Koozali.org: home of the SME Server
Obsolete Releases => SME 7.x Contribs => Topic started by: Janm on September 03, 2006, 03:20:41 AM
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I have looked here
http://no.longer.valid/phpwiki/index.php/InstallationFAQ
You must make the image of the installation CD-ROM available via NFS, ftp, SMB or HTTP on another machine of your network. It is then necessary to create a installation floppy with the image file bootnet.img (in the images directory of your CD-ROM root) and to modify the ks.cfg file by specifying the IP address, protocol, etc., of the network installation.
But that did not seems to go for 7.0
Janm
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I have looked here
http://no.longer.valid/phpwiki/index.php/InstallationFAQ
You must make the image of the installation CD-ROM available via NFS, ftp, SMB or HTTP on another machine of your network. It is then necessary to create a installation floppy with the image file bootnet.img (in the images directory of your CD-ROM root) and to modify the ks.cfg file by specifying the IP address, protocol, etc., of the network installation.
But that did not seems to go for 7.0
Janm
I believe this image is not availabale anymore as it is to big for a normal floppy. It should be possible using a TFTP client and a DHCP server and then set the BIOS to boot from a network location. Have a search at PXE booting on the net, this might work with SME Server although I have never tried.
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There was a post here about a TFTP server.
http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver//contribs/trevorb/7.x/Thinclient/
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Fairly easy with sme 7.0. No tweaking of the ks.cfg etc required (as in 6.0).
If you already have a tftp server installed just put the initrd.img & vmlinuz from the images/pxeboot directory of the cd into your /tftpboot directory as initrd.sme & vmlinuz.sme and add a few lines to your /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default file
label sme7
kernel vmlinuz.sme
append initrd=initrd.sme ramdisk_size=8192
If not, you can install my smeserver-thinclient & smeserver-tftp contribs from http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/trevorb/7.x/Thinclient/ (INSTALL instructions in the directory) and do the following:
Step 1 (on master server): mount the SME Server 7.0 Installation CD
I'll use the Primary ibays as a nice ftp point, but you can use anywhere accessible on your internal lan via ftp or http
# mount /dev/cdrom /home/e-smith/files/primary/files/sme/
alternatively you can mount the ISO image locally.
copy the ISO image to /<wherever> and mount it
# mount -o loop /<wherever>/smeserver-7.0.iso /home/e-smith/files/primary/files/sme/
Step 2 (on master server) Configuration:
Go to the Thin Clients Configuration page on the Server Manager (under Configuration))
Manually add a new Distribution called SME_Install with a directory of sme7.0 (make sure you use the lower section - Manual install and clear out the auto...)
Enable your TFTP server and PXE Booting (I do NOT recommend setting SME_Install as the default distribution)
Add the target machine as an individual workstation with SME_Install as an Individually Controlled Workstation
Device Address: = the mac address of the target machine (in 00:00:00:00:00:00 format)
Device Name: = Any name you wish to give it or leave blank
The default distribution is = Select SME_Install
Device Status: = enabled
Step 3 (on master server) Setup pxe
Copy the appropriate files to the /tftpboot/sme7.0 directory
cp /home/e-smith/files/ibays/Primary/files/sme7/images/pxelinux/vmlinuz /tftpboot/sme7.0/.
cp /home/e-smith/files/ibays/Primary/files/sme7/images/pxelinux/initrd.img /tftpboot/sme7.0/.
Copy the contents of http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/trevorb/7.x/Thinclient/SME_Install/ to your /tftpboot/sme7.0 directory
Step 4 (on target machine)
Ensure that the bios & NIC are setup for PXE Booting
Reboot the target machine and you will be prompted for a manual install of the SME server
Please Note: this will ask you for all the usual manual install information that must be entered on the target machine, including:
Language (your choice)
Keyboard (your choice)
Check the kernel modules - network to ensure that the module for your nic is loaded
Install Method (select ftp if you followed me or http as required)
Networking (leave as dhcp)
Where to find image
- url (the url or ip address of your server)
- directory ('sme7.0')
Step 5 (on master server)
After installation is complete, remove the individual workstation setting from
the Thin Clients Configuration panel in Server Manager
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Thanks Trevorb
I wil try that i today
Jan
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Hej again:
Have just made an install of 7.0 final
with a nice Centos4 Grafical interface
went like a charm no problems via netboot
Jan
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I just wanted to weigh in and thank Trevor for his two RPM's. I had always wondered how the PXE process worked, and now I have successfully set it up. I also did some other testing and have written up a howto for PXE based on my experiences. It will be located here as soon as the mirros sync.
