[syslinux] Can this be done with PXELinux?

Murali Krishnan Ganapathy gmurali at cs.uchicago.edu
Sun Mar 12 07:51:40 PST 2006


Why not simplify this a little.
* Computer always boots via PXELINUX
* Boots into COMBOOT code
* Code always sends MAC addr,RAM,HDD size, Video Card to "Server"
* Server sends command to execute
* Computer executes command

The server can easily do the checking whether it is the first time or 
not. It can return any PXELINUX image name, so it could be anything from 
"reboot","chain.c32 hd0 1","ghost". Theoretically you should be able to 
do this. some potential issues (I dont know if they are that difficult).

(1) Comboot code doing raw sockets or may be there is a way to piggy 
back this info on top of the DHCP protocol.
(2) Is security an issue, i.e. what if there is a rogue laptop sitting 
on the network posing as the server.
(3) You have to take the time to write such a code. I cant think of a 
solution already out there which does it for you.

- Murali

Kenneth Vandbæk wrote:
> Hi
>
> This is what I like to be able to do.
>
> 1. Computer boot on LAN, using PXELinux.
>
> 2. If the computer is booting for the first time it sends MAC adr, RAM, size of harddrive and name of videocard to a shared folder on a computer, maybe a server, that is attached to the network. 
>
> 3. If this is not the first time it scan for a new task, could be a new ghostimage or an unattended installation of a OS, if there isn't a new task it boot from harddrive.
>
> Can this be done with PXELinux?
>
> Feel free to ask for more questions if you don't understand the senario. I'm new in this, so sorry for my poor knowledge.
>
>
> /Kenneth
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