Using FOG with older computers that can't boot via PxE

[variable205]

This tutorial is for those who have computers that do not have PxE and still wish to use FOG Project to upload and deploy images. The tutorial is [U]also[/U] useful for the computers that “freeze” during the DHCP sequence (I just used this today when the PxE wasn’t working properly).

First off, one must need the following three things:

-gPXE ([url]http://rom-o-matic.net/[/url])
-Win32DiskImager ([url]http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/[/url])
-A flashdrive

First off, go and download both gPXE and Win32DiskImager.

Select the first link ([URL=‘http://rom-o-matic.net/gpxe/gpxe-git/gpxe.git/contrib/rom-o-matic/’]gPXE git (current-top-of-git-tree) Image Generator[/URL]) within the rom-o-matic website. Then please choose the “.usb” format and download it by clicking on the “Get Image” button. Rename the “.usb” part at the tail end of the name to .img. (Example: gpxe-1.0.1±gpxe.usb to gpxe-1.0.1±gpxe.img).

Next, obtain the Win32DiskImager program. I personally chose the [B][URL=‘https://launchpad.net/win32-image-writer/0.5/0.5/+download/win32diskimager-binary.zip’]win32diskimager-binary.zip[/URL][/B] link because it works for me. Then go ahead and execute the program.

If you haven’t already; plug in the flash drive. Upon execution ofWin32DiskImager, click on the folder icon next to the textbox. Navigate to the gPXE image and select it. Your flash drive should already be selected from the drop down list (to the right of the folder icon). If not, click on the drop down box with the appropriate drive letter.

Click on “write.” There you go, you now have a working PXE boot for a non-PXE booting computer. In order for the computer to boot into PXE, choose the flash drive on the computer’s startup and gPXE will take care of the rest.

–variable205

EDIT: Win32DiskImager had a broken link: replaced it with a newer one

[ssx4life]

Great guide variable!

One last thing I wanted to point out here to the public is that if you have a computer that won’t support the booting of flash keys you can also use etherboot on a floppy drive or cd rom - [URL=‘http://etherboot.org/wiki/removable’]http://etherboot.org/wiki/removable or Rom-o-Matic which has pre-built builds depending on your NIC - http://rom-o-matic.net/[/URL]

[variable205]

Thank you! And also thanks for pointing out the CD and floppy drive options too