IPFire install over PXE

IPFire install over PXE

[Horace Michael]

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Hi all,
After several tests (using a normal PC but also a SBC with no videocard -
APU1C2 from PCEngines) on installing IPFIre over PXE I’ve ended up several
possible faults that lead to PXE not working:

Point A.
pxelinux.0 points to a wrong server: server returns "502 Bad Gateway"

Here are the outputs:


TFTP prefix: http://boot.dev.ipfire.org/ 
Unable to locate configuration file

Boot failed: press a key to retry, or wait for reset...
.........


Point B.
Premenu.cfg loaded by menu.gpxe (http://boot.ipfire.org/menu.gpxe )  has
default menu the vesa menu and the submenu that should allow me to select
between vesa and text are declared hidden. Therefore I can't select the text
interface when I am booting from an SBC without video card - only option
being the serial console = text menu - menu.c32. 

Extract from premenu.cfg:

menu hidden
timeout 30

menu title Select menu type
menu autoboot Press any key for options or wait # second{,s}...

label vesa
  menu default
  text help
  The default graphical boot menu.
  endtext
  menu label Graphical menu
  kernel vesamenu.c32
  append menu.cfg?arch=i586&platform=pcbios

label text
  menu label Text menu
  text help
  Use this menu if the graphical menu does not work on your system.
  endtext
  kernel menu.c32
  append menu.cfg?arch=i586&platform=pcbios

Point C.
Old .kpxe files from v1.0 folder
(http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/v1.0/) don’t duplicate the
characters on screen while the other .kpxe files (including the ones from
latest - http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/latest/ - generate
duplicate characters after loading the .kpxe and download from
boot.ipfire.org starts.




Printscreens and additional details on forum:
http://forum.ipfire.org/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=15250#p100110



Best regards,
Horace 

Re: IPFire install over PXE

[Michael Tremer]

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Hi Horace,

On Wed, 2016-08-24 at 21:38 +0300, Horace Michael wrote:
> Hi all,
> After several tests (using a normal PC but also a SBC with no
> videocard -
> APU1C2 from PCEngines) on installing IPFIre over PXE I’ve ended up
> several
> possible faults that lead to PXE not working:
> 
> Point A.
> pxelinux.0 points to a wrong server: server returns "502 Bad Gateway"

I have seen that bug before but couldn't find where that URL was in the
short time that I had available.

But I found it now and fixed it :)

http://git.ipfire.org/?p=ipfire.org.git;a=commitdiff;h=e7c9ed3cc22f028750a6433a830eab585b9c32fc

> Here are the outputs:
> 
> 
> TFTP prefix: http://boot.dev.ipfire.org/ 
> Unable to locate configuration file
> 
> Boot failed: press a key to retry, or wait for reset...
> .........
> 
> 
> Point B.
> Premenu.cfg loaded by menu.gpxe (http://boot.ipfire.org/menu.gpxe ) 
> has
> default menu the vesa menu and the submenu that should allow me to
> select
> between vesa and text are declared hidden. Therefore I can't select
> the text
> interface when I am booting from an SBC without video card - only
> option
> being the serial console = text menu - menu.c32. 
> 
> Extract from premenu.cfg:
> 
> menu hidden
> timeout 30
> 
> menu title Select menu type
> menu autoboot Press any key for options or wait # second{,s}...
> 
> label vesa
>   menu default
>   text help
>   The default graphical boot menu.
>   endtext
>   menu label Graphical menu
>   kernel vesamenu.c32
>   append menu.cfg?arch=i586&platform=pcbios
> 
> label text
>   menu label Text menu
>   text help
>   Use this menu if the graphical menu does not work on your system.
>   endtext
>   kernel menu.c32
>   append menu.cfg?arch=i586&platform=pcbios

Actually the BIOS should tell the menu that it doesn't support graphics
AFAIK.

> 
> Point C.
> Old .kpxe files from v1.0 folder
> (http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/v1.0/) don’t
> duplicate the
> characters on screen while the other .kpxe files (including the ones
> from
> latest - http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/latest/ -
> generate
> duplicate characters after loading the .kpxe and download from
> boot.ipfire.org starts.
> 

We discovered that this is a bug of the BIOS of the APU.

On other systems that worked fine.

I think by now this could be a little outdated. If you need sources for
our changes and want to update the loader, please have a look here:

http://git.ipfire.org/?p=oddments/ipfire-netboot.git;a=summary

Patches are always welcome :)

> Printscreens and additional details on forum:
> http://forum.ipfire.org/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=15250#p100110
> 
> 
> 
> Best regards,
> Horace 

Best,
-Michael

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RE: IPFire install over PXE

[Horace Michael]

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Good morning,
Tested, here are the results:
1. Laptop booting ipxe.kpxe from "latesl" folder available at  http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/latest/ - ALL OK. Even more - I see the message for activating the hidden menu defined in premenu.cfg. 


