[syslinux] Network boot for syslinux

[H. Peter Anvin]

On 05/09/16 07:39, Gene Cumm via Syslinux wrote:
> On Sun, May 8, 2016 at 3:56 AM, Tomas M via Syslinux <syslinux at zytor.com> wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> I would like to achieve this goal:
>> - start bootloader using syslinux or isolinux from hard drive or CD (not pxe)
>> - init network, get IP address somehow from DHCP
>> - download kernel and initrd from FTP server (hosted on public internet)
>> - boot it
>>
>> Is this currently possible with syslinux or isolinux?
> 
> Directly, no, because the underlying PXE stack and network card
> haven't been initialized by the underlying BIOS or a full network card
> driver.
> 
>> I can do it when I boot over PXE from network, using PXELINUX.
>> But I would like to have the bootloader on disk for example, and load
>> vmlinuz+initrd "from network", to avoid the need for pxe server at
>> all.
> 
> Your closest bet is with iPXE/gPXE, likely loaded from
> SYSLINUX/ISOLINUX and either directly loading the kernel/initrd or
> loading PXELINUX off of a remote server.  Several organizations have
> mini ISOs like this.
> 

Yes, iPXE is exactly what you want for this.  gPXE is historic; let's
not even talk about it.

	-hpa