X1 AIO Desktop - i7 vPro network issue with Intel I219-LM [was: Make new bzImage...]

[mandrade]

Hey,

wondering if anyone could assist. I’ve downloaded fog have a series of machines to clone . I have installed fog 1.2.0 without issue on ubuntu 14.04 LTS.

I’ve been trying to create a new bzImage because the hardware I have is relatively new. I noticed there is a stable version 4.5 of the Linux kernel. I’ve attempted to use that to create my image. However I’m unable to boot from the pxe enabled NIC, I get a series of errors.

Noticed the latest bzImage available for download is from https://fogproject.org/kernels/ is as of 9 May 2016. This kernel does not have support for my NIC unfortunately. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[george1421]

The recommended action is for you to upgrade to the trunk version. While the trunk version is a bit unstable it is a viable option to building your own kernel.

With that said, what target hardware are you having an issue trying to boot via iPXE?

What part of the booting process is not working for you, is it the pxe boot or the actual FOS kernel (the linux OS that boots on the target computer)?

[george1421]

If you really feel building your own kernel is the solution for this issue here are some resources for you.

This web site probably has the details and required prereq for building on Ubuntu. Its for 12.02 but it should translate to 14.04. http://definitebounds.blogspot.com/2014/02/compile-custom-fog-kernel.html

Those instructions refer to the kitchen sink config. You can get the current configuation from the fog project github site. https://github.com/FOGProject/fogproject/tree/dev-branch/kernel You want the TomElliott.config.64 and TomElliott.config.32 configs.

[Sebastian Roth]

@mandrade Usually there is no need to build your own kernel as we are trying to add drivers as needed because other people might need those as well. So please help us with some more information so we are able to help you! We need to know which NIC exactly you have (and maybe the errors you see).

As well you might take a picture of the errors you see while PXE booting. More often than not our help will be more accurate when we exactly know what’s going on.

[mandrade]

First foremost thanks for the replies. Apologies for the lack of info but here’s what I have:

@george1421,

I am able to boot on the iPXE enabled NIC all the way to the FOG menu where you are can select whether to inventory the machine or perform a compatibility test. if I use the bzImage on https://fogproject.org/kernels/ as of 9 May 2016 and attempt compatibility test it fails on NIC but is passes on the disk. SO I guess the NIC drivers are required.

What I did was I downloaded Linux Kernel 4.6 thinking it could be because the kernel I had didn’t have support for this machine. I compiled the kernel all completed fine but this time I wasn’t able to see the disk however now the network drivers worked, go figure!

I have two machines I’m working one right now. The one I’m having problems with is below:

http://www3.lenovo.com/au/en/desktops-and-all-in-ones/all-in-one-pcs/ThinkCentre-X1/p/10JXCTO1WWENAU0?cid=au:cse:5hkwgw&istCompanyId=4cfbbd80-66d6-4bc7-b8ed-208db253ae0d&istItemId=qaliqtitp&istBid=xzxr

I haven’t started work on the other just yet so not quite sure what model it is.

@Sebastian Roth, I get two sets of errors, depends on which bzimage I’m using. If I use the bzImage from https://fogproject.org/kernels/ the NIC drivers are not loaded. If I compile my own kernel I have network connectivity but FOG is not able to detect a HDD.

[george1421]

Just for clarity the mentioned Lenovo has an Intel I219-LM network adapter. This network adapter should be supported for a while.

If you have one of these systems running windows will you get the vendor and subsystem ID of this network adapter and post it here.

If the bzImage boots (as defined by the current FOG 1.2.0 trunk) schedule a debug deployment image task to this computer. The FOS client will boot but drop you to the command prompt. From there we need to run lspci -n we are looking for a hex number like 8086:1502

[Tom Elliott]

@george1421 I had another person who had a very similar issue with this card.

What if you, for these systems, use the ipxe.efi file? Or the intel.efi file?

