Mailing List Archive

PXELINUX and WDS (The Proper WAY)
After about 15 hours, a packet sniffer and a ton of google searching later, I have a solution to getting WDS (Windows Deployment Services) to work with PXELINUX





Google didn't turn up anything of use directly, everything that was referenced appeared to be related to starting pxelinux from either WDS or RIS. That just won't do, since they often can give hiccups and lockups when starting.

This Solves the issue with WDS: "WDSClient: There was an Error Initializing WDS Mode"

This allows full display of all server assigned boot options.

Additionally the problem was that when starting the PXEBOOT.COM file you had to completely move the directories around to get it to work. (move bootmgr.exe to \ etc.); This method needs nothing of the sort.



here's the correct way to do it:



1. Get WDS Setup with at least one Image (Yes Vista will work)

2. Setup your DHCP Server to boot PXELINUX (Assumes Microsoft DHCP)

a. Point Option 66 to the DNS NAME of your pxeboot server (boot.contoso.local)

b. Point Option 67 to pxelinux.0

c. Make sure your dns server is listed as option 44 and can resolve that name

d. Restart DHCP Server to make sure that the changes are in place.

3. Start the WDS Interface in Control Panel

a. Right Click on server name (boot.contoso.local) click properties

b. On tab PXE Response Settings: "Respond to All client Computers"

c. PXE Response Delay (5 seconds) ß this timing is critical, you may need to set it a little higher depending on your network architechture

d. On the Boot Tab, Reset all the options to their defaults: "Boot\<arch>\pxeboot.n12"

e. Do not Enable the "Do not Listen on port 67"

f. Click Apply and Close This Panel

4. Build a PXELINUX.CFG/DEFAULT file as listed below in Figure A

5. Get and install VMWARE or a machine with a pxe enabled bios

6. Reboot the client and watch it work



I'm going to put these up on my site, and if Peter consents have them linked so I can update them regularly



Please email me back if you need any help / have problems





Figure A: (PXELINUX.CFG/default)



PROMPT 0

Default WDSBoot

Label WDSBoot

Kernel /boot/x86/wdsnbp.0 keeppxe









_______________________________________________
SYSLINUX mailing list
Submissions to SYSLINUX@zytor.com
Unsubscribe or set options at:
http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux
Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic.
Re: PXELINUX and WDS (The Proper WAY) [ In reply to ]
On 21/01/2008, Jacob Alifrangis <jalifrangis@authenticlick.net> wrote:
>
> After about 15 hours, a packet sniffer and a ton of google searching
> later, I have a solution to getting WDS (Windows Deployment Services) to
> work with PXELINUX
>
>
>
>
>
> Google didn't turn up anything of use directly, everything that was
> referenced appeared to be related to starting pxelinux from either WDS or
> RIS. That just won't do, since they often can give hiccups and lockups when
> starting.
>
> This Solves the issue with WDS: "WDSClient: There was an Error
> Initializing WDS Mode"
>
> This allows full display of all server assigned boot options.
>
> Additionally the problem was that when starting the PXEBOOT.COM file you
> had to completely move the directories around to get it to work. (move
> bootmgr.exe to \ etc.); This method needs nothing of the sort.
>
>
>
> here's the correct way to do it:
>
>
>
> 1. Get WDS Setup with at least one Image (Yes Vista will work)
>
> 2. Setup your DHCP Server to boot PXELINUX (Assumes Microsoft DHCP)
>
> a. Point Option 66 to the DNS NAME of your pxeboot server (
> boot.contoso.local)
>
> b. Point Option 67 to pxelinux.0
>
> c. Make sure your dns server is listed as option 44 and can resolve
> that name
>
> d. Restart DHCP Server to make sure that the changes are in place.
>
> 3. Start the WDS Interface in Control Panel
>
> a. Right Click on server name (boot.contoso.local) click properties
>
> b. On tab PXE Response Settings: "Respond to All client Computers"
>
> c. PXE Response Delay (5 seconds) ß this timing is critical, you may
> need to set it a little higher depending on your network architechture
>
> d. On the Boot Tab, Reset all the options to their defaults:
> "Boot\<arch>\pxeboot.n12"
>
> e. Do not Enable the "Do not Listen on port 67"
>
> f. Click Apply and Close This Panel
>
> 4. Build a PXELINUX.CFG/DEFAULT file as listed below in Figure A
>
> 5. Get and install VMWARE or a machine with a pxe enabled bios
>
> 6. Reboot the client and watch it work
>
>
>
> I'm going to put these up on my site, and if Peter consents have them
> linked so I can update them regularly
>
>
>
> Please email me back if you need any help / have problems
>
>
>
>
>
> Figure A: (PXELINUX.CFG/default)
>
>
>
> PROMPT 0
>
> Default WDSBoot
>
> Label WDSBoot
>
> Kernel /boot/x86/wdsnbp.0 keeppxe
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> SYSLINUX mailing list
> Submissions to SYSLINUX@zytor.com
> Unsubscribe or set options at:
> http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux
> Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic.
>
>
>
> --
> Click on the link below to report this email as spam
>
> https://www.mailcontrol.com/sr/H!SoK+HV6wPcohtw78djyRMs89EtaWaybOUep4Cz0z!nzNaPXzzuXiTCcgJSdgyFp0YUN!y8R5DQz5exjdqrRw==
>


