How to pxe boot cent os 7

Sebastian Roth · Sep 7, 2016, 9:54 AM

@dureal99d Now that you have clead up your exports file it seems like you need to add those again. Please change your last entry to /opt/bootimgs/16.04.1_64 *(rw,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure) and see if it boots up.

george1421 · Sep 7, 2016, 4:41 PM

OK lets step back and regroup here. Lets do the following

Insert the Centos 7 dvd into your FOG server’s cdrom drive
Key in the following commands into your fog server’s console as root:

# we are going to put all of our boot images into the web server and issue the files
# with apache and cut out all of this NFS crud
mkdir /var/www/html/bootimg

# connect to the centos dvd to the /mnt directory
mount -o loop /dev/cdrom  /mnt

#show me there is content there
ls /mnt

# Create a destination directory for the centos installer files
mkdir /var/www/html/bootimg/centos7x64

# Copy the content of the dvd to the proper location
cp -r /mnt/*  /var/www/html/bootimg/centos7x64

# Change the access level for world read
chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/bootimg/centos7x64

# Unmount the dvd drive since we already have the files
umount /mnt

Now in the FOG Configuration->iPXE New Menu Entry enter the following:
Menu Item: Centos7PXEInst
Description: Install Centos x64
Parameters:
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img method=http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/ devfs=nomount ip=dhcp
boot || goto MENU
Menu Show with: All Hosts
Now pxe boot your target computer and select the Install Centos x64 menu item.
You should see the installer boot and run.

This process can be replicated to other linux distributions. I just tested this, this morning on my dev fog server running 1.3.0-rc8 and it works.

As for a live boot, these settings don’t work, the installer still runs. I don’t have time right now to figure out why the live boot bits are not working.

Live OS boot

initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img root=live:http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/LiveOS/squashfs.img ip=dhcp rootflags="loop" rootfstype=auto ro rd.live.image quiet rhgb rd.luks=0 rd.md=0 rd.dm=0 
boot || goto MENU

dureal99d · Sep 7, 2016, 4:40 PM

@Sebastian-Roth ok, I’m trying it now

dureal99d · Sep 7, 2016, 4:41 PM

@george1421 ok I will try it shortly

dureal99d · Sep 7, 2016, 4:45 PM

@Sebastian-Roth said in How to pxe boot cent os 7:

/opt/bootimgs/16.04.1_64 *(rw,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)

it works now, I see I had this line “nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/16.04.1_64/” wrong.

I had nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/bootimgs/16.04.1_64/ which did not work but once I seen the path @george1421 was using I realized I had nfsroot= wrong.

thank you all @Developers . all I have to do now is try the cent os method made by @george1421. I’m on that now

dureal99d · Sep 7, 2016, 2:08 PM

@george1421 said in How to pxe boot cent os 7:

OK lets step back and regroup here. Lets do the following

Insert the Centos 7 dvd into your FOG server’s cdrom drive

Key in the following commands into your fog server’s console as root:
# we are going to put all of our boot images into the web server and issue the files
# with apache and cut out all of this NFS crud
mkdir /var/www/html/bootimg

# connect to the centos dvd to the /mnt directory
mount -o loop /dev/cdrom  /mnt

#show me there is content there
ls /mnt

# Create a destination directory for the centos installer files
mkdir /var/www/html/bootimg/centos7x64

# Copy the content of the dvd to the proper location
cp -r /mnt/*  /var/www/html/bootimg/centos7x64

# Change the access level for world read
chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/bootimg/centos7x64

# Unmount the dvd drive since we already have the files
umount /mnt
Now in the FOG Configuration->iPXE New Menu Entry enter the following:
Menu Item: Centos7PXEInst
Description: Install Centos x64
Parameters:
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img method=http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/ devfs=nomount ip=dhcp
boot || goto MENU
Menu Show with: All Hosts

Now pxe boot your target computer and select the Install Centos x64 menu item.

You should see the installer boot and run.

This process can be replicated to other linux distributions. I just tested this, this morning on my dev fog server running 1.3.0-rc8 and it works.

As for a live boot, these settings don’t work, the installer still runs. I don’t have time right now to figure out why the live boot bits are not working.