2. SBC (PCEngines APU1C2) - booting ipxe.kpxe from http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/v1.0/ - during the timeout from premenu.cfg I can press any key and setect TEXT submenu (the one that uses menu.c32) - after that I can select "Install with serial console..."
- ALL OK (no duplicated characters)

3. SBC (PCEngines APU1C2) - booting ipxe.kpxe from http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/v1.0/ -  no key pressed during timeout message from premenu.cfg - I am redirected to TEXT menu from where I can select "Install with serial console..."
- ALL OK (no duplicated characters)

Steps 2 and 3 repeteated with ipxe.kpxe from "latest" - ALL works fine except some duplicated characters while loading cfg files and pxelinux.0 from boot.ipfire.org. 

Dropped a request to PCEngine to check their BIOS for that duplicated characters thing.
But I can also live with this behavior...

Many thanks for quick solution!
Best regards,
Horace


-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Tremer [mailto:michael.tremer(a)ipfire.org] 
Sent: 25 august 2016 0:04
To: Horace Michael <horace.michael(a)gmx.com>; development(a)lists.ipfire.org
Subject: Re: IPFire install over PXE

Hi Horace,

On Wed, 2016-08-24 at 21:38 +0300, Horace Michael wrote:
> Hi all,
> After several tests (using a normal PC but also a SBC with no 
> videocard -
> APU1C2 from PCEngines) on installing IPFIre over PXE I’ve ended up 
> several possible faults that lead to PXE not working:
> 
> Point A.
> pxelinux.0 points to a wrong server: server returns "502 Bad Gateway"

I have seen that bug before but couldn't find where that URL was in the short time that I had available.

But I found it now and fixed it :)

http://git.ipfire.org/?p=ipfire.org.git;a=commitdiff;h=e7c9ed3cc22f028750a6433a830eab585b9c32fc

> Here are the outputs:
> 
> 
> TFTP prefix: http://boot.dev.ipfire.org/ Unable to locate 
> configuration file
> 
> Boot failed: press a key to retry, or wait for reset...
> .........
> 
> 
> Point B.
> Premenu.cfg loaded by menu.gpxe (http://boot.ipfire.org/menu.gpxe ) 
> has default menu the vesa menu and the submenu that should allow me to 
> select between vesa and text are declared hidden. Therefore I can't 
> select the text interface when I am booting from an SBC without video 
> card - only option being the serial console = text menu - menu.c32.
> 
> Extract from premenu.cfg:
> 
> menu hidden
> timeout 30
> 
> menu title Select menu type
> menu autoboot Press any key for options or wait # second{,s}...
> 
> label vesa
>   menu default
>   text help
>   The default graphical boot menu.
>   endtext
>   menu label Graphical menu
>   kernel vesamenu.c32
>   append menu.cfg?arch=i586&platform=pcbios
> 
> label text
>   menu label Text menu
>   text help
>   Use this menu if the graphical menu does not work on your system.
>   endtext
>   kernel menu.c32
>   append menu.cfg?arch=i586&platform=pcbios

Actually the BIOS should tell the menu that it doesn't support graphics AFAIK.

> 
> Point C.
> Old .kpxe files from v1.0 folder
> (http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/v1.0/) don’t duplicate 
> the characters on screen while the other .kpxe files (including the 
> ones from latest - 
> http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/latest/ - generate 
> duplicate characters after loading the .kpxe and download from 
> boot.ipfire.org starts.
> 

We discovered that this is a bug of the BIOS of the APU.

On other systems that worked fine.

I think by now this could be a little outdated. If you need sources for our changes and want to update the loader, please have a look here:

http://git.ipfire.org/?p=oddments/ipfire-netboot.git;a=summary

Patches are always welcome :)

> Printscreens and additional details on forum:
> http://forum.ipfire.org/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=15250#p100110
> 
> 
> 
> Best regards,
> Horace

Best,
-Michael

Re: IPFire install over PXE

[Michael Tremer]

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On Thu, 2016-08-25 at 07:52 +0300, Horace Michael wrote:
> Good morning,
> Tested, here are the results:
> 1. Laptop booting ipxe.kpxe from "latesl" folder available at  http:/
> /mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/latest/ - ALL OK. Even more
> - I see the message for activating the hidden menu defined in
> premenu.cfg. 
> 
> 
> 2. SBC (PCEngines APU1C2) - booting ipxe.kpxe from http://mirror0.ipf
> ire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/v1.0/ - during the timeout from
> premenu.cfg I can press any key and setect TEXT submenu (the one that
> uses menu.c32) - after that I can select "Install with serial
> console..."
> - ALL OK (no duplicated characters)
> 
> 3. SBC (PCEngines APU1C2) - booting ipxe.kpxe from http://mirror0.ipf
> ire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/v1.0/ -  no key pressed during timeout
> message from premenu.cfg - I am redirected to TEXT menu from where I
> can select "Install with serial console..."
> - ALL OK (no duplicated characters)
> 
> Steps 2 and 3 repeteated with ipxe.kpxe from "latest" - ALL works
> fine except some duplicated characters while loading cfg files and
> pxelinux.0 from boot.ipfire.org. 
> 
> Dropped a request to PCEngine to check their BIOS for that duplicated
> characters thing.

Thanks. Let us hear if you get anything back!

Best,
-Michael

> But I can also live with this behavior...
> 
> Many thanks for quick solution!
> Best regards,
> Horace
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Tremer [mailto:michael.tremer(a)ipfire.org] 
> Sent: 25 august 2016 0:04
> To: Horace Michael <horace.michael(a)gmx.com>; development(a)lists.ipfire
> .org
> Subject: Re: IPFire install over PXE
> 
> Hi Horace,
> 
> On Wed, 2016-08-24 at 21:38 +0300, Horace Michael wrote:
> > 
> > Hi all,
> > After several tests (using a normal PC but also a SBC with no 
> > videocard -
> > APU1C2 from PCEngines) on installing IPFIre over PXE I’ve ended up 
> > several possible faults that lead to PXE not working:
> > 
> > Point A.
> > pxelinux.0 points to a wrong server: server returns "502 Bad
> > Gateway"
> 
> I have seen that bug before but couldn't find where that URL was in
> the short time that I had available.
> 
> But I found it now and fixed it :)
> 
> http://git.ipfire.org/?p=ipfire.org.git;a=commitdiff;h=e7c9ed3cc22f02
> 8750a6433a830eab585b9c32fc
> 
> > 
> > Here are the outputs:
> > 
> > 
> > TFTP prefix: http://boot.dev.ipfire.org/ Unable to locate 
> > configuration file
> > 
> > Boot failed: press a key to retry, or wait for reset...
> > .........
> > 
> > 
> > Point B.
> > Premenu.cfg loaded by menu.gpxe (http://boot.ipfire.org/menu.gpxe
> > ) 
> > has default menu the vesa menu and the submenu that should allow me
> > to 
> > select between vesa and text are declared hidden. Therefore I
> > can't 
> > select the text interface when I am booting from an SBC without
> > video 
> > card - only option being the serial console = text menu - menu.c32.
> > 
> > Extract from premenu.cfg:
> > 
> > menu hidden
> > timeout 30
> > 
> > menu title Select menu type
> > menu autoboot Press any key for options or wait # second{,s}...
> > 
> > label vesa
> >   menu default
> >   text help
> >   The default graphical boot menu.
> >   endtext
> >   menu label Graphical menu
> >   kernel vesamenu.c32
> >   append menu.cfg?arch=i586&platform=pcbios
> > 
> > label text
> >   menu label Text menu
> >   text help
> >   Use this menu if the graphical menu does not work on your system.
> >   endtext
> >   kernel menu.c32
> >   append menu.cfg?arch=i586&platform=pcbios
> 
> Actually the BIOS should tell the menu that it doesn't support
> graphics AFAIK.
> 
> > 
> > 
> > Point C.
> > Old .kpxe files from v1.0 folder
> > (http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/v1.0/) don’t
> > duplicate 
> > the characters on screen while the other .kpxe files (including
> > the 
> > ones from latest - 
> > http://mirror0.ipfire.org/releases/ipfire-boot/latest/ - generate 
> > duplicate characters after loading the .kpxe and download from 
> > boot.ipfire.org starts.
> > 
> 
> We discovered that this is a bug of the BIOS of the APU.
> 
> On other systems that worked fine.
> 
> I think by now this could be a little outdated. If you need sources
> for our changes and want to update the loader, please have a look
> here:
> 
> http://git.ipfire.org/?p=oddments/ipfire-netboot.git;a=summary
> 
> Patches are always welcome :)
> 
> > 
> > Printscreens and additional details on forum:
> > http://forum.ipfire.org/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=15250#p100110
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Best regards,
> > Horace
> 
> Best,
> -Michael
> 

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