I put up a tutorial on the SYSLINUX Wiki quite a while back.
Was there something amiss there? as I am using WDS/RIS with PXELinux on a
daily basis without any issues.

As to where you are going to place your tut i would recommend you put it on
the SYSLinux wiki..

http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/SYSLINUX

--
Regards,


Ryan McLean
_______________________________________________
SYSLINUX mailing list
Submissions to SYSLINUX@zytor.com
Unsubscribe or set options at:
http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux
Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic.
Re: PXELINUX and WDS (The Proper WAY) [ In reply to ]
Ryan McLean wrote:
>
> As to where you are going to place your tut i would recommend you put it on
> the SYSLinux wiki..
>
> http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/SYSLINUX
>

Yes, please!

FWIW, http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/ is the main page, the above is the
one talking specifically about SYSLINUX (which maybe ought to be renamed
FATLINUX, but that sounds so crass...)

-hpa

_______________________________________________
SYSLINUX mailing list
Submissions to SYSLINUX@zytor.com
Unsubscribe or set options at:
http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux
Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic.
Re: PXELINUX and WDS (The Proper WAY) [ In reply to ]
Looking at the faq, The way you do it, and the way I do it are
completely opposite, which should we use?

Are there implications to using it your way?

1. Needs a password to get into syslinux (need to have an ADS Login
Name/Password. Need to be an admin)
2. Two Stage Boot, and RIS tends to lock up sometimes.
3. Incompatible with Vista's WDS (Only works with RIS)

My way starts pxelinux first, avoiding those issues.

I'm not saying it's better, but It is a little more polished.

-----Original Message-----
From: syslinux-bounces@zytor.com [mailto:syslinux-bounces@zytor.com] On
Behalf Of H. Peter Anvin
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 11:07 AM
To: For discussion of SYSLINUX and tftp-hpa
Subject: Re: [syslinux] PXELINUX and WDS (The Proper WAY)

Ryan McLean wrote:
>
> As to where you are going to place your tut i would recommend you put
it on
> the SYSLinux wiki..
>
> http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/SYSLINUX
>

Yes, please!

FWIW, http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/ is the main page, the above is the

one talking specifically about SYSLINUX (which maybe ought to be renamed

FATLINUX, but that sounds so crass...)

-hpa

_______________________________________________
SYSLINUX mailing list
Submissions to SYSLINUX@zytor.com
Unsubscribe or set options at:
http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux
Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic.

_______________________________________________
SYSLINUX mailing list
Submissions to SYSLINUX@zytor.com
Unsubscribe or set options at:
http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux
Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic.