Slackware PXE Server Help
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First, a little help on help. Whenever you encounter a text
viewer like this during the installation, you can move around
with these commands:
PGDN/SPACE - Move down one page
PGUP/'b' - Move up one page
ENTER/DOWN/'j' - Move down one line
UP/'k' - Move up one line
LEFT/'h' - Scroll left
RIGHT/'l' - Scroll right
'0' - Move to beginning of line
HOME/'g' - Move to beginning of file
END/'G' - Move to end of file
'/' - Forward search
'?' - Backward search
'n' - Repeat last search (forward)
Also, you're running a real multitasking operating system now, so
you're not confined to the installation program. You can log into
other consoles and look around at any time without disturbing the
installation process. To do this, you need to learn the commands
that control the Linux console. You'll use these commands all the
time when you're logged into Linux.
"Virtual" consoles and scrollback:
Right now, the screen you're looking at is probably VIRTUAL CONSOLE
NUMBER ONE, (or /dev/tty1 in Linux-speak). There are usually
several virtual consoles available. When you log into the install
disk, there are four consoles. To switch among them, use Alt-F1,
Alt-F2, Alt-F3, or Alt-F4 to select which of the four consoles you
wish to use. While you're using a console, you get a small amount
of text scrollback buffer. To scroll the console back, hold down
the right shift key and hit PageUp. To scroll the console forward,
hit PageDown while holding the right shift key down. This can be
especially useful for reading the boot messages, which can go by
too fast to read otherwise.
RUNNING THE PXESETUP PROGRAM
The pxesetup main menu is kept as easy as possible, because only a
limited configuration is needed.
NETWORK (configure the network device and optional DHCP server)
SOURCE (select the source location for the Slackware Linux
packages)
ACTIVATE (start the PXE server)
In the NETWORK configuration stage, you configure an IP address for
your network card. If you have already a DHCP server in your local
network, the pxesetup program will offer you the choice of using the
DHCP server to configure your network device fully automatic, but
there is always the option to enter an IP address manually. If no
DHCP server has been detected running inside your local network,
then pxesetup will start its own DHCP server (we need one). You will
get the chance to define the IP address range which that internal
DHCP server uses. You should check the lower and upper IP addresses
carefully and verify that none of your local network's computers,
including your local gateway, use an IP address in that DHCP range.
If you spot a conflict, you can adjust these lower and upper bounds.
Press 'Accept' once you are satisfied.
In the SOURCE configuration stage, you determine where you have
your local Slackware copy. This should be a complete directory
tree including the packages, the kernels and the isolinux directory.
The package sources are not needed and can be omitted from the medium
if you are using a bootable USB stick for instance. The choices
for SOURCE location are: a DVD medium, a local disk partition or
a pre-mounted directory. These are the standard setup dialogs you
will certainly know from installing Slackware. Be sure to enter the
full directory path to (and including) the directory which contains
the 'a', 'ap', 'd', ..., 'y' subdirectiries. You know the drill.
When you are done configuring NETWORK and SOURCE, it is time to
ACTIVATE your PXE server. The screen will show a live view of the
server's connection log for client boot requests. This goes on
until you press 'Exit' which will drop you back into the main menu
after killing the PXE service. Selecting ACTIVATE will restart the
PXE service. Computers who boot from your PXE server will see the
usual Slackware installation routine. When it comes to selecting the
SOURCE, these computers have one choice, and is the entry "Install
from FTP/HTTP server". The PXE server offers Slackware packages to
willing computers using its own internal HTTP server. The default
values that you will see for the URL and the PATH input fields are
being supplied by the PXE server and should not be changed.
...WHEN YOU'RE DONE:
EXIT: This leaves Slackware PXE Server setup.
Have fun running this PXE server!
---
Eric Hameleers
alien@slackware.com