http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs//jbennett/howto/
Thanks again Trevor,
John Bennett
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Hi,
Thanks your howto and TrevorB´s contrib i got the pxe-boot working :). Now i tought i can use the clonezilla livecd distribution ( http://clonezilla.sourceforge.net ) to boot via the network and clone my clients.
When i use the vmlinuz and initrd.gz from the live-cd i got some pxe-errors, what files must i use and how to configure ???
regards
fpausp
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Trevor,
Do you have any 'tasters' for V7 rolled?
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Hi,
Thanks your howto and TrevorB´s contrib i got the pxe-boot working :). Now i tought i can use the clonezilla livecd distribution ( http://clonezilla.sourceforge.net ) to boot via the network and clone my clients.
When i use the vmlinuz and initrd.gz from the live-cd i got some pxe-errors, what files must i use and how to configure ???
regards
fpausp
I guess if you posted what 'some pxe errors' you got we might be able to diagnose your problem....
Trevor B
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Do you have any 'tasters' for V7 rolled?
No, but is there any particular one you'd like?
I will bundle the thinstation 'prebuilt' this weekend.
Trevor B
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I will bundle the thinstation 'prebuilt' this weekend.
Hmmm... I have, but I have totally forgotten my ftp password (and it's probably expired anyway).
Will put a request into the admins and will post when I get it up there.
Trevor B :)
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"Hmmm... I have,"
EXCELLENT! Thank you very much. I can't wait to try it.
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Hi.
Very good howto : had it working in less than 10 minutes...
Thank you very much for this !
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Hi TrevorB I think your contrib is one of the greatest available for SME!! Congratulations for your great job. But we desperately need some SME7 "TASTERS" :lol:
I dont know what am I doing wrong but I havent been able to get a fresh thinstation pxe build running. Do you have any quick howto on using TS-o-Matic generated files with your contrib? I think this would be a wonderful complement for your outstanding contrib!
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Hi TrevorB I think your contrib is one of the greatest available for SME!! Congratulations for your great job. But we desperately need some SME7 "TASTERS" :lol:
Thanks :oops: I have generated a thinstation one, but can't get into my contribs directory to store it. Will publish when I can upload.
I dont know what am I doing wrong but I havent been able to get a fresh thinstation pxe build running.
Have you set the 'param basepath' in your build.conf to the directory name you have used for your 'thinstation' distribution? (ie. if you have set your 'Directory (/tftpboot/):' item to 'ts' in the Add Distribution screen of server-manager, you need to have 'param basepath ts' in your thinstation build.conf).
Why? Thinstation uses that param to determine where to lolok for the config files (apparently so that you can store the config files seperately to the pxelinux.0 etc.).Do you have any quick howto on using TS-o-Matic generated files with your contrib? I think this would be a wonderful complement for your outstanding contrib!
I have started a Thinclient usage page in the wiki that will include some of these tips... When I get around to it :wink: (http://wiki.contribs.org/Thinclient_usage)
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Do you have any quick howto on using TS-o-Matic generated files with your contrib?
Do you think a TS-O-Matic contrib is needed?
TS-O-Matic works nicely on smeserver and is very easy to install (seeing I develop & test on this platform :)
Trevor B
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Im Sorry TrevorB, english is not my main language and I maybe explained my self wrong.
What I meant is that I would be great to have something like "How to build, install and serve thinstation distros with TrevorB's contrib, using TS-o-MATIC".
My case is:
- I installed your contrib (wich I insist is great!)
