How to pxe boot cent os 7

[dureal99d]

Ive been trying for 2 days to make a working boot code for centos 7 and I cannot get it to work.

I run fog rc3 on Ubuntu 16.04.1

ive received this code from Here and needless to say no go.

:Centos
kernel http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/Centos/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/Centos/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=isolinux netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/Centos/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

:Centos
set path /fog/service/ipxe/Centos
set nfs_path /images/service/ipxe/Centos
kernel http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/Centos/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz ks=http://${fog-ip}/fog/kickstarts/centos6.cfg ramdisk_size=100000 ksdevice=eth0 root=/dev/rd/0 ip=dhcp splash quiet – || read void
initrd http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/Centos/images/pxeboot/initrd.img || read void
goto start

the first one loads but then errors out. it states the dev/nfs is not right, the 2nd code just stops in the begin without going anywhere.
any ideas??

[george1421]

well the first one is stopping probably because you are telling it the nfsroot is an http path not an nfs mountable path. The protocols are different.

In your second section does /fog/kickstarts/centos6.cfg exist? But you are booting centos 7??

Here is a guide for pxe booting centos 7 that may get you closer. http://www.tecmint.com/install-pxe-network-boot-server-in-centos-7/

Your imgargs approach is right for additional kernel parameters. Also I would avoid the || read void tags at the end remember you are dealing with an iPXE boot loader and not syslinux. I would also move your files out of the /fog path. You have an apache web server create a new parent directory called /bootimg or what ever and put your boot OS files under that like /bootimg/centos (also watch your case, its easier to use all lower case).

If you want to see how the FOG developers download the FOS kernels you can key in http://<fog_server_ip>/fog/service/ipxe/bootp.php?mac=<registered_device_mac_address> You will see the kernel args and structure that iPXE needs.

[dureal99d]

I don’t fully understand the apache talk, nor how its relevant in this case. so now I must read up on it. I am new to programming and such, so I only understand little basics. I was looking for help in solving the riddle. So when you say http path instead of nfs path how would I fix this? I looked at the referenced link but I am not comprehending what they are talking about.

I will tell you I have every other version of Linux that I like and use booting just fine. utilizing the code.

:Ubuntu_64
kernel http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/ubuntu6_64/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/ubuntu6_64/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper 6=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/ubbuntu6_64/ locale=en_US.UTF-8 keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=la mirror/country=US
boot || goto failed
goto start

now I admit I used this from another post in this forum and worked but I don’t fully understand the code and perhaps I needed to to be able to customize for other distros

[dureal99d]

HOw would I make the nfs mountable?

[george1421]

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

HOw would I make the nfs mountable?

Understand this is beyond the scope of what the FOG server supports. That doesn’t mean that you can’t do this with FOG, its just not supported by the FOG project.

You might want to explain exactly what you want to do here? Do you want to pxe boot a linux live environment with iPXE or do you wan to pxe boot a linux installer via iPXE? The answer may provide a better direction.

IMO it would be easier to use an already exported NFS filesystem like /images Just create a subdirectory below /images (like /images/centos) then update your iPXE configuration to use that share instead of an http nfs root.

Edit - Typo fixed.

[dureal99d]

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

that share instead of an http nfs root.

I would like to boot the live system and then from there be able to install the os on a physical drive as I can with Ubuntu, Linux mint and kubuntu.

thought as you have already stated. I would not mind being able to use the already exported nfs. either way works.

the purpose of this is to be able to create the ultimate complex advance boot benu and have all these Linux distros working right out the gate.

this will help me complete this project.

[dureal99d]

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

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

HOw would I make the nfs mountable?

Understand this is beyond the scope of what the FOG server supports. That doesn’t mean that you can’t do this with FOG, its just not supported by the FOG project.

You might want to explain exactly what you want to do here? Do you want to pxe boot a linux live environment with iPXE or do you wan to pxe boot a linux installer via iPXE? The answer may provide a better direction.

IMO it would be easier to use an already exported NFS filesystem like /images Just create a subdirectory below /images (like /images/centos) then update your iPXE configuration to use that share instead of an http nfs root.

Edit - Typo fixed.

I know you said this is not supported by you guys but I have received support at this forum before for this type of issue and this is how I was able to boot Ubuntu based Linux distros and as such I post this pic in hopes you will reconsider.

[Sebastian Roth]

@dureal99d As George already mentioned you need to have your files exported via NFS to make them accessible for the booting kernel. Please post your /etc/exports file here. Configure /var/www/fog/service/ipxe/ubbuntu6_64/ to be exported if it’s not yet.

