PXE problem: "that directory could not be mount from server"

applebees · 02-09-2010, 02:31 PM

Hello,
I recently setup a PXE server to do remote installation. The PXE clients have 2 NICs, one connected to private network switch, one connected to public network switch. The DHCP server configuration is simple like this:

ddns-update-style interim;
ignore client-updates;

subnet 192.168.111.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {

# --- default gateway
option routers 192.168.111.1;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;

option nis-domain "domain.org";
option domain-name "domain.org";
# option domain-name-servers 192.168.1.1;

option time-offset -18000; # Eastern Standard Time
# option ntp-servers 192.168.1.1;
# option netbios-name-servers 192.168.1.1;
# --- Selects point-to-point node (default is hybrid). Don't change this unless
# -- you understand Netbios very well
# option netbios-node-type 2;

allow bootp;
allow booting;
option ip-forwarding false; # No IP forwarding
option mask-supplier false; # Don't respond to ICMP Mask req

range dynamic-bootp 192.168.111.120 192.168.111.254;
default-lease-time 21600;
max-lease-time 43200;

next-server 192.168.111.119; # name of your TFTP server
filename "pxelinux.0"; # name of the bootloader program
}

I put nothing on /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/ and everything else is simple since I just wanted to make it work first.

I export the directory contains .iso file to share as nfs and point PXE to it.

The problem is when I boot the PXE client, it pick up dhcp IP, load pxelinux.o and then it stop with error "That directory could not be mounted from the server". Even when I provide the .iso file directory manually, it's still does not work.

However, when I connect both network cables on the PXE client (host) to private network hub, remote installation process goes smoothly without any problem.

The questions are why the system does not mount .iso file directory when I connect 1 NIC to private network hub while it works with both NICs connected to the hub? Is there any suggestion for solutions?

Thanks,

applebees · 02-11-2010, 08:47 AM

Update: I figured out that the PXE client lost the dhcp ip lease after booting up, therefore it could not located the nfs directory. The question is how can I fix it?

theNbomr · 02-11-2010, 09:42 AM

Okay, I will try to fill in some blanks to frame my response. When the PXE bootloader runs, it already has an IP, acquired from the DHCP server. The bootloader then launches a kernel, which knows nothing about the pre-existing IP lease, unless given such information in the arguments passed to it by the bootloader. In your case it sounds like you need to use a kernel with built-in NFS-root capability, and also to be given an IP or instructions to fetch one from the DHCP server (sounds redundant, but it isn't). For example:

Code:

LABEL SLAX
    MENU LABEL Run SLAX linux with NFS Root
    KERNEL /vmlinuz-slax
    IPAPPEND 1
    APPEND root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:/home/theNbomr/slax ip=dhcp vga=769 initrd=/initrd-slax.gz ramdisk_size=6666 rw

What does your kernel argument list look like in the bootloader?
--- rod.