[george1421]

@Tom-Elliott said in Make new bzImage...:

What if you, for these systems, use the ipxe.efi file? Or the intel.efi file?

FWIW: Unless I missed something the OP is getting past the iPXE kernel, its the bzImage that’s not detecting the network adapter. That is why he wants to build his own kernel. Its still early and I’m low on coffee, so I might have missed the intent.

[Tom Elliott]

@george1421 I think, if it were to be booted into a debug mode, we’d most likely actually see the NIC without issue. It’s just failing to allow the NIC to get a valid IP address. Then again, It IS indeed still early.

[mandrade]

@Tom-Elliott said in Make new bzImage...:

C to get a valid

Correct george1421 exactly my intention.

[george1421]

@mandrade I would still like to know if that hardware is already in the current bzImage. Could you get the vendor id and subsystem id? I know that many of my Dell Optiplex systems use that same (number wise) network adapter and they boot just fine.

[mandrade]

Sure can will have to be later on though at this stage I don’t have access to the machine. Important to note though, when I compile my kernel to version 4.6 and create my own bzImage file the network then works however FOG no longer can detect a HDD,

[mandrade]

Hi Guys,

so I have the subsys as requested in the screenshot below:

[mandrade]

Also here are the results of the compatibility test:

[george1421]

@mandrade Just for clarity ven_8086&dev_156F (8086:156F) comes back to a Intel I219-LM NIC.

From the disk controllers standpoint, the devs may be including additional disk controllers drivers that are not part of the core linux distribution or the config file from github doesn’t have all of the necessary disk controllers enabled.

[mandrade]

@george1421 ,

Right so, when I do a make menuconfig I could be missing a step somewhere that is not including the necessary controller drivers?

[george1421]

@mandrade Did you start with the config file from the github site? I think you can just rename it as the default config then run menuconfig program picking your additional network drivers. It will use those settings as the defaults as you run through the menuconfig. Understand its been over 10 years since I built linux kernels but that is what I remember.

Ref: https://github.com/FOGProject/fogproject/tree/dev-branch/kernel You probably want the TomElliott.config.64 one.

[edit] It would be interesting to know what network adapter option you are loading to get this network adapter to work, so the devs can include it in the official kernel. That way you wouldn’t have to keep rebuilding the kernel as new official releases come out.

[mandrade]

@george1421 said in Make new bzImage...:

think you can just rename it as the default config then run menuconfig progra

I used the standard Kitchensink one that is available when you download FOG_1.2.0 so no I did not. I will give that a try.

Thank you very much for the suggestions and help thus far!

[Sebastian Roth]

@george1421 said:

Just for clarity ven_8086&dev_156F (8086:156F) comes back to a Intel I219-LM NIC.

Sure but not every I219-LM NIC is the same. Check out this listing to see when support for the different NICs (PCI IDs) was added. That’s why I always ask people about PCI IDs. Support for the 8086:156f was added with kernel 4.1 (while 15e3 seems to have been added only very recently - kernel version 4.6).

So I guess your NIC is fully supported using the 4.5 kernel from https://fogproject.org/kernels/. Guess this is a network issue. Spanning tree, 802.1x/MAB/NAC, EEE/802.3az, auto-negotiation!? @mandrade To see if I stand correct can you please use a dumb mini switch to connect between client and your main network. Then try compatibility test again.

@Tom-Elliott I think we should add lspci output (or simply PCI IDs) to the compatibility test screen when failing! This way people don’t need to extra-boot and find out about this information. Shouldn’t take much effort! What do you think?

[mandrade]

Hey Guys,

So I’m now able to image my new machines, it works a treat!

In the end I decided to scrap attempting to build my own Kernel and went with a Trunk version of FOG. I am aware that it isn’t stable but after deploying the new bleeding edge version of FOG all my machines are supported and are imaging without any issue.

We’re about to do a bulk deploy of 21 Machines, will let everybody know how that went. Experiences thus far, although frustrating in the beginning, are good. Thanks again for all the help supplied.