- went to Ts-o-matic webpage, built using the wizard a taylored thinstation contrib
- downloaded the .pxe oriented results
- And now I wasnt sure where to place them, so I followed my instincts and readme's and after several testing (rebooting installing testing re-downloading on some cases) about 2 hours later, I have figured out where everything goes... But I'm still not sure if I did what is best or right, it more or less works. But I am not satisfied
I am using sme server 7.1, and I dont know where to put a second thinstation distro, I am not sure about the folders I created. And without your advice on the base path, I was abolutely lost! I have forgot to thank you! Thank you!
Now things work, but I won't dare to change anything, I still feel I just got lucky.
What and where do we need to get/put ts-o-matic generated files? Folders, and conf files?
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Im Sorry TrevorB, english is not my main language and I maybe explained my self wrong.
One of the joys of Open Source is that we can all be involved.
Your English is fine. Even 2 native English speakers have difficulty in understanding what someone really wants/needs through forums/e-mail :wink:
What and where do we need to get/put ts-o-matic generated files? Folders, and conf files?
Have you read my Thin-client Howto (http://wiki.contribs.org/Thinclient_usage) (mentioned above - I have updated it a little).
Especially the section on Manual distributions (http://wiki.contribs.org/Thinclient_usage#Manual) where I give an example of Thinstation configuration?
To add a second one:
create another manual distribution with a different name and directory (<new dir>, eg. ts2)
ensure that you set the param basepath in build.conf to <new dir>
copy the files from the PXE download page to /tftpboot/<new dir>
You may not even need to do that. Drop an e-mail to the thinstation-general mailing list stating what you are trying to achieve and we'll see if we can help you over there... :-)
Trevor B
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Thank you very much for your comments TrevorB, thats what makes Open Source great!!!
I did have read your HowTo, but you really have grown it since my last visit! I Now I see all my questions (and prayers) answered! =)
I see there is now a directory structure description and an Example! I havent tested yet but for what I see, I bet I wont have any more trouble!
I am really not trying to do anything special, I am just trying to distribuite thinstation to be a Citrix Client, from sme via pxe boot, to a group of computers with different hardware.
I would be very happy to contact the thinstation mailing list, but I think i will save their time, until I start to experiment with the double head displays =) (hope It works great)
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Thank you very much for your comments TrevorB, thats what makes Open Source great!!!
It is isn't it :DI am really not trying to do anything special, I am just trying to distribuite thinstation to be a Citrix Client, from sme via pxe boot, to a group of computers with different hardware.
I would be very happy to contact the thinstation mailing list, but I think i will save their time, until I start to experiment with the double head displays =) (hope It works great)
It's still not a bad idea to start talking to them..
Not as structured as smeserver, but still a good group.
There are a number of ways to deal with different hardware setups (eg. different images controlled via the Thinclient contrib on your smeserver or via the specific thinstation hosts file), so you may find some help there.
Dual-head is still experimental in TS, so help will probably be needed :wink:
Good Luck
Trevor B
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I'm still pretty new to SME but am now really getting to understand the potential of it. I was wondering if the following is possible with PXE and Trevor's contribs.
I have about a 15 PCs all with exactly the same configuration. Presently I use Ghost to image all of these PCs using a ghost backup CD and the PCs CD drive.
What I would like to is enable PXE on each PC to boot of SME server every so often so I can copy a fresh image from the network onto each PC.
The individual PCs should boot up using MS-DOS so I can run the DOS version of Ghost from the network. The network will contain the ghost image.
Every so often I will need to make a new image and copy it back onto the network.
I'm not sure if this is the correct way of doing things so any alternatives would be nice.
I have used Barts Network Boot Disk before but I would prefer not to use it as the motherboards 'have' PXE. Any info would be really appreciated!
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I have about a 15 PCs all with exactly the same configuration. Presently I use Ghost to image all of these PCs using a ghost backup CD and the PCs CD drive.
Do you really need to have the OS on the local harddrive? Couldn't you load down the image each boot?What I would like to is enable PXE on each PC to boot of SME server every so often so I can copy a fresh image from the network onto each PC.