[dureal99d]

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

@dureal99d As George already mentioned you need to have your files exported via NFS to make them accessible for the booting kernel. Please post your /etc/exports file here. Configure /var/www/fog/service/ipxe/ubbuntu6_64/ to be exported if it’s not yet.

Here is my exports file, I have since tried to boot fedora with the same result and being as it is a cent os derivative, I figured id get the same result as that’s exactly what I got.

here is my exports config.
/images *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,no_subtree_check,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure,fsid=0)
/images/dev *(rw,async,no_wdelay,no_subtree_check,no_root_squash,insecure,fsid=1)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/16.04.1_64 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/16.04.1_32 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/15.10_64 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/15.10_32 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/kubuntu6_64 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/kubuntu6_32 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/kubuntu5_64 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/kubuntu5_32 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/lm18_32 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/lm18_64 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/lm_32 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/lm_64 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/lmc_32 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/lmc_64 *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/Centos *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/bootcd *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/ubcd *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/fedora *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)

this is the code ive used.

kernel http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/fedora/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz
initrd http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/fedora/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
imgargs vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=nfs netboot=nfs nfsroot=${fog-ip}:/var/www/fog/service/ipxe/fedora/
boot || goto failed
goto start

[george1421]

@dureal99d I guess I’ll start with a simple statement wow, that’s quite an nfs export.

I would (personally) collapse them down to this
/var/www/fog/service/ipxe *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)

Actually if it was me I would move my files out of the fog directory all together to avoid them from being clobbered during an upgrade.

I might put them into some place like /opt/bootimgs and then export that location. You should be able to map a directory below your mount (share) point. So if you share /opt/bootimgs you should be able to mount /opt/bootimgs/Centos I would test this from another linux server by using the following command mount -t nfs <fog_server_ip>:/opt/bootimgs/Centos /mnt just to make sure it mounts over correctly with only sharing the /opt/bootimgs

Your advanced menu code for fedora looks spot on. You have to be sure that the vmlinuz file you use is capable of network booting via nfs. Not all of them are. I personally would start with live media for all platforms you want to pxe boot. The distributions should give you guidance on what you have to configure for kernel parameters to pxe boot the target computer.

[dureal99d]

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

that’s quite an nfs export

Ill try your suggestion and let you know how it goes

[Wayne Workman]

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

I guess I’ll start with a simple statement wow, that’s quite an nfs export.

+1, that is an insane exports file. I concur with George. You should simplify… a lot.

[dureal99d]

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

/var/www/fog/service/ipxe *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,insecure_locks,no_root_squash,insecure)

that one liner is pretty nice

[dureal99d]

@Wayne-Workman @george1421
I am getting no such file or directory exist , how do i fix this?

“bash: 192.168.1.109: No such file or directory”

[Wayne Workman]

@dureal99d I’m not sure how much you know, but it doesn’t hurt you or future readers to just re-iterate what I know.

The /etc/exports file is for Network File System exports. This is how Linux natively shares files across a network.

http file distribution is done via Apache or nginx or some other http service, and is NOT nfs. these paths you have in your original post, they are web paths. Such as: http://${fog-ip}/fog/service/ipxe/Centos/images/pxeboot/initrd.img This is a web path. This would be accessible if you plugged the fully expanded URL into a web browser. This is not via NFS, but via HTTP using apache to serve it.

Please post a picture of the error you’re getting, it’ll help us figure out what’s going on.

[dureal99d]

@Wayne-Workman

[dureal99d]

@Wayne-Workman I see, well clearly i have a lot to learn about nfs. and i am at another station trying to “linux” of course trying to mount the share.

[Wayne Workman]

@dureal99d I’d suggest you move all that stuff to somewhere else besides a web directory. This is a rather very nasty setup IMO - and as it is this is absolutely going to fill some partition somewhere eventually as FOG makes a complete copy of the web directory each time you re-run the installer (to update or to troubleshoot). You need to put this stuff elsewhere.

[Tom Elliott]

Where are you seeing no such? Is it in ipxe or just in cli? It appears, to me, your cli is wrong as you have <> in the cli around the IP. This is incorrect, or so I thought. It should be ip:/path/to/mount

[dureal99d]

@Wayne-Workman said in How to pxe boot cent os 7:

directory. This is a rather very nasty setup IMO - and

Ok I’m in the middle of moving it all to the suggested location as we speak.