[syslinux] PXE Linux boot to F12 automatically

[Claus Andersen]

On Tue, 21 Oct 2008, Ferenc Wagner wrote:

> Chadley Wilson <chadley at pinteq.co.za> writes:
>
>> The one problem I face is that you should press F12 to boot from
>> network, if you don't - the system must continue to boot from the
>> next boot device.  This is not what happens to me with PXELinux
>> 3.72, I don't press F12 and the system still boots from network.
>
> I'm confused.  Surely you know that the priority of boot devices is
> determined by the BIOS.  Enter the BIOS setup and configure it to your
> liking.  PXELinux is only started if the computer is already booting
> from the network, so it has absolutely nothing to do about this...

F12 is supported by many (but not all BIOSes) as an out of order execution 
of the PXE network book even though it is not part of the default boot 
order. I've have come cross a couple of BIOSes which rather expected F8 
and other again which where "only" able to display a menu of boot options.

My guess would be that Chadley has PXE boot as the default boot setting 
and the F12 he is thinking about is the default "startrom.com" delivered 
by WDS.

I see three options:

1) Set the BIOS boot order #1 to harddisk and the use whatever means 
needed to do a PXE boot but only when needed. What is needed depends 
on your BIOS. This gives the smoothest end-user experience and is what I 
would prefer.

2) Set the first menu option/default menu option in pxelinux.cfg/default 
to "localboot" and set a timeout for the menu. This could show a menu with 
different options where the first one would be localboot. This will be the 
easiest for the on-site supporters but might be confusing for the 
end-users.

3) Set the DEFAULT option to localboot. Again easy for the end-user but a 
"little" more work for the on-site supporters.

Kind Regards,
Claus