Setting up a PXE-Boot Redhat Linux 5

This documents how to setup a PXE boot server for Linux.
a) The first thing to note is that you need to setup your own mini-network that is completely disconnected from the network, since part of this process requires setting up a DHCP server which could conflict with the corporate DHCP server if they were both running on the same network simultaneously. So get yourself a switch from IT up front. You do *NOT* need the switch immediately, so just put it aside.

b) Next you'll need to install the following packages using yum server
tftp-server
dhcp
httpd
syslinux

root@vijay~]# yum install tftp-server dhcp httpd syslinux

c) Now you need to setup the DHCP server. With the FC4 RPM for dhcp, all you need to do is create /etc/dhcpd.conf with the following contents:

root@vijay~]# vim /etc/dhcpd.conf

ddns-update-style interim;
ignore client-updates;
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
option routers 192.168.0.63;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option domain-name "";
option time-offset -18000;
range dynamic-bootp 192.168.0.160 192.168.0.191;
default-lease-time 21600;
max-lease-time 43200;
filename "/pxelinux.0";                              (add these two line in dhcpd.conf file)
next-server 192.168.0.1;
}

d) Next you need to activate tftp within xinetd. All that is neccesary is to change disable=yes to disable=no in /etc/xinetd.d/tftp . Then restart xinetd.
root@vijay~]# vim /etc/xinetd.d/tftp
                    disable=no

e) Next you need to copy the files from the given locaton.
root@vijay~]# cp -r   /usr/share/doc/syslinux-3.11/sample/*  /tftpboot/

root@vijay~]# mkdir  /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg

f) Now Mount the DVD into /mnt and copy the content.
root@vijay~]# mount  /dev/cdrom /mnt

root@vijay~]# cp  -r /mnt/images/pxeboot/*    /tftpboot

root@vijay~]# cp  -r /mnt/isolinux/*      /tftpboot

root@vijay~]# cp /mnt/isolinux/isolinux.cfg /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default

root@vijay~]# cp -r /usr/lib/syslinux/pxelinux.0  /tftpboot

root@vijay~]# cp -r /usr/lib/syslinux/menu.c32  /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg

root@vijay~]# cp -r /usr/lib/syslinux/*  /tftpboot

g) Now install Kickstart Package and configure it according to Requirement. and save the file into /var/ftp/pub (if your are using FTP service).
root@vijay~]# yum install *kickstart*

root@vijay~]# system-config-kickstart

h) Now create the default pxelinux configuration inside the new file.

root@vijay~]# vim /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default

 default kickstart
 prompt 0
 timeout 600
 display boot.msg
 F1 boot.msg
 F2 options.msg
 F3 general.msg
 F4 param.msg
 F5 rescue.msg
 MENU title network installation pxe  
 label linux
 kernel vmlinuz
 append initrd=initrd.img
 label kickstart
 kernel vmlinuz
 append initrd=initrd.img ks=ftp://192.168.0.11/dump/ks.cfg
 label ks
 kernel vmlinuz
 append ks initrd=initr

i) Now start dhcpd & vsftpd and activate tftp by running the following:
 
root@vijay~]#/etc/init.d/dhcpd  start
 
root@vijay~]#/etc/init.d/xinetd restart
 
root@vijay~]#/etc/init.d/vsftpd start


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                                Now Boot Client Machine with PXE
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