Live OS boot
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img root=live:http://${fog-ip}/bootimg/centos7x64/LiveOS/squashfs.img ip=dhcp rootflags="loop" rootfstype=auto ro rd.live.image quiet rhgb rd.luks=0 rd.md=0 rd.dm=0 
boot || goto MENU

@george1421 This worked like a charm. Cent os boots, I have to do the net install type but it boots and is able to be installed.

Thank you all.

Side note, this should work for fedora? yet fedora is refusing to boot. I think because fedora does that live boot thingy. gices this error >>dracut: FATAL: No or empty root=argument dracut: Refusing to continue. yet this thread is solved.

george1421 · Sep 8, 2016, 2:36 AM

@dureal99d The live boot bits that didn’t work for centos was from a fedora pxe boot guide. That is all I did and then just translated what was needed for the structure that fog uses. You will get much faster boot speed with http over ftp, or tftp that is why I kept everything in the same protocol by specifying http:// when making an object reference.

Also from my instructcions I moved the files out of the fog directory where they will get clobbered when you update FOG. By putting them on the web server in a different root folder (i.e. not /fog) the fog installer scripts will not touch them. It would be very depressing if you created this monster boot menu and then have a fog upgrade eat all of your hard work.

dureal99d · Sep 7, 2016, 9:31 PM

@george1421 said in How to pxe boot cent os 7:

fedora pxe boot guide.

@george1421 I have moved from the files from the fog root and moved them to /opt/bootimgs/ then I created a soft link to them as suggested by @Wayne-Workman . So no more fog eating the files on every upgrade. thank you. I am going to start reading up on all these codes so I can have a better understanding for these situation.

at any rate if you find you get the time a fedora code would be nice but not all that needed. oh and i almost forgot to post this.

Working boot menu for all but “centos live” and “fedora”

Hope this helps make someone’s life a bit easier now or later

:MENU
menu
item --gap -- ---------------- iPXE boot menu ----------------
item mac Macrium Reflect
item clonezilla Clonezilla 2015
item ubuntu6 Ubuntu 16:04.1 x64
item ubuntu6 Ubuntu 16:04.1 x32
item ubuntu Ubuntu 15:10 x64
item ubuntu Ubuntu 15:10 x32
item kubuntu6 Kubuntu 16:04.1 x64 
item kubuntu6 Kubuntu 16:04.1 x32
item kubuntu Kubuntu 15:10 x64 
item kubuntu Kubuntu 15:10 x32
item mint18 Linux Mint 18 "Sarah" - MATE (32-bit)
item Mint18 Linux Mint 18 "Sarah" - MATE (64-bit)
item mint Linux Mint 17.2 "Rafaela" - MATE (32-bit)
item Mint Linux Mint 17.2 "Rafaela" - MATE (64-bit)
item mint Linux Mint 17.2 "Rafaela" - Cinnamon (32-bit)
item Mint Linux Mint 17.2 "Rafaela" - Cinnamon (64-bit)
item BOOTCD Hirens 15.2 BOOTCD
item pgon Paragon Harddisk Manager 12
item ubd Ultimate Boot Disk
item ez  EZ Gig IV Cloning Software
item centos Centos
item centos2 Centos Live
item hostinfo details about this computer
item shell ipxe shell
item return return to previous menu
choose --default return --timeout 5000 target && goto ${target}
:mac
initrd http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/mac/mac.iso
chain memdisk iso raw ||
goto MENU

:clonezilla
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/clonezilla/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/clonezilla/initrd.img
imgargs vmlinuz boot=live username=user fetch=http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/clonezilla/filesystem.squashfs locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-layouts=NONE
boot || echo failed to boot
prompt
goto MENU```

:ubuntu6
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/16.04.1_64/casper/vmlinuz.efi
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/16.04.1_64/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz.efi root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/16.04.1_64/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:ubuntu6
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/16.04.1_32/casper/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/16.04.1_32/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz.efi root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/16.04.1_32/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:ubuntu
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/15.10_64/casper/vmlinuz.efi
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/15.10_64/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz.efi root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/15.10_64/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:ubuntu
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/15.10_32/casper/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/15.10_32/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/15.10_32/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:kubuntu6
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/kubuntu6_64/casper/vmlinuz.efi
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/kubuntu6_64/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz.efi root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/kubuntu6_64/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:kubuntu6
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/kubuntu6_32/casper/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/kubuntu6_32/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/kubuntu6_32/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed

