[syslinux] PXE Boot Solution

Thu Jun 4 20:33:20 PDT 2009

That's pretty much where I stand, I could probably setup a pxe boot
solution to automatically kick off to a pe environment where it runs
an HTA file that runs a VB script to set environment variables and
then begin to install our base image, driver image, and "postapp"
image... Here's the rub, after that's all said and done, I have to
manually name the machine, join it to the domain, and then go through
the hellacious process of installing all of the clients apps, of
course we have our base apps, like the microsoft updates, all the
willy nilly stuff like the shockwaves/flash's/acrobat readers/sms
client, epo agent for the corporate antivirus/firewall standalone
workstation app. BUT here is where it gets tricky depending on this
persons, region, department, job title, they will all require
different apps, engineers will require all the autocads, sales people
will need their CRM's, the call center reps will need their 300
useless programs.

Here is where everyone is going to laugh, this has been somewhat
simplified through a web based dynamic installation file creation
tool. To explain, you goto a website that has pre-defined software
lists for say particular job roles, these aren't perfect, some
engineers may need a couple other apps that other engineers don't say
construction apps that others may not. So to make matters worse you
have to pick and choose extra things on top of these standard profile
software lists. THEN, the website compiles a list of all the
applications to be installed and in order by pre-requisite, with auto
initiated reboot and automatic relogins to continue the installation
process at which point the website creates an executable, a download
list, and another file that includes the switches for each executable
because out of those thousands of files most of them have regional
switches, because most of the software is server client software, and
you wouldn't want a program on someones computer in miami pointing to
a server in california, if there is a server in orlando that does the
exact same thing.

Now all that has to take place just to get programs on the computer,
once thats done you still have the monumental task of migrating uses,
because everyone changes out their computer every 2 or 3 years or
whatever, I do this manually and luckily I have it down to a science
all without using 3rd party applications, it's alittle more
complicated than dragging and dropping, but I've memorized most
applications and where they store particular needed files in innocuous
places, registry keys that need to be migrated etc.

Now, on to the meat and potato's...
Hypothetically it would be nice for someone's hard drive to crash,
then pop in a new one, start up my pxe server, boot up the client
machine and then have it automatically whether i configure this on my
pxe server or actually interact with the client machine have it load
the base image, driver image, post apps, I suppose I'd have to
manually name it and join it to the domain because i don't really know
how to automate that before the imaging process, then apply a, I guess
i'll call it a departmental software model. Here's the rub all of our
applications are repackaged msi's that have been converted into exe's,
and so I honestly don't really know how to turn say 60 exe files into
1 giant install file, If I could do that, I believe I could actually
goto my job and smile :D

I'm not sure what everyone here uses their pxe's for, but I would
assume most use them for unattended installs, and I'm really having
difficulty finding someone's scenario and how they use this technology
in their own environment. Granted, sometimes i have to sit down there
manually and install 50 programs one right after another just because
everything else is obviously broken, but something that might help me
automate some of this stuff that I do on a daily basis would be a
godsend.

Matthew Holevinski

Ohh as for WDS, I'd like to use something like that because we already
have our WIMs and stuff setup, but i'm too retarded to even begin to
understand that beast of a program plus, it wouldn't really do
anything helpful for me, our own re-imaging process is pretty sucky
but it's still about on par with WDS, my dream outcome would be to
somehow turn these software profiles into 1 giant install file that I
can just "apply" to a machine, whether the 1 giant install program
installs all 50 programs inside of it one by one, or just some how
apply's the installed application to the freshly imaged machine, i
honestly don't know how something like that would work, but it sure
would be great, especially if i could take it one step further and
have it apply that software image directly after my base image
install.

On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 4:40 AM, Ryan McLean<pvtryan100 at googlemail.com> wrote:
> Andrew Stuart wrote:
> -snip-
>>
>> I really hate to suggest this.. I mean I really really hate to suggest
>> this.. I think it would be in your best interest to look at microsoft's
>> deployment services (WDS).
>>
>> I stay as far away from it as I possibly can (because I don't like being
>> locked in). I much prefer the system I have setup with syslinux, but alas it
>> doesn't support multicast (nor do I need it to).
>>
>> I haven't used it since it's early days (pre multicast), so I have no idea
>> if what they claim is supported, or what magic / licenses / etc you need to
>> make it work.
>>
>> Take a look at the following link:
>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc726541(WS.10).aspx
>>
>> I think this is readily available now, but I am not positive. I know they
>> were going to be expanding this with the Windows 7 Waik.
>>
>> The plus side, is someone put up a nice tutorial for adding pxelinux to
>> WDS. Which should give you the other boot abilities of your usb drive. See:
>> http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/PXELINUX#Deploy_Linux_from_Windows_WDS.2FRIS_server_using_PXELinux
>
> That was me, glad you like it.. :D
>
> I personally use WDS/RIS for my deployments (WDS for windows Vista and
> above, RIS for XP & Linux). The only thing I would add is that WDS is
> supposedly better than RIS but imho it is a lot more difficult to figure out
> how to use, so read all the documentation at least twice, in saying that if
> you are deploying vista then you must use WDS as RIS will not do it AFAIK.
>
> If you have any questions about my config / you want some example WDS
> unattended files let me know (I only have partial unattended deployment
> (i.e. A base install) as I have not yet worked out how to auto install 3rd
> party apps or add custom drivers to the setup).
>
> Regards,
>
> Ryan
>
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