fetch grub or something to allow further booting. From what I understand, I can specify a NFS location in grub for the kernel and such. What I'm not clear on is how to install all the Fedora Core stuff in such a way as to support 2 machines (the client and server) from a single HDD. Ideally, I'd like a way to share certain things (window manager, applications like mysql, etc) between the different machines. However, there will also be things that could be distinct (kernel, modules, X-windows settings, /proc filesystem, and such) since the 2 machines will not be the same hardware. A second and less ideal approach is to have nothing shared. In this case, both installations reside on the same partition but are completely distinct. The easiest, but least ideal, approach (that I know of) is to have separate partitions for each machine. In this setup, I could take the HDD and partition it with multiple separate partitions representing each machine. Then I could physically connect the HDD to the client and install FC on one partition. I could transfer the HDD to the server and install FC again on the other partition. At that point I've got 2 fully functional FC installations and I could use grub to choose which to go to. Am I making this too hard? Is there an easier way that I'm just not seeing? Thanks, Micah ___ mythtv-users mailing list mythtv-users@mythtv.org http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users -- Brian Webb [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ mythtv-users mailing list mythtv-users@mythtv.org http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
Re: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core?
No need to ditch your router. You just have to turn off dhcp on the
router and run dhcpd on your server. I think system-config-netboot
sets everything up except for the dhcpd.conf entry, which should look
something like:
host media {
hardware ethernet aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff;
next-server 192.168.0.10;
fixed-address 192.168.0.5;
filename linux-install/pxelinux.0;
}
This tells the client to use IP address 192.168.0.5 and to pull the
file linux-install/pxelinux.0 from the tftp directory on 192.168.0.10.
Does anyone know if it's possible to set up a hardware router (Linksys
BEFSR41) to interact correctly with PXE and direct the diskless client
in the right direction for downloading the boot files? I know I can do
it using dhcpd, but I'd prefer to keep using my Linksys router instead
of using routing software on the computer. This is mainly due to the
fact that I'm pretty clueless with networking and don't feel like
learning.
--
Brian Webb
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
___
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users@mythtv.org
http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
Re: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core?
Interestingly, when I was trying to run myth frontend on haupagge MVP,
I didn't disable DHCP on the router. So, I had DHCP enabled in my
server and in the router (dlink 614+).
For whatever reason, the myth backend server was always responding to
the MVP's dhcp request !
On 7/7/05, Brian Webb [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
No need to ditch your router. You just have to turn off dhcp on the
router and run dhcpd on your server. I think system-config-netboot
sets everything up except for the dhcpd.conf entry, which should look
something like:
host media {
hardware ethernet aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff;
next-server 192.168.0.10;
fixed-address 192.168.0.5;
filename linux-install/pxelinux.0;
}
This tells the client to use IP address 192.168.0.5 and to pull the
file linux-install/pxelinux.0 from the tftp directory on 192.168.0.10.
Does anyone know if it's possible to set up a hardware router (Linksys
BEFSR41) to interact correctly with PXE and direct the diskless client
in the right direction for downloading the boot files? I know I can do
it using dhcpd, but I'd prefer to keep using my Linksys router instead
of using routing software on the computer. This is mainly due to the
fact that I'm pretty clueless with networking and don't feel like
learning.
--
Brian Webb
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
___
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users@mythtv.org
http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
___
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users@mythtv.org
http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
Re: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core?
Hi, I used the instructions here for diskless boot FC3: http://warmcat.com/silentcat/ It is written for EPIA but it is quite easy to adapt for other hardware. No problems upgrading, you can run apt, yum, etc after initial install. Also no need to install a hard disk first. cheers, Dave - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: mythtv-users@mythtv.org Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 10:05 PM Subject: RE: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core? Great! This is pretty much what I was looking for. I agree that it might be difficult to upgrade stuff on the diskless client, but it will still probably be easier than the solutions I proposed. Does anyone know if it's possible to set up a hardware router (Linksys BEFSR41) to interact correctly with PXE and direct the diskless client in the right direction for downloading the boot files? I know I can do it using dhcpd, but I'd prefer to keep using my Linksys router instead of using routing software on the computer. This is mainly due to the fact that I'm pretty clueless with networking and don't feel like learning. Micah -Original Message- From: Brian Webb [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 4:36 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Discussion about mythtv Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] [OT] Diskless front end (using PXE) - Fedora Core? Fedora Core 3 includes a GUI utility called system-config-netboot that simplifies creating diskless clients. The basic procedure is: 1) Install Fedora on a temporary hard disk on your (soon to be) diskless client. 2) Copy the installation into an NFS mountable directory on your server. 3) Fire up system-config-netboot on your server, fill in some basic information about the diskless install directory. system-config-netboot creates a kernel and initrd image that you then boot using PXE boot. 4) Setup dhcpd/tftp boot for netbooting and point your diskless client at the created kernel/initrd. On first boot of each diskless client Fedora creates a directory structure that contains the client specific files and the rest of the files are shared. I was able to get this working, for one diskless client, and it works very well. The only thing that I'm not sure about is what happens if one wants to upgrade any packages on the diskless clients. Brian On 7/7/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi, I'm getting ready to split my current Myth box (a combined frontend/backend) into two separate machines. As part of the split, I'm planning to move to a diskless front-end configuration where it boots over the network from the server. I've checked in the BIOS and my soon-to-be frontend does indeed have PXE, and LAN is an option for boot device. So, on that front, I think I'm in pretty good shape. However, I'm not much of a Linux expert, and the distro I'm most comfortable with is Fedora Core. I used Jarod's guide to get my current setup running, and I would probably follow it (or use FC4) when I split to the client/server model. My question is: Does anyone know how to setup a network boot using Fedora Core? From the client's perspective, I'd like to have it start up and fetch grub or something to allow further booting. From what I understand, I can specify a NFS location in grub for the kernel and such. What I'm not clear on is how to install all the Fedora Core stuff in such a way as to support 2 machines (the client and server) from a single HDD. Ideally, I'd like a way to share certain things (window manager, applications like mysql, etc) between the different machines. However, there will also be things that could be distinct (kernel, modules, X-windows settings, /proc filesystem, and such) since the 2 machines will not be the same hardware. A second and less ideal approach is to have nothing shared. In this case, both installations reside on the same partition but are completely distinct. The easiest, but least ideal, approach (that I know of) is to have separate partitions for each machine. In this setup, I could take the HDD and partition it with multiple separate partitions representing each machine. Then I could physically connect the HDD to the client and install FC on one partition. I could transfer the HDD to the server and install FC again on the other partition. At that point I've got 2 fully functional FC installations and I could use grub to choose which to go to. Am I making this too hard? Is there an easier way that I'm just not seeing? Thanks, Micah ___ mythtv-users mailing list mythtv-users@mythtv.org http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users -- Brian Webb [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ mythtv-users mailing list mythtv-users@mythtv.org http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo
