TFTP Problems
-
Have you tried to PXE boot any other models of computers, or models with different LAN controllers? I ran into a similar issue where 5 of the 7 models of computers we use at my school would all PXE boot fine when using a Windows DHCP server and FOG for tftp. 2 of the 7 would return a TFTP timeout. I don’t remember the exact error message, but when I used WireShark to inspect the traffic, it showed that the tftp requests for pxelinux.0 part 1 was successful, but failed on the next part. This only happened when using a separate DHCP server. If I used FOG to serve up DHCP, it didn’t happen. This was with a Compal based laptop with a realtek chipset, and an Acer Iconia tab with a usb ethernet adapter built into the keyboard dock. My Fujitsu laptops, intel desktop motherboards, toshiba laptops, and compact desktops all pxebooted without issue.
I ended up setting up ProxyDHCP to solve the issue. I suggest you get a few other models of computers or laptops in to see if you can get anything to pxe boot before you go down the ProxyDHCP route. If you can get other things to PXE boot, then reconfigure FOG to ProxyDHCP following the wiki article. If you can’t get any model of LAN chipset to pxeboot, then we’ll continue troubleshooting FOG and DHCP.
-
Thank you, I will begin trying some other types and models, all of our computers are Tangent computers using Intel built in components but use Realtek network cards.
Update: I just tried 4 of the 8 machines I have managed to image threw fog so far, they do not contact the TFTP server either
I have also tried to use a gPXE disc to boot with no luck
I have also already tried your ProxyDHCP set up on the wiki (using dnsmasq) and this did not have any fruit for the labor either
-
Let’s get back to a stable and known state with the FOG server. You’ve changed passwords, tried proxyDHCP, and made other changes to the server, so let’s get back to solid ground.
I suggest you take a step back and try 10.04 Server LTS. The 12.x versions introduce the TFTP problem that, easy enough to fix, makes it harder to get started, and that’s not something for someone new to FOG/Linux. Also, I’m not sure, but I prefer to use a Server distribution rather that a desktop.
The first thing you should do after installing the base OS is to update apt, and then upgrade the system. This is not a release-upgrade, just a regular upgrade to make sure you have the latest version of all the base OS packages installed and that you are pulling packages from an updated apt when you run the FOG install script.
So:
[LIST]
[]Install base OS. !!! DO [B]NOT[/B] MAKE A USER NAMED FOG !!! use bob, ted, fred, billy, sue, whatever, but not fog
[]Set IP static with correct subnet mask and gateway
[]sudo apt-get update
[]sudo apt-get upgrade
[][Optional]: grab a desktop, such as Gnome with: sudo apt-get gnome-desktop-environment
[]go get coffee
[]Download and extract the FOG installer
[]Run FOG installer, tell it not to use DHCP, no DNS address, no router address
[]use a blank mySQL password for now. (if you want to secure it we’ll walk through that later)
[]Make sure your non-FOG DHCP server is pointing to the correct IP and filename (pxelinux.0 <— that’s a ZERO)
[/LIST]At this point, you don’t need to worry about any config files, we should be ready to pxeboot our first machine
So, Try to pxe boot a host. What do you get?
-
Thanks chad I will do just that, I am downloading the 10.04 LTS as I type this, it is almost 3:00 here and I go home in half hour, but I have all next week to myself, I will bump this thread when I have installed Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and followed your instructions!
-
Wow, sorry for my absence here, I ran into some trouble with the monitors we use here and the video card and linux. While I had absolutely no problems with 12.04 and graphics cards. I ended up taking the server home to install Ubuntu and use a real monitor :).
Anyway long story short it took a lot of fiddling but I have done what you have asked, I now have Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, set static IP, I updated, upgraded (from terminal), got Gnome, installed FOG again.
Boot to PXE get PXE-E32: TFTP open timeout.
BUT if i use gPXE and specify the information I CAN get to my pxe menu, so what am I not doing right?
if I use gPXE I have to catch it before it autoboots with Ctrl+b and run the config I speficy the DHCP 10.8.1.1, DNS 10.1.2.6, image as pxelinux.0, netmask 255.255.0.0, Gateway 10.8.255.254, next-server 10.8.22.3 I crtl+x and type autoboot and boom FOG PXE
so, what have I boogered up?
-
Can you provide a screenshot of your dhcp settings? Are the clients in the same subnet/scope as the FOG server?
-
yes they are in the same subnet mask, 255.255.0.0 They are in the same Scope but not the same range per say, our DHCP range 10.8.10.1-10.8.15.255 but the server is at 10.8.22.3 this should not be a problem though.
Is this what you want? or do you want something from the linux box?
[url=“/_imported_xf_attachments/0/287_dhcp.jpg?:”]dhcp.jpg[/url]
-
With a subnet mask fo 255.255.0.0, all of your 10.8.x.x addresses are logically in the same subnet. I’m assuming you don’t have your network subdivided into VLAN’s and subnets, you just serve DHCP for 10.8.10.1 to 10.8.15.255, and non-DHCP clients are statically assigned an address from outside that range. Is this correct?
-
My network is divided into VLANS, each building is 10.x.1.1 where x is 1-10 and 1-10 is the building designated to that ip scope, they all use the same subnet mask and dns/dhcp information, the only change is the ip addresses the buildings serve.
-
Your network configuration seems unusual to me. I don’t know if it has any thing to do with the problems you’re experiencing, but I don’t have a good feeling about it. It could be my lack of experience with advanced networking, or there could be something not quite right about your subnetting. We’ll ignore that for now though.
Are you able to connect a PXE boot client to the same switch as the FOG server? I don’t mean just the FOG server and the client, it should be on your network. I just want the client and the server to both be on the same switch for the moment.
-
yeah every test I have ran up to this point has been within my office on the same switch as the FOG server, and the switch I am using is an Asus GX-D1081.
I agree our network seems a bit odd, but I was neither the person that designed or set it up so it is out of my control, I merely make sure all the components in this building work, and make the teachers happy
-
Shameless bump still need help please
-
At this point, I would normally through a tech workstation on that switch, mirror/monitor a port, wireshark and see what is happening between the FOG server and the client.
If you are not able to do that, then go ahead and proceed with setting up proxyDHCP according to the wiki article.
-
What port do you recommend I watch? port 69 is the TFTP port correct?
I’m willing to try the proxyDHCP again after I do the wireshark, i’d really like to figure out what the underlying issue is an try to eliminate it.
-
When I was investigating mine, I started recording, tried to pxeboot and waited for error, then stopped recording. I went through several filters at different times to make sure the pxe boot was getting the correct next server name and bootfile name from dhcp. Then I filtered on tftp, or just everything matching the IP address the client got from DHCP.
You can key in on the tftp problems, and see if it’s making a request for the pxelinux.0 file and getting all the chunks. In my case, it requested and got chunk 1, but then failed to get the rest of the chunks until I implemented proxyDHCP.
-
Alright, I have captured a set of packets from the time I began my Pxe boot till the time I got the error PXE-E32 TFTP open timeout.
but I don’t actually see the host’s ip address or mac address in the set of information, is this a problem.
What set of filters would you recommend, I do not see anything being transferred on TFTP.
-
Did you mirror the port on the switch so you can see it’s packets? Whatever port the pxe client is connected to needs to be mirrored to the port your monitoring workstation is connected.
-
my switch does not allow port mirroring (Asus GX-D1081), the procurve more than likely does, but here is a number of MDFs plugged in and I’m not exactly sure which one leased to my office.
I will install proxyDHCP tomorrow and see how it goes with 10.04.
-
If you can replace the switch with a good old HUB, you might have some luck.
-
I will see what I can find.
