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Arseni Mourzenko
Asked: 2014-04-10 12:45:07 +0800 CST

How to configure pxelinux.cfg/default properly in order to install Ubuntu from network?

  • 772

I'm trying to set up PXE in order to install Ubuntu 13.10 Server x64 through local network. So far, I can boot through PXE and, when using pxelinux.cfg/default provided by default, be able to install Ubuntu by downloading it from a mirror.

I want to be able to install Ubuntu from NFS. I edited pxelinux.cfg/default like this:

1  # D-I config version 2.0
2  default ubuntu-installer/amd64/boot-screens/vesamenu.c32
3  menu title Ubuntu setup
4  label ubuntu-13.10-server-amd64
5          menu label ubuntu-13.10-server-amd64
6          kernel 3.11.0.18-generic
7          append netboot=nfs initrd=install/initrd.gz nfsroot=192.168.1.75:/↵
   exports/ubuntu-13.10-server-amd64 ip=dhcp rw
  • 192.168.1.75 is the IP of the server I use for DHCP, DNS and NFS,
  • I got the kernel 3.11.0.18-generic by running uname -r,

  • showmount -e 192.168.1.75 gives:

    Export list for 192.168.1.75:
    /exports/ubuntu-13.10-server-amd64 192.168.1.0/24

    The directory contains the contents of the original ubuntu-13.10-server-amd64 image.

When booting from PXE, I get the original screen (see screenshots below), then another one. Pressing Tab shows the command:

3.11.0.18-generic netboot=nfs initrd=install/initrd.gz nfsroot=192.168.1.↵ 75:/exports/ubuntu-13.10-server-amd64 ip=dhcp rw

Pressing Enter does nothing.

I imagine there is something wrong with my changes of pxelinux.cfg/default.

What's wrong with it?

Is there a comprehensive documentation of the options to set?

Are there logs which can help understanding what is wrong?

enter image description here

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boot

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    It sounds like your kernel and init are not loading (hence the hang). Are you sure your paths are correct? Also, check your filenames -- I'm not sure where you got 3.11.0.18-generic, my 14.04 server DVD netboot kernel is a file called "linux".

    This line: 

    6          kernel 3.11.0.18-generic

    Implies that a file called 3.11.0.18-generic exists in the root of your TFTP server, e.g. something like \tftpboot\3.11.0.18-generic or \var\lib\tftp\3.11.0.18-generic. Let's call this TFTPROOT. Similarly for install/initrd.gz - is there a file TFTPROOT/install/initrd.gz?

    Your path on line 2 (default ubuntu-installer/amd64/boot-screens/vesamenu.c32) implies that you've copied the contents of DVDISO/install/netboot into your TFTP server root. E.g. you've likely got a folder called TFTPROOT/ubuntu-installer. However, the proper kernel and init file for netboot are(for me) contained in DVDISO/install/netboot/ubuntu-installer/amd64. So your paths should be kernel ubuntu-installer/amd64/linux and append initrd=ubuntu-installer/amd64/initrd.gz ...

    • 2

  2. I had that problem, and could hit enter after changing file permission for kernel and inird.

    Try with setting chmod 777 3.11.0.18-generic

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