:kubuntu
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/kubuntu5_64/casper/vmlinuz.efi
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/kubuntu5_64/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz.efi root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/kubuntu5_64/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:kubuntu
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/kubuntu5_32/casper/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/kubuntu5_32/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/kubuntu5_32/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:mint18
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lm18_32/casper/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lm18_32/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/lm18_32/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:Mint18
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lm18_64/casper/vmlinuz.efi
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lm18_64/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/lm18_64/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:mint
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lm_32/casper/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lm_32/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/lm_32/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:Mint
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lm_64/casper/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lm_64/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/lm_64/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:mint
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lmc_32/casper/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lmc_32/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/lmc_32/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:Mint
kernel http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lmc_64/casper/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/lmc_64/casper/initrd.lz
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/html/bootimgs/lmc_64/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:centos
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img method=http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/ devfs=nomount ip=dhcp
boot || goto MENU

:centos2
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img root=live:http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/LiveOS/squashfs.img ip=dhcp rootflags="loop" rootfstype=auto ro rd.live.image quiet rhgb rd.luks=0 rd.md=0 rd.dm=0 
boot || goto MENU

:BOOTCD
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/bootcd/hirensboot.iso ||
chain memdisk iso raw ||
boot ||
goto MENU

:pgon
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/pgon/phdman12.iso ||
chain memdisk iso raw ||
boot ||
goto MENU

:ubd
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/ubcd/ubcd535.iso ||
chain memdisk iso raw ||
boot ||
goto MENU

:ez
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/ez/EZGIG438.iso ||
chain memdisk iso raw ||
boot ||
goto MENU

:hostinfo
echo This computer : ||
echo MAC address....${net0/mac} ||
echo IP address.....${ip} ||
echo Netmask........${netmask} ||
echo Serial.........${serial} ||
echo Asset number...${asset} ||
echo Manufacturer...${manufacturer} ||
echo Product........${product} ||
echo BIOS platform..${platform} ||
echo ||
echo press any key to return to Menu ||
prompt
goto MENU

:shell
shell ||
goto MENU
:return
chain http://${fog-ip}/${fog-webroot}/bootimgs/boot.php?mac=${net0/mac} ||
prompt
goto MENU
Autoboot

dureal99d · Sep 11, 2016, 9:38 AM

@dureal99d said in How to pxe boot cent os 7:

initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img root=live:http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/LiveOS/squashfs.img ip=dhcp rootflags=“loop” rootfstype=auto ro rd.live.image quiet rhgb rd.luks=0 rd.md=0 rd.dm=0
boot || goto MENU

@Developers @Moderators @Senior-Developers I wanted to update this thread with my current progress. both are working bootable.

in virtualbox i had to have at least 1650 gigs of ram allocated for it to boot. anything under that and it will error out. but i expect most machines these days to have at least 3 to 4 gigs of ram so any who choose to use should be fine.

Hope this helps make someones life a bit easier.

both are fully working
live only fedora
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/fedora/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/fedora/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img root=live:http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/fedora/LiveOS/squashfs.img devfs=nomount ip=dhcp
boot || goto MENU

live and install fedora
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/fedora/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/fedora/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img root=live:http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/fedora/LiveOS/squashfs.img rootfstype=auto ro rd.live.image quiet rhgb rd.luks=0 rd.md=0 rd.dm=0
boot || goto MENU

dureal99d · Sep 14, 2016, 6:59 AM

@Wayne-Workman Here is an updated working centos boot code that works for using your own downloaded repo as well as the online repo.

I downloaded my own repo using command <wget -r -l 0 ./LOCAL-DIR WEBSITE-URL> in Ubuntu.
once downloaded
I then copied the repo from my home directory to the /bootimgs folder.
I then modified the boot code originally provided by @george1421 from:
:centos
initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img method=http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/ devfs=nomount ip=dhcp
boot || goto MENU

to

initrd http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
chain http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img root=live:http://${fog-ip}/bootimgs/centos/LiveOS/squashfs.img ip=dhcp repo=http://192.168.1.109/bootimgs/centosrepo/mirror.nodeshosting.com/centos/7.2.1511/os/x86_64 splash quiet – || read void
boot || goto MENU

the end result is that now I have my own home repo that works even if my machine is not connected to the internet. I assume this is good for corporate or environments where the admin is not wanting to use much data from or restrict the net.

it also makes short work of the install time.

I hope this makes someone’s life a bit more easier

How to pxe boot cent os 7

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