One of the pxelinux options is 'LOCALBOOT 0'. This boot from the local harddrive, so you can put options in your pxelinux.cfg/default file to
boot from local harddisk
boot a specific image from server
boot a different image from server
Of course you may not want the users have that control, and in this case you would decide which 'distribution' to run from the Thinclient panel. That would be your default and when you wanted to do a clone you would point them at the 'clone' distribution.
Hint: one of those distributions could point at a directory that includes a pxelinux.o file and a pxelinux.cfg/default file that only has one label with 'LOCALBOOT 0'.
I haven't played with booting dos images via PXE, but I believe it is possible via Memdisk (http://syslinux.zytor.com/memdisk.php) (part of the pxelinux family).
The individual PCs should boot up using MS-DOS so I can run the DOS version of Ghost from the network. The network will contain the ghost image.
Every so often I will need to make a new image and copy it back onto the network.
In all honesty you are trying to do something that looks like it would suit something like openqrm (http://openqrm.org). Look in the manual (http://www.openqrm.org/documentation/3.1/openqrm_latest_manual/index.html) under Deployment/Local Images.
Good Luck
Trevor B
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Hi TrevorB, thanks for all the very useful info, I've got a good excuse to have some fun trying some of these things out this weekend!
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Hi TrevorB, Now I really see the power of a TS-o-Matic Contrib, this really gives you the power to deploy per PC Thinstation taylored down pxe bootable images on SITE!
and Without the need of internet access.
I hope every one sees how great this is ( for those who hasn't tested it TS-o-Matic is an online minidistro builder, where you chose on a wizard what kind of modules and packages your "thinstation" image will have. )
Thats the greatness of the Thinstation project.
Now some years ago I (thank god) downloaded your TS-o-Matic Contrib for sme 6.X : smeserver-TSoM-1.6.1-4.noarch.rpm, but I cant find it anymore listed on the contrib.org site.
My question is have you released a newer version for your contrib? or does it works with sme 7.X ?
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My question is have you released a newer version for your contrib? or does it works with sme 7.X ?
Didn't know if anyone used it...
smeserver-TSoM-1.6.1-4.noarch.rpm should work with with 7.x, but I haven't even tried. If you do install it, ask me for a copy of the latest TSoM and you'll be able to put that in the /opt/TSoM directory.
I'll package up a new one with the latest stable TSoM (1.9.1) and put it up in my old contribs area (http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/trevorb/7.x/Thinclient/)
Trevor B
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Thank you very much Trevor I have just tested and It does work just like you said, any way I think the upgrade contrib would be much better! thank you.
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I followed your description but got stuck with the moment:
Copy the contents of http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/trevorb/7.x/Thinclient/SME_Install/ to your /tftpboot/sme7.0 directory
The stuff on the server doesn't exist. The PXEboot doesn't start without that info and I can't find another way to solve this. Which file do I miss?
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I followed your description but got stuck with the moment:
Copy the contents of http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/trevorb/7.x/Thinclient/SME_Install/ to your /tftpboot/sme7.0 directory
The stuff on the server doesn't exist. The PXEboot doesn't start without that info and I can't find another way to solve this. Which file do I miss?
Hmmm.... You're right!
Jon Bennet's howto (http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs//jbennett/howto/) explains what the files are, but in summary (without my downloads):
1. cd /tftpboot/sme7.0 and copy the following files from the SME Server 7 CD-ROM /images/pxeboot directory to the this directory:
initrd.img
init586.img
vmlinuz
vmlz586
2. Copy pxelinux.0 from /usr/lib/syslinux/pxelinux.0 (Which is located in /usr/lib/syslinux/pxelinux.0 on a fresh SME Server 7 install) to this directory
3. Create a directory called /tftpboot/sme7.0/pxelinux.cfg
4. Create a file called /tftpboot/sme7.0/pxelinux.cfg/default with the following contents:
prompt 0
implicit 0
timeout 0
default install
label install
kernel vmlinuz
append initrd=initrd.img ramdisk_size=8192
5. chmod -R 644 /tftpboot
Good Luck
Trevor B
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255753500 udpsvd: info: start 7970 total.lib:192.168.183.2 :pc-00233.lib:192.168.183.233:2071
2008-08-28 12:39:56.260197500 udpsvd: info: